From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V6 #42 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.quackquack.net/pattyg * OR * go to http://www.amrecords.com * then click "tour" and fill in the blanks :) * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V4 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Saturday, February 9 2002 Volume 06 : Number 042 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: Grand Old Opry ["Don Henn" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 17:16:00 -0500 From: "Don Henn" Subject: MM: Grand Old Opry MMers , Back from Nashville , & disappointed to see that Patty's performance hasn't been reviewed yet. Now I'll have to post one of my long-winded , self-indulgent ones. Hope you don't mind the ramblings of a lonely old man , who feels compelled to express himself : ) That said : I was joined by Misty , Julie , & their friend Erin. If you hear in the near future , that I've been institutionalized , I'd like to take this opportunity to blame Erin , who asked me what my favorite Patty song was. This sent my mind into a frenzied "search & evaluate" mode , off & on , for the rest of the evening , & most of the next day. An impossible task. I do recall the same question being asked on the MM list a long time ago , & I settled on "Under These Clouds" , still one of my favorites , but there are so many great songs that it would take me a week of listening & making notes , to even get close to a definitive answer. I listened to a Peter , Paul & Mary compilation on my way back , & discovered that , all of a sudden , "Hurry Sundown" was my favorite. For that day , anyway. I replayed it 6 or 7 times. Few artists have so many songs on my 'A' list , that I have a hard time determing my favorites. As with PPM , Patty's music doesn't become tiring , it simply changes dimension , depending on my mood , & state of mind at the moment. On my way down , I listened to "Wayfaring Stranger" & "Nebraska" over & over , & for the time being , they were my favorites. On the way to meeting Misty & friends , I was looking in the windows of Nashville boot shops , & had a pair jump out at me ; black & red , with red flames overlaid on a black base , extending from the toe 1/3 of the way back , & a few more on the heels. I went in to price & size , but the clerk was busy , & they didn't have price or size tags on them. Went back the next day & tried them on , but they were too tight. Waited 10 minutes for another size to be delivered , & ........ YES ! Not quite Cinderella fitting her dainty foot into the glass slipper , but it felt good ! Now , if you see an old-timer with "Flaming Red" boots on , at a Patty concert , that would be me : ) On to the concert (Finally). Patty opened up by saying that she was very nervous about playing there. I didn't understand why , until Misty explained the history. Ryman Auditorium was the initial setting for the "Grand Old Opry". A stage that showcased the greatest C/W acts available since it's inception , including my favorites , Patsy Cline , & Johnny Cash. I still find it hard to imagine Patty being intimidated by any venue. After all , she IS Patty Griffin. She opened up with "Chief" , not high on my list of favorites. The 2nd song was "Flaming Red" with the bluesy opening. Excellent , but didn't hit the heights I've come to expect from Patty. The third song was a new composition , not on the new CD. I was trying to focus on the words , so I was distracted from the vocal quality & composition. It seems to be a song about saying goodbye to a friend , but at one point she seemed to be describing a building rather than a person. I wonder if she wrote it about the demise of Ryman as the primary vemue for the Grand Old Opry. I wrote down a line from it ; "I'm getting tired of useless desires". Very interesting. I hope Patty expands on that someday. I think Misty told me that most GOO shows are now at Opryland. Song # 4 was "Falling Down". Before the first few lines were out of her mouth , I thought ; this is the Patty Griffin I came to see & hear ; that completely unpretentious voice , embracing the music , rather than sliding up & down the scale to showcase her own vocal range as most singers with great voices do , the seemingly perfect tonal quality , & the natural depth & power that seems to merely escape from her when she opens her mouth , rather than being forced out. I stopped at a Waffle House for breakfast on the way back , & they had a jukebox that was notable only for the lack of great music on it , so I played Patsy Cline's "Crazy" about 6 or 7 times , until it wore out it's welcome with the staff & other customers. It struck me that Patsy's voice is the only other one I could describe in those terms. Unpretentious , great tonal quality , & natural power & depth. While I see that in many individual songs , most performers can't do it that consistently. Patsy has about 5-10 songs on my 'A' list ,& Patty , of course , has 20? 30? 40? She also did a Steve Earle composition. Don't remember if it was #5 or 6 , as I made a note about it away from the set list. The note was the phrase ; "Swing low , carry me home". Right up Patty's "dark & tragic" alley. "Top of the World" , & "Ten Million Miles" finished the set. Both at or near the level of "Falling Down". Trouble with Patty opening is that , just as she's getting warmed up , the set is over. She got a big response from the country crowd. Of course , she's had a lot of recent exposure in Nashville , so I imagine that she had quite a few of her own fans there. The girl next to me was screaming for her. No "Mary" , & I'm wondering if "Ten Million Miles" has taken it's place as a sign-off song. TMM , of course , is a song that Patty said she wrote for her fans. Steve's appearance was hyped as being with his "Guitar Town" band. Alluding to , what I guess was a big C/W album that he had. The first half of his set was comprised of straight ahead C/W. Nothing wrong with it , the music was excellent , but not my style. Steve is a great lyricist , & I think his talents are much better served in his Dylanesque songs. After they got the "Guitar Town" music out of their system , Steve did some excellent soloes , & he did the Stone's "Dead Flowers" with the band. Great song , great performance from all involved. See you at the Mercury. "Flaming Red" boots & all. Hurry down , sundown Get thee be gone Get lost in the sunrise Of a new dawn Robinson/Harburg "Hurry Sundown" Performed by Peter , Paul & Mary Don ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V6 #42 ********************************