From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V9 #165 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Tuesday, October 2 2007 Volume 09 : Number 165 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Sat night Wilde Auditorium [LN Davis ] [RS] The UK Tour ["Brad Bradstock" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:24:07 -0400 From: LN Davis Subject: Re: [RS] Sat night Wilde Auditorium (Out of long-time lurking mode) -- I first saw Richard at the Wile Auditorium in October 1992 when my son was negative 6 months old and I have to say I think a lot of the set was the same! Perhaps he was inspired to go back to Blue Divide, which I believe he was writing (but had not yet recorded)? He mentioned "getting his start" there and how $400 CDs was the most he had EVER sold and how excited he was! In 1992 there were at least 3 acts on the bill, including I think Donna Martin and Na Caberfeidh (sp). This time he was accompanied by a violinist friend whose name escapes me, I'm sorry to say, as her contributions were essential to Reunion Hill, Transit, and others, and she also sang backup/harmony. Anyway, for those who care about such things my notes say the set list was: - - Transit (I have to say this one bothers me after the bridge collapse disaster this year... I've always been bothered by the great collective punishment, like something in the Old Testament, although whether I "approve" or not it is a fact that collective punishment happens a lot in this world, doesn't it, and will in the future if global warming keeps up) - - Kenworth of My Dreams (I was waiting for Next Best Western as part of the "trucking suite" but we didn't get it) - - Last Fare of the Day (which he said takes place roughly September 17 or 18, 2001)(the ebb and flow echoing Natalie Zuckerman's earlier song about a jazz club closing down and the rhythm in the traffic and the subway underground) - - A new one (to me) State of the Union, dealing with a crack addict but finishing with a punchline much like Old Muddy -- if he was working on it a while back he must have added that post 2003 - - Fishing -- please forgive me, those who really know guitars, but this was on electric guitar, right? with a weird tuning or in some other way not the melody from the CD? HELP! - - Senor (excellent) - - Fenario - - Summer Wind, Cotton Dress (by request, but planned) (nb. I think he played that in 92 and I first heard it played at a concert with about 6 people at a bookstore in Hartford, same era) - he used an instrument he said was like the one on which he composed this-- again I am hopelessly ignorant -- black - round -- perhaps what it was will come to me - - Mary Magdalene (particularly beautifully done) - - A funny song (at least ostensibly) Clara with presumably other points to make -- "you can never go back to Rome" - - Balloon Man (also new) which forgive me, I am known for being hypercritical but I could lose that one pretty easily -- he needs to do something more unique and add a Richard-like twist to what is presently fairly banal - hopefully a work in progress -- well I know there is a place for a character sketch, a little descriptive piece, but I still think that's less than we expect from Richard - - Texas Rangers - - Arrowhead (not a favorite of mine, but done very well and those who love it seemed enthralled to judge from the audience response!) - - Sitting' on Top of the World (the version from the CD; particularly well done blues guitar -- I've enjoyed a much more lighthearted version he did for several years live, and missed it on the album, but was glad to see this, very effective) - - There Goes Mavis - - for encore: Reunion Hill, wonderful. Which song request did he refuse saying "not a chance?" or words to that effect? I think he started out a little weak vocally but that picked up --also (as he noted) the mike gave too much guitar and not enough voice, at the beginning. His guitar playing seemed (to the super-ignorant) very strong. He was relaxed and comfortable, maybe a little tired as he said this was the end of a tour and he'd be going home. I can't imagine how he can tour and then fly all the way back to Argentina every time. I remember that in 1992 he played "The Things That I Have Seen," which talks about the "first" Gulf war, and made humorous reference to the fact that as a folk singer he "had to" write an anti-war song and this was his -- only to have an audience member in NY scold him that it wasn't anti-war "enough." He's changed, as the other songs indicate, I don't think the change (or the prior stance) reflects on his attitudes as much as on the war(s)in question...... 15 years is a long time and much has happened in my life as presumably Richard's and everyone else's -- as I was leaving a friend who didn't know his music as well commented on him as a "story-teller," and I suddenly realized how much my own working life revolves around all the stories I hear from all the clients who come to talk to me, and wondered if I knew that would turn out to be so, 15 years ago, and wondered also whether Richard's music and stories had anything to do with the way I look at the world, a collection of stories, beyond good and evil, really. My son is now almost 15 (obviously) and that means also that Richard's 15th wedding anniversary is coming up soon (next spring sometime, or January?) and that means his son (not of this marriage) is maybe 18? and daughter Ana must be a teenager too. NOMB but I wonder whether the stories will change as a result of these life-changing events... Writing this has caused me to review some of the posts from the last couple of months. I hope Richard would be proud to be considered "folk" which I think of as putting the music as such ABOVE the individual ego of the creator or performer -- the point is not who composed it, who gets the credit, but the song itself and its life and having it shared with the audience and with other musicians, and having it continue on its life into the future, offered by others until perhaps, some day, we might all forget whose song it was. I should think recording "South of Delia" would support that. My principal disappointment with South of Delia was the choice of songs, as I've either heard him cover others or wished I'd heard him cover others that I thought would be better. The concept I salute. (PLEASE RICHARD COVER A JOHN GORKA SONG AND A SILVIO RODRIGUEZ SONG NEXT TIME!) Lisa Davis Meriden, CT ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 23:21:22 +0100 From: "Brad Bradstock" Subject: [RS] The UK Tour Hello Chums I'm a newcomer to this list, but I guess, like you all, a confirmed Richard Shindell admirer. I had the pleasure recently of promoting an evening with Richard as part of his UK tour. He is still relatively unknown here so I guess I was a little bit apprehensive. But apprehension soon turned to pleasure when the tickets started selling! We weren't sold out, but we had a very respectable turn out. I knew after exchanging emails with him that Richard would be a great guy and this was confirmed when we met, a warm and friendly guy. He gave our audience a fantastic evenings entertainment, with wonderfully crafted songs sung and played with skill and passion. And don't just take my word for it, he sold 30 CD's on the night and with an audience of just over 60 thay ain't half bad! We recorded the evening for posterity and it is staggering! As soon as Richard returns home I shall be sending him a copy I reckon it's good enough for a live album! Here's the set list 1st Set 1) Fenario 2) Balloon Man 3) Waist Deep In The Big Muddy 4) The Ballad Of Mary Magdalen 5) A Summer Wind, A Cotton Dress 6) Reunion Hill 2nd Set 7) You Stay Here 8) I Got Mine 9) State Of The Union 10) Are You Happy Now 11) So Says The Whippoorwill 12) Fishing 13) Seqor 14) There Goes Mavis 15) Transit ( a request and a favourite of mine) 16) The Next Best Western All in all a fantastic evening, can't wait till he's back again All the best Brad HYPERLINK "http://www.bradbradstock.co.uk/"www.bradbradstock.co.uk No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.35/1040 - Release Date: 30/09/2007 21:01 ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V9 #165 ***********************************