Written by Fantasma el Rey
Country, folk, bluegrass, a hint of punk describes The Avett Brothers pretty well; American roots music is a better overall description for the music put forth by the two multi-talented brothers from North Carolina. I And Love And You is their sixth full-length album since their debut in 2001 and their first major label release. Put out by American/Columbia and produced by big fan Rick Rubin (his favorite new band says Rolling Stone), the new CD is a collection of 13 songs about life, love, and dealing with it all as you transition “from youth to adulthood” and starts “hoping to build something.” The Avett Brothers, Scott and Seth, speak volumes in their lyrics while keeping their music simple and enjoyable.
From the start, I And Love And You grabs hold and brings you into the world of the brothers (who play most of the instruments) filled with piano, vocals from the heart (which they switch off on), basic drums kits, cello (Joe Kwon), stand-up bass (Bob Crawford), percussion, and some banjo for more kick. Most heavy-hitting are the lyrics, kept simple yet arranged in a way that gives them snap and sting with the reality of life. The Avett Brothers paint pictures with words, using both gentle and fierce strokes and flushing them out with music arrangements that range from whisper to shout.
For the first time the brothers let the chore of song order go to someone else. Rubin chose them well as they move flawlessly from track to track. He understands the brothers and arranges their songs to further paint and expand the pictures of love and life they present.
The title tune deals with the difficulty of uttering those three words. It begins with the easy arrangement of them, then the breaking them up gives them different meaning .Add in lyrics like “what you were then I am today” and “the highway sets the travels stage/ all exits look the same” and the story of a road trip to Brooklyn unravels to tell the tale of how those words became so difficult to say.
On “January Wedding” the music perks up a bit and we get more country/bluegrass picking of guitars, banjo, and stand-up bass reminiscent of The Stanley Bros. The song pretty much conveys, what is in away, the height of those three words, expressed with lyrics that hit the heart: “She keeps it simple/ and I’m thankful for her kind of loving” and “she’s talking to me with her/ voice down so low I barely hear her/ but I know what she’s saying/ I understand because my heart and hers are the same.” The lyrics continue to describe the right reasons why people should get married. As the song goes on we hear how the couple is surrounded by darkness. The narrator doesn’t feel weak but sometime needs her “to protect me/ and reconnect me/ to the beauty/ that I’m missing.” Call me insane but is that not what a mate and partner-in-crime should do for you? Pick you up when you’re down, and provide the true feeling that everything will be all right and the sun will shine again?
“Head Full Of Doubt Road Full Of Promise” explores that feeling of transition, moving forward head full of doubts but looking to shake all that clear, build on it and move on. While “And It Spread” is a heavy little ditty about how love or the cold lack thereof can spread into the heart and affect your mind.
“The Perfect Space” with its heavy piano deals with finding that space in life where one can fit and feel comfortable with friends. The ones you can trust and who understand and love you for who you’ve become and not who you were. The tune has a wonderful tempo change in the middle that kicks things into high gear and shows that these boys can really rock, shout, and cut lose when they want to before returning to the slow and steady.
“Kick Drum Heart” furthers this up-tempo rocking, shouting side of the brothers. Drenched and dripping with ‘80s pop flair, with happy piano, kick-drum skipping playfully, and joyful lyrics of walking in the woods. This time the tempo change in the middle is reversed for a bit before bounding back and ending with the steady heart beat of the kick drum.
“Tin Man” is a fast-paced tune with a Beatlesque tuba about missing the feeling of feeling. “You can’t be like me/ but be happy that you can’t” and “I see pain but I don’t feel it” reflects the times when you’re so down, out, and left behind that all seems to go numb even when the person you love best is right next to you. “And so it goes/ a man grows cold/ some would say a man grows strong” along with “and if you won’t give my heart back/ I’ve no need to stick around” perfectly sums up the mood and sets the stage to end the album with three more solid songs.
“Slight Figure Of Speech” is the most rocking number on the album and has the band in a playful mood that shines in the rapid-fire, lyrical roller-coaster delivery in the middle of the tune. “It Goes On And On” continues the bouncy, playful pace and short, quick vocal punch. Closing with “Incomplete And Insecure,” which slows a bit and brings the album full circle, the perfect bookend to “I And Love And You.” The song leaves the album feeling like its title, not to say the album is incomplete, just the journey we were taken on through the eyes of the Avett Bros’ I And Love And You is an incomplete journey. Our narrator’s journey through life is incomplete like all ours lives if you don’t live and love and feel life in all its joy, pain, and glory.
I And Love And You is a solid effort and a good look at love through the eyes of two young men making the transition into their thirties, looking to build a future from the tools they acquired in their twenties. Incomplete and insecure can describe how many feel towards those three little words, but those three little words when whispered from the heart can contain the world in them. The Avett Brothers get that (the mission statement on the CD is further proof that they do) and through their music it can help us explore ourselves and the impact of “I And Love And You.”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Willie Nelson Special with Special Guest Ray Charles
Written by Fantasma el Rey
The Willie Nelson Special is an hour of Willie at the top of his game in 1985, singing the songs that made him famous and loved by fans around the world. His stage show has no frills or popping pyrotechnics. It’s just 60 minutes of Willie in an intimate setting, making him seem even more down to earth as he presents classic country as it should be, stripped down, focusing on the music and its performers.
The show opens with the rollin’ jump of “On The Road Again” played for a minute over the opening titles and some scenes of Willie and the boys goofing around, playing golf, and shooting pool. Willie and his band are in a quiet, sit-down bar or a very small club and on a low-rise stage putting them right next to their fans. The venue is small and perfect for this type of show, providing good interaction between fan and artist. These are the kind of places I like best; they make it seem as though the show is just for you and the band is approachable, which most times they are. This makes the next selection perfect as Willie slows the show with the beautiful “Always On My Mind” and shows off his quiet Texas crooner vocals on a tune I’ve always loved.
From there the legendary Ray Charles steps up to the piano and shares the spotlight with his friend Willie. Ray opens with a little jam they’ve titled “Ray’s Improvisation,” a good little piece of jazz, and slides right into the slow duets of “Angel Eyes,” “Seven Spanish Angels,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and a tune that hit big for Ray, “Georgia On My Mind.” Closing the duets with Ray, Willie picks up his guitar and the two begin to cut lose on a swingin’ version of the country/bluegrass staple “Mountain Dew.” Willie’s band picks up the pace as Ray lets his fingers fly on the ivories as the two stars reel and rock their way through; both having fun with it.
The Willie and Ray segment is highlighted by a couple of flashes back to rehearsals the night before where it’s just the band, Willie, and Ray working on songs they plan to do. Its fun to see them laughing, having a good time, and really connecting with each other. Willie’s intro of Ray to the stage on show night is awesome as Willie makes a blind joke that really has Ray laughing and showing his wonderful sense of humor. A great segment and one that I’m glad was caught.
Willie then brings up guitarist Jackie King to help him out on the western swing ditty “My Window Faces The South,” which also features fiddle great Johnny Gimble in the background doing what he does best and making the cowboy jazz tune truly pop. The two then slow down a bit and move to the more solid jazz of “There Will Never Be Another You.”
After the two songs with King, Willie takes the spotlight again and croons three nice, slow tunes with “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before,” “Without A Song,” and “Who’ll Buy My Memories.” The highlight here is one of my favorites: “To All The Girls,” a big hit for Willie and his duet partner Julio Iglesias. Willie even opens the second verse with a playful poke at Julio’s accent, jokingly claiming it was all him on the record. Another look at the playful side of the redheaded stranger.
Closing the show is another of Willie’s up-tempo numbers, fan-favorite “Whiskey River.” Willie and his band close strong with this one and provide a perfect bookend to the night, reminding us that even though they can groove slow they love to rock. As the song plays, we get a three-minute tour of Willie’s hometown, Abbott, Texas. It’s an interesting little look at some of the places, people, and friends who remember the young Willie, his adventures, and his deeds as well as his family.
“The Willie Nelson Special” is a solid hour of Willie doing what he loves and is best at: singing his heart out on slow numbers and raucous country stompers. It’s a good sample of what a Willie show is like in a close and cozy setting, one on one with his fans who will no doubt appreciate this DVD the most. The casual fan will have a good time too as there are some of Willie’s major hits on hand and presented with feeling and warmth that only some one with a great passion for what they do can bring. Bottom line: Shotgun Willie at his best!
The Willie Nelson Special is an hour of Willie at the top of his game in 1985, singing the songs that made him famous and loved by fans around the world. His stage show has no frills or popping pyrotechnics. It’s just 60 minutes of Willie in an intimate setting, making him seem even more down to earth as he presents classic country as it should be, stripped down, focusing on the music and its performers.
The show opens with the rollin’ jump of “On The Road Again” played for a minute over the opening titles and some scenes of Willie and the boys goofing around, playing golf, and shooting pool. Willie and his band are in a quiet, sit-down bar or a very small club and on a low-rise stage putting them right next to their fans. The venue is small and perfect for this type of show, providing good interaction between fan and artist. These are the kind of places I like best; they make it seem as though the show is just for you and the band is approachable, which most times they are. This makes the next selection perfect as Willie slows the show with the beautiful “Always On My Mind” and shows off his quiet Texas crooner vocals on a tune I’ve always loved.
From there the legendary Ray Charles steps up to the piano and shares the spotlight with his friend Willie. Ray opens with a little jam they’ve titled “Ray’s Improvisation,” a good little piece of jazz, and slides right into the slow duets of “Angel Eyes,” “Seven Spanish Angels,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and a tune that hit big for Ray, “Georgia On My Mind.” Closing the duets with Ray, Willie picks up his guitar and the two begin to cut lose on a swingin’ version of the country/bluegrass staple “Mountain Dew.” Willie’s band picks up the pace as Ray lets his fingers fly on the ivories as the two stars reel and rock their way through; both having fun with it.
The Willie and Ray segment is highlighted by a couple of flashes back to rehearsals the night before where it’s just the band, Willie, and Ray working on songs they plan to do. Its fun to see them laughing, having a good time, and really connecting with each other. Willie’s intro of Ray to the stage on show night is awesome as Willie makes a blind joke that really has Ray laughing and showing his wonderful sense of humor. A great segment and one that I’m glad was caught.
Willie then brings up guitarist Jackie King to help him out on the western swing ditty “My Window Faces The South,” which also features fiddle great Johnny Gimble in the background doing what he does best and making the cowboy jazz tune truly pop. The two then slow down a bit and move to the more solid jazz of “There Will Never Be Another You.”
After the two songs with King, Willie takes the spotlight again and croons three nice, slow tunes with “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before,” “Without A Song,” and “Who’ll Buy My Memories.” The highlight here is one of my favorites: “To All The Girls,” a big hit for Willie and his duet partner Julio Iglesias. Willie even opens the second verse with a playful poke at Julio’s accent, jokingly claiming it was all him on the record. Another look at the playful side of the redheaded stranger.
Closing the show is another of Willie’s up-tempo numbers, fan-favorite “Whiskey River.” Willie and his band close strong with this one and provide a perfect bookend to the night, reminding us that even though they can groove slow they love to rock. As the song plays, we get a three-minute tour of Willie’s hometown, Abbott, Texas. It’s an interesting little look at some of the places, people, and friends who remember the young Willie, his adventures, and his deeds as well as his family.
“The Willie Nelson Special” is a solid hour of Willie doing what he loves and is best at: singing his heart out on slow numbers and raucous country stompers. It’s a good sample of what a Willie show is like in a close and cozy setting, one on one with his fans who will no doubt appreciate this DVD the most. The casual fan will have a good time too as there are some of Willie’s major hits on hand and presented with feeling and warmth that only some one with a great passion for what they do can bring. Bottom line: Shotgun Willie at his best!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Heavy Rotation: Twenty Writers On The Albums That Changed Their Lives Edited by by Peter Terzian
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Heavy Rotation is a book that takes a look at twenty current writers and the albums that “changed their lives” as the subtitle implies. It also explores the reasons and times surrounding that particular album. The twenty authors are mostly the same age ranging from late thirties to mid forties, one or two may be a bit older or younger, but the majority lay there. They also cruise the vast musical spectrum covering Broadway musicals to ‘80s alternative and corny pop. The book is a good look at the connection between writers and their love for music and is the brainchild of editor/contributor Peter Terzian. An excellent and easy read that’s hard to put down as one can relate to the feelings and emotions that music brings even if unfamiliar with some of the albums listed.
Not all the albums written about are monster bestsellers or by bands or artists one would think would fill the pages of such a book. Shelia Heti recounts her fascination with the Annie soundtrack and how it led to an appearance on a local kid’s show hosted by some kooky clown and the odd disappointment she felt when she met her childhood idol years later. Alice Elliott Dark goes over how a Beatle became the father figure she tragically lost and had to deal with as a young girl as she glances back on Meet The Beatles. We also get a look how some bands can make you feel as if you know them and they could have been boys from down the street as Martha Southgate revisits her adoration for a quiet member of the Jackson 5 and their Greatest Hits album.
Heavy Rotation’s contributors also share how certain albums represent a small place in time. From a six-month stint in college where the B-52s’ self-titled debut ruled the turntable and seemed like it did for a longer time as Clifford Chase became engulfed by the band and began to understand himself a bit more through them. Or how Joni Mitchell’s Blue was played constantly at the annoyance of family members for three weeks before young Colm Toibin had to head off to boarding school where records weren’t allowed. Then there is Asali Solomon’s nearly complete dislike of Gloria Estefan before spending a semester in the hostile (to her) Dominican Republic and coming to find comfort in Estefan’s solo album Mi Tierra.
The writers also tell tales of how they became obsessed with smaller, lesser-known bands and compilations. Terzian finds complete fascination in a British band, Miaow, who only released a few singles and disappeared. Although years later he did manage to hunt down the band and thus begin his writing career while discovering the unreleased Priceless Innuendo.
Inside the 300 pages of Heavy Rotation we read the stories of how an album came to be owned, in what format (tape, vinyl, CD), and was just one format good enough. The pages pop with clearly painted pictures of where folks were in life, both mentally and physically. Kate Christensen has Rickie Lee Jones’ Flying Cowboys to accompany her on New York City streets. There are reflections of how a certain off-the-wall show soundtrack can represent freedom in all its odd glory as a housewife Claire Dederer finds in the original cast recording of Hedwig and The Angry Inch.
Many tales are spun in different styles throughout Heavy Rotation to take us back to how and why a particular album can represent places and times in life. Some albums help people cope with whatever they were dealing with, be it a tragic loss or the struggle to be one’s self, including confronting sexuality. Others show how records and bands can set us on a new path with their wisdom as we connect with the lyrics and make them are own, bending them to see they tell the stories of our own lives. Most of us can say the same about music in our lives and tell our own stories about it and through it. This connection is what makes Heavy Rotation a book that is very enjoyable to read as well as the fact its contributors do a great job in sharing their world of music in the way they know best, through the rhythm and music of writing.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ted Nugent - Motor City Mayhem (Blu-ray)
Written by Pirata Hermoso
On July 4th, 2008 the Motor City Madman performed his 6,000th show in front of his hometown fans. On June 30th, 2009 the CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs of the concert went on sale nationwide.
I can remember the first time I heard a Ted Nugent album. It was Double Live Gonzo! and we were listening because it contained a song titled “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang.” What teenage boy could turn down a song with that title? The crazy song title may be what first grabbed my attention, but songs like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold” are what kept me listening.
As an artist, Ted Nugent is best known for his sophomoric lyrics, fast rap, and loudmouth personality that forged his nickname, “Motor City Madman.” Unfortunately, he upstages his own amazing guitar skills and deserves more props for his musicianship than he normally receives.
But now Ted is 60 years old and in this concert his mouth isn’t as quick as it used to be. Of course, there is the usual Nugent banter, but it’s toned down. It may be because it’s the 4th of July and his attention is on the holiday and the celebration of the moment, but he is constantly yelling “Freedom!” and commenting on the greatness of America and its men and women in the armed services.
The beginning of the concert starts with a number of troops from the Selfridge Air National Guard standing on stage while a giant red, white, and blue cake is wheeled out to the center of the stage. It’s a bit awkward and choppy at first, but suddenly Nugent comes out from the side of the stage and begins playing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” on his guitar.
This is probably my favorite part of the entire show, not because Ted does an awesome version of our national anthem (which he does), but because Cristy Lee, the WRIF-FM Rock Girl, pops up out of the cake and wiggles around in a Stars & Stripes decorated bikini. At that moment I felt so...inspired and filled...with patriotism that I had to watch this portion of the concert several times before I continued, and even one time once it was all over.
The rest of the concert is strictly a musical affair. There are no pyrotechnics, dancers, or video clips distracting you from the music. The stage is sparse with only a giant banner of Ted dressed as Uncle Sam as a backdrop. The band is tight and contains only two other members, drummer Mick Brown, and bassist Greg Smith. The three play all of Ted’s most famous songs, and Smith does lead vocals on “Need You Bad,” while Nugent trades in his sunburst Gibson for one painted with an American flag.
Halfway through the concert, the guest performers begin to show up. Ted’s first guitar instructor from 50 years ago, Joe Podorsek, is introduced and plays some great rhythm and blues on the song “Honky Tonk.” A few songs later, legendary drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, from Mitch Ryder performs on “Jenny Take a Ride.” And finally, Derek St. Holmes, Ted Nugent’s original singer, arrives for “Hey Baby,” “Cat Scratch Fever,” and “Stranglehold.”
Overall, if you’re already a Ted Nugent fan, this concert is a nice addition to your collection. He has never been better on the guitar and it’s obvious he’s been playing for over 40 years as it looks completely effortless. His vocals are a little rougher than in his youth and he does a lot more screaming than singing, but he’s having a good time and it fits in with the concert experience.
Visually, I would have liked a little more of the glitz. I like the lasers and lights, some smoke, or at least some more Cristy Lee scattered throughout. The show is over two hours long and it’s difficult to keep people’s attention for that amount of time without something else to break it up.
There are no Special Features or any added extras on the Blu-ray disc.
Track Listings:
Ted Nugent Intro
Star Spangled Banner
Motor City Madhouse
Wango Tango
Free For All
Stormtroopin’
Dog Eat Dog
Need You Bad
Weekend Warrior
Love Grenade
Honky Tonk (with Joe Podorsek)
Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
Bo Diddley/Lay With Me
Baby Please Don’t Go
Geronimo and Me
Jenny Take a Ride (with Johnny “Bee’ Badanjek)
Soul Man
Hey Baby (with Derek St. Holmes)
Cat Scratch Fever (with Derek St. Holmes)
Stranglehold (with Derek St. Holmes)
Great White Buffalo
Fred Bear
Outtro
On July 4th, 2008 the Motor City Madman performed his 6,000th show in front of his hometown fans. On June 30th, 2009 the CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs of the concert went on sale nationwide.
I can remember the first time I heard a Ted Nugent album. It was Double Live Gonzo! and we were listening because it contained a song titled “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang.” What teenage boy could turn down a song with that title? The crazy song title may be what first grabbed my attention, but songs like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold” are what kept me listening.
As an artist, Ted Nugent is best known for his sophomoric lyrics, fast rap, and loudmouth personality that forged his nickname, “Motor City Madman.” Unfortunately, he upstages his own amazing guitar skills and deserves more props for his musicianship than he normally receives.
But now Ted is 60 years old and in this concert his mouth isn’t as quick as it used to be. Of course, there is the usual Nugent banter, but it’s toned down. It may be because it’s the 4th of July and his attention is on the holiday and the celebration of the moment, but he is constantly yelling “Freedom!” and commenting on the greatness of America and its men and women in the armed services.
The beginning of the concert starts with a number of troops from the Selfridge Air National Guard standing on stage while a giant red, white, and blue cake is wheeled out to the center of the stage. It’s a bit awkward and choppy at first, but suddenly Nugent comes out from the side of the stage and begins playing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” on his guitar.
This is probably my favorite part of the entire show, not because Ted does an awesome version of our national anthem (which he does), but because Cristy Lee, the WRIF-FM Rock Girl, pops up out of the cake and wiggles around in a Stars & Stripes decorated bikini. At that moment I felt so...inspired and filled...with patriotism that I had to watch this portion of the concert several times before I continued, and even one time once it was all over.
The rest of the concert is strictly a musical affair. There are no pyrotechnics, dancers, or video clips distracting you from the music. The stage is sparse with only a giant banner of Ted dressed as Uncle Sam as a backdrop. The band is tight and contains only two other members, drummer Mick Brown, and bassist Greg Smith. The three play all of Ted’s most famous songs, and Smith does lead vocals on “Need You Bad,” while Nugent trades in his sunburst Gibson for one painted with an American flag.
Halfway through the concert, the guest performers begin to show up. Ted’s first guitar instructor from 50 years ago, Joe Podorsek, is introduced and plays some great rhythm and blues on the song “Honky Tonk.” A few songs later, legendary drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, from Mitch Ryder performs on “Jenny Take a Ride.” And finally, Derek St. Holmes, Ted Nugent’s original singer, arrives for “Hey Baby,” “Cat Scratch Fever,” and “Stranglehold.”
Overall, if you’re already a Ted Nugent fan, this concert is a nice addition to your collection. He has never been better on the guitar and it’s obvious he’s been playing for over 40 years as it looks completely effortless. His vocals are a little rougher than in his youth and he does a lot more screaming than singing, but he’s having a good time and it fits in with the concert experience.
Visually, I would have liked a little more of the glitz. I like the lasers and lights, some smoke, or at least some more Cristy Lee scattered throughout. The show is over two hours long and it’s difficult to keep people’s attention for that amount of time without something else to break it up.
There are no Special Features or any added extras on the Blu-ray disc.
Track Listings:
Ted Nugent Intro
Star Spangled Banner
Motor City Madhouse
Wango Tango
Free For All
Stormtroopin’
Dog Eat Dog
Need You Bad
Weekend Warrior
Love Grenade
Honky Tonk (with Joe Podorsek)
Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
Bo Diddley/Lay With Me
Baby Please Don’t Go
Geronimo and Me
Jenny Take a Ride (with Johnny “Bee’ Badanjek)
Soul Man
Hey Baby (with Derek St. Holmes)
Cat Scratch Fever (with Derek St. Holmes)
Stranglehold (with Derek St. Holmes)
Great White Buffalo
Fred Bear
Outtro
Monday, June 22, 2009
Gestapo Khazi – Gestapo Khazi (EP)
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Rising from the streets of Long Beach, California, to wreak havoc on a scene filled with stale, over-the-top, wanna-be art types comes Gestapo Khazi. After working for a while and building a loyal fanbase, they have released their first self-titled EP. Those that don’t know the power of Gestapo Khazi soon will as the six-track EP serves as one hell of a sample of what this driving band can do.
Their classic four-man line-up consists of Stark Raving Erik up front on highs (guitar), Third Reich Mike beating the cans (drums), Gestapo Grazi working the lows (bass) and Holy Roller in the middle of it all spitting words at the masses like a madman. It all comes together in a force that rips roofs off of houses and shakes the crowds into frenzy. Drawing influence from solid rockabilly, surf instrumentals, punk, and post punk, they truly make a sound and fury all their own. Live or on disc, if these kats don’t move you, then check your pulse cause you’re probably dead, or should be.
In the opening 30 seconds of “Smoke Signals” they have you, displaying a bit of who they are right there. The bass drops the message so listen up because the guitar is hot on its heels, weaving in with a bit of surf instrumental on steroids. Following fast and hard are the pounding, machine-gun attack of the drums with Roller quickly pouncing to the front with his deep, forceful vocals, delivered loud and at times in a growling scream. The band pushes you back but dares you forward to get in the mix and withstand the barrage of good, solid rock ‘n’ roll imposing its will upon you. They dare you not only to stick around for the two minutes of the opening track but to see if you can handle the fist-pumping, mosh-pit-inducing rock that will bombard your ears for the EP’s 13-minute run and infect your mind for a lifetime.
“Miss Temptation” and “Time Eats Time” pound out more of the same as the band members play off each other well, further displaying their skills with cutting guitar solos; thick, up-front bass runs; hammering, rumble drums; and powerful vocals.
“Samuel Hall” screams with tuff surf/ drag strip ‘60s instrumentals kicked up to punk levels while “Ain’t Worth A Dollar” reflects the Cure’s darkest period with its bass and drum work, yet mixes in more of that midnight drag race guitar.
Closing the EP is “Come One Come All,” a fine blending of New Model Army meets The Cramps. The lyrics to this tune sum up the way Gestapo Khazi leaves you feeling well: “Beaten, Bleeding…Sometimes walking/Sometimes crawling…Come one come all.” It’s like an invitation to one of their kick-ass shows and the EP will kick you and beat you, but you’ll kick and fight back by moving to the beat and keeping the pit swirling. Gestapo Khazi makes it all worth it and won’t let you down as you spin the disc over and over again.
Gestapo Khazi is a small masterpiece that leaves you wanting more, more to listen to, more of their shows to make it to, more good solid r ‘n’ r which seems to be missing from the street scene in general. So check them out on Myspace to see where these vandals will turn up next and how to get a copy of the EP. Word on the street is that “the best looking band around with massive bulge action” will be putting down some seven-inch vinyl soon.
Keep an eye out for that and this fun lovin’ pack of lunatics and their just as odd and crazy crew which consists of punks, bolo-wearing Dogs D’Amour rockers, and wave after wave of hot chicks on the streets and pubs of L.B. And you just might catch Fantasma in the crowd as well, the lone greasy, rockabilly.
Monday, May 25, 2009
The Women Rock Show, Whiskey A Go-Go, 5/16/09
Written by Pirata Hermoso
I have to admit, that I wasn’t too excited when one of my best friends said he wanted to go see Tiffany in concert. Yes, the Tiffany from the ‘80s who was more famous for doing cover songs, “I Saw Him Standing There” and “I Think We’re Alone Now,” than she was for any kind of original music that I could remember. But I figured, what the hell, why not? I had never been to the Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood before, and this was a good friend who had been to many shows with me that he probably didn’t really want see. And it didn’t hurt that the tickets were only $18. That’s pretty cheap even for an ’80s pop star. But what we didn’t know until the night before is that we would actually get to see seven other artists performing that same night. And that’s an even better deal...as long as they didn’t suck.
The tickets said that the show started at 8:00, so we showed up a few hours early. I don’t really like showing up that early, but I’ve been burned enough times going up into L.A. for a show and ending up late to an event because of the nightmarish gridlock that the city is famous for. I also hate looking for parking. We rolled up to the Whiskey at around 5:30. It’s in a pretty rundown-looking area, but across the street is The Viper Room, and you can see the Hustler store down the street. Now if that doesn’t say class, I don’t know what does.
I turned my car up the street just before the club and actually found the little parking lot for the Whiskey. Of course, there’s nobody parked there and there’s a large scruffy man in his late 50s wearing an old leather vest just standing in the center of the lot talking on his cell phone. There’s a younger guy nearby sitting on a crate, but he wasn’t really paying attention to us. The older guy, while still talking on the phone, walked up to us and said, “It’s $10 to park.” So I give the man the money and started to roll up the window when he said, “You have to let me park the car, and then I give you back your keys.”
For a split-second I froze as my mind began to race. Why in the hell did he need to park my car? We’re the only people in the lot, and it’s not that big. I glanced at my friend, and through my teeth muttered, “What the hell. Do we even know if this guy is a valet or is he just waiting for some dumbass to drive up and hand him keys to a car?” My friend shrugged, and slowly I got out of the car.
I intensely watched the man as he got into my car and started to move it. I was ready to chase after him, rip the door off the hinges and throw him out of my car if he gave even the slightest hint he might be trying to steal it. Okay, I’m not really sure how I would have stopped him, or why he would even steal my car, it’s not expensive, but dammit, it’s my F-ing car! So when he slowly moved the car about 10 feet away and got out, I was quite relieved. I still wasn’t sure why I couldn’t park it myself, but it didn’t matter as the ordeal was over.
At 7:00, after an hour or so of wandering around and walking over to Peet’s Coffee & Tea for a drink, where some strange guy sitting by the restrooms warned me of the mysterious smells in there, we headed over to the front door of the Whiskey. A small line had formed…well, not really. It was actually just some of the friends and family of the night’s first performer waiting to get in the club.
When we finally got in, I got to look around the infamous Whiskey where legendary performers like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses had performed. I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting something better, more grandiose. I’ve been inside several McDonald’s that could hold more people than the Whiskey.
Opening the show was host, Amber Lake. I didn’t recognize her at first, probably because she actually looked hotter and younger than she did on TV, which isn’t the way it usually works. She was the winner of the second season of Rock Of Love with Brett Michaels, the lead singer of Poison. I guess introducing bands at the Whiskey is just a natural progression after dating a rock star.
Laura Gossett was the first artist to take the stage at around 7:15. I’ve always got to give props to the first artist of the night. It takes more guts than you might realize to go first. Not only are people still walking around and talking during your set, but other bands are bringing in their equipment and it’s very distracting.
Laura sat alone with her keyboard in front of her. Some instruments littered the background waiting for other bands to show up later in the evening, but the presence of those instruments just seemed to emphasize the fact of how truly by herself she was. It probably didn’t help that her entourage of family and friends stood way in the back near the bar, leaving the dance floor in front of the stage barren as well. She was from Oklahoma, so that may have explained her lack of followers and band members at the show.
Too bad more people didn’t get to see her, because she had a really nice, powerful voice. Her piano playing was good, but the mixing job by the house P.A. system would have problems all night long and made the music a little distorted.
Shanta Loecker was the next artist to take the stage around 8:15. She also sat in the center of the stage with nothing but a keyboard in front of her. But she wasn’t by herself up there. She had a backup singer, a bass player, and a guitarist. The only one out of the three additional members you could even hear was the backup singer. The guitar and bass were so quiet that they probably couldn’t even hear themselves playing. I’m not sure if that was the poor house mixing or if by design.
Shanta’s voice was quiet and timid. She didn’t have any real stage presence and ended up muttering strange comments between songs like the comment after introducing the song “Childhood Mistake,” “No, it’s not about the last black guy I dated,” she said as she managed to embarrass herself. The audience probably had forgotten about her slip of the tongue, but before the next song she decided to apologize for the comment and mutter more incoherencies while doing so.
Personally, I wasn’t too impressed with her lackluster performance, but a group of about 20 girls showed up and sang along with most of the songs. They all really got excited at the final song, “Teacher,” and sang along with her almost word for word.
Finally, an actual band, Rocketship Heroes, took the stage: a singer, lead guitar, bass, and *gasp* a drummer. The music started off just fine, but as soon as lead singer, Dani Slajer, started to sing you could tell something was wrong. Once again, the bad mixing job came into play; her microphone had no power. She ended up singing the entire first verse before they managed to fix the problem. But the Heroes were professional and kept right on going through all the technical problems. Their first song, which they never named, had a bit of a Good Charlotte feel to it and made me think of “Another loser anthem.”
Their originals were good and all solid rock songs. For some reason, I kept picturing them as a really young Blondie but with more edge. No, they weren’t that good, but I could see them metamorphize into a truly awesome rock band several years down the line.
The only negative thing I could say was that they didn’t do enough originals. They covered 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite,” a Jonas Brothers song, and Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker. With such a limited amount of time they had to perform, they needed to showcase their own talents more. The first two cover songs were fine, but Dani couldn’t even come close to reaching the power and intensity that Pat Benatar can bring with her voice.
As the night went on, the audience slowly increased in size and the performers really started to bring it on. Gabrielle may not have been the best performer of the night, but she certainly tried the hardest. She brought it all. She had energy, sex appeal, and marketing. Earlier where there had been no band posters on the wall, suddenly there were tons of pictures of Gabrielle everywhere. They were even above the urinals in the men’s room. She also brought 20 young men with her who crowded the stage and cheered her on. Even her band was bigger than the others. Not only did she have the standard four members, but she had a saxophone and violin player as well.
Gabrielle also had a keyboard that she played, but she had a difficult time keeping her seat. From the opening notes of the first song she was hopping up and struggling to keep herself chained to her instrument. She didn’t play for long until she broke free and writhed around the stage. She really got into the songs as she enticed the audience with her body, until once again there were technical problems. Her monitor wasn’t loud enough and she couldn’t hear what she was singing. She became flustered and hit several off-key notes. After a few seconds the equipment issues were fixed, but it would take Gabrielle a couple more songs before she could get back into the groove of the music. By the time she was comfortable again, her time was up.
After a strange introduction as “The Actress in The Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” by a man with a bass guitar, who resembled Flavor Flav and didn’t seem to actually be in any of the bands playing that night, Marva King took the stage.
From the first note they struck you knew they were professionals. Of course, this band was about 20 years older than anyone else who had played that night, but they were good. Their music was soulful and jazzy. They played a cover of Seal’s “Crazy,” which Marva sang impressively and the band played as good as the original. The entire performance was very tight, and even the movements between Marva and her lead guitarist were smooth and synchronized as they played off one another. They were most definitely the best band at that point in the show.
Out of all the younger artists we saw at the show, I would have to say that Madadian had the best songs. The music is always what’s important, but it’s still going to be a couple years before they are polished enough to really have a chance of making it, but they were good.
Lead singer Tiffany Madadian came out in what looked like a giant scarf made into a dress and a masquerade ball mask. A little strange, but all the young ladies who showed up to see this band approved of her outfit. Unfortunately, the P.A. system was once again having issues. Madadian’s vocals were too quiet, and her lead guitarist was having issues with his amplifier and making loud crackling noises every few minutes.
Playing right before the headliner was a good position for this band since the audience had finally settled in and it helped them get exposed to a few more people than might have seen them earlier in the evening. Even so, they had the biggest number of fans as a good portion knew the lyrics.
The first thing I have to say is who knew that Tiffany could sing? Of course, she’s always been a singer, but I mean really sing. There are a lot of people who can sing, but she actually has some serious vocal skills. Her set was as follows:
I Will not Breakdown
Butterfly
Be Alright
All the Talking
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Heartbreaker
I Saw Him Standing There
I Think We’re Alone Now
He’s All Man and He’s All Mine
Bobby McGee
I was truly impressed with the songs she performed, and was happy because most of the songs rocked. There were no sweet sappy ballads and no cheesy pop, although I would have preferred a little of the cheese on “I Think We’re Alone Now” just because they tried to funk the song up and the music just didn’t work for me. I had not heard any of her originals, but they were all fun enjoyable songs. I may even consider looking up some of her albums and giving them a listen when I have the chance
Tiffany’s vocals blew up the house when she sang “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” I’ve seen Guns N' Roses perform and I’ve heard many crappy versions of their songs, but Tiffany sang it well. And while one of her guitarists was new to her band, he played the song better than anyone I’ve heard play it other than Slash himself. Somehow I ended up in the front of the stage and about a foot away from him playing those solos. He was damned good.
When she sang “Heartbreaker,” she put Rocketship Heroes to shame since it was obvious how weak their rendition a few hours earlier was. I think Pat Benatar would have approved of Tiffany’s version.
The band was very professional and tight. You could certainly see the differences with the two more experienced bands that performed on Saturday night. When Tiffany performed, the club was finally packed with people.
There were a lot of fans that came to see her, so many that she even had her own creepy stalker fan in the front row. No, not me!! But there was a guy in his late 40s with white hair who stood dead center and just stared directly at her with a psycho-killer look on his face. The only time he would move was to raise his arms up in the air after every song like he was saying a prayer to the Lord. He came with his own giant, white pillow and unique odor. My friend had the pleasure of standing next to him during the show and thought he might be homeless, or at least he smelled that way. Later on the stalker went up to Tiffany, pillow under his arm, and talked to her in the upstairs balcony area where all the bands went to hang out and sell CDs and mingle with the fans. I kept waiting for a security guy to leap out and tackle him, but thankfully nothing bad happened.
I’d have to say that I felt really bad for Strange Kind. Not only did three members get stuck in Seattle and miss the performance, but they had to play after the headliner. I think they need a new manager.
As soon as Tiffany’s set was over the crowd dispersed instantly. It went from a crowded 200 or so people to about 40 in less than a minute. As the crowd left, one guy was yelling, “Stay, everybody, please, stay. My best friend’s in the next band.”
Without half of their band members, two guys and a girl took the stage and did an acoustic set. The drummer beat on a wooden box while the other two played guitar. Surprisingly, they were pretty good. I would like to have heard them with a full band, but the unplugged set was a nice ending to the night.
The lead singer was a woman named Xolie. Her voice had a folksy Irish sound to it, and she was dressed in a black and white striped shirt with a red bandanna and made her look like she had stepped out of an old French film. After their official set, they performed a song that Xolie had written about Seattle with a French sound to it and a trumpet solo that she performed without the use of a trumpet.
I didn’t think I was going to like them when they first started, but they were fun and entertaining and didn’t take the whole situation too seriously.
The show ended at 1:30 and I left the Whiskey feeling glad that I had gone to something I really wasn’t looking forward to when the night began and it had turned out to be a good night after all.
I have to admit, that I wasn’t too excited when one of my best friends said he wanted to go see Tiffany in concert. Yes, the Tiffany from the ‘80s who was more famous for doing cover songs, “I Saw Him Standing There” and “I Think We’re Alone Now,” than she was for any kind of original music that I could remember. But I figured, what the hell, why not? I had never been to the Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood before, and this was a good friend who had been to many shows with me that he probably didn’t really want see. And it didn’t hurt that the tickets were only $18. That’s pretty cheap even for an ’80s pop star. But what we didn’t know until the night before is that we would actually get to see seven other artists performing that same night. And that’s an even better deal...as long as they didn’t suck.
The tickets said that the show started at 8:00, so we showed up a few hours early. I don’t really like showing up that early, but I’ve been burned enough times going up into L.A. for a show and ending up late to an event because of the nightmarish gridlock that the city is famous for. I also hate looking for parking. We rolled up to the Whiskey at around 5:30. It’s in a pretty rundown-looking area, but across the street is The Viper Room, and you can see the Hustler store down the street. Now if that doesn’t say class, I don’t know what does.
I turned my car up the street just before the club and actually found the little parking lot for the Whiskey. Of course, there’s nobody parked there and there’s a large scruffy man in his late 50s wearing an old leather vest just standing in the center of the lot talking on his cell phone. There’s a younger guy nearby sitting on a crate, but he wasn’t really paying attention to us. The older guy, while still talking on the phone, walked up to us and said, “It’s $10 to park.” So I give the man the money and started to roll up the window when he said, “You have to let me park the car, and then I give you back your keys.”
For a split-second I froze as my mind began to race. Why in the hell did he need to park my car? We’re the only people in the lot, and it’s not that big. I glanced at my friend, and through my teeth muttered, “What the hell. Do we even know if this guy is a valet or is he just waiting for some dumbass to drive up and hand him keys to a car?” My friend shrugged, and slowly I got out of the car.
I intensely watched the man as he got into my car and started to move it. I was ready to chase after him, rip the door off the hinges and throw him out of my car if he gave even the slightest hint he might be trying to steal it. Okay, I’m not really sure how I would have stopped him, or why he would even steal my car, it’s not expensive, but dammit, it’s my F-ing car! So when he slowly moved the car about 10 feet away and got out, I was quite relieved. I still wasn’t sure why I couldn’t park it myself, but it didn’t matter as the ordeal was over.
At 7:00, after an hour or so of wandering around and walking over to Peet’s Coffee & Tea for a drink, where some strange guy sitting by the restrooms warned me of the mysterious smells in there, we headed over to the front door of the Whiskey. A small line had formed…well, not really. It was actually just some of the friends and family of the night’s first performer waiting to get in the club.
When we finally got in, I got to look around the infamous Whiskey where legendary performers like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses had performed. I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting something better, more grandiose. I’ve been inside several McDonald’s that could hold more people than the Whiskey.
Opening the show was host, Amber Lake. I didn’t recognize her at first, probably because she actually looked hotter and younger than she did on TV, which isn’t the way it usually works. She was the winner of the second season of Rock Of Love with Brett Michaels, the lead singer of Poison. I guess introducing bands at the Whiskey is just a natural progression after dating a rock star.Laura Gossett was the first artist to take the stage at around 7:15. I’ve always got to give props to the first artist of the night. It takes more guts than you might realize to go first. Not only are people still walking around and talking during your set, but other bands are bringing in their equipment and it’s very distracting.
Laura sat alone with her keyboard in front of her. Some instruments littered the background waiting for other bands to show up later in the evening, but the presence of those instruments just seemed to emphasize the fact of how truly by herself she was. It probably didn’t help that her entourage of family and friends stood way in the back near the bar, leaving the dance floor in front of the stage barren as well. She was from Oklahoma, so that may have explained her lack of followers and band members at the show.
Too bad more people didn’t get to see her, because she had a really nice, powerful voice. Her piano playing was good, but the mixing job by the house P.A. system would have problems all night long and made the music a little distorted.
Shanta Loecker was the next artist to take the stage around 8:15. She also sat in the center of the stage with nothing but a keyboard in front of her. But she wasn’t by herself up there. She had a backup singer, a bass player, and a guitarist. The only one out of the three additional members you could even hear was the backup singer. The guitar and bass were so quiet that they probably couldn’t even hear themselves playing. I’m not sure if that was the poor house mixing or if by design.
Shanta’s voice was quiet and timid. She didn’t have any real stage presence and ended up muttering strange comments between songs like the comment after introducing the song “Childhood Mistake,” “No, it’s not about the last black guy I dated,” she said as she managed to embarrass herself. The audience probably had forgotten about her slip of the tongue, but before the next song she decided to apologize for the comment and mutter more incoherencies while doing so.
Personally, I wasn’t too impressed with her lackluster performance, but a group of about 20 girls showed up and sang along with most of the songs. They all really got excited at the final song, “Teacher,” and sang along with her almost word for word.
Finally, an actual band, Rocketship Heroes, took the stage: a singer, lead guitar, bass, and *gasp* a drummer. The music started off just fine, but as soon as lead singer, Dani Slajer, started to sing you could tell something was wrong. Once again, the bad mixing job came into play; her microphone had no power. She ended up singing the entire first verse before they managed to fix the problem. But the Heroes were professional and kept right on going through all the technical problems. Their first song, which they never named, had a bit of a Good Charlotte feel to it and made me think of “Another loser anthem.”Their originals were good and all solid rock songs. For some reason, I kept picturing them as a really young Blondie but with more edge. No, they weren’t that good, but I could see them metamorphize into a truly awesome rock band several years down the line.
The only negative thing I could say was that they didn’t do enough originals. They covered 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite,” a Jonas Brothers song, and Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker. With such a limited amount of time they had to perform, they needed to showcase their own talents more. The first two cover songs were fine, but Dani couldn’t even come close to reaching the power and intensity that Pat Benatar can bring with her voice.
As the night went on, the audience slowly increased in size and the performers really started to bring it on. Gabrielle may not have been the best performer of the night, but she certainly tried the hardest. She brought it all. She had energy, sex appeal, and marketing. Earlier where there had been no band posters on the wall, suddenly there were tons of pictures of Gabrielle everywhere. They were even above the urinals in the men’s room. She also brought 20 young men with her who crowded the stage and cheered her on. Even her band was bigger than the others. Not only did she have the standard four members, but she had a saxophone and violin player as well.Gabrielle also had a keyboard that she played, but she had a difficult time keeping her seat. From the opening notes of the first song she was hopping up and struggling to keep herself chained to her instrument. She didn’t play for long until she broke free and writhed around the stage. She really got into the songs as she enticed the audience with her body, until once again there were technical problems. Her monitor wasn’t loud enough and she couldn’t hear what she was singing. She became flustered and hit several off-key notes. After a few seconds the equipment issues were fixed, but it would take Gabrielle a couple more songs before she could get back into the groove of the music. By the time she was comfortable again, her time was up.
After a strange introduction as “The Actress in The Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” by a man with a bass guitar, who resembled Flavor Flav and didn’t seem to actually be in any of the bands playing that night, Marva King took the stage.
From the first note they struck you knew they were professionals. Of course, this band was about 20 years older than anyone else who had played that night, but they were good. Their music was soulful and jazzy. They played a cover of Seal’s “Crazy,” which Marva sang impressively and the band played as good as the original. The entire performance was very tight, and even the movements between Marva and her lead guitarist were smooth and synchronized as they played off one another. They were most definitely the best band at that point in the show.
Out of all the younger artists we saw at the show, I would have to say that Madadian had the best songs. The music is always what’s important, but it’s still going to be a couple years before they are polished enough to really have a chance of making it, but they were good.
Lead singer Tiffany Madadian came out in what looked like a giant scarf made into a dress and a masquerade ball mask. A little strange, but all the young ladies who showed up to see this band approved of her outfit. Unfortunately, the P.A. system was once again having issues. Madadian’s vocals were too quiet, and her lead guitarist was having issues with his amplifier and making loud crackling noises every few minutes.Playing right before the headliner was a good position for this band since the audience had finally settled in and it helped them get exposed to a few more people than might have seen them earlier in the evening. Even so, they had the biggest number of fans as a good portion knew the lyrics.
The first thing I have to say is who knew that Tiffany could sing? Of course, she’s always been a singer, but I mean really sing. There are a lot of people who can sing, but she actually has some serious vocal skills. Her set was as follows:
I Will not Breakdown
Butterfly
Be Alright
All the Talking
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Heartbreaker
I Saw Him Standing There
I Think We’re Alone Now
He’s All Man and He’s All Mine
Bobby McGee
I was truly impressed with the songs she performed, and was happy because most of the songs rocked. There were no sweet sappy ballads and no cheesy pop, although I would have preferred a little of the cheese on “I Think We’re Alone Now” just because they tried to funk the song up and the music just didn’t work for me. I had not heard any of her originals, but they were all fun enjoyable songs. I may even consider looking up some of her albums and giving them a listen when I have the chanceTiffany’s vocals blew up the house when she sang “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” I’ve seen Guns N' Roses perform and I’ve heard many crappy versions of their songs, but Tiffany sang it well. And while one of her guitarists was new to her band, he played the song better than anyone I’ve heard play it other than Slash himself. Somehow I ended up in the front of the stage and about a foot away from him playing those solos. He was damned good.
When she sang “Heartbreaker,” she put Rocketship Heroes to shame since it was obvious how weak their rendition a few hours earlier was. I think Pat Benatar would have approved of Tiffany’s version.
The band was very professional and tight. You could certainly see the differences with the two more experienced bands that performed on Saturday night. When Tiffany performed, the club was finally packed with people.
There were a lot of fans that came to see her, so many that she even had her own creepy stalker fan in the front row. No, not me!! But there was a guy in his late 40s with white hair who stood dead center and just stared directly at her with a psycho-killer look on his face. The only time he would move was to raise his arms up in the air after every song like he was saying a prayer to the Lord. He came with his own giant, white pillow and unique odor. My friend had the pleasure of standing next to him during the show and thought he might be homeless, or at least he smelled that way. Later on the stalker went up to Tiffany, pillow under his arm, and talked to her in the upstairs balcony area where all the bands went to hang out and sell CDs and mingle with the fans. I kept waiting for a security guy to leap out and tackle him, but thankfully nothing bad happened.
I’d have to say that I felt really bad for Strange Kind. Not only did three members get stuck in Seattle and miss the performance, but they had to play after the headliner. I think they need a new manager.As soon as Tiffany’s set was over the crowd dispersed instantly. It went from a crowded 200 or so people to about 40 in less than a minute. As the crowd left, one guy was yelling, “Stay, everybody, please, stay. My best friend’s in the next band.”
Without half of their band members, two guys and a girl took the stage and did an acoustic set. The drummer beat on a wooden box while the other two played guitar. Surprisingly, they were pretty good. I would like to have heard them with a full band, but the unplugged set was a nice ending to the night.
The lead singer was a woman named Xolie. Her voice had a folksy Irish sound to it, and she was dressed in a black and white striped shirt with a red bandanna and made her look like she had stepped out of an old French film. After their official set, they performed a song that Xolie had written about Seattle with a French sound to it and a trumpet solo that she performed without the use of a trumpet.I didn’t think I was going to like them when they first started, but they were fun and entertaining and didn’t take the whole situation too seriously.
The show ended at 1:30 and I left the Whiskey feeling glad that I had gone to something I really wasn’t looking forward to when the night began and it had turned out to be a good night after all.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Barbra Streisand - Live in Concert 2006 (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Barbra Streisand is someone that I have always wanted to see in concert; however, the ticket prices have always kept me at bay. Streisand: Live in Concert 2006 provided an opportunity to learn what I have been missing.
The concert begins with a “Funny Girl Overture” featuring the 58 musicians who accompany Barbra. Interwoven with the music are interviews of the extremely diverse fans that are in attendance. It provides a great sense of the feeling at the show and creates great anticipation for her to appear. I got the chills and must admit that tears came to my eyes when she took the stage. From there, all of my expectations were exceeded.
The range of songs performed during the show is expansive. She sings well-known favorites such as “Evergreen” and “People,” but also belts out obscure numbers like “Unusual Way” and “Cockeyed Optimist.” My favorite song of the show is one I had never heard before called “Ma Première Chanson” and hearing her sing in French is absolutely fantastic. Barbra performs 22 songs but there are so many more she could have included I wish it would have gone on for many more hours.
Aside from the amazing music and vocals, the stage set-up is extremely impressive. The stage is 360? and allows Barbra to reach more of the audience. There are tables, chairs, and flowers set up in multiple places providing a very homey feeling. She is very comfortable on stage and you can tell that she is really having a good time. She talks between each song, providing historical information about the music along with personal tidbits. For example, when talking about selections from Funny Girl, she explains what is happening at the moment that the song takes place in the story and its significance. In addition to educating the crowd about the music, she also wants the chance to share a piece of herself. She even takes some time to answer questions from the audience. While it is obvious that the questions are pre-selected and she likely has some pre-written adlibs, it still provides a chance for her to make a connection and establish herself as a down-to-earth person. Her politics are part of who she is and while she does make several political comments, she never does anything that would alienate “non-liberal leaning” viewers.
The bonus features include two additional songs from Barbra and two songs from her special guest of the evening Il Divo. There are also behind-the-scenes interviews and information on The Streisand Foundation.
The 1080p high definition presented 16x9 displays a really great picture. The different levels of black can be delineated and combined with the great texture detail makes clear the folds of the fabric in her gown. The gold sparkles and pops off the screen in contrast. The sparkling backdrop and lighting are vivid.
The audio defaults to PCM 2.0 and is also available in PCM 5.1 Surround. The audio experience is immersive as the orchestra, the echo of her voice, and the audience ambiance puts the viewer in the center of the action.
If you have never seen Barbra Streisand before, here is you chance to experience one of the greatest artists of all-time perform. She looks great, sounds great, and proves that she still knows how to thrill a crowd. This is one special night of music to relive over and over, up close and personal, possibly even taking the place of seeing her from a bad seat faraway. I can’t recommend this enough.
Barbra Streisand is someone that I have always wanted to see in concert; however, the ticket prices have always kept me at bay. Streisand: Live in Concert 2006 provided an opportunity to learn what I have been missing.
The concert begins with a “Funny Girl Overture” featuring the 58 musicians who accompany Barbra. Interwoven with the music are interviews of the extremely diverse fans that are in attendance. It provides a great sense of the feeling at the show and creates great anticipation for her to appear. I got the chills and must admit that tears came to my eyes when she took the stage. From there, all of my expectations were exceeded.
The range of songs performed during the show is expansive. She sings well-known favorites such as “Evergreen” and “People,” but also belts out obscure numbers like “Unusual Way” and “Cockeyed Optimist.” My favorite song of the show is one I had never heard before called “Ma Première Chanson” and hearing her sing in French is absolutely fantastic. Barbra performs 22 songs but there are so many more she could have included I wish it would have gone on for many more hours.
Aside from the amazing music and vocals, the stage set-up is extremely impressive. The stage is 360? and allows Barbra to reach more of the audience. There are tables, chairs, and flowers set up in multiple places providing a very homey feeling. She is very comfortable on stage and you can tell that she is really having a good time. She talks between each song, providing historical information about the music along with personal tidbits. For example, when talking about selections from Funny Girl, she explains what is happening at the moment that the song takes place in the story and its significance. In addition to educating the crowd about the music, she also wants the chance to share a piece of herself. She even takes some time to answer questions from the audience. While it is obvious that the questions are pre-selected and she likely has some pre-written adlibs, it still provides a chance for her to make a connection and establish herself as a down-to-earth person. Her politics are part of who she is and while she does make several political comments, she never does anything that would alienate “non-liberal leaning” viewers.
The bonus features include two additional songs from Barbra and two songs from her special guest of the evening Il Divo. There are also behind-the-scenes interviews and information on The Streisand Foundation.
The 1080p high definition presented 16x9 displays a really great picture. The different levels of black can be delineated and combined with the great texture detail makes clear the folds of the fabric in her gown. The gold sparkles and pops off the screen in contrast. The sparkling backdrop and lighting are vivid.
The audio defaults to PCM 2.0 and is also available in PCM 5.1 Surround. The audio experience is immersive as the orchestra, the echo of her voice, and the audience ambiance puts the viewer in the center of the action.
If you have never seen Barbra Streisand before, here is you chance to experience one of the greatest artists of all-time perform. She looks great, sounds great, and proves that she still knows how to thrill a crowd. This is one special night of music to relive over and over, up close and personal, possibly even taking the place of seeing her from a bad seat faraway. I can’t recommend this enough.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
