From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V12 #416 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, March 11 2013 Volume 12 : Number 416 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Spoiler Alert - Set List ["Matthew Bullis" ] [RS] Final Four [Gene Frey ] Re: [RS] RS electric-only shows. [Carol Love ] [RS] =?windows-1252?Q?Last_Night=85?= [Don Vining ] [RS] RS at Labryinth Cafe 3/9/13 ["cvz" ] Re: [RS] Final Four. [=?utf-8?q?john_cl=C3=A9irigh?= ] Re: [RS] Final Four. [rongrittz@aol.com] [RS] Transit [John McDonnell ] Re: [RS] RS at Labryinth Cafe 3/9/13 [RFC ] [RS] Final Four [Isabel Frey ] [RS] Labyrinth Cafe Ft. Lauderdale 3/9/13 - color commentary (Re: Spoiler Alert - Set List [] Re: [RS] color commentary [Chris Foxwell ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:46:29 -0700 From: "Matthew Bullis" Subject: Re: [RS] Spoiler Alert - Set List Thanks for the set list. Love In Vain is actually a Robert Johnson song. If you've only heard the Clapton version, check out Robert's. That's 1930s-style blues, and Johnson was a huge influence on Clapton. Clapton says in the liner notes to the box set of Johnson's music that when he heard Robert's music, it was almost too painful to listen to, because it was so good. Hmm, didn't think I'd write an essay about just one song on your list, but I do love some Robert Johnson. Richard said that he based his melody version of Sitting On Top Of The World on Come In My Kitchen, another Johnson song. Matthew ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:10:48 -0700 From: Subject: [RS] RS electric-only shows. Found it, and it was a show I saw. McCabe's in Santa Monica, January 15, 2010. Richard played the entire show on electric guitar, a mid-60's Danelectro Convertible he said someone had bought at a garage sale for five bucks, then gave him. Here's what one looks like: http://www.halkans.com/images6/1245danelectro.jpg RG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:32:17 -0400 From: Gene Frey Subject: [RS] Final Four Hey you guys, The first pairing is the tougher one. I am reminded of the great New Yorker writer Roger Angell, who was a lifelong Red Sox fan, but also became a Mets fan when he started covering baseball in 1962. He was able to keep his two loyalties separate until the 1986 World Series. As he wrote, he was honestly not sure how he would feel once the series ended, but when it did, he realized he was happy, and above all a Mets fan. All of that is to say, Reunion Hill. Pair 2 is not quite so hard, and if I wasn't 100% sure before last night, I am now. Wisteria. Gene F. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:03:24 -0400 From: Carol Love Subject: Re: [RS] RS electric-only shows. ..That wasn't one he was using tonight. I didn't think I was going to like the electric format, but I did. Even though in the close quarters Marc Shulman almost beaned me a couple of times with his head stock. ...Carol On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:10 PM, wrote: > Found it, and it was a show I saw. McCabe's in Santa Monica, January 15, > 2010. > > Richard played the entire show on electric guitar, a mid-60's Danelectro > Convertible he said someone had bought at a garage sale for five bucks, > then gave him. Here's what one looks like: > > http://www.halkans.com/images6/1245danelectro.jpg > > RG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:11:09 -0400 From: Don Vining Subject: [RS] =?windows-1252?Q?Last_Night=85?= ...I attended a other great concert at the labyrinth Cafe at the Universal Unitarian Church of Fort Lauderdale. Many thanks to Susan Moss and her volunteers who put these concerts together. Richard and Mark were much tighter than they were at the first Concert Window concert that I watched online. They were also joined by Sara Milonovich on violin. I had the good luck to sit next to Carrie (and several of her friends) who came all the way from KC. We were in for a surprise when Richard announced that this would be his first all electric concert. He explained he decided to do it because Unitarian Universalists were noted for their tolerance, and he was right. He certainly didn't receive the same response Bob Dylan did so many years ago. No one walked out and we all throughly enjoyed the concert. Personally I've been playing a guitar for more than 50 years but I've never touched an electric guitar! There is something about the sound of a good acoustic guitar with fresh strings that makes my heart sing and can never be duplicated by an electric guitar. That is not to say that electric guitars don't have their advantages. They are certainly easier to play and have greater sustain and dynamic range not to mention an array of effects, so from that angle it obvious why Richard was so excited by playing an electric guitar. He seemed like a kid in a candy shop. That enthusiasm was shared by the audience and led to a wonderful evening. Richard didn't say whether he would continue playing electric guitar exclusively like Dylan did. I did see an acoustic guitar case in the back ground. On the way home last night it occurred to me that there may have been a technical reason for not playing it. The concert was late in starting because, we were told, the sound check was taking long time. I guess time will tell, but either way, I think his audiences will enjoy it. Don ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 07:30:26 -0400 From: Jim Thomann Subject: [RS] Final Four 1. Courier vs. Reunion Hill ==> "Reunion Hill". Just a perfect song. 2. Wisteria vs. Transit ==> "Wisteria". I've moved many times and Wisteria throws me right back into my childhood homes. Its also the song I mentioned to a friend to get him on the RS wagon. Jim T. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 08:56:50 -0400 From: "cvz" Subject: [RS] RS at Labryinth Cafe 3/9/13 First let me say it was great to meet and chat with Susan, Gene and Isabel, and Lurker Don at the concert last night. Susan, thank you so much for getting Richard down here and giving us (me) a chance to hear him again without having to pack a suitcase. It is always such a treat to see/hear R. I was thrilled. ***Fla west coast folks. Do not read further if you donbt want any concert details. Originally Antje was slated as the opener, but things changed, and Marc Shulman on guitar and Sara Milonovich on violin accompanied Richard last night. I believe Isabel has the set list so I will leave that listing to her. Richard announced straight off that this was a first ball electric- concert. Yes, you read it right. I had 4 guests who are familiar with RS and we all agreed that there were songs that did not compare well with the acoustic versions of the songs. I missed the great guitar picking. There was more strumming done on the electric. One friend comments that Mavis sort of lost itbs bossa nova beat. Another mentioned that at the beginning of the first set the guitars overpowered the vocals. In the second set the guitars were more quiet and there was one song where Richard pounced (is that the correct term?) on the strings. I liked that technique. Unfortunately I donbt remember which song that was. Some of the songs I liked on the electric were Stray Cow Blues, Juggler out in Traffic, Satellites and there were others too. I just wish he had swapped off to acoustic from time to time. Although a bit rocky at the start, Marc played some nice riffs and Sarabs violin set the mood. There was one blues number that I didnbt recognize that seemed lack-luster and confusing. I donbt think he even announced the name of it. Other than that, a great concert...of course. Perhaps I will post more comments as they come to mind. I didnbt get a chance to say hi to Richard as he was busy chatting with others and my friends were waiting out in the car. Sigh.... Oh, R played 3 of the final 4 songs. Courier was the only one he didnbt play. Carrie in BB soon to be back in KC. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:41:55 -0000 From: =?utf-8?q?john_cl=C3=A9irigh?= Subject: Re: [RS] Final Four. Courier & Wisteria - -- John Clary Sent from my BlackBerry PlayBook - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: "ronsfolkchords@cox.net" And here we are at the Final Four. 1. Courier vs. Reunion Hill 2. Wisteria vs. Transit ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:31:52 -0400 From: "cvz" Subject: Re: [RS] Set List A few more comments - Ok - it had to be Love in Vain that I didn't like. But then I'm not much of a Clapton fan. Are You Happy Now had a slightly different tempo...interesting. I'm guessing there will be no videos of this show. I brought my camera and a tiny tripod but ended up sitting back to far to attempt anything. Then when I went to snap a still of R I couldn't get it out of movie mode. grrrr. It's time I read the manual. carrie ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:55:12 -0400 (EDT) From: rongrittz@aol.com Subject: Re: [RS] Final Four. Re: Reunion Hill: >> There is a version on 'Live from Chandler' that I really like his vocals on and how clear his guitar is on it. I have trouble telling if it's in DADGAD or Standard - perhaps Ron can tell me? << Although Richard's website says that RH is one of the usual DADGAD songs that he occasionally plays in Standard, I've never heard it in Standard, and the version on the Chandler Hall CD is definitely DADGAD. RG ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:50:23 -0400 From: John McDonnell Subject: [RS] Transit Hey All, Norman wrote: "Traffic stalls because Sister Maria is fixing a tire. After they get by her, they speed up and wind off going into a vortex. Makes sense to me, though Richard should have had Rod Serling come out at the end." The song asks the question was it some kind of vortex, but assuming it was, I dont understand why. Is it punishment for not caring that Sister Maria had a flat? It never really made a lot of sense to me, though I like the description of the "well-insured horde" and the ever-updated "Ashcroft Republicans." I thought the song had a better crime-retribution-forgiveness-salvation dynamic than that. John McD ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:35:08 -0700 From: RFC Subject: Re: [RS] RS at Labryinth Cafe 3/9/13 You know, I could swear that when I was reading most of the Shindell-list archives a few weeks ago I remember reading a show review -- it may even have been one of mine -- in which he played an electric for the whole show. Gonna go back and see if it's just something I dreamed. On Mar 10, 2013, at 5:56 AM, "cvz" wrote: > Richard announced straight off that this was a first all electric- concert. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:13:28 -0400 From: Isabel Frey Subject: [RS] Final Four Reunion Hill vs. Courier Wisteria vs. Transit No losers in this group. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:43:44 -0400 (EDT) From: ozwoman321@aol.com Subject: [RS] Labyrinth Cafe Ft. Lauderdale 3/9/13 - color commentary (Re: Spoiler Alert - Set List Thanks to Isabel for the full setlist and additional notes - it was indeed an amazing evening. So good to catch up with dear friends Gene and Isabel as well as meet new friend Carrie - Don... come out, come out, wherever you are! Some of you know I am presenter/coordinator of the Labyrinth Cafe Concert Series in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (the venue's 10th season, my 8th with them) - - long story short is that last year, when I was in process of booking this 2012-13 season, I noticed that Richard was playing in Tampa Monday, March 11, 2013. I immediately dropped a note to his agent, inquiring about the Saturday night previous - after a few weeks of back and forth, we confirmed the date. Interestingly, all the paperwork up until two weeks ago had Richard solo - I then heard it was to be a trio formation (a nice treat). From prior reviews on this list, I knew he had been playing his electric guitar about half the show - imagine our surprise when he stepped onstage last night and said something to the effect of: "It's a good thing the Unitarian Universalists are a tolerant bunch. I've decided this will be my first all-electric show" (whoa... :-) I thoroughly enjoyed the night, after giving up all expectations of what it *should* be - Marc Shulman and Sara Milonovich were both fabulous accompanists (as well as lovely people). Richard at one point "blamed" Marc for his obsession with the electric guitar, then turned to him and shouted, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" - there were 2 or 3 songs in the first set in which I felt the lyrics were drowned out by the guitars, but everything else was stunning... and the second set an even better mix, as I believe they'd had a chance to confer and readjust a few settings... On first listen, I enjoyed the new songs I'd not heard live before (Your Guitar, Careless, Deer on the Parkway, Stray Cow Blues), but they will of course require repeated plays to really capture their tone and meaning - Sara told me before the show that, on the way down, they had stopped in Nashville to do a bit of recording and, while not giving a completion date, the new album is in process (I reassured that we Shindell fans are a patient people... :-) Crowd favorites (and mine as well) were Next Best Western, Mary Magdalen(e), Are You Happy Now?, Transit and Wisteria - Mavis was particularly enthralling (pin-drop, breath-holding quality)... I did have a chance to chat with Richard a bit after the show and mentioned the Much Madness brackets still in progress - he said that someone had briefly mentioned it to him at a prior gig, and he pressed me for more details. I told him we were in the Final Four and he was curious to know which four - he agreed with 3 of them, but seemed surprised to hear Courier was there, and not Mavis (his favorite song of his, he said). I knew Gene and Isabel would be in the audience last night, and warned Richard that, in my introduction, I would be making a joke about The Weather - he worried that I would be setting them up to expect the song to be played... but I reassured him I was dashing their hopes immediately, so he need not feel pressured or guilty with the (continued) omission! During our chat, I asked Richard if his interest in the electric guitar came about in last year's sabbatical - he said that he appreciated the opportunity to re-focus... "a few small repairs", he called it. I said, "oh, Shawn Colvin" - he immediately quipped, "yes, but not quite as destructive"... :-) Gene and Isabel... I had so much to say last night and now feel as if I'm leaving something out (as if this note isn't long enough) - if so, please jog my memory! At the beginning of the second set (when we have our raffle), I teased the audience that I hoped everyone was okay with the electric guitar, and that no one was having a Pete-Seeger-with-an-ax-at-Newport moment - earlier today I posted the following to Richard's Facebook page: << Richard... you electrified the Labyrinth Cafe audience last night! - Emerson would have been proud (and I love that you knew he was a UU... :-) We were honored to be your first all non-acoustic gig - made me think of the Joni Mitchell quote (when she was in the midst of one of her many musical transitions): "They'll crucify you for changing. They'll crucify you for not changing. I'd rather change."... <3 >> Susan www.labyrinthcafe.com www.facebook.com/labyrinth.cafe.concerts www.browardfolkclub.com www.gotfolk.com "god bless the sound of music, god bless the golden rule..." ~ Danny Schmidt - -----Original Message----- Isabel said: << Gene and I had an amazing time at the Labrynth Cafe last night with Susan and Chico Moss, Carrie from KC and Lurker Don. What a great night. I'll let Susan fill in the details... >> ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:35:03 +0300 From: Chris Foxwell Subject: Re: [RS] color commentary On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 5:46 AM, wrote: > >> Ah, so I am not the only one (surprised by The Courier making the final > four << > > Frankly, I'm surprised that HE'S surprised. I mean, even HE considered an > important enough song to name his live CD after it. > > I always assumed that he named the CD after the song because its title offers the closest bit of imagery to his role as artist and performer, not because it was more important. Though, yeah, funny that he's unaware of how much we like it. In any case, re: Mavis being his favorite...yes! Vindication! :-) Chris - -- "We were born in a dark age out of due time (for us). But there is this comfort: otherwise we should not know, or so much love, what we do love. I imagine the fish out of water is the only fish to have an inkling of water." --J.R.R. Tolkien ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V12 #416 ************************************