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Post by Dan on Jun 30, 2009 17:26:09 GMT -8
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Post by Dan on Jul 4, 2009 13:04:34 GMT -8
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Post by Dan on Jul 5, 2009 13:14:23 GMT -8
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Post by nobodyoudknow on Jul 6, 2009 11:33:52 GMT -8
My favorite part of that gig was when Tall Robbie flung the capo right off the neck mid-lick to access more notes during a duel with Other Robbie. Sans missing a beat, of course.
My other favorite: When Robbie said his new release has 50 songs on it, Dan called out, "Play number 27!"
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Post by elvisfontenot on Jul 7, 2009 15:01:30 GMT -8
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Post by williamhayes on Jul 10, 2009 6:43:46 GMT -8
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Post by Dan on Jul 18, 2009 9:29:04 GMT -8
From Lucid Culture: Concert Review: Jenny Scheinman and Robbie Fulks at Barbes, Brooklyn NY 7/14/09July 18, 2009 Even for a cutting-edge jazz musician, violinist Jenny Scheinman’s stylistic repertoire is considerably diverse. Tuesday night at Barbes (yeah, that’s awhile ago, but we’re playing catchup from when the computers crashed here at LCHQ) she teamed up with alt-country pioneer Robbie Fulks for a show imbued as much with wit as with dazzling chops.
For all Scheinman’s frequently plaintive, haunting, often atmospheric instrumental work, she reminded how much fun she can be. Fulks made a particularly good choice of sparring partner. While he’s an equally spectacular musician with adrenalizing chops whether playing country or jazzy, western swing-tinged stuff, this time out he left most of instrumental alchemy in Scheinman’s hands. Thankfully, he didn’t do any of his Michael Jackson covers – Fulks plays a mean, completely tongue-in-cheek Billy Jean, and seems to know pretty much everything else on Thriller. As they usually do, they took turns, alternating between each others’ songs. The opener was a pretty, Appalachian-flavored country dance instrumental, followed by a typically playful yet biting Fulks number, The World Is Full of Pretty Girls (and Pretty Girls Are Full of Themselves). At the end, the pretty girl in question ends up going off with Neko Case – not only is she a head case, she’s been playing for the other team all along! He also contributed an amusingly country cover by Hee Haw’s Grandpa Jones.
Fulks remains as defiantly retro as ever. “Let’s fill every hole in their shag carpet,” he said sardonically to Scheinman, a dig at modern recording technique and the use of subsonics on most corporate music (Fulks and Scheinman inhabit a considerably higher place, both sonically and artistically). Then they launched into a sultry country blues featuring some particularly intense staccato playing by Scheinman. This was obviously her show (she doubtlessly introduced Fulks to the joint), and this time out she made her mark most indelibly not as composer or soloist but as a lyricist. A country traveling ballad was considerably wistful, followed by a vividly apocalyptic California narrative where it’s impossible to tell the hippies from the rednecks and a bale of cocaine washes up and then sinks in the lagoon. Scheinman’s going to be a very cool mom someday soon – guessing in about three months – and she introduced what she said was her first pregnancy-inspired song, a poignant country number called The Littlest Prisoner, told from the point of view of a smalltime drug user about to have her baby in prison, and then undoubtedly have it snatched from her. Scheinman and Fulks have been playing once or twice a month at Barbes over the last few months; this is a most intimate way to enjoy the work of a couple of artists who rightfully play much bigger venues.
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Post by pro on Jul 22, 2009 6:36:53 GMT -8
Well, Bob and I bookended the front row last night at Barbes, but we managed to avoid talking loudly back and forth about Gdogg's vasectomy during the show (before and after? Another story).
This was my second Robbie/Jenny show (I think my first was their first as well) and another evening of fine music it was. Really exceptional interplay between the two of them, I was sitting about two feet from Jenny and it was fascinating watching her concentrate on Robbie's hands while they played.
Several repeats from the show I saw a few months back (including, gladly, "Moses on the Mountain"), and a couple of nice surprises on the Robbie side of the ledger, namely "Let's Kill Saturday Night" (wasn't expecting it in this context) and a great stripped-down "Arthur Koestler's Eyes". I also liked Jenny's pregnancy-inspired song that was referenced in the blog post above.
The show ended with what was, according to Robbie, their first ever Barbes encore, "I'll Trade You Money For Wine", a request by Jenny, who pronounced it the best new song she's heard this year.
Last show next week, get there if you can (I got there pretty early last night and heard the bartender say they did not think it was going to be crowded, but it was SRO).
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Post by bruddah on Jul 22, 2009 6:53:27 GMT -8
It's too bad Robbie's heading back to Chicago. These gigs have been very cool. I feel that Robbie and Jenny are more comfortable as a team and the music reflects that vibe. I didn't like "Moses on the Mountain" at first but it's sounding better to me each time (and Robbie is sounding older and more "old testament" each time he plays it). I want to hear a record of Jenny's new songs. fyi - she's playing in the Village in two weeks with her band, including Nels Cline from Wilco, and is also featured on the new Bill Frisell record.
I've never sat closer to Robbie at a live show, and I never hope to sit closer. I was afraid Jenny was going to trip over my knees when she was adjusting the sound. I didn't get spit on during the show (or after).
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Post by pro on Jul 22, 2009 6:58:21 GMT -8
I've never sat closer to Robbie at a live show, and I never hope to sit closer. I am pretty sure that in order for you to get closer you'd have to sit on his lap.
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Post by Gdogg on Jul 22, 2009 7:07:23 GMT -8
Well, Bob and I bookended the front row last night at Barbes, but we managed to avoid talking loudly back and forth about Gdogg's vasectomy during the show (before and after? Another story). I don't blame you. It's the most interesting thing to happen around here in ages.
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Post by pro on Jul 24, 2009 5:24:23 GMT -8
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Post by elvisfontenot on Aug 27, 2009 5:37:04 GMT -8
Robbie gets a double plug on Page 9 of this month's Mojo magazine - the one with the Beatles on the front and the Abbey Road cover versions CD - Shappi Khorsandi
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Post by Dan on Aug 27, 2009 16:08:54 GMT -8
...this month's Mojo magazine - the one with the Beatles on the front and the Abbey Road cover versions CD - It's nice to see that the Beatles finally made the cover of Mojo. Have you heard the CD yet? I still feel ill from having listened to their first disc of White Album covers...song after song after song, it was all just dreadful.
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Post by F0|50M PR|50N 88 on Aug 29, 2009 5:44:52 GMT -8
I think just speaking the word "dreadful" can make anyone sound English.
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