From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V5 #238 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 Friday, October 31 2003 Volume 05 : Number 238 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] An Emotive Richard on Long Island [RockinRonD@aol.com] [RS] Re: Subjuctive Shindell [JMoorehous@aol.com] Re: [RS] Re: Subjuctive Shindell [ThisWasPompeii@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 06:42:29 EST From: RockinRonD@aol.com Subject: [RS] An Emotive Richard on Long Island Richard played to a near sell-out crowd last night at The Brokerage in Bellmore, out on Long Island. It was one of the more unusual and thoroughly enjoyable Shindell performances I think I've ever seen. The first half, maybe the first third, of the show was comprised of all new songs, starting with "Fenario" and moving into "Che Guevara T-shirt," "So Says The Whipporwill," "Gray Green," "Simple Song (in Spanish)" "There Goes Mavis (a song I truly love)." Richard started the set by confessing to the audience that he didn't really know these songs all that well yet. Could have fooled me. Richard also treated us to Randy Newman's "Louisiana," a Roy Bookbinder arrangement of "I Got Mine" and Pete Seeger's legendary "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy"--the song that criticized and attacked Lyndon Johnson's War policies and eventually got the Smothers Brothers Show kicked off the CBS network. We got an amazing rendition of "Beyond the Iron Gate," which Richard sang very slowly, saying afterward that that was how he orginally wrote it to be sung but later "speeded it up" because "I wanted to." Much of the evening Richard played with his eyes closed, his head at times coming to rest on the top of his new Louden cutaway guitar (a handsome one it is). It seemed like a very personal performance, as though he was testing out how he would be performing most of the new songs. Eventually we did get "Last Fare of the Day" as well as a stirring "Reunion Hill," "Are You Happy Now" and "Transit." He encored with "Next Best Western." Before the show Richard told me that the new record would be recorded and produced and arranged entirely in Argentina, with exclusively Argentinian musicians. He emphasized that it would be unlike any record he has ever done. I expect to hear alot of Latin rhythms, Jobim influences and bossa nova type percussion on some of the songs. He did one other new song (I don't remember the name) with some gorgeous chords I'd never seen before (don't know what tuning he was in) and I swear he was chanelling Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was that good. Two standing ovations made Richard feel right at home, which Long Island, in a way, kind of is for him. He did look extremely tired and worn, but you would never have known it from the remarkable (and long--more than 2 hours) performance he gave. Good to see Shindell listers Gene, Isabelle, Janet and Chris there. Hope I didn't miss anyone. Local favorite Bob Westcott opened, treating the attentive audience to a great version of Little Toby Walker's "G.O.D.Com" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:53:13 EST From: JMoorehous@aol.com Subject: [RS] Re: Subjuctive Shindell Back when One of Us was a huge hit for Joan Osborne ("What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us"), I saw Richard do a little spiel about it in which he mentioned that some people think that God is dead. He went on, "God is not dead. The subjunctive is dead." Because of course the line in Joan's song should be rendered in the subjunctive mood and read, "What if God WERE one of us." It was very funny, even if only a couple of old English majors got it. He went on to say that he liked the song, but hated the lines "Nobody callin' on the phone, 'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome," which had always bugged me as well. He put on a great show that night--I think it was free, or at least very cheap, and was held in a Conference Room at the Michigan League in Ann Arbor. About 20 people showed up to see him and two (!) opening acts, one of whom was a kid guitar whiz who didn't have a guitar and had to borrow Richard's, and the other of whom was the single most annoying folk singer I have ever seen--earnest, dopey, egotistical, humorless, and utterly bereft of talent. The contrast between him and Richard was, uh, marked. Joe Moorehouse ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 09:10:13 EST From: ThisWasPompeii@aol.com Subject: Re: [RS] Re: Subjuctive Shindell In a message dated 10/30/2003 7:54:08 AM Central Standard Time, JMoorehous@aol.com writes: Back when One of Us was a huge hit for Joan Osborne ("What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us"), I saw Richard do a little spiel about it in which he mentioned that some people think that God is dead. He went on, "God is not dead. The subjunctive is dead." I read an interview with Richard (in Dirty Linen?) where he mentioned his religious beliefs, but I can't remember what they were. Does anyone know? Donna (lonely taoist/freethinker stuck in the bible-belt) ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V5 #238 ***********************************