Show Diary: Rockwood Music Hall, 12/3/09
The feeling has faded somewhat from last Thursday. There’s only so long you can hold lightning in a bottle before it disappears back into the ionosphere and its home in the clouds.
But we played our last show of the year last Thursday and it was truly a joy to play and let’s see if I can remember enough to tell you about right here. (Also, see the show reviewed on the Sparked blog)
Rockwood is a small and tiny little place. But it’s a special place. And we’d done a good job of telling the gang about the show. This time I relied more on personal outreach to, in the words of James Murphy, all my friends, than on massive blast emails. That plus a great write-up in the New Yorker and some other things and the room was packed. Rockwood shows are free. But if they weren’t we’d say it was sold out. As it was, people were turned away at the door and the room was full to capacity.
Meanwhile, of course, we have the whole band. And the beauty and humor of Rockwood is that it’s a tiny little stage and 3/4 of that stage is occupied by a grand piano, further reducing the available real estate. And somehow, and over the course of about 20 minutes, we fit everyone up there and then had people spilling off onto either side. Rich and Marc were doing percussion on one end and then Flavio and Dan were doing their thing on the other end and then me, Paul, Bronwen, Matt, Noah, Stan and Katie were squeezed up onto the actual stage.
But the cumulative result was one of joy and energy and all these musicians and all their friends and fans packed into this tiny little space and what we did was we had this big party. And also the music was good.
Here’s some thoughts and reflections on the set:
1. Broken Bow
We’ve started the set this way for a long time now. It’s kind of an interesting way to get things going because it’s kind of a soft opener but it builds and it’s lovely and by the end the chorus is crashing down and everything is warm and wonderful. We prolonged the last section and did it 6 times instead of 4 because we were all feeling the ending. It was good.
2. If You See Something
Rousing and fun and always a bit of a mess. We had a great time although, once again, I got a little JV in the second verse, shifting pitches mid-verse to make sure I could hit something. I’ll stop doing that. And we need to coordinate the hand claps a bit I think and maybe build an actual rhythm with them which would be even cooler. But overall, it was fun and got the crowd going.
3. Dirty White Coats
Nominated for song of the year by a few folks. Noah has been sick and was running a fever and not feeling so hot but his playing was striking and beautiful and shone through in this song. Plus, Flavio’s viola in the second verse was also lovely. The show was about to get going in a big way.
4. The Ways That We Destroy Ourselves
Last time we did this at Piano’s I started in the wrong key. Problematic. So I got Noah to give me a Bm before the thing got going. Then we ripped into it. The energy was palpable in this tune. I’m not sure if it will come across the same way on the recording but it was lively and big and Paul and Bronwen’s singing was great, adding the perfect accompaniment in the choruses. And we all got the words right. And I saw my friend Mike come into the show at this point and this is one of his favorite songs and everybody was pumping their fists. And then we added the part at the end that’s not on the record and it was good.
5. Everyone Is From Somewhere
This is a new song that I wrote on the way from Thanksgiving. I was on the Beltway and I saw this sign for Northern Virginia and I knew that’s where I was going and even though it’s not that cool or hip, that’s where I’m from. And it got me thinking about baggage and history and where people hail from and who we all are in the world. Matt says this sounds a bit like Arcade Fire. I think most of our new stuff is sounding like Born to Run-era Boss. But we’ll see. I always had this idea that it would start with the drum thing from ‘Be My Baby’ and it does and I dig it.
6. Life Is Hard
We’ve worked this song out at this point. And as a result it sounds very beautiful. As Paul says, “a band favorite.”
7. St. Marys
This is a love letter.
8. Hold My Heartache
The best part of this song is the outro. And I loved it so much we extended it and right when it feels like the song is about to die out, we bring it back full bore with a big drum fill and every instrument is playing and honking it out and it’s sounding epic and enormous and heartbreaking. So much fun. Emotional.
9. Burning a Horse
This song is a great one to sing. We now start it with a bass solo by Rob which is great. We need more solos for everyone in the band, I think. Right as I started singing, I saw Alex Lauterstein in the audience. Alex and I had actually never met in person but he was so into the tune I knew it was him. So we did the tune and then I gave him a shout-out for making such a beautiful remix. It was fun.
10. Someone Great
Our version of the LCD Soundsystem epic. It came off well. The groove is infectious and Marc, Rich and Rob laid something that is big and bold and gets you going. We could still tighten it up but I liked the way it came off. Hip shaking.
11. Valentine’s Day
This song can be great and it can also be good. I found it good last Thursday. I think we need to continue mapping out parts for people and shifts in momentum and dynamics to make this is as powerful as possible. But there’s always an energy there and it’s a real song and all that. A good way to end the set.
In Conclusion
The whole thing about the show was that, in some ways, there is such a good energy up there, such a good feeling, it doesn’t matter what we do. It does, of course. And the band is, as I’ve written, hot-shit. But more importantly, we are having a good time. And I think people can feel that. And so the shows are becoming known as “a good time” and that’s fun. Everybody is into it and we’re having fun and ripping and pumping our literal and metaphorical fists and yet playing this lush gorgeous music at the same time and enjoying each other’s company.
So there is something happening at these shows. And it is good.
My friend Jeremy told me yesterday that, although I am always so appreciative for people coming, he’s not coming because he’s doing me a favor or because he feels obliged anymore. And he does love the music. But he’s not even coming, per se, for the music. But he is coming for the feeling he has at the show and for the people that he only gets to see at these shows and for the energy and the vibe that’s created. And that’s a great feeling. Because I think what’s he describing is “a scene”. And maybe there’s a bit of one developing around the band. Meaning that it’s fun to go to a party and we throw one when we play and the music is good and we’re having fun and enjoying ourselves.
And that’s why we do this thing. Because it’s fun. And it lifts our souls and spirits and gives us a glimpse into something else and something transitory and ephemeral and alive. It’s all of us together and in it together, the crowd, the band and the waitress in the corner and Ken at the door and everyone.
More thoughts to come throughout the week. But good things.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:13 am
[...] you missed the gig at Rockwood, read about it here. Or check out the Sparked blog for another great write-up. It was great. People that were [...]