From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V6 #330 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Monday, November 6 2000 Volume 06 : Number 330 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Mark Danielewski/Poe @ Borders NYC [ArtfulMdrr@aol.com] Today's your birthday, friends... [Mike Matthews ] pamela means, erin mckeown [meredith ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 02:17:52 EST From: ArtfulMdrr@aol.com Subject: Mark Danielewski/Poe @ Borders NYC Hallo everyone out there! Just a few thoughts about the Borders tour, specifically the day at the Borders in NYC. 11.3.00, I think. Wow, that was yesterday! This city is bad for any already poorly functioning short term memory. The area set aside in the store was packed to capacity with people sitting on the floor in the back, and any space available in the aisles was taken by standees maneuvering in any way possible to get a glimpse of Poe and Mark. It was a fantastic set up - Poe and Mark sat facing the crowd, sitting behind two mics, while a DJ stood behind them with turntables and a live mixer was off to their right. The whole thing was set up such that Mark would read a portion from the book or talk about it and Poe would relate it to her songs and occasionally sing the song that related. Both Mark and Poe apparently came across tapes of their father, Tad Danielewski, talking that set off some memories. They show up as the samples in the segues on Poe's album. During the entire talk, the DJ or mixer ( I'm not sure who was setting them off ) cued a pertinent sample, or ingeniously used them to make a quick joke. There was, by the way, a projection screen with alternate album art that related to each song/section. The first highlight of the show came when Poe sang "Spanish Doll," which is an absolutely lovely song musically and lyrically. The DJ scratched up a storm on the fade out on what I believe was this track, but maybe it was another. In any case, he was brilliant. The main highlight of the show was Mark's reading from "The Whalestoe Letters" - the letters Johnny Truant's mother sends him in _House of Leaves_. He read what sounded like the last one after dedicating it to the mother of a friend of his and speaking a bit about how it related to his mother. Poe also spoke about the absence of their mother from their lives, and how the letter showed that love can be demonstrated very "powerfully" despite the lack of a physical presence. Anyone who's read the book knows that the letters are compelling proof of that fact, regardless of the fact that they're fictional. Both brother and sister were very moved, as was, I feel, the entire audience. It was an incredible moment. Afterwards, they both signed Poe's new album, "Haunted" and Mark's _House of Leaves_. This probably should've gone at the beginning: Mark's novel is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I heard about it through word of mouth and only later realized Mark to be Poe's brother. It's seems a hefty book, but I sat down and *could not* stop reading it - I was about to move to college and almost gave up seeing my friends before I left because the book consumed my mind's focus so greatly. I won't give away details of the book, but through a very ingenious, beautiful metaphor, Mark explores relationships and the dynamics of a family and their home. "Haunted" is a concept album that explores the same ideas on a very personal level for Poe and relates back often to the metaphor within the book. Poe drew a lot on my CD and Mark drew me a tree. They're fantastic people, inspired artists, and it's a great privelage to read and listen to their work. Sorry if this was too long! If you want more info, just email me. I was going to put up reviews about Ani DiFranco in New York and PJ Harvey's new album, but I don't want to bombard the list! Create, Katherine ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 03:00:03 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Matthews Subject: Today's your birthday, friends... i*i*i*i*i*i i*i*i*i*i*i *************** *****HAPPY********* **************BIRTHDAY********* *************************************************** *************************************************************************** **************** Michael Sullivan (sullivan@fa.disney.com) **************** ****************** Anna Pryde (APryde@worldnet.att.net) ******************* *************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Michael Sullivan Mon November 05 1962 Scorpio Anna Pryde Wed November 05 1975 Scorpio Sun; Sagittarius Moon; Pisces Rising Jens Brage Sun November 08 1964 Scorpio Rising Lynn Garrett Sat November 08 1958 Scorpio Sam Murgie Fri November 08 1957 Scorpio Rachel Kramer Bussel Mon November 10 1975 Scorpio Ken Latta Sun November 11 1951 Scorpio Michael Doyle Wed November 12 1969 Scorpio Marla Tiara Tue November 13 1973 Scorpio Neil K. Thu November 14 1968 Grocible Dave Cook Mon November 15 1971 Scorpio Jeff Pearce November 16 Orpheus Naama Avramzon Mon November 18 1974 Scorpio Jeff Smith Mon November 19 1962 Crash Kevin Bartlett Fri November 21 1952 Scorpio Claudia Spix Wed November 23 1960 Schuetze Anja Baldo Tue November 23 1965 Garbanzo Tommy Persson Wed November 25 1964 Sagittarius Pat Tessitore November 26 Sagittarius Valerie Kraemer November 26 Sagittarius Justin Bur Fri November 27 1964 Sagittarius Sue Trowbridge Sun November 27 1966 Skytten Ward Kadel Tue November 29 1977 Sagittarius Jesse Hernandez Liwag Wed November 29 1972 Water Rat Mirko Bulaja Sat November 30 1974 Block Juha Sorva Thu December 02 1976 Sagittarius Chip Lueck Thu December 05 1968 Sagittarius - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2000 14:45:18 -0500 From: meredith Subject: pamela means, erin mckeown Hi! It's been a good weekend for live music here in Connecticut. On Friday night Pamela Means was at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport, and last night Erin McKeown played at the Yale Women's Center, right here in New Haven. Pamela rocked, as usual. She played a very long, satisfying set, during which she broke her G, D, and A strings, in that order (but not on the same song). A three-string show is pretty average for her. ;) There were a few people there who hadn't seen her before, and they left as new fans. I picked up her new CD, _Pearls_, which is a collection of live performances collected from audience and soundboard recordings. It's a nice representation of a typical Pamela Means show, and as I noted yesterday the full-band rendition of "Maybe You Should" kicks major ass. Christina Abbott, a local kid just getting her start opened for her, accompanied on a couple songs by her boyfriend Russell Wolff, who is starting to make a name for himself in his own right. I'd seen Abbott open for Wolff during the summer, and was impressed enough to buy her tape. She's one of the dime-a-dozen Ani-fan-with-guitar grrls that are popping up on college campuses all over the country nowadays, but there's something about her that captures my attention. She's got a nice voice, a bit like Natalie Merchant and a bit like Maia Sharp. She played a song with Wolff accompnying her on guitar that really rocked. She's someone I'll be keeping my eye on. Last night Erin McKeown played the longest, and best set I've seen her do. There were at least 50 people packed into the tiny basement lounge of the Yale Women's Center, a sure sign that we won't be seeing her in small spaces like that for much longer. She played both acoustic and electric guitar, and the sound was great. She told some really amusing stories in between songs, too, including one that has forever altered the way I will hear "Blackbirds". :} It's amazing how quickly she has gone from someone I wouldn't mind missing as an opening act to someone I will drive a number of miles to see (although it was nice not to have to do that last night :). Her command of so many different musical styles and her exceptional ability on the guitar is truly scary for someone who just turned 23. Her album _Distillation_ is going to be in my top 3 for the year. She's not to be missed if she comes to your area. (We're trying to work something out to get her here for a house concert in the spring ... watch this space for details. :) +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V6 #330 **************************