From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V2 #68 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 Monday, May 15 2000 Volume 02 : Number 068 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Richard in Grand Rapids, Michigan [ptpower@juno.com] [RS] Re: Joan and MM [Laurel Rezeau ] RE: [RS] Re: Joan and MM [Katrin.Uhl@t-online.de (Katrin Uhl)] [RS] Richard in Flint, Michigan [ptpower@juno.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:32:13 -0700 From: ptpower@juno.com Subject: [RS] Richard in Grand Rapids, Michigan The evening wasn't looking as if it were going to be so good . . . I stopped to get gas on the way to Grand Rapids (an hour away) and the wind was blowing colder than I was really dressed for. Fortunately, I had a sweatshirt in the car and needed it later in the evening. I popped the hood to add oil to my perpetually leaking engine and something felt funny - -- but almost immediately, I forgot about it, paid for the gas, grabbed a Coke and was on my way. A couple miles into the trip I began to hear a noise that I was unaccustomed to, and upon craning my neck saw that the hood of my car was flopping up and down, being held only by the secondary hood release . . . "[multitude of expletives deleted]," I said. Luckily, I had several very sturdy rubber straps in the car, so I pulled over, and got the hood to stay down well enough for the trip. Whew!! The concert was held at Grand Rapids Public Museum (built with lots of Amway money), a free concert thanks to WYCE-FM, whose spring fundraiser was wildly successful. Where was I? Front row . . . center!! The opening act, whose name I believe to be something like Robert Deebol, was dull. His set was way too long for someone who wasn't all that strong a writer, guitar player, singer or performer. In his last song he attempted to imitate Victoria Williams (apparently she contributed a vocal to this song on his first CD) -- it didn't work!! Next Best Western Someone from the back of the room called out, "How was Kentucky?" which amused Richard. "I just came from there -- were you there?" Reply: "No." More amusement in his eyes. Strange moment. Kenworth Of My Dreams ("goddamn truck") Confession (with "my son's favorite song" story) Are You Happy Now? This drew very big laugh at ". . . took the candy with you too." The thought that crossed my mind during this was "I hope he doesn't ever get sick of playing this song." This song is such a masterpiece (not to overshadow anything else, mind you) -- the buildup to the last "are you happy how?" is absolutely the mark of genius in my mind Abuelita He introduced this withe the reference to the "60 Minutes" segment from a few weeks back. I turned to my friend Barbara and whispered, "Songwriting just doesn't get any better than that!" I sat in utter awe of his guitar work. I *know* that he is a great guitar player (and made special note of it to a fellow songwriter friend prior to the show who was unfamiliar with Richard), but witnessing it is stupeying at times. He makes it all look *so* easy to do. Fishing The most powerful version I've yet heard of this. Wisteria ("Songwriting just doesn't get any better than this!" -- Oh, sorry, did I repeat myself?!) Ballad Of Mary Magdalen Big laugh at "It was his career or mine." Lazy He commented that this was the song that his "Are You Happy Now?" sweetheart would have expected. The extra verse drew a big laugh. You Stay Here Again . . . his guitar playing on this song is wonderful, his dramatic treatment of this is terrific as well -- wonderful rises and falls of intensity. Reunion Hill I have read reports on this slower version for weeks and I'm here to tell you that I like it this way. It's my opinion that you have to retreat into the character who's telling the story to fully appreciate the slower pace. I love this song as a celtic jam, but he has found a sweetness and a more personal touch in the song by slowing it down. While he was tuning for the next song, he said something that seemed (to me) to invite a call out for a request, so I muttered "Fleur-de-Lis." He grimaced a bit, and sort of shook his head, so I said (again . . . "muttered" would be more appropriate), "Nora." He again grimaced. Then he shaded his eyes and looked out into the audience to see who was making the requests. He spotted me, pointed at me and said, "Oh . . . it's you!!" He stepped back to finish tuning and said, "Maybe I'll get to that." (I assumed "Nora.") Shades Of Gray Damn!! Can this guy pick a guitar or what?!?!! Transit Barbara remarked that this was an unusual song to end the set with. She may have a point since it's rather oblique, but I didn't mind. It drew quite a number of laughs at various points, but given the facial expressions that Richard is exhibiting as he plays it, that seems to be what he's looking for. Encores: Sing Me Back Home "This type of song was the inspiration for that last one." On A Sea Of Fleur-de-Lis He quickly re-tuned for this, so it appeared to have been done per the request, but I noticed it on his playlist after the show, so I guess I called out the right song at the right time. The most interesting aspect of the show for me was, given Richard's rather interesting religious allusions, wondering whether or not anybody clued Richard in as to the type of town Grand Rapids is prior the show (not that I would expect that it would make much difference to him, of course). It's a very wealthy Republican-thick city, with a very strong religious right. Not that I would have expected many of that ilk to be at the concert, but it was interesting to think about it nonetheless. Well . . . off to Flint for show number two! Pat ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 15:43:13 -0700 From: Laurel Rezeau Subject: [RS] Re: Joan and MM Norman A. Johnson wrote: > > Interesting review below. Has Joan Baez performed Mary M. or did the review > just confuse Joan with Dar? A few years ago, I told Richard that I thought MM would be a great song for Joan to sing, and he said that she was not interested in performing it because she stays away from religious content (I don't remember exactly how he said it, but it was something like that). So it would be very interesting if she has changed her mind and has performed it. But I think it's more likely that the reviewer is confused. Anyone heard her sing it? - --Laurel ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 00:59:00 +0200 From: Katrin.Uhl@t-online.de (Katrin Uhl) Subject: RE: [RS] Re: Joan and MM > A few years ago, I told Richard that I thought MM would be a great song > for Joan to sing, and he said that she was not interested in performing > it > because she stays away from religious content (I don't remember exactly > how he said it, but it was something like that). that's odd, I've heard her do plenty of songs with religious content. Like Happy Days for example. But then, not recently I have to admit. > So it would be very interesting if she has changed her mind and has > performed it. But I think it's more likely that the reviewer is confused. > Anyone heard her sing it? no, but I'd love to! Katrin ____________________________________________ we come to pass not to stay all that matters anyway is what will follow you Peter Mulvey (all the way home) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 01:21:26 -0700 From: ptpower@juno.com Subject: [RS] Richard in Flint, Michigan Two shows in two nights!! Damn . . . I wish I could get IRS refund checks every week!! It was a sparse Mother's Day crowd in Flint, but a great show yet again. Peter Mulvey opened for Richard this time (about three flights and two very big leaps up from last night's opening performer!) and was terrific as usual. The emcee did a wonderful introduction of Richard, relating his personal experience with discovering Richard's music (via CryCryCry) during a low time in his working life, and Richard's first words were "After all that I'm going to start with a song by someone else." Sonora's Death Row My god, this song has such a lovely melody. Richard remarked how the author (Kevin "Blackie" Farrell) had a great name for a songwriter, then remarked about the protagonist's inability to learn anything between the first and last verses ("He's just as stupid in the last verse as he is in the first!"). Next Best Western "It was actually a Super 8" Wisteria As always . . . transporting. Kenworth Of My Dreams "If I drove a truck, which I don't, but if I did it would be a Peterbilt; and just like that Best Western song, " ' The Peterbilt Of My Dreams' . . . well you see the problem." Waiting For The Storm "Here's a song about another character." Confession After telling the "Hey duck" story, he tried to lead into the next song with the story that a little kid came up to him and asked him to play "Are You Happy . . . Cow?" No one laughed and he said, "None of you have heard any of my songs have you?" (or something to that effect). I had, of course, but I didn't think it was all that funny -- I hope he drops that one from the routine! It just didn't work. Are You Happy Now? He seems to be playing up the potential for laughter in this song. Unlike last night (and just about every time I've seen him perform this) he skipped doing the explanation about the last mini-verse *during* the song. Instead, he explained it a bit after he was done. He then introduced the next song as a song that came a little too late for the previously aforementioned relationship. You Again A really nice version of this -- the last time I saw him perform this, it didn't work so well. Prior to that, he flubbed lyrics. He nailed it this night! Fishing Somebody in in the audience recognized this and whooped at hearing the first words. (NO . . . it wasn't me!!) She's In Spain *This* was a treat to hear. It has a lovely melody, a cool chord progression ("It has *some* redeeming qualities") and a neat rhyme sheme. I think that he's discovered that the humorous aspect of the bad rhyme is his way of allowing himself to play this otherwise wonderful song. I hope he does find something to rhyme with Spain that allows him to sing it for reasons other than a cheap laugh -- it's a very good song. You Stay Here I think that he really, really likes playing this song! Reunion Hill "A shameless attempt to insinuate myself into [Joan Baez's] repertoire." Arrowhead Cold Missouri Waters (A request) "I'll leave you with . . . this yarn." Transit Encore: Sing Me Back Home Oh, by the way . . . where did I sit? Front row . . . center!! (Actually, a seat off-center so that I could see him without a microphone in his face.) Well, it's tired . . . I'm late. Pat ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V2 #68 **********************************