From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V14 #332 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Tuesday, December 8 2009 Volume 14 : Number 332 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- Thea Gilmore live in London, an unreliable witness [Adam Kimmel ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 03:08:27 -0800 From: Adam Kimmel Subject: Thea Gilmore live in London, an unreliable witness I'm not going to many gigs any more, having decided I just don't have the energy for it (how serious am I? I flogged my ticket to a the upcoming sold-out Florence and the Machine Brixton gig. For face value). This one, however, I was very much looking forward to, as Thea is touring her excellent seasonal album, "Strange Communion", and the Bush Hall is my favourite venue in London (its proximity to me helps in this regard). So, I'd love to go on about what a brilliant gig it was, and how excellent the opening act (Lindisfarne's Rod Clements) was, with his brilliant dobro slide guitar technique and charm; I'd love to elaborate on the setlist, drawing not only from the new album but also including a sublime cover of "Blue Christmas" with just her and Nigel's acoustic guitar, and how she previewed a fun new song with the chorus that the entire audience was invited to shout out: "Oh, come on!" and about the fun bit at the encore when an audience member got to choose, by throwing a dart at a board, a cheesy christmas song for them to perform with no rehearsal, which led to a great, bluesy version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with Thea clutching the lyric sheet and Rod Clements helping out on slide acoustic guitar. I'd love to say what a great gig it was, because I certainly got the impression it was. Unfortunately, it was totally blighted by the two tossers who, ten minutes into Thea's set, elbowed their way to the front with their video cameras, set themselves up right in front of me and then talked, all the way through, in loud whispers. I made my distaste clear, in a proper British manner (tutting, glaring) and eventually my daughter stepped in and told them to shut up. They reacted with arrogance and indignation and even, apparently, discussed getting US thrown out. "But we're shooting a VIDEO" said one of them. Eventually, they packed up and left, but the evening was ruined. All I could see was red and all I could hear was my own blood pounding in my head. I had thought they m! ight be there on an official basis, but so far I've established that the band had no idea who they were and also that it was obvious to several other people there that they didn't, in fact, have a clue what they were doing. Sigh. So, read about it here; http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article6944556.ece which is a much better review than I could manage. Adam K ____________________________________________________________ FREE ONLINE PHOTOSHARING - Share your photos online with your friends and family! Visit http://www.inbox.com/photosharing to find out more! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 19:05:03 -0700 From: neal copperman Subject: Barely ecto - The Pajama Men in London Albuquerque-based comedy geniuses The Pajama Men have just started a show at the Soho in London. It looks like it runs through early January. (The Times says it runs through February, but I'll go with the venue web site.) There is a fantastic preview and interview at the Times On-line: http://bit.ly/93gqUa I saw the preview run of their recent show "The Last Stand to Reason" and it was hilarious. Hilarious enough that I will probably see it at least three more times before they come up with another show. I'm pretty sure I saw their last show "Versus vs. Versus" 4 times. The group does shows that are about 80% scripted, but can dip into improv at any moment. The core duo each play about a dozen characters, seamlessly switching between them from moment to moment. It's kind of hard to explain what they really do, but I wholeheartedly recommend it to any London ectofolk. Probably a better behaved audience then at Thea Gilmore Adam. I'm sure they will make you smile uncontrollably. They have won awards at Edinburgh Fringe and big fests in Australia, as well as doing an extended residency at Second City in Chicago. Anyway, they are friends of mine and I was so thrilled to see them starting a big run in London. Hopefully one or two of you can check them out. neal np: Live and Times - Bob Mould ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V14 #332 ***************************