From: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org (jangle-poets-digest) To: jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Subject: jangle-poets-digest V9 #52 Reply-To: jangle-poets@smoe.org Sender: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk jangle-poets-digest Monday, May 14 2007 Volume 09 : Number 052 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [JP] 1/4 Strangelings - Birth of the Livelys 5/11/07 [Nieldsforever@aol.c] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 20:18:37 EDT From: Nieldsforever@aol.com Subject: [JP] 1/4 Strangelings - Birth of the Livelys 5/11/07 Friday's was supposed to be a Chris & Meredith Thompson show, Meredith's last before maternity leave, at Second Friday Coffeehouse in Belmont. Had Meredith been there, the tag could've been "1/2 Strangelings," based on the twins' participation in that collective with TK. But instead, with change happening all over, 5/11/07 witnessed the birth of Meredith's second son, while I witnessed at Belmont the birth of the Livelys. Aside: It has been revealed that Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson will soon take their place alongside TK at the Guthrie Center as the 5th and 6th members of the Strangelings, not counting Kathryn Lively, who was the mysterious "5th Strangeling" for just one song at a recent Passim show. If Kathryn counts as one of them, Rebecca and Ken become the 6th and 7th Strangelings. Until the Guthrie Center date, however, which is not until 5/25/07, I will continue to refer to the Strangelings as a quartet of two duos, and any one of them as 1/4 Strangelings. Kathryn Lively, future sister-in-law of Chris Thompson, has appeared in a mostly supporting row until now with a number of different Boston area reggae bands. I asked her after Friday's show if she had been lead singer with any of these other groups, and she said no. So what Chris said during a song intro holds true, that the Livelys, a duo of Kathryn Lively and Chris Thompson, represents the most upfront-and-center opportunity for Kathryn to date. With Meredith's early delivery (due date 5/28) and surprise absence from Friday's show, Kathryn had to move up the debut of the Livelys by 3 whole weeks, since the planned unveiling was June 1 in Waltham. Understandably then, she had to be rushed into service and into the front lines a whole lot sooner than anyone had expected! Here's what the Livelys played -- Hallelujah Lift Up Your Voice and Sing First Step Lines of Longitude Tanglewood Tree Flashlights I Shall Be Released Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out Souvenirs (John Prine) Old Man of the Mountain Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Edelweiss (encore) So many highlights! I've come to expect hearing different material at every Thompsons show, and this show was no exception, with a brilliant brand-new song by Chris, "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained." Speaking of brilliant, despite the dearth of preparation time, Kathryn really nailed the harmony and counter-melody vocal part on the Dave Carter song, "Tanglewood Tree." With more shows under her belt, I'm hoping she'll feel more confident on the Thompsons material she's doing with Chris. And to my great surprise, Kathryn really shone and stood out on the material on which she sang lead vocal, with Chris singing harmony -- "Flashlights," "I Shall Be Released," "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," and "Souvenirs." I'd never seen the opening act before, Dinty Child, but he was a very accomplished performer on a virtual stageful of instruments, much like we see with TK. And 2 of the songs he did were great! -- "She Took Off My Romeos" and "Beertown." "Beertown" is the title cut of an album by one of the groups he's in, Session Americana, and features a mid-song rap that reminded me of a similar mid-song rap in the song "Crocodile Man" by Dave Carter, to give you some idea. Dinty Child was so likable, talented, and unassuming, I'd wished he would open every C&M show from now on! :-) What an exciting day 5/11 turned out to be -- Meredith giving birth to a son, and the birth of the Livelys! Bruce Check out the Kennedys' Official Home Page: http://www.KennedysMusic.com/ Fab photos, the Official tour diary, dashboard Buddha haiku, groovy merchandise...what more could you ask for? ------------------------------ End of jangle-poets-digest V9 #52 *********************************