fuvwebgirl: Project Bright Eyes

Or: I don't know his name, but I want his job.

I drank the kool-aid, finally, at the Saddle Creek saloon. Drawn in by the great new album Cassadaga and the perfect opening act (Gillian Welch and David Rawlings), I caught the Wednesday night Town Hall NYC Bright Eyes show. They did several things to ensure my conversion, not the least of which was put on a rollicking good performance. They also met me right between the eyes.

The band walks out on stage dressed completely in white. Conor's in a white suit. The string section, the singers. The skinny guitarists in their tiny white jeans. Not one but two percussionistas in white dresses. And as they start to play, a projection show begins like a live video extravaganza. And you know it's live, because it's changing with the tempo of each song, and changing with reactions to what's being said between the songs -- the camera refocuses on an art piece of some kind or a polaroid tossed on the table.

And what effing fun, coming up with one idea after another to match the theme and provide a kind of moving wallpaper background. Scribbling in colors and smearing it around, then something that looks like a snow globe in tight focus, then some kind of see-through colored beads, and something in water? Jello? Everything is fluid and dreamy and soft-focus and mesmerizing, and probably not distracting for people who aren't me. A pair of hands moves acetates around, slides, objects. It's a job for the ultimate artist music fan, one who's not afraid to make a mess. Of course I admit that as a Day One drinker of the beforementioned kool-aid, I would not exactly be qualified for this exact gig, but what fun to do it for someone whose songs I really know inside out (Ani? Hello? Gomez? Um, guys?) -- I cannot remember being this jealous of anyone in a long time.

A nice touch: Wearing white nailpolish in solidarity with the band.

Of course there are visual references to song lyrics as they appear (say the word circle and there's a circle, mention "yellow water" or "burgundy tears" and voila! Some kind of colored-oil-and-water liquid display). It's the perfect thing for a music lover with zero musical talent, communicating with the fans silently, saying, "yeah, I love this one too, see -- I'm half a step ahead of you." Just right for the girl who hates the spotlight.

Although I guess I pretty much have a job like that already.

I should also mention that the music was great... Gillian and David are masters of a particularly beautiful and intricate kind of "transcendental folk" (thanks, Conor) that is difficult to describe and impossible to forget. And whereas the Bright Eyes records had me interested thanks to the impressive interlocking wordplay in every single song, I am now moved to call myself a fan all-around.

Now I just have two words for you, Projectorman: Sea Monkeys. Think about it.

- fuvwebgirl

New Steve Goodman biography

If you're a Steve Goodman fan, you might want to check out "Steve Goodman: Facing the Music," a new biography by Clay Eals, published by ECW Press. Eals is a Seattle based writer who labored over 8 years to produce this 800 page tome.

It's a big book (about the size of a Manhattan phone book) about a little guy. As my wife said, "He was a great musician, but he wasn't Abraham Lincoln!" But it was clearly a labor of love for Eals, who interviewed over 1,000 people for the book, including Arlo Guthrie, Steve Martin, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who, it turns out, was a high school classmate of Steve's (who knew?), though not including Steve's widow Nancy. He even interviewed Vin Scelsa and me. There's a classic photo of Vin with Steve and David Amram from 1978, and as part of a bonus CD of tribute songs that comes with the book, there's a six minute excerpt of an interview I did with Steve back in 1975 in Chicago.

It'll probably tell you more than you ever need to know about "City of New Orleans," the classic song he told me took about 35 minutes to write. But the subtext for Eals is that Steve quietly battled leukemia for 15 years before his death in 1984, while being an indefatigable entertainer. Steve shamelessly loved music and people and life, and I'm happy to say that comes through. It may take me 15 years to finish the book, but I'm glad to know someone took the time to capture his spirit.

John Platt

New Chao!

There's a new Manu Chao song called "Rainin' in Paradize" available for download at www.manuchao.net. Best part (besides the fact that it's cool)? It's free!

- Russ

Rita sez watch this

Check out this video from Fionn Regan. New artist from Ireland. Debut album coming out on Lost Highway Records

I just saw him in Louisville and again last night at The Living Room

What a talent! He's got a way with words as they say....

this video is awesome-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj66XgK3NvE

Louisville thoughts...

So, Rita and I made another trek down to Louisville for the NonCommvention this past week. This is a very cool music conference where like-minded noncommercial radio stations gather to talk shop and hear some great music.

Some cool live acts I got to see...

Jesca Hoop is a very intriguing new songwriter who will release her record in September. Apparently, she was nanny to Tom Waits' child(ren)!

Augie March from Australia have a little Waterboys-vibe to them.

A new Irish songwriter named Fionn Regan.

Sea Wolf. Great new indie band from Cali.

Hoots & Hellmouth. Young guys from Philly doing some oldtimey, gospelly thing. They were busking on the street and pulled in a decent haul from what I hear.

And Sarah Borges is a honky-tonk punk princess.

Lots of new stuff to look forward to...

Spoon and Rilo Kiley. Two new songs with handclaps! Good stuff. Crowded House on the way. And the surprise of them all. The forthcoming release from Alison Krauss and Robert Plant! Yep, produced by T Bone and due in the fall. Really cool.

That's all for now. Louisville's a nice town and all, but it's a bit smoky for my taste. Good to be back in NYC...

- Russ

Phoebe Snow's visit to Sunday Breakfast

In mid March Phoebe Snow’s 31-year-old daughter, Valerie, died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Losing a child has to be the worst nightmare of any parent, but it was particularly devastating for Phoebe, who often put her career on the back burner to care for Valerie, severely impaired all her life.

A couple of weeks ago Phoebe called me to ask if she could come on the City Folk Sunday Breakfast to play some selections in memory of Valerie. Sensing that it would be a catharsis for her, of course I said yes. So we sat together in the studio, as she explained why the songs she chose reminded her of Valerie: “When You Say Nothing at All” by Alison Krauss, “Yellow” by Coldplay, “Dimming of the Day” by Richard and Linda Thompson, “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles, “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” and “Claire de Lune” by Claude Debussy.

As you can imagine, it was a heartrending experience for both of us, but it was part of the healing process for Phoebe. And for all of us – in the studio and in the audience – it put us in touch with that vulnerable place that makes us human. The segment got more response than anything I’ve ever aired. This e-mail was typical:

“Everything about that show was breath taking. However, when she thanked you for allowing her to express her pain, love, loss and the remaining void - I was held transfixed by the total and complete integrity of that moment. Your Sunday, May 6th radio show will radiate and glow within me forever.”

I invite you to check out the show in the archives between now and May 21.
Click on Audio Archives under Listen on the home page, then choose the
May 6 City Folk Sunday Breakfast program.  

http://wfuv.venaca.com/cgi-bin/colinker.cgi?colink=100818455740758

The segment with Phoebe is the last 45 minutes of the show.

John Platt