Sunday, October 07, 2007

American Music bad and good

I went to see Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly last night at the Brattle theater. They are part of the New England 'Rock Royalty'. I keep trying to like this as they are so loved by the locals and I see that they have points. Tanya was on first then Kristin then songs together. We stayed for three then ran. I am so sorry but I find the Brattle a HORRIBLE music venue it was cold and antiseptic. Both women have degenerated in singer songwriters of little talent. Their voices aren't wonderful, I wasn't impressed by the guitar and the songs aren't scintillating. I do try but this does NOTHING for me. And hey morons don't take kids under five to a music concert, the rest of the world should not be subjected to that, one word - babysitters.
BTW as you see despite having several of both women's albums the two merged together so we couldnt tell them apart- makes me terribly ashamed I DID love Kristin's Hips and Makers album. Also Joe McMahon was on stage with Tanya, playing double bass and keyboards, he made the show for me. We see him all the time at Great Scott and had no idea he played so well.
So at 8 we moved on and got to the Roxy as fast as we could getting there about 8:30. Word of warning due to fights, drugs and injuries (deaths?) Boston has clamped down and totally shut off the balcony removing huge number of visual vantage points.
So we got there just before The National came on stage and thanks to having our ear plugs managed to find spots just in front of the speakers.
After being annoyed and just feeling I was totally alienated from American music we moved onto the National which is a band which totally slips into my heart regardless of their American roots.
We were late, pressing in at the last moment so our photos are lousy and non-existent. But as we walked out I saw someone with a set list so I did beg the chance to take a photo, probably the only photo worth while for the whole night.
Loved them starting with Brainy and I was so ecstatic when they launched into Secret Meeting. I love this band, their lyrics are dark and brooding, their energy is vibrant, Matt is haunted and possessed on stage, Padma makes you realize that the violin can sometimes be a manic instrument that infuses your veins. I love Boxer but people who love Fake Empire but do not know Secret Meeting, Abel and Mr November make me think they are some of the scum that latched on when The National joined arcade Fire and brought decent music to their tour and sorry but I have no patience for any of you. True I only latched on when Mr all knowing Music God Steve Lamacq started playing Abel but I hope I have becoem true and listened to all their tracks being there when they played TT's.
Every track beautiful, every track inspiring- perhaps there is hope for American music and for me to love it. And Mr November even knocked 'Don't You wanna be relevant'out of my internal mp3 player for a while.
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1 comment:

xrayspx said...

Not that it really matters, but I think you got your order mixed around, since it seems like you were at the first show. That one was Tanya Donelly, then Kristin Hersh.

I'd always wondered how they were seen outside of Boston, since they are really loved around here. I kind of always had the impression is was mainly a New England thing. For me a huge part of it was just seeing both of them on stage together with their two totally different voices.

I can totally see how someone who wasn't a longtime fan wouldn't really get into it though. Kristin has that 1000 yard stare into nothing that doesn't convey a lot of interactivity a lot of the time.