From: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org (support-system-digest) To: support-system-digest@smoe.org Subject: support-system-digest V9 #46 Reply-To: support-system@smoe.org Sender: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk support-system-digest Tuesday, July 11 2006 Volume 09 : Number 046 Today's Subjects: ----------------- RE: [support-system] Liz at the Taste ["Liz J" ] RE: [support-system] Liz at the Taste [Andrea Uptmor ] Re: [support-system] Liz at the Taste ["Tyler Coates" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 11:21:17 -0500 From: "Liz J" Subject: RE: [support-system] Liz at the Taste From the Chicago Tribune: Phair's act: Fair to middling Lack of quality, unevenness leave fans with a sour taste By Althea Legaspi Special to the Tribune Published July 10, 2006 For the final Saturday of Taste of Chicago, it was a fitting choice to have Liz Phair headline the Petrillo band shell, for she was the toast of Chicago during the early stages of her career. Still, homecomings can be strange affairs, especially when one's glory days seem in the distant past -- a fact that quickly presented itself during Phair's show. Her set mixed songs from each of her five albums. Her best material, comprising her first two albums juxtaposed with her latter work, only emphasized that her decision to purposely and unapologetically aim for the pop charts may have been good for sales, but she suffered in quality. Phair, who was raised in Winnetka but now resides on the West Coast, has proven herself a gifted songwriter. Her 1993 debut, "Exile in Guyville," was a breakthrough in its time. Lyrically clever and deliciously profane, with a lo-fi production suited to her vocals, "Exile" remains a landmark album, despite sounding firmly planted in another era. Phair's performance of songs such as the blushingly real "Glory" and "Divorce Song," which so poignantly captures the emotional conflict of a marriage falling apart, shamed the lyrics from her eponymous album made a decade later. Songs such as her first bona fide top 40 hit "Why Can't I" and "Rock Me," with uninspired lines like "Yeah rock me all night" and "I'm starting to think that young guys rule" are downright trite for someone who has done so much better, especially when heard next to a true gem such as "F*** and Run." Material from 2005's "Somebody's Miracle" sounded dully adult contemporary ("Lazy Dreamer" and the ballad "Everything to Me") and and lifeless. Her voice has always been thin and reedy. Within the big, glossy framework of her recent music, Phair's singing was simply lost in the mix. She was flat throughout her performance, and her varying pitch was particularly painful on "What Makes You Happy." Despite such uneven fare, she and her backing band traversed the material with a command Phair has not often exhibited live, and their collective talents instrumentally somewhat kept the evening from being a complete wash. While Phair has not always been an easy performer to watch, having suffered stage fright in the past, it was clear this night that she has gained quite a bit of confidence. Light banter and a playful attitude pervaded her show, and she genuinely seemed to enjoy her return to Chicago, as did some of her fans. But like many homecomings, it rarely lived up to how it once was, back in the day. - -------------- And from the Trib's gossip page: Liz Phair, performing at the Taste of Chicago on Saturday, came out dressed to kill in a sexy dress and strappy high heels. But not long into the performance, the heels were kicked to the curb. The Winnetka native, in addition to complaining about the discomfort of high heels, told the Petrillo crowd she's been staying with Mom and Dad while in town. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:38:53 -0500 From: Andrea Uptmor Subject: RE: [support-system] Liz at the Taste I have to disagree with this review! I thought she rocked the casbah, especially during "Son of a Preacher Man," a cover choice which surprised and delighted me. The set list was so-so, but it was definitely well-suited for the Taste crowd. (The chicks next to me asked right before the show, "Does Liz Phair sing any songs we'll know?" and then squealed at the opening guitar part of "Why Can't I?"...much to my chagrin...) When Liz asked if there were any old-school fans in the audience, I felt like only twelve of us cheered. She didn't play anything that really surprised me, but she looked & sounded great. I'm wondering if her mention that she is moving back to Chicago an indication that she and guitar boy broke up? They looked pretty cozy onstage, though. Anyway, yeah. At 11:21 AM -0500 7/10/06, Liz J wrote: >From the Chicago Tribune: > >Phair's act: Fair to middling >Lack of quality, unevenness leave fans with a sour taste > >By Althea Legaspi >Special to the Tribune >Published July 10, 2006 > > >For the final Saturday of Taste of Chicago, it was a fitting choice >to have Liz Phair headline the Petrillo band shell, for she was the >toast of Chicago during the early stages of her career. > >Still, homecomings can be strange affairs, especially when one's >glory days seem in the distant past -- a fact that quickly presented >itself during Phair's show. Her set mixed songs from each of her >five albums. Her best material, comprising her first two albums >juxtaposed with her latter work, only emphasized that her decision >to purposely and unapologetically aim for the pop charts may have >been good for sales, but she suffered in quality. > >Phair, who was raised in Winnetka but now resides on the West Coast, >has proven herself a gifted songwriter. Her 1993 debut, "Exile in >Guyville," was a breakthrough in its time. Lyrically clever and >deliciously profane, with a lo-fi production suited to her vocals, >"Exile" remains a landmark album, despite sounding firmly planted in >another era. > >Phair's performance of songs such as the blushingly real "Glory" and >"Divorce Song," which so poignantly captures the emotional conflict >of a marriage falling apart, shamed the lyrics from her eponymous >album made a decade later. > >Songs such as her first bona fide top 40 hit "Why Can't I" and "Rock >Me," with uninspired lines like "Yeah rock me all night" and "I'm >starting to think that young guys rule" are downright trite for >someone who has done so much better, especially when heard next to a >true gem such as "F*** and Run." > >Material from 2005's "Somebody's Miracle" sounded dully adult >contemporary ("Lazy Dreamer" and the ballad "Everything to Me") and >and lifeless. > >Her voice has always been thin and reedy. Within the big, glossy >framework of her recent music, Phair's singing was simply lost in >the mix. > >She was flat throughout her performance, and her varying pitch was >particularly painful on "What Makes You Happy." > >Despite such uneven fare, she and her backing band traversed the >material with a command Phair has not often exhibited live, and >their collective talents instrumentally somewhat kept the evening >from being a complete wash. > >While Phair has not always been an easy performer to watch, having >suffered stage fright in the past, it was clear this night that she >has gained quite a bit of confidence. Light banter and a playful >attitude pervaded her show, and she genuinely seemed to enjoy her >return to Chicago, as did some of her fans. > >But like many homecomings, it rarely lived up to how it once was, >back in the day. > >-------------- > >And from the Trib's gossip page: > >Liz Phair, performing at the Taste of Chicago on Saturday, came out >dressed to kill in a sexy dress and strappy high heels. But not long >into the performance, the heels were kicked to the curb. The >Winnetka native, in addition to complaining about the discomfort of >high heels, told the Petrillo crowd she's been staying with Mom and >Dad while in town. - -- Andrea M. Uptmor School of the Art Institute Office of the Dean/Division Chairs 312-899-1236 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:11:20 -0500 From: "Tyler Coates" Subject: Re: [support-system] Liz at the Taste I still wish I could have gone, despite the review. As much as I tend to agree with music criticism, I still think I could have enjoyed the show. I rationalized not going by saying, "She's not going to play anything good at a daytime, free show." I was so aggravated when I heard she played Glory! On 7/10/06, Andrea Uptmor wrote: > > I have to disagree with this review! I thought she rocked the > casbah, especially during "Son of a Preacher Man," a cover choice > which surprised and delighted me. The set list was so-so, but it was > definitely well-suited for the Taste crowd. (The chicks next to me > asked right before the show, "Does Liz Phair sing any songs we'll > know?" and then squealed at the opening guitar part of "Why Can't > I?"...much to my chagrin...) > > When Liz asked if there were any old-school fans in the audience, I > felt like only twelve of us cheered. She didn't play anything that > really surprised me, but she looked & sounded great. I'm wondering > if her mention that she is moving back to Chicago an indication that > she and guitar boy broke up? They looked pretty cozy onstage, though. > > Anyway, yeah. > > > > > > > > At 11:21 AM -0500 7/10/06, Liz J wrote: > >From the Chicago Tribune: > > > >Phair's act: Fair to middling > >Lack of quality, unevenness leave fans with a sour taste > > > >By Althea Legaspi > >Special to the Tribune > >Published July 10, 2006 > > > > > >For the final Saturday of Taste of Chicago, it was a fitting choice > >to have Liz Phair headline the Petrillo band shell, for she was the > >toast of Chicago during the early stages of her career. > > > >Still, homecomings can be strange affairs, especially when one's > >glory days seem in the distant past -- a fact that quickly presented > >itself during Phair's show. Her set mixed songs from each of her > >five albums. Her best material, comprising her first two albums > >juxtaposed with her latter work, only emphasized that her decision > >to purposely and unapologetically aim for the pop charts may have > >been good for sales, but she suffered in quality. > > > >Phair, who was raised in Winnetka but now resides on the West Coast, > >has proven herself a gifted songwriter. Her 1993 debut, "Exile in > >Guyville," was a breakthrough in its time. Lyrically clever and > >deliciously profane, with a lo-fi production suited to her vocals, > >"Exile" remains a landmark album, despite sounding firmly planted in > >another era. > > > >Phair's performance of songs such as the blushingly real "Glory" and > >"Divorce Song," which so poignantly captures the emotional conflict > >of a marriage falling apart, shamed the lyrics from her eponymous > >album made a decade later. > > > >Songs such as her first bona fide top 40 hit "Why Can't I" and "Rock > >Me," with uninspired lines like "Yeah rock me all night" and "I'm > >starting to think that young guys rule" are downright trite for > >someone who has done so much better, especially when heard next to a > >true gem such as "F*** and Run." > > > >Material from 2005's "Somebody's Miracle" sounded dully adult > >contemporary ("Lazy Dreamer" and the ballad "Everything to Me") and > >and lifeless. > > > >Her voice has always been thin and reedy. Within the big, glossy > >framework of her recent music, Phair's singing was simply lost in > >the mix. > > > >She was flat throughout her performance, and her varying pitch was > >particularly painful on "What Makes You Happy." > > > >Despite such uneven fare, she and her backing band traversed the > >material with a command Phair has not often exhibited live, and > >their collective talents instrumentally somewhat kept the evening > >from being a complete wash. > > > >While Phair has not always been an easy performer to watch, having > >suffered stage fright in the past, it was clear this night that she > >has gained quite a bit of confidence. Light banter and a playful > >attitude pervaded her show, and she genuinely seemed to enjoy her > >return to Chicago, as did some of her fans. > > > >But like many homecomings, it rarely lived up to how it once was, > >back in the day. > > > >-------------- > > > >And from the Trib's gossip page: > > > >Liz Phair, performing at the Taste of Chicago on Saturday, came out > >dressed to kill in a sexy dress and strappy high heels. But not long > >into the performance, the heels were kicked to the curb. The > >Winnetka native, in addition to complaining about the discomfort of > >high heels, told the Petrillo crowd she's been staying with Mom and > >Dad while in town. > > > -- > > Andrea M. Uptmor > School of the Art Institute > Office of the Dean/Division Chairs > 312-899-1236 > - -- Be regular and ordinary in your life as a Bourgeois so that you can be violent and original in your work. Gustave Flaubert. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:05:59 +0000 From: "Katie Brown" Subject: [support-system] son of a ... >>>Oh, and I'm jealous that she sang Son of a Preacher Man -- I've never seen/heard her do a cover and I wish I saw how it went.<<< It was EXCELLENT. Absolutely tons of fun, vocals were truly awesome. I've seen Liz do a bunch of covers now that I think about it. Highlights were I'm a Believer (monkees) at the Avalon in Boston 11/30/98 and Kiss at the End of the Rainbow (a mighty wind) last summer at the Orchid here in Chicago, I think 8/25/05 - it was that sit-down lounge-y liz and dino tour and they were making fun of themselves at how folky and funny their little duet tour was and how they started referrring to each other as Mitch and Mickey during the tour. but yeah son of a preacher man was great, they had obviously rehearsed it really well - it was tighter than most of her originals! except for divorce song. glory was solo with her usual comment pre-song like "should i? kay, i might mess this up, i'm just going to wing it..." i wonder if she is going to tour -- her comments about being back in chicago and that we'd be seeing more of her are making me think yeah, but really, what is up with that? is she really going to be crashing with her parents in the north shore for a while? she kept clarifying her comments about it, so i don't think it was a joke. _________________________________________________________________ Dont just search. 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