Perpetually in-progress (check for updates):
Added 1/04: Well, on my local PBS station, the Austin City Limits with Jason Mraz aired on 12/27/03. Hope you caught it. My cousin upstate said her station only airs ACL once a month instead of weekly so she hasn't seen it yet. Anyway, the music was great. At first I was thinking that the camera work wasn't musician-centric enough. You know how when you watch a band perform on a late night show, they always focus the camera on the lead singer and don't show the other musicians up-close unless they happen to be Jason Schwartzman on drums in Phantom Planet or Keanu Reeves on bass in Dogstar. On a show like ACL, I was thinking they'd be more conscious of the other players and at least of JM's overall presentation rather than just his face. I mean, I'll readily concede that he does have an adorable face with an equally adorable singing voice. I just love "You and Me Both." But when I really sat down and watched it, I saw ACL did hella good. I saw every musician's face and instrument for more than a millisecond. And as for the actual show, having never seen Jason Mraz live, it was a real treat hearing his interstitial chitchat and completely different renditions of familiar tunes not to mention a new song to my ears, "Unusual" I think it's called. Btw, for the record,I totally dig Phantom Planet's single "Is This Really Happening to Me" and look forward to the 1/6/04 release of their new album.
Added 5/04: I can't believe I took this long to revel in the fact that I am seeing Jason Mraz live later this month. The show is Monday, May 24 at the Beacon. I trust that he will be as adorable as ever. I am looking forward to a new album from him. In the meantime, I recently ordered his live album from jasonmraz.com.
Added 5/04: Here's my review of the Jason Mraz concert at Beacon Theater, NYC on May 24, 2004. Let me start at the beginning. We arrived late knowing we had assigned seats. We did not know that they had sold standing room only tickets. So in order to get to our seats, we fought through throngs of standing fans who, imho, were a fire hazard. But surprisingly, no one was in our seats when we finally found them with the help of an usher who bullied her way through with a flashlight. I went with my cousin and put it this way, we are both post-grad school. [Added 6/24: I was going to mention this earlier. Yesterday, 6/23/04, Jason Mraz turned 27, making him the same age as my cousin. So, it's not unreasonable that someone the same age as him would like his music, right? Anyway, read on...] We were surrounded by, I mean buried to our necks in, high schoolers. It was the oddest feeling. Honestly, the kids to our left had to leave before the end of the show in order to make their curfew! Plus, my cousin literally saw a baby in the restroom. At one point, one of the opening acts asked, "Who out there is over 18?" And even we didn't respond. LOL.
Another surprise to me was that it was an all acoustic show. I had misread "Curbside Prophets" and thought that was the name of Jason Mraz' band. I mean, he's supported by a band on his album and on Austin City Limits, Jason had a band behind him. And on Jay Leno, he was on tour at the time and again, he was with a band. So it was a nice surprise to see just him do a "me, myself and I" show. He said Toka was on paternity leave (my wording but same message). He was backed up on a few songs by drummer Jen Love. She was cool.
Jason sang a sweet and funny song for his mother about being on "Broadway" (even though it was Broadway and 74th Street rather than 42nd) and another song he had written for his sister. So sweet. He goofed around a lot. It appears he likes to make up lyrics and scat. He even joked about how every song begins the same way with an elaborate vocalization. He vamped on his guitar for a few minutes only to show us that he had recorded himself so he could play around with us and teach us how to scat. Very cute. He talked about his musical theater days when he was a "skinny dancer." There was a very amusing part when he tested out his operatic skills - pas mal, Monsieur Jason. I have to say, his "aw shucks" demeanor seemed sincere.
Jason's sense of humor was intact - he introduced one song as being completely new and original and if people happened to know the words already, it was through telepathy. Of course, the song was The Remedy. The surprising omission was I'd Do Anything. The loveliest new song to my ears was one he had written for the "beautiful girlfriend" with whom he had "recently parted." He said it was hard to date a New York City girl.
You and I Both was just as nice as it could be. Curbside Prophet was his encore and he brought a fan onstage for it. She said, "This is the best $40 bucks I've ever spent." Cute. The two openers performed acapella with him as well. That was very nice to see - his real support for these two guys who were singer-songwriters. The first guy was a bit schmaltzy for me but I recognized his talent playing guitar. The second guy was more my style - he noted he had just been signed by EMI. The dude was psyched. He also happened to be blind.
Overall, it was a fun and musically-oriented show. He sang Rand McNally which the girls in front of us went crazy for and I only knew because I recently received and listened to his live album. He said being on stage was his "therapy" and he felt like he was talking to god in the infinite darkness and that it seemed that god was 3000 screaming freaky girls and that was all right.
Funny memory: Jason started strumming and laughed at his mellowness and yelled, "I'm going to light-rock your asses off!" Then he said, "Does anyone really say, 'I like Adult Contemporary; I like Alternative?'" Well, I admit I say I like alt/indie music. I find that descriptive useful. I guess he was making fun of the categories he's been put in with his music. Anyway, after this riff, he played one of his favorites, The Rainbow Connection. I had seen a video of him performing this and heard he likes to play it in concert so it was quite enjoyable.
I really have been there, done that and got the t-shirt. I couldn't resist. If I get less lazy, I'll put an image up later. I just remembered another funny thing he said. He was talking about how he gets a lot of flack for writing love songs. Then he went on about how the same guys who complain to him are the ones who are always going where the girls are making them no different from him. He said he guaranteed that each and every one of them had made a mix tape and that maybe they hadn't even given it to the girl but just put in the cd player and pretended it was on shuffle and then kept saying, oh, isn't this a good song? LOL. So all that lead up to a "love" song he wrote for his best guy friend and he encouraged the guys out in the audience to tell their guy friends that they loved them.
All in all, it was very intimate, despite the large venue. Our seats were good. The sound was excellent. We definitely did not regret making the effort to see the show! After we got home, we watched highlights of Jason Mraz on Austin City Limits and his performance on Jay Leno. We also watched Sondre Lerche's performance on Conan about 5x and for good measure watched the scene in Scrubs over which Tammany Hall NYC's great song Cindy plays.
Added 10/05:
Read my review of the Jason Mraz concert at Avery Fisher Hall, NYC on 10/16/05.
Addendum: I thought of a perfect reason why this dvd belongs on this list: "The Oasis Video that Never Happened." As I mentioned in the Behind the Video blurb, Oasis fascinates me. In typical Oasis fashion, they completely reject Spike's brilliant idea for their video. But we lucky viewers get to see the groundwork for the video for the 1997 single Stand By Me. We see the impact of Oasis on the youth and perhaps all of London. We see how hard work on a great idea can result in nothing at first and then become something, i.e., a fantastic rarity/b-side in a celebration of one's work to date. Good job, Spike. You never let us down. Anyway, it's another example of how we don't know what life will bring us so we should stay tuned till the end.
Added 6/04: I keep meaning to add somewhere how a few months ago, I picked up Oasis' 1995 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? and have subsequently become obsessed with it. It truly is a great album. I was a naysayer for a long time. I thought Oasis didn't have anything unique to offer. They were derivative and uninteresting. But, of course, I found their personalities and relationships completely riveting. But now I am so into this album! I must say I like discovering I like something 9 years after the hoopla has calmed down. It makes me happy that there are still old groups, albums and songs that are left for me to uncover in my own time. Anyway, I know Oasis was IT for a long time. I just wasn't ready to appreciate their music then.
I feel like it's hard to convey my awe and fascination - if you've seen Terry Zwigoff's documentary Crumb or anything by Terry Gilliam, you get the idea of the fluidity, intensity and abundance in Michel Gondry's work. He is like James Cameron in that he will have a specific idea and then do the research and learning necessary to figure out feasibility, etc. of that idea. I'm also reminded of Steven Soderbergh and Robert Rodriguez. These directors learned how to write music, operate cameras, edit and even do special effects so that they could make the movies they wanted without any compromise. Hal Hartley is another one who has a hand in every aspect of his films (as director, writer, producer, composer).
Put it this way, I truly understood the meaning of an artist after watching Michel Gondry's life story as told on this dvd. Now, how will watching this dvd help you finish your dissertation? Well, don't you often feel like you are the one with the specific idea who then has the responsibility to carry out said idea and learn new and completely unfamiliar information and skills so as to fulfill the promise or desire to carry out this idea? This process is what we see Michel Gondry undergo time and time again. I could actually see his brain cells working.
Watch Fell in Love With a Girl video.
Added 1/04: 
I am looking forward to Michel Gondry's movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to be released March 19, 2004. It looks trippy. As well as being the director of the movie, Michel Gondry is credited as a contributing writer to the story although ultimately, Charlie Kaufman wrote the screenplay. It looks like a good performance by Jim Carrey. I keep waiting for another great Mark Ruffalo performance - he was so great in You Can Count on Me, and I feel lucky I can say that I saw him on stage in This is Our Youth before it became the "Young Hollywood" star vehicle of the month in London although I can't begrudge the amazing Kenneth Lonergan his day in the sun. Maybe this will be it. Human Nature was an oddity and didn't grab me totally and completely but it certainly had the Michel Gondry signature and I loved it visually and found parts of it really funny. Still, I have greater hopes for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Added 2/04: 
I just watched Michel Gondry's video for New Zealand's Steriogram's Walkie Talkie Man here. You must see it now! As of yet, it hasn't aired on MTV. In the most recent EW (2/13/04), Neil Drumming wrote up the video and quoted Gondry's reason for agreeing to make the video after receiving the tape of the single from the band. Gondry said, "It was the kind of stubborn energy that I like. The punk style made me think of the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten and how he had a sweater knitted by his mother - the contrast of this childlike look with this very violent music. From there, I decided to do everything with yarn." Lauri Faggioni, knitter and designer, and visual effects house The Mill assisted Gondry in carrying out his ambitions.
In The Mill description, they note, "Everything in the clip is knitted: from the band’s instruments, to their recording studio and even the film camera that Gondry uses in his cameos role. Sound waves, tape reels, film rolls and other little details are all represented by wool and yarn. The outside world doesn’t escape the woolen treatment either - cars, trees and buildings are all knitted.
As ever, Gondry pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved. Nearly all the woven elements were knitted for real and animated in the edit. The Mill NY lent a hand in helping to composite a couple of tricky shots that could not be achieved in-camera, including shots of the lead singer where his 'knitted' legs had to look like they’d been sewn on back-to-front."
What are you waiting for? Go watch the video now!
The Steriogram album dropped on May 18th. I've been anxiously awaiting it. I will write more about it after I've had proper time to digest it.
I just watched The Making of Walkie Talkie Man a couple of times and then the video a couple of more times - I just can't enough of it. I like seeing Michel Gondry's son. So cute. He's the one who says, "1, 2, 3, 4" at the top of the song. He's also in the beginning of the Fell in Love With a Girl video.
The gems: In this section, I will give my review of the concert and conclude with a "lesson."
First impressions: Before the music even started, I saw Faces Down on sale next to his EP Don't Be Shallow, previously only available in Europe but now available in limited quantity in the US, so I plonked down the corresponding currency in exchange for the goods. The girl from Sondre's label,Astralwerks, was very friendly - if I hadn't already decided to get the albums, I would've been swayed by her - good hire, Astralwerks. She asked me if I'd ever seen Sondre live and said I was in for a treat when I told her I hadn't. I just knew I wanted this cd that everyone was putting on their best of the year list. That's the kind of person I am. I mean don't own every single well-reviewed album ever. But if it's the kind of music I know I like, I'll seriously consider a stellar review. That's how I ended up with Original Pirate Material by The Streets and No Doubt's Rock Steady and I had no regrets.
The crowd: I went upstairs to the stage area and found a good-sized crowd. I should say that before I saw the layout, I was having flashbacks to the Bjork concert where I had to share one square foot of a bench with another concert-goer so we could both see (I didn't know this other person, and every time one of us breathed, let alone tried to shake a groove thing, we were fighting gravity). But, at the Bowery Ballroom, I found a perfect spot right in the center of the room - great for acoustics and decent visuals.
The concert: Sondre Lerche came on stage and introduced himself and I finally learned how to pronounce it: SON-dreh LAIR-key (if you go his site and listen to him introduce himself in the video of him talking about Faces Down, it sounds more like SON-drah LUR-keh but that's because it's kind of jumbled but this other pronunciation is what his label provides and I think they'd know...so well). You pronounce every letter like in Latin and emphasize the first syllables. [Here's how it looks in Norwegian: S?dr?L?che.]
Okay, let me try again using the right tags. This is what it looks like in Norwegian: S?dr?L?che.
Clearly, this kid (I believe he turned 21 on 9/13/03 and was 17 when he finished Faces Down; he wanted to finish high school before he released the album), was at ease on stage. The crowd loved him and he loved them back giving them charming banter and anecdotes. Since I didn't know any of the songs, it was an interesting experience. First and foremost, Sondre is a great musician with a beautiful voice. He sang his first notes and I immediately thought of Jobim and Gilberto. SL has said he likes Brazilian music but he seems to cite Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach more than the Brazilian influences. But clearly, there is a special quality to Sondre's voice that's expressive and sincere but with inflections that make it his own. If you've ever heard Gilberto Gil sing his lovely Volks, Volkswagen Blues, Caetano Veloso singing Billie Jean or Antonio Carlos "Tom" Jobim (and Elis Regina) sing Aguas de Marcas, you know how I felt. I'm not an aficionado of tropicalia (that whole bossa nova explosion) but I'm a fan.
I'm also a diehard fan of Roddy Frame and Aztec Camera; so, when I tell my friends that Sondre Lerche is the next Roddy Frame, they know I'm not kidding around. Having seen both in concert, I can now say that I think the guitar-playing, songwriting, vocals and charisma of Roddy Frame and Sondre Lerche are on par. I just hope Sondre doesn't go through that over-produced phase that Roddy did. Back to the concert: so, although he apparently has a band stashed back in Norway, Sondre has been performing "me, myself and I" plus his guitar. I've seen Bob Mould and Paul Westerberg perform with bare bones and of course, they were great. But Sondre definitely could hold a candle to them.
The funny thing is, I saw in an interview that Sondre said when he first came to the US, no one recognized him at all and it was such a strange thing since he was a huge star in Norway and I guess even throughout Europe (he is far too modest to say this last part about being "a huge star" but it's what he meant). It's sort of like when the HK stars first came to Hollywood, like Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo - to explain my fandom of John Woo would take another website - anyway, these were major players in Asia, who became faceless when they arrived in the US. But things are very different for them now. And it seems that Sondre's homegrown celebrity is starting to catch up with him in the US. The crowd, male and female, knew all the lyrics and were swooning and whooping with great energy. I have to inject that although it was a crowded room, I had a very nice air pocket around me - so unusual, maybe it was me. And there weren't any annoying, inebriated people PDA'ing throughout the concert (don't you hate when that happens - when it's not you?). I keed (as Triumph says).
Anyway, you get the picture, I'm sold. Since the concert, I've put Faces Down and Don't Be Shallow on regular rotation in my audio schedule. And the next time Sondre Lerche's in town, I'll be there!
One more cool thing about Sondre is his attitude about his "art." He welcomes the idea of being a pop musician. Sondre and I have that in common- we love Justified!
The lesson: I took a chance and was rewarded manifold. In completing a dissertation, there are crossroads and minor forks in the road where one can make a choice or just go with inertia - sometimes that works out, too. But making a choice, taking a small chance, really can lead to undiscovered treasure and delight.
Added 2/04: 
Just a reminder that Sondre is releasing his second studio album on March 9, 2004 in the US. Earlier release dates are available on his site.
Added 3/04: 
I have Two Way Monologue in hand as well as tickets to Sondre Lerche's show at Irving Plaza in NYC on May 10, 2004. He's bringing his band Faces Down this time. Should be a memorable show! Below is a tidbit I sent to the lovely Sondre Lerche Yahoo newsgroup knowing if anyone, this bunch would appreciate my little moment:
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 14:52:33 -0800 (PST)
Subject: SL in EW!
Earlier today, I was sitting on the bus literally listening to Two Way
Monologue on my iPod reading my Entertainment Weekly when I suddenly
saw Sondre Lerche's picture. I actually gasped outloud. It was pretty
funny (to me but maybe odd if you were sitting near me). I know he's been
featured in other magazines but it was cool to read about him in EW.
It's the March 26th issue. The article doesn't say anything we all don't
know from reading SL's blog which sort of gave me the impression that
Neil Drumming wrote his article based on his study of SL's site. But it
gave me an idea to email Conan O'Brien's show to encourage Conan to
invite him on the show because SL was saying he's a big fan of American
late night tv so a Letterman appearance would be great too. Anyway, I'm
sure by the time I send this, more of you will have seen the picture and
article. The picture is him from shoulders up wearing a red zipped up
track suit against a red backdrop.
"Like many indie-pop acts, this Norwegian has an inclination toward the fey: in his case, a winsome delivery, kicky arrangements that coyly mimic '60s psychedelia, and elliptical, often precious lyrics about fractured relationships. Unlike his peers, though, Lerche knows even indie singer-songwriters need hooks (and drums), and he doesn't appear to take himself too seriously (''Stupid Memory''). The result is a breezy, unexpectedly enchanting Two Way Monologue -- Nick Drake on Prozac."
Added 4/04: 
First off, my vision will come to fruition. Yay! This was posted 3/31/04 at sondrelerche.com: "Don't miss out on a very Lerchey performance at Late Night with Conan O'Brien on NBC 11th May! For more info, visit the Conan O'Brien web site."
Next, Stupid Memory is hot. It amazes me that as a non-native English speaker, Sondre Lerche captures the nuances of the language in song so perfectly. That goes for all of Two Way Monologue. He has spoken of how he grew up listening to and loving English-language pop songs and how he attempted to write songs in Norwegian but didn't feel like they did the trick. I also love how he writes in his journal with slight non-English-isms. Very charming.
Speaking of Sondre Lerche's influences, I must interject that I am greatly enjoying - even more so than I could've predicted - Caetano Veloso's latest album A Foreign Sound. I wanted to see Caetano Veloso at The Museum of Television and Radio on 4/13/04 but didn't quite make it. I did manage to see Darren Star at the MTR though on 3/22/04. The funniest thing Star said was, when asked about if he still procrastinates as a writer, "Yes, I pretty much wait until it's an emergency." Everyone laughed because, hey, we've all been there. We just don't get paid as much as he does.
Added 5/04: 
SL’s Two-Way Monologue made the EW Must List the week of 4/30/04. I’ve been meaning to mention it ever since I read it last month. It was ranked 8 out of 10 “must?see/hear/read items/events/artists of the week. Very cool to see SL’s talent recognized yet again by the influential Entertainment Weekly.
FYI, the full list was: 1) Arrested Development (such a funny show); 2) The Party After You Left by Roz Chast (book of cartoons from New Yorker); 3) Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (Buddhist Korean movie I had tickets to at the New Directors/New Films Fest but had to miss...it's out in theaters now so I don't have an excuse); 4) Step Into Liquid (surfing documentary); 5) PBS' 'Boohbah' (I watched a few eps; very trippy); 6) Jesse Palmer on ABC's 'The Bachelor' (believe it or not, I don't really watch reality tv); 7) The first 15 minutes of 'Letterman' on CBS (still crazy after all these years); 8) Two Way Monologue, Sondre Lerche; 9) Shaolin Soccer (saw it with subtitles on dvd and liked most of it but there was some weird, juvenile stuff in the version I saw; I read that they tightened it up and dubbed it into English for theater release); 10) Black Sabbath's Black Box (I would gladly watch/listen to this but not run out and get it).
5/04 Concert review: The ever-adorable Sondre Lerche’s Irving Plaza show on 5/10/04 was so fortifying and nourishing. I just wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home with me. His voice, his lyrics, his music, his banter, his comraderie with the band, his interactions with his fans, his stamina just washed over me totally and completely. Ultra-grooviness through and through. But let me start at the beginning. With the show being 16+, we expected a younger crowd. But lo and behold, the average audience member age was probably mid-20’s possibly a bit older. I didn’t take a poll but I feel confident saying that SL’s fans are certainly of all ages. In case you lost track, Sondre Lerche, erstwhile wunderkind but still a wunder no less, is now the ripe old age of 21.
I accidentally caught the opener (I know, I would've never heard of SL if he wasn't an opener for Jason Mraz but I hold on to my questionable concert-going ways) ?pretty voice capable of Broadway shows but not really of my personal taste in the pop/rock singer-songwriter front. Give me Liz Phair (SL and Jason Mraz were on tour with her in 8/03; wish I had caught that show!) or Juliana Hatfield instead. The break between opening act and SL was unexpectedly long. But of course it was well-worth the wait.
Gems from the show: At long last, the lights dimmed, and as Sondre Lerche entered the stage, the crowd went wild. From the opening note he played on his blue guitar with blue-starred guitar strap to his "bonus tracks" (what sweet Lerche-ness for him to call his encores that), he was everything you want and didn't even realize you wanted in a live show. I went with a first-timer, a friend I've been happily converting one song at a time, and she wasn't disappointed. Also, he was so cute when he introduced his "best friends," his band, The Faces Down, in their first US appearance.
Just for good measure, let me include this: Sondre Lerche came on stage and introduced himself pronouncing his name: SON-dreh LAIR-key (if you go his site and listen to him introduce himself in the video of him talking about Faces Down, it sounds more like SON-drah LUR-keh but that's because it's kind of jumbled but this other pronunciation is what his label provides and I think they'd know...so well). You pronounce every letter like in Latin and emphasize the first syllables. [Here's how it looks in Norwegian: S?dr?L?che.]
Okay, let me try again using the right tags. This is what it looks like in Norwegian: S?dr?L?che.
I think we all liked the raucous song SL and Faces Down played that SL said they had recorded for Two Way Monologue but we had probably noticed was not actually on the album. SL called it "punk." His guitarist said "punky." While I enjoy all SL has put forth, it's so cool to hear an unreleased tune that is so different from what's out there in his body of work. I don't remember the title but I'm sure a more diligent fan put up the set list somewhere (try sondrelerche.com). [I now know it's called Johnny, Johnny Ooh Ooh. Also, be sure to read/scroll to the end of this review for a complete set list.]
SL's interstitials were a bit practiced-sounding but cute nevertheless. It made me wonder what he said at his Norwegian shows. And as always, he told everyone, he'd be very sweaty, but enthusiastically wielding a black sharpie after the show to sign autographs. I don't have the patience or endurance of Sondre Lerche so despite my adoration of him and his music, I didn't stay afterwards this time or the time before. I've heard that the lines are very long although he chipperly speaks to all who wait and poses for pictures and signs autographs redefining the meaning of fan-appreciation. I have to say, I sort of regret it now as I'm typing. Maybe next time I'll bite the bullet and wait around. I did get a t-shirt though described by a somewhat reluctant SL as being "very nice" with "birds" and the name of "this guy" on it. He alluded to the fact that he was uncomfortable shilling his own ware. But he recovered nicely and said a big thanks to his sponsors. I thank them too because without their backing, there wouldn't have been this show for me to see and gush all over!
I've skipped to the end. But let me add a few more words about the in-between. He mixed it up for us playing on his own on various guitars and playing with his band. We got the best of his talent. I think he played straight for 90+ minutes performing a fair number of songs from his known arsenal. I'm sure he has unknown stuff he's keeping on hold for now, prolific one that he is. I was thrilled to pieces to hear him perform Stupid Memory live. He introduced it saying something like, I'm sure you've all been here before. And I knew that it was Stupid Memory time. Woo-hoo. It's not the most rockin' song but it's so clever and appealing. Also, Two Way Monologue was fantastic. This is also what SL and Faces Down performed on Conan. Watch the video and see the aforementioned guitar and guitar strap or listen to the song in it's entirety here: astralwerks.com (his label).
This is what I recall with detail: his "bonus tracks." He came back on stage without his jacket - it was a whole thing. He wanted to keep it on during the show despite the heat but said he'd be humiliated if he took it off. I killed that whole story. But it's hard to summarize: um, he said he couldn't remember the word; said he'd look it up later cuz he wanted to write a song about it; I kept thinking this was a set-up for his next song - it wasn't; then after the song he said, "I thought of the word; I don't want to take my jacket off because it would be too humiliating." He probably even blushed. But I am not mocking my beloved SL. I am just saying, he was funny and cute but at times I was waiting for the punchline. Too much tv maybe on both our parts? See how I just put myself on the same plane as him? LOL.
Okay, I totally digressed. He first played You Know So Well and Modern Nature by himself. Last time, at my first SL show, there was a song all the girls knew. It was Modern Nature. This time around, though I'm not much of a joiner, I found myself singing it with all the other girls. The thrall was unavoidable and not at all unpleasant. I told my concert pal that next time, she'd find herself singing along with the rest of us. She knew better than to protest the inevitable. Then the band came on stage and they all rocked out to Sleep on Needles. A typical show would end on that note. But SL chose to mellow out with Maybe You're Gone. He's so melancholy but upbeat about it. Then the show was over. But the next day I was still on an SL high. That's what I mean by how it was fortifying and nourishing. It fed me, it gave me energy. And it gave me non-stupid memories.
More ramblings on Sondre Lerche: I thought of some other note-worthy things. Mid-concert he said, "When I sweat this much, my hair gets curly," and that's when someone yelled for him to take off his jacket. Needless to say, he looked hot with his sweaty, curly hair! A dime all the way...
Near the end, he said, "I have a telegram from our sponsors," and proceeded to give his spiel about the merchandise for sale. Isn't that so cute, "a telegram"? So cute.
Added a few days later: Well, I've been searching for the perfect way to conclude this review and my cuz Julia provided it for me. She text-messaged me from SL's concert at Dante's in Portland, OR on 5/27/04, and I can't tell you how cool it was to know she was witnessing his endearing talent for the first time and sharing it with me. Of course, she went at my utmost urging and I'm thrilled she took my ardent efforts seriously! You rock, girl! Then she sent me a post-concert email with her review: "He had a fine show in Portland. It was very intimate. And all the Norway mates in Faces Down were extremely happy." My favorite part of Julia's email was the subject line: "Sondre says hi." I knew then I had found the perfect ending for this particular entry. "Sondre says hi."
Added 6/04: Julia said she was sending me a memento from the Portland concert. It arrived today and... it was a signed set list from the concert! She said she asked Sondre to sign it for her cousin - what a sweetie. Anyway, here it is for you to drool over...oops, that might've been me.
Let me not forget to mention Sondre Lerche's appearance on Conan O’Brien the next night (5/11/04).
Added 1/05: By request here is a kind of visual guide. FYI, the Faces Down are Morten Skage on bass, Ole Ludvig Krüger on drums and Kato Ådland on guitar with occasional background vocals by Morten and Kato.
I would’ve loved to have ditched my earthly obligations and seen Sondre Lerche perform live on his favorite American late night talk show. But I had to settle for dvr’ing it ?and then watching it a few times in a row. [Note: ...and a few more times since...]
As a fan, I’ve made time to see Conan’s show tape live and it’s a good time for sure. But it’s also very time-consuming and difficult to do once you face up to the fact that money does not, in fact, grow on trees, sigh.
Anyway, I was glad to hear the announcer say his name correctly (or at least as correctly as us non-Norwegians will get to it). Then Conan tripped up a little on SL's name at the top of the show. But by the time he was introducing him, Conan sounded smoother.
I was hoping that Conan realized what a fan of his Sondre was and how cool and talented SL was - as if I had anything to do with the hook-up. I only had the idea but this appearance was scheduled far before my brilliant plan was formulated. Modest much am I?
Then SL and his band played a tight rendition of Two Way Monologue - the radio edit I believe. They rocked. Conan appeared duly impressed. I'm sure SL was psyched to be there. Yay! I certainly was happy to watch it!
The source: Sondre Lerche Fest 2004
#1) Sondre Lerche Concert at Bowery Ballroom in NYC on 10/14/04
#2) Sondre Lerche Concert at Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY on 10/19/04
#3) Sondre Lerche Concert at Paradise in Boston, MA on 10/24/04
Let me start with a nutshell review for those who want to know by don't necessarily want to read a stream-of-consciousness about my escapade as a no-holds-barred Sondre Lerche enthusiast. So here is what I like to call the "22 Short Films about Springfield" version:
What was it? It was my whirlwind experiment to sample SL's musical goodies more than once on this tour. Okay, totally straight, I had planned to go once like any reasonable person. Then the other two just fell into place.
Why did I do it? ...because I wanted to and because I could. I mean, I'd like to buy a villa on Lake Como, but my resources don't stretch that far.
How was it? Outstanding, amazing, entertaining, sweet, memorable, educational and just everything I'd want an experiment like this to be.
What would I change? I wish I hadn't been under the weather at the Bowery Ballroom show. And more significantly, I wish Sondre Lerche hadn't been under the weather during the Paradise show. He caught a cold in NYC and had to sip Throat Coat Tea the entire night.
The gems: Despite his cold and apparent fatigue - he actually said at the end, "I'm getting too old for this." Since he's only 22, he was in part kidding and in part indicating he needed to rest! - he couldn't help but give a fantastic show in Boston. He even prefaced that show with a warning that he'd be trying to keep his talking and playing of music to a minimum. LOL. Then midway, he said obviously he was failing at both. SL was vibrant and charismatic per usual.
What I learned: Sondre Lerche will never tire of his music because he loves it so and because he's such a true musical genius. Transitively speaking, we, the fans, will never tire of him or his music.
My cousin, who accompanied me to shows #2 and #3, said a couple of things that captured the essence of the Sondre Lerche experience. She said his joy and goodness stand out and make us feel better about the world but not in a saccharine way. Also, my cuz said when SL thanks the crowd, you really feel like he means it.
I should briefly comment on SL and The Golden Republic. First, solo, SL was brilliant, a star through and through. With The Golden Republic, he was cool and cute as ever. They seemed to have squeezed in rehearsal time in between shows and learned/rehearsed more songs as well as practicing the ones they already had performed. So all in all, after the initial shock of hearing an indie-alt band meshing with an indie, singer-songwriter pop artist, it was fun to witness.
Okay, end of the short review. For neverending details, keep on reading!
How I came across it: I don't try to hide the fact that over the past year I've become a true blue Sondre Lerche-head. He and his music define adorability and pop artistry at its highest form. It makes me so happy to be able to be a fan.
After slowly developing my appreciation for the magic of Sondre Lerche over his past two tours (remember I didn't know his music at all the first show - I went solely on his reputation), I reached that point of wanting to hear him play for hours on end. So this time around, I decided to work a couple of shows in. The Boston show was just icing on top of the cake. It was just how it worked out given what else was going on and I had no complaints.
So, let me be systematic here:
[I have a lot I want to include here but I don't have time right now so I'll just start with the set lists and return with details soon! The next week: I still don't have time, technically speaking, but since I find myself trying to figure out where and when the digital projections of The Incredibles are instead of other matters, I figure now is good a time as any to finish this up.]
#1) Sondre Lerche Concert at Bowery Ballroom in NYC on 10/14/04
The crowd: Let me say that Sondre Lerche played as part of the CMJ/Spin/Astralwerks showcase. So he was in the middle of a 5-act line up which included The Golden Republic. So, you can imagine, if you weren't there, the crowd seemed full of music industry types mixed in with regular ole fans of the artists. Sondre Lerche asked, "How many industry people out there? How many regular people like you and me?" Cute that he categorized himself as a "regular" non-industry personage. Then he said, "It doesn't matter. I'm happy to play for you music executives and Mr. Man-On-the-Street alike."
The venue: The Bowery Ballroom is an excellent venue for smaller shows. Great sound. Primarily standing room. Minimal seating and more standing room upstairs. It's where I saw SL perform for the first time (my first time, not his). So I have pleasant associations between SL and Bowery Ballroom.
The set list: I know I usually can't keep track. But someone asked on the SL Forum so I pieced it together. I had a few gaps at the time but what's below is the corrected version:
Solo (with a spiffy-looking gold guitar):
(roughly in this order)
*Track You Down
*Dead Passengers
*Days That Are Over
*new song - I Want to Call It Love
*On the Tower
*You Know So Well
*Wet Ground
*Two Way Monologue
Then The Golden Republic joined him on stage for:
*Don't Be Shallow - I was distracted by watching them play together so I didn't remember this at the time but got it the second time around.
*Virtue and Wine
*Sleep on Needles
The show: Let's talk about me for a second, I actually had a headache that night, a less than ideal state for a concert-goer. But after a couple of songs, I was able to step outside of my narcissistic mindframe and enjoy the loveliness of Sondre Lerche. He was amazing of course but the crowd seemed a bit stiff. Too many people there for work. But after he commented on how quiet we were, people were more vocally expressive of their enthusiasm. 
Clad in flannel (you can see pix here) with the aforementioned gold guitar, SL gave very brief introductions to his songs. For example, he said (and I paraphrase per usual), here's a new song not on any of my albums. I wrote it a few years ago but I didn't know how to perform it until this past summer when I finally understood love [so we gathered he fell in love last summer]. That song was "I Want to Call It Love." SL also said, here's my usual rock song, and then performed "Sleep on Needles." Another song he said, this one is called...and he sang, "Wet ground..."
Another intro went like this: this is the first song I ever played at the Bowery Ballroom, and I'm not tired of it yet but maybe after this time I will tire of it but I don't think so (again, so cute 
). Then he performed "You Know So Well." And that's when I had that epiphany about his appeal and posterity (to be - I realize he's still young yet).
As I wrote in the nutshell review above, SL loves his music, loves music as a whole and is a musical prodigy. I was going to say genuis but threw in "prodigy" because though I tried to retire his "wunderkind" label earlier this year, he does embody what it means to be a wunderkind. (Can I gush any more? Goodness. It's a bit much, I know. But it's true. And my adulation-spewing reminds me I do want to address the age old argument about whether or not we should separate the art from the artist. That's for later on. I have more gushing to do.) Thus, it is an impossibility that he will ever tire of any of his songs or of music in general. And as fans of SL, I don't see how any of us could tire of any of his songs past, present or future. I like to make dramatic statements like that, I know. But I only make them when I really believe them. It may be hard to believe, but I think I'm capable of writing about things that irk me and things I don't enjoy or respect, but I've chosen to limit my rants to a few sentences here and there. Let me be frank, I am quite the optimist. But I like to think I'm a pragmatic optimist. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah...
Then, and I am probably fusing stories from all 3 shows here, SL told us since they were touring together anyway, they thought they'd try to play a few songs together and introduced the Golden Republic, formerly the People and also former tourmates of SL, to the stage. I am sure it was an idea concocted by Astralwerks. SL said he had flown out to Kansas City, MO to rehearse with them and thought it was going to work fine. He hoped it would be to our liking or else they might end up staying in NY. He clarified that it wouldn't be a good thing to stay because he wanted it to go well so they could take their show on the road.
Anyway, they started playing and I was completely distracted by the meshing of styles. It wasn't until much later I recalled it was "Don't Be Shallow." Not that I could do better (I couldn't), but it did sound the tiniest bit awkward initially. I was suddenly transported to my high school's Battle of the Bands when all the garage bands (no wonder I'm such a Replacements fan!) came out to play. But mind you, we had really good bands (it was a hyper-competitive environment even when it came to something so straightforward as Battle of the Bands - check out the magazine section for more ruminations on my high school experience). So, I'm not trying to hate on them at all. I'm just making an observation and trying to capture what it was like to hear SL and the Golden Republic play that first time. Plus, I'll cut to the chase here and say that with every song and with every show - remember I saw them play 3x over the course of 2 weeks - they sounded more and more comfortable, more like they wanted to be on stage together and more like a collaboration we wanted to kick it with (I felt like a little old school slang was in order as SL likes to throw American colloquialisms into his act - this time it was, "Are you keeping it real?" and "I'm down." I know, aww.) Also, by the end, I was a label's ideal consumer - almost - I was digging the Golden Republic on their own too. But I didn't get their EP. I am enjoying their single,You Almost Had It, on the Astralwerks sampler cd though. You can dl it and the other Golden Republic tunes from the People EP at the official Golden Republic site.
Another intro went, I don't usually perform this song with my one-man orchestra, but this time out, I thought I'd try it, and then launched into "Virtue and Wine."
#2) Sondre Lerche Concert at Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY on 10/19/04
The crowd: We were back to a self-selected SL-is-the-coolest crowd as he was the headliner. SL later mentioned that he had an especially good time at this show. Yay us! LOL.
The venue: Southpaw is another excellent venue for smaller shows. Great sound. Intimate setting. If you don't live in Brooklyn, it's a bit of a trek but worthwhile if you like the artist performing there. I mean, I don't think you'll regret making the effort.
The set list: I got it right the first time this time. It helped that I had the other set list to work from.
Solo:
(again, kinda in this order)
*Track You Down
*Days That Are Over
*Dead Passengers
*You Know So Well
*Wet Ground
*Liquid Lounge
*I Want to Call It Love
*Modern Nature
*Stupid Memory
*No One's Gonna Come
With The Golden Republic:
*Don't Be Shallow
*Virtue and Wine
*Two Way Monologue
Bonus tracks:
Solo: Maybe You're Gone
With band:
*On the Tower
*Sleep on Needles
The show: As much as I always enjoy SL's show, the previous Bowery Ballroom one included, I found this show far more enjoyable because it was all about SL, and he was more at ease. The crowd was more loving and enthusiastic. He told us a long, typically endearing story about Modern Nature. In short, he said he wrote and recorded it as a duet. Then his first tour in America, the audience requested it and even started singing it. He was "afraid" to perform alone, but then when he played it, the audience helped him out. And thanks to his exuberant fans who happened to know his lyrics, he overcame his fear of playing Modern Nature. What was another cute story. He prefaced "I want to Call it Love" with that story about how he only started playing it now because he now knows what it means. Then much to my delight, SL said, I haven't been playing this much, but I feel like playing it now and went into "Stupid Memory." I like to think SL took my admiration of the song into consideration which I expressed on his forum right after the Bowery Ballroom show. Uh, phone call for Ego Centric. Yeah, here I am. The Golden Republic were in good form on their own and with SL. Ben (Ben?) from TGR kept saying, "he's so cute" meaning SL, kinda busting SL's chops but kinda meaning it. TGR also said, we know you came to see SL but we're happy to see you here too. Cute.
I bet you've been admiring my SL and TGR at Southpaw poster. It was the only one I saw. I know you can't tell from the picture but it's a very delicate shade of jade green. The other poster I added to my collection is yellow. I don't think that shows up either in the picture above (I think it's by the first review). There were a bunch of these spread throughout the venues. So though I am on a lifelong mission to streamline, I was not at all unhappy about my cool mementos.
#3) Sondre Lerche Concert at Paradise in Boston, MA on 10/24/04
The crowd: Enthusiastic. Sympathetic. I've already mentioned that this entire show was colored by the fact that our little peanut, as my cuz likes to call him, had a terrible cold and was sipping tea in between songs. SL said last tour out, Boston was their favorite show. So those guys were happy to hear that. I'll add that is was a very busy time in Boston with the World Series and Head of the Charles going on. So all that AND a Sondre Lerche show?
The venue: Boston has many cool spaces for smaller, cozier shows. I mean, the artist can look out in the audence and see every single face out there. I was looking forward to seeing SL in Boston because I have fond memories of other shows. Paradise has a big stage - wider than it is deep. We sat on the upper level right next to the soundboard. It was very central with nice sound. The sound was not as good as at Southpaw. More of an echo when the band was playing - when it was just SL and his guitar, the acoustics were great. But the venue was more intimate than either Bowery Ballroom or Southpaw.
The set list:
Solo:
(again, kinda in this order)
*Track You Down
*Days That Are Over
*Dead Passengers
*You Know So Well
*Wet Ground
*Liquid Lounge
*I Want to Call It Love
*Modern Nature
*Moonlight Becomes You by Bing Crosby- a cappella
*No One's Gonna Come
With The Golden Republic:
*Don't Be Shallow
*Virtue and Wine
*Two Way Monologue
*On the Tower
*Sleep on Needles
Bonus tracks:
Solo: Maybe You're Gone
The show:
It was incredible how flawless he sounded considering how terrible he seemed to feel and how out of sorts his speaking voice was. He came out and warned us he would be keeping his "stand up" and singing to a minimum. Then a bunch of stories and songs later, he said, obviously, I'm failing miserably at both. The boy can't help it! He was so charming and cute for someone with a cold. He couldn't help but give a stellar performance. I don't think it's in him to phone it in. The Golden Republic even added, when they came out, "We've been worried about him!"
SL told us how he had changed the name to his song "Faces Down" to "Dead Passengers" because he was fixated on the idea of calling his album Faces Down and he didn't want to put pressure on that particular song. Then he released the album Two-Way Monologue which is also the name of a song on the album. So he pointed out he realized he was being inconsistent and that as he's confused, he can only imagine how we feel. But of course the only thing we cared about hearing were his adorable stories and music. In another intro, SL said, this is one of the only songs in which the opening line is also the title, and then he sang, "Wet ground..."
Now I'm just repeating myself, but I think it's worth saying one more time, Sondre Lerche is fun to see because he's so genuine in his enjoyment of performing for and interacting with the audience. It is always a smooth, effortless show - even when all he wants to do is crawl into bed and drink his tea. So all in all I'm glad I got to indulge in my SL immersion. As SL says, there are far worse things to get into than, in his case, a possible lifelong addiction to Throat Coat tea and in my case, a lasting case of SL admiration. I will add here that despite my heartfelt feelings about SL's music, I had a self-imposed moratorium of listening to SL among other artists for the past few months. Over the summer, I had found myself listening to the same 300 songs over and over again. So I just went cold turkey and didn't listen to Sondre Lerche (and a bunch of others). So now I've let myself come back to SL and he sounds better for the break.
A pop culture addict's song analyses: I am going to come back later with a couple of explanations of why I like SL's songs. Now, I must return to what I was doing before this...
Okay, I'm back. I also wanted to say a few words (okay, maybe a paragraph) about separating art from the artist. It seems like they are inextricably entangled. But personally, I can respect an artist and dislike his or her art because typically in those cases, I can see potential for what's to come or still hold high regard for what once was. I can also respect the art without wholly respecting the artist because sometimes you can't deny the power of creativity and unique, innate talent. I'm not here to badmouth anyone so you can fill in the blanks with your own examples. HOWEVER, I think ideally we all want to like both. If I like a book, movie, song, etc., I want to like the author, filmmaker and actors, musicians, etc. respectively. But is it important? In a sense, yes, but in a sense, it's not imperative. Why am I bothering with stating the obvious? I guess I was thinking about how it sounds when I pour on the accolades for someone like say Sondre Lerche. I talk about how I love his music. I also talk about how he's an impeccable showman and his undeniable adorability. I don't expect that of everything and everyone crossing my pop culture radar. But I like it when I can honestly state I'm unequivocally into the art and the artist.
Stupid Memory: Last May, SL said that "Stupid Memory" was "like Oprah" and "something we can all relate to." It's his bitter relationship song but it's so sweet and cute just like him. I love the rockabilliness of it. It's a very pretty song musically-speaking. The lyrics are funny and relatable. Look at what a hit Maroon 5's "This Love" was - a bitter relationship song with an extremely catchy hook. I'm still not tired of it despite overexposure.
The "morale" of this story, as Sondre would say, is that you can be bitter, funny and lovely all at once as "Stupid Memory" is when you take in everything about it - the bitter yet humorous lyrics, the sweet delivery, the pretty melody and overall ingenuity of its composition. Incidentally, how many more times can I say "bitter?" What's a synonym for bitter...rancorous...resentful...acrid? Anyway, I'd like to point out that you don't even have to be in that particular state of mind to groove with "Stupid Memory." I mean, you can dig "Rubber Ducky" without being in the mood to take a bath. And we can enjoy "Modern Nature" without having a crush on anyone.
Modern Nature: "Modern Nature" is an easy song to defend liking. It's one that grows on you. The first time I heard it, it was live. I thought, look at these smitten girls (and some boys) singing this song with him [SL] - suckas! As I've said before, once I developed a true understanding and appreciation of our dear boy, Sondre, I happily joined in at the next concert and became a fellow sappy fan.
There are many cool elements to this song not the least of which is he wrote it when he was 15. This song is a slice of SL's life at 15. If I didn't know, I would've easily accepted he had written it this year at 22. But knowing it, I can listen to the lyrics and appreciate and hear the urgency, uncertainty and innocence ever-present in adolescent love. Listen to Kiss Me on the Bus by my darling Replacements. It is a great song that also perfectly encapsulates these sentiments.
To summarize, you can space out and ignore the lyrics or focus solely on the lyrics and still love both "Stupid Memory" and "Modern Nature" because of how they're put together and executed.
Some concluding remarks: It's clear that I could go song by song but I don't think it's warranted. I'll just add some tidbits. I just love the way Sondre Lerche sings "baby" in "I Know I Know" and "faces down" at the end of "Dead Passengers." It's all about the inflections in his voice. I love the line, "Is tonight suffused with love?" in "Suffused With Love." His delivery of "Things We Call Fate" also gets me everytime. His vocal range is amazing. And though it's superfluous to say at this point, I love his songwriting and guitar-playing. As SL sings in "Stupid Memory," even though "thinking about writing it down seems pretentious," we still do it because that's what it's about. If it's on our minds, yours, mine or his (!), we want to share it with someone in some shape or form. And lucky for us, there are people who want to hear about it!Added 11/04: Sondre Lerche concert at Trilogy Lounge in Boulder, CO on 11/22/04
I was thrilled that my friend took a small crowd to Sondre Lerche's show in Boulder, CO. I was excited about hearing her review as she is a complete newbie to his music. Here's her review:
about Sondre Lerche last night: he did a solo show, was very cute, and had a beautiful voice. for a few of his more upbeat pop songs, he asked the opening band (Golden Republic) to come out and play back up for him. if i was 21, i'd have such a huge crush on him!
SL will conquer the world one new fan at a time...
After people started yelling, "Elvis!" in the middle of Sondre's set, I immediately felt guilty for any negative vibing I ever did towards an opening act. It is a tough place to be. But he was gracious and just said, "No, my name is Sondre Lerche." And he gave due respect to Elvis throughout his set.
I have never heard Sondre play so aggressively! He walked on stage right around 8pm all by his lonesome, plugged in and played the loudest, fastest version of Days That Are Over, I've ever heard him play (live or recorded). It was like the resurrection of Kurt Cobain with some Bad Brains tossed into the mix. Sondre Lerche: Speed Metal Troubadour was in full effect.
Here's an annotated playlist:
On the gold electric guitar he used on his last tour:
1) Days That Are Over - as noted, it sounded like he was on a mission with uncharacteristic in-your-face guitar-playing accompanying his trademark melodious vocals; then he introduced himself formally: "My name is Sondre Lerche (son-drah lair-kay)..." and some more stuff about how he would entertain us until Elvis Costello came out.
2) Dead Passengers
3) Track You Down - prefaced with a story about how 2 years ago in January, he woke up from this intense dream that inspired him to write this song.
He switched to his blue guitar with the blue-starred guitar strap:
4) You Know So Well
5) Wet Ground
a capella:
6) Moonlight Becomes You - prefacing it with him picking out the opening note on his guitar and telling us, "I don't know how to play this on guitar but I love singing this song so let me just sing it for you." Then much to my surprise, the lil firecracker threw his water bottle to the side - really Pete-Townshended the thing (if Pete Townshend bashed water bottles) and went straight into the next song.
Back to his gold guitar:
7) Sleep On Needles - Then he gave his promo speech directing us to his "merch table" where we could get his cds or concert tee. He said he wanted to spell out his name for us because clearly we already knew Elvis Costello's name. And he told us he'd play one more song before we heard, "The best show of our life," meaning Elvis. What a gentleman. Let me interject here that while I have long admired Elvis Costello, I was somewhat surprised he didn't thank his opening act, i.e., Sondre Lerche.
8) Two Way Monologue
The people behind us talked about how Sondre looked like Ed Norton, which is innocuous enough. But when Sondre said, I have one more song, someone said, "thank god." Grr. No respect.
So before I wrap up, here's a nutshell review of Elvis Costello: he's an old pro with a beautiful voice, catchy tunes, clever lyrics (not unlike our darling Sondre) who enjoyed performing to the crowd. Favorite moments include: 1) the theramin; 2) his brief Leonard Bernstein tribute ("I Feel Pretty" on guitar); and 3) and going back some: Sondre Lerche's tribute of wearing his red Converses altho' Elvis surprisingly did not sing (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes.
So, while there were moments when I was like, I can't believe I'm finally hearing Elvis Costello play live after being a fan for so long, I must admit that my primary objective was to support Sondre Lerche. His music really is worth seeking out. I enjoyed hearing a different approach to his music but he didn't really flex his virtuosity on guitar in this show because he was playing so hard (we definitely caught the flavor of his skills though). But it was interesting to see how he is working hard to get his name out there. I guess it's to his advantage that he's still young, full of enthusiasm with amazing depths of talent. I didn't even feel suckered when I was moved to get yet another Sondre Lerche t-shirt - same design but different color (yes, I doctored the collar a wee bit).
Long answer: I think it was a pivotal point in the career of THNYC when their song Cindy* played almost in its entirety in the 10/30/03 episode of Scrubs. To recap, JD is running from the hospital to Elliot's apartment to profess his love to her. He arrives at the apartment ready to pour his heart out only to see Sean (the ever-adorable Scott Foley) already being the playa in this scenario. As JD leaves with his heart in his hand and Elliot no more the wiser, the song Cindy continues to play out. It's really effective.
*Aside: Tammany Hall NYC has mp3's for their fans to dl and enjoy. Go to their site and click on "music." The Back in the Bottle version is the one on Scrubs but there's also a very nice version on Buddy.
So, when I was watching the broadcast of the show, I was oblivious to the existence of THNYC, but as soon as the song started, I was riveted. I jotted down the lyrics so I could do a search online. But I kept coming up empty and thus kept returning to that scene to rewind, re-watch and jot down more lyrics (I have that kind of cable where you can rewind live tv - very cool). By the time I was done, I had written out all the words that were played on the show. Still no luck! But, since you and I know, if you've seen it, heard it, thought of it, thought about it or even thought around it, you can go online and find someone who is like-minded. So, when my usual methods didn't work, I went to the Scrubs message board certain that I would have my answer soon.
After a few visits to the board and after reading many posts commenting on the song and inquiring about the specifics - title and artist, I saw someone responded that it was the song Cindy by Tammany Hall NYC and even included the url (glassrecords.com). I was so happy, after I went to the THNYC site and watched the live action Cindy video (there's a cute animated one, too), I made the effort to join the Scrubs board just to thank this person for civilly providing info. Seriously, I love the idea of forums and blogs, but I get so turned off by rudeness and pointless contrariness. Anyway, by then, a bunch of other THNYC fans had helpfully reiterated the info. So it would seem this was a major coup for the band having a song played on a Must-See show.
But I quickly realized these guys were no amateurs. Their accomplishments before Scrubs included having two THNYC songs licensed by HBO for the station's promotions (Always on Sunday and Wait for You), soundtrack work and critically well-received albums. I went to Tower the next day and looked them up. I was looking for instant gratification but no luck. I returned to the band's website and ordered Buddy from there.
THNYC currently has the status of being an underground band that creates what could be mainstream music - in a good way; they're so talented, they could easily earn well-deserved, far-reaching, rock 'n roll acclaim and glory under just the right circumstances. In examining their body of work, it's clear that THNYC also joins a group of artists who manage to produce quality work outside the restraints of one genre.
The gems: So, right after I got the album, THNYC announced a concert date in NYC. It was such great timing for them and their fans, new and old. I had semi-retired from concert-going a few years back with the exception of The Replacements. But I broke my rule for THNYC. I was really excited to see them and it was like having them playing in my backyard. It was just too easy to pass up.
First impressions: It was raining pretty hard the night of the concert and normally, I would've been tempted to blow it off since it wasn't a big investment - if it were any other band. But I really wanted to give them my support, and I was totally craving some live music. So, I ignored the rain and went.
The crowd: From the chatter, I gathered that the room was filled with friends, possibly family, avid fans and last but not least, a group of new fans, like myself. I suppose there were people there to see the headlining band too (for the record, I think it was Flickerstick), but personally, I got there just in time for THNYC and ducked out as soon as they left the stage. For me, THNYC was the big show.
The concert: As a band on the cusp, unsigned yet with numerous credits to their name and nothing but good reviews, THNYC seemed to emanate pride, self-confidence and yearning for that next level of validity, recognition and establishment.
In Michael Winterbottom's docu-drama/bio-pic 24 Hour Party People about the rise and fall of the Manchester rave phenomenon, there's a great concert scene. Impresario Tony Wilson, played by Steve Coogan, breaks the 4th wall and turns to the camera to describe the deal. The Sex Pistols are on stage performing Anarchy in the UK in a dinky auditorium full of empty chairs and seemingly apathetic attendees. But the performance is charged to the max - there is nothing about it you can ignore. Tony Wilson tells us that though there are only a handful of people in the audience, everyone there will leave a completely changed person. The camera pans around the room while Tony says something to the effect of (I don't recall exactly), those guys are going to become Joy Division and then New Order who will find themselves performing to thousands of people in a stadium; those guys are going to become the Buzzcocks; those guys are going to become the Happy Mondays; and I will open the Hacienda and Factory Records. And then he returns to character and we are left to take in the scene.
I can't imagine that anyone left the Tammany Hall concert unchanged, including the band. It was that good. If you are thinking I'm exaggerating, consider this, when was the last time you went to see a band and thought, huh, no wonder they're not signed (probably last weekend, right?). This time, I left thinking, I cannot believe these guys haven't been "discovered" by the masses. Though I started the concert with a touch of surliness (think 50 Cent meets Buttercup) (despite my anticipation, I really had no idea what fun I was in for), I found myself beaming. The band was exuberant and so, so good. The energy was, Spinal Tap fans, all the way at 11. The music was tight in all the right places and just loose enough everywhere else. The crowd was proud of them and psyched for the good time. At first the room seemed half-full, but by the 2nd song, people seemed to emerge from thin air to fill it in, and I found my way to the center of the room for my preferred point of acoustic and visual reception.
Collectively and individually, they were on fire. But I must say, I was mesmerized by the lead guitarist, Matt Anthony. I could hardly take my eyes off his playing. I just barely play guitar (i.e., I learned a few chords in junior high) but I recognize a star when I see one. And he was so happy to be there and play every single note. The drummer, Dave Femia, was also so on. I think ?uestlove of The Roots gives a good live show. But this guy held my attention. And the bassist, not sure of his name [added later: Benny Z?], was also so jubilant. I know it sounds corny, but he was so essential to the groove of things and also, really happy. I just can't think of another word to describe the vibe on stage. And I mean in that innocent, joyful way not that unnatural join-our-cult way. Lastly, the lead singer and guitarist, Steve O'Reilly, spoke for the band and just seemed so sincere about his love and gratitude for the band, the music and the fans. He was thrilled to pieces to be up there with his crew doing what they all were born to do. And, if I may take the liberty to speak for everyone, we were all thrilled to bear witness to it all.
Again, if you are rolling your eyes thinking, this girl needs to get out more, maybe I do. But I stand by my words here. Seriously, I know if you're reading this, you have an interest in music too and I know that in your concert-going career, you must've seen dozens if not more opening acts. How many of them do you remember? I would say I could count them on my fingers. While I don't have the patience these days to go to music festivals, I have in my life, gone to concerts with numerous painful opening acts before the amazing main event. I know many big name artists began as opening acts and we all have to start somewhere. But THNYC, as an opening act, truly embodied the talent and charisma of a headlining band.
The lesson: So the lesson, the lesson... well, I can think of two. One: (get ready for the longest run-on sentence on the page) just when you think you've seen it all, seen the best, maybe given up hope for novelty, talent, something really great, something that will bring a smile to your face just by existing, when you are thinking, why am I spending the most energetic, cutest, healthiest years of my life pursuing a degree that will inevitably lead to a hard life of never-ending external and internal pressure not to mention less than competitive pay and trying to write a dissertation that couldn't possibly contribute something relevant to an already esoteric field and that even my immediate family members who love me and are reasonably intelligent won't understand, something like Tammany Hall NYC appears on your radar and allows you to believe once again that greatness is ever-unfolding and it actually just might be within your reach (yes, that's a Mats reference for the road).
Significance:
Two: What I'm going to tell you next is truly my philosophy and the explanation for why I put so much effort into this website. Let me expound briefly on why I think art is important, why the movies, music, books, tv shows, magazines and websites I like so much are relevant to everyone. It's all about the universality of the human experience. Art and more specifically, pop culture, is an expression of and a way to experience our shared struggles, endeavors, emotions, desires, accomplishments and disappointments. It's important to go outside of your own existence for a while and enjoy something like the fact that Tammany Hall is full of talent and a good time for all.
The fact that the season of Friends right after 9/11 was the highest-rated and so well-received that it made the cast decide to re-sign for one last season of $1 million paychecks per episode is testament to that. We needed to laugh and feel unified in that laughter. My brother tells me not to say this to people, lest I sound like a pompous jerk, but this is also in part why I think Jackass: The Movie is some kind of masterpiece (but NOT appropriate viewing for the little ones or faint of heart, mind you). In Preston Sturges' movie Sullivan's Travels, the simple moral is that everyone's lives improve with laughter and that's why the film director/wrongly-imprisoned man in the movie finally embraces his talent as a creator of comedies. For some reason, I feel like this epiphany is the justification for all pop culture and its significance now and always even when we're talking about the dramas, the breakups and the serious stuff that are also a part of pop culture. Keep in mind Sullivan's Travels came out in 1941.
It's a scientific fact that art and in particular, music develops your brain. Your language skills improve, your hand-eye coordination gets better, your neurons work harder when you're doing something artistic or even, IMHO, just enjoying and appreciating an expression of art in the form of a book, movie or album. "Embiggening" your brain can only only help you get through this ordeal called the dissertation. So listen to Buddy (or any of their other albums - I'm going to make my way through them too) and let it make you smart enough to push through your final defense.
Added 2/04: Well, now I have, in addition to Buddy, Back in the Bottle, the Eat This New York Soundtrack and Demonstration in hand so I thought I might comment on what it's like to have the library of THNYC and its offshoots on my iPod. I'm a weirdo in that not only do I appreciate a good cover (like Dinosaur Jr.'s Just Like Heaven, Red Hot Chili Pepper's Fire and even Aztec Camera's True Colors and Jump) but I like to hear it side by side with the original. I also like listening to different renditions of the same song, like the studio version and a live version, in the same sitting (as long as it's not New Order; they sound exactly the same! lol). You get the idea. So I made a playlist with all of the works of THNYC - only. You might say, why do I need to hear multiple versions of Always on Sunday, I Was Hoping, etc. all in one go? Well, I say, why not? It's a surprisingly diverse selection because there are many contributing factors to each recording that make them unique from each other. The most obvious difference is production value. Also, things only the artists can speak to but I can speculate as factors would be mindset, motivation, feelings about working with each other and the like - all the stuff they can talk about in their VH1 Behind the Music episode many years from now.
Like any fan, I'm a sucker for demos. I love the demo on the Buffy the Musical soundtrack of Joss Whedon's wife singing Something to Sing About with Joss accompanying her on piano. Listening to it makes me think about all the ideas formulating in Joss' mind about this project. Also, it makes me think about how he must've presented the idea to his actors, etc. and the passion and conviction he must've had to sway them to put themselves on the line and do something that many must've said was a questionable if not outright terrible idea. Obviously, the fans, myself included, loved it. Joss was happy with the outcome. The entire Buffy gang seemed pleased with how it turned out and with its tremendous reception from the show's many diehard supporters. And now they can say they did it once and they could do it again - maybe on Angel or Firefly: The Movie. Anyway, that's how I felt listening to the songs on Demonstration. Same with listening to Back in the Bottle. It brings out a new admiration for Buddy as a whole.
I also enjoy having THNYC thrown into the mix with the rest of my tunes and having one of their songs pop up in my rotation. It's still a little treat everytime it happens.
Do I even need to draw any comparisons to dissertation-writing? We work and re-work the same material, making our IRB corrections, our advisor-propelled revisions, our midnight panic-filled changes. And eventually, it all makes sense. It's polished and it's a worthy record of our once-maybe-still-brilliant ideas and seemingly endless efforts.
Added 5/04: Tammany Hall NYC show at The Cutting Room, NYC on April 8, 2004
I'm not going to do a full review. Let me give the "22 Short Films about Springfield" version. The first act I had to divert my attention from with an intense game of hangman by candlelight while a smattering of people, mostly friends of the act, clapped politely. Then those people left and the real party people came in. When JJ Appleton started playing, we breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't suck. In fact, he was pretty cool. Then suddenly, the place was jammed with people. We were feeling pretty smug right about then for sticking it out through hangman girl and thus getting a primo table. Then, the real show began. What do you expect me to say? Tammany Hall was adorable. The music was hot. They have such talent and presence. The all acoustic set, performed by Steve O'Reilly (guitar and vocals), Matt Anthony (guitar) and Dave Femia (percussion), consisted of a couple of songs from the Eat This New York soundtrack, a song or two from the 6 new tunes encompassed on the album Shiner including Goodnight Song rounded off with oldies but goodies Back in the Bottle, Friday You're with Me and Cindy. I didn't take notes so I might be missing a title. Anyway, the crowd appreciated the show and was rewarded with an encore - Wait for Jane. I was thrilled to hear that the band was putting up mp3's of the new tunes for purchase on their site the following week. I diligently checked the site the next week and happily put out the buck and change per song. Listen to clips of the new songs here! For the record, my favorite segment in 22 Short Films... is when Apu goes to a party, gets lucky and gets robbed all in a Springfield minute.
Added 5/04: Here's a nutshell review of the Tammany Hall NYC show at CBGB, NYC on May 11, 2004. I think at this point in my fandom, I can honestly state that I love the music of THNYC and support the band all the way, but I admit I was still on a Sondre Lerche high from the previous night (read my exuberant review above). So my eyes and ears had to adjust to focusing on the music at hand. The energy was a bit weird because in the front of the venue, the audience on the right side of the room was seated and the left side audience was standing. So the people sitting, including my party, appeared, erroneously, to be blase about the show. It was like, "here we are now, entertain us." And I felt like the acoustics weren't as smooth as they were at the Bowery Ballroom concert in 11/03. But I was completely in the groove once Wait for Jane started (about mid-way in the set) and for the remainder of the show. By the end, I was almost like, Sondre who?
The place was packed. They have a lot of homegrown fans. Pretty cool. I don't recall the entire set list but they opened with To the Woman and then somewhere along the way they played I Was Hopin', Downtown, Be Safe, Cindy and Jello Song. No Goodbye Song this time around. The encore, or "bonus track," as Sondre would say, was Crazy for You. Fun stuff. I was totally converted again by the end of the concert.
Added 6/04: Tammany Hall NYC show at The Cutting Room, NYC on June 4, 2004
Ah, this show was the perfect antidote to my Jason Mraz experience. Don't get me wrong: I had a great time at Jason Mraz' concert but at that show, I realized, while my tastes sometimes (often?) run along those of 15 year olds, I don't necessarily want to be surrounded by them all of the time. Some of the time is cool. All of the time gets to be a bit much (I'm sure the converse is true, too). So after I saw Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where the crowd ranged in age with a heavy emphasis on junior high schoolers (keep in mind these kids probably grew up with the Harry Potter books), I scooted over to the Cutting Room to catch THNYC. Because these Harry Potter movies are on the long side (btw, it was aces), I ran late. When I got to the show, Steve O'Reilly and Matt Anthony were already on-stage and were just starting Always on Sunday. I found a great table with a clean shot of the stage and nice acoustics. I think the whole room is well-designed sonically speaking and preferable to CBGB (see my unprofessional opinion above).
It was far less crowded than the last time they played the Cutting Room. At that performance, people were hanging off the rafters. This time around, it was about, oh, why quantify it, it was comfortably populated. The crowd seemed a mixture of long-time fans/friends, people who frequent the Cutting Room and newer fans like myself. Also, upon reflection, seeing as I've practically put up a THNYC fansite, I might have progressed to the next level of fandom.
While I like: 1) a raucous show; 2) to stand at concerts; and 3) the full-band sound and full-band performances of Tammany Hall, I really enjoyed the low-key, acoustic show delivered to me while I was seated, leisurely sipping my drink. I don't know what I missed in the beginning but what I caught was right on. They played something from their first album and I didn't recognize it. I think it was because I don't have the album "Getawayland" or it was because I just didn't recognize it. Still, I enjoyed the song, and I liked hearing the story of "Trabajo" or something like that from the Eat This New York soundtrack. I've heard them perform it 2 or 3 times but never knew what it was called (I just knew it had the line, "I'm so glad that we managed to stay friends"). It also happens to be the snippet I actually caught when I watched Eat This New York on the Sundance Channel way back when. Frontman Steve O'Reilly said it was inspired by a remnant phrase from his Spanish class days. What else do I recall...they played Cindy and Goodnight Song. Wait for Jane was the set piece and a fine one at that. It does it for me every time. It was a short, tight show and just long enough.
At some point on this site, I must've let on that both my brother (my favorite fellow film critic) and I think almost every movie is too long. We watch shorts and find ways they should've been edited. I recently read that Sondre Lerche (wistful sigh) thinks most concerts run too long. But you can't get the kid off-stage when it's his own show and frankly, I wanted him to set up camp when I saw him). But despite my adoration for the music of Tammany Hall, I felt like the show was exactly the right length. Maybe that's because I just sat through a 2.5 hour movie.
Nevertheless, I think it's cool that Tammany Hall can be at ease and sound seamless as a four-member band and as two and three-member acoustic permutations of the band. It's actually a relief to me that they know how to rock out effectively. It makes them more visceral and down-to-earth than if they only did the mellowness emitted on, say, Back in the Bottle. By the same token, I'm relieved they can chill and do a two-person acoustic set. This talent also makes them seem accessible and multi-faceted. There are enough one-trick ponies out there. I guess if pressed, I would say I prefer Buddy as an overall album to Back in the Bottle. However, as a fan, I love both albums. THNYC has yet to disappoint live or in the studio.
Added 7/04:
The source: Tammany Hall NYC Concert at Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY on 6/30/04
The gems:When I first heard THNYC on Scrubs last fall, little did I imagine that I'd incorporate them so much into this site. I mean, aren't there so many times when you hear a song somewhere and say, who sings that? And then you find out
and that's that? Maybe you get the single or album, maybe you don't.
I guess it was fate that they happened to be NYC-based with a steady concert schedule as well as a bounty of songs I just had to own. I'll 'fess up and say that for some reason, when I first heard Cindy on Scrubs, I thought the sound quality wasn't that great but the greatness of the song still shone through. (I later figured out that it was probably because the version used was from Back in the Bottle as opposed to Buddy on which the production value seems higher.) And I immediately imagined the group in question to be an old[ish], long-haired Southern rock band along the lines of Lynyrd Skynryd. I can't explain why. Does Cindy sound like Free Bird or Sweet Home Alabama? Maybe. Maybe Steve O'Reilly kinda sounds like Ronnie Van Zant. Anyway, that is the image that was conjured by their sound.
I was surprised to learn they were a young NYC band. Of course, now it makes perfect sense. So, I'm probably spending too much time on this random thought. But just think I might've never heard of them. Then what would I be writing about? LOL. I mean, I do remember hearing "Always on Sunday" on the HBO promos and thinking it was the ideal song for that purpose but I wasn't motivated enough to look up the band. In fact, what went through my mind was, oh, it must be a new band that I missed but will catch later as they get hyped up on MTV, etc.
I guess I'm going down memory lane because I'm finding it sort of impressive that I've made it to ...let me see... five shows now. It just always works out that I can make it even though I keep saying, well, I just saw them; I can miss this one. I was meant to see this particular concert because seriously, I was tempting fate all night. First I went to see a relatively late showing of Spider-Man 2 (very satisfying), next had a fairly leisurely dinner although I did rush mes amis near the end, and then headed towards Park Slope knowing we wouldn’t get there until the show was half-way over. Still, when we got there, they were running way late, so we didn’t miss one note.
But my brain is ahead of me. I know why I’m reminiscing. During the THNYC concert at Southpaw last month, I felt like I was able to go back in time and re-experience that first concert I attended when I barely knew their music or who they were really. But this time, I was very familiar with their repertoire so I could enjoy it on a different level. That is, it was full-band in an acoustically high-caliber environment just like at the Bowery.
The next day, I was still thinking about how fun it was ?a friend went to see Prince in concert last week and probably won’t come out of that trance for a year. She said she couldn’t even focus on the NBA players standing next to her at the concert because she was busy envisioning herself as Mrs. Prince Nelson #3. Alas, my THNYC boost only lasted a day but still, the experience subliminally interjected music vitamins into my system. I like that ?when you don’t have to make an effort to have a good time because it just happens to you with the added bonus of lingering after effects.
Here is more or less what they performed somewhat in this order: To the Woman, I Was Hopin? Better Homes and Warmer Days, Downtown, Be Safe, Jello Song, Wait for Jane, Cindy, Marathon, Something About Some People and Buddy.
During the intro of Better Homes and Warmer Days (I think, I know, this story loses impact due to my inaccurate reporting), Steve O’Reilly said, “This is such a good song. This is not a bad song. This is such a good song. This is not a bad song.?And I chuckled because it reminded me of how on the De La Soul Live at Tramps album, as they start performing Me, Myself and I, they yell, “We hate this song. We hate this song.?And De La Soul fans know that they did in fact hate that song. But come on, it was a hit. Musical artists long for that hit. Of course, The Magic Number was a hit and that was SUCH A GOOD SONG! Anyway, you get my point. Both instances of artist commentary were entertaining. And one reminded me of the other. I still don't get the Jello Song. I feel like it's an inside joke that I missed out on. But I can't begrudge the band or their other fans the enjoyment of it. Cindy was cool as always.
I don’t really have anything else to say about the concert. But I thought since I never talk about what it is about songs that I really like on this page, I’ll briefly try to put it down in words for whatever it’s worth. Even as I type, I realize the reason why I don’t bother to go into specific appeal is because it’s just how it is. You hear a song, you like a song and it’s for personal reasons, for musical reasons, for personal musical reasons or for no reason other than it has that American Bandstand good beat.
That said, I’ll give two very brief examples. Upon repeated listenings, it occurred to me that I really liked Marathon. Why? It’s why I like good stories, books, tv shows and movies set in NYC. I love this city and I appreciate others expressing similar sentiments. One thing about living in and loving a place like NYC though is that it’s larger than life. To conceive of living up to it in any great way seems beyond reason and reach. But I feel like my life happens here. And the feeling of the song reflects that idea. Also, the line about being a chapter in our own New York story is so true. (The line goes,"We are finally a chapter in some New York Story that has been in my mind for a long long time....") That is what life is about. It is about your own story wherever you are, whoever you are, whenever you live. It’s all relevant. Not to get all spiritual, but I read this favorite quote of George Harrison’s that helped him the day that John Lennon was shot and it somehow makes sense even to the most cynical because it reflects my favorite theme - the universal experience of this thing called life (a Prince homage was in order): In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna, "There was never a time when I did not exist nor you. Nor will there be any future in which we shall cease to be."
Through concert performances, Wait for Jane has become a favorite THNYC song and now when I hear it off the album, I am very happy. Even though I still don't know the words or what it's about exactly, I feel like it's one of those songs that you can love without being tied to the lyrics. Sonically, it has the perfect form. Just listen and you can hear the perfect musical arc in the song. The first movement of a sonata follows a very strict formula: exposition (introduction of main ideas)-development (increased musical drama; harmonic tension)-recapitulation (restatement of main ideas but with variation)-coda (a little something extra at the end) (that's the extent of my music theory knowledge - have I mentioned that I'm a dilettante?) and listening to Wait for Jane, I can hear it all.
In the true spirit of my first THNYC write-up, let me end with a Replacements reference: one of my all-time favorite songs is I Will Dare because of how it sounds and because of the lyrics. It's so simple but so true and so real! Peter Buck's guitar solo is unforgettable and so is Paul's performance on the mandolin. So what else can I say besides good luck with your dissertation and go listen to Marathon, Wait for Jane and I Will Dare (and don't forget The Magic Number)!
You're probably wondering how much more can I write about them. Well, the main thing about this concert was that I got my cousin to accompany me to it. As a professional musician, she is a hard sell. But I gave her Buddy awhile back and she liked it immediately upon listening to it. She even caught the MTV's Made episode featuring THNYC's drummer, Dave Femia. I missed it but she was excited to tell me about it.
She was very impressed with all aspects of the performance. The high energy and enthusiasm of the band really left an impression on her. The execution was also given high marks. She said even though she already liked their music from listening to the album, seeing them live really brought home their talent and appeal.
Incidentally, forget what I said before about the Jello Song. I totally appreciate it and also, of course, I do know what Wait for Jane is about. I just meant that you can get it without getting it. You know?
I'll just add that I attempted to use my phone videocam and the footage just came out tiny with really strong bass lines. How cute would that be if I could change my ringer to a THNYC song? For now I am content with my Cypress Hill. When I walk down the street, I keep thinking I hear my phone ringing when it's really a car radio.
Oh, I know how I can end this one. A friend in the Hamptons e-mailed me that last week she saw Tammany Hall on tv. They were on Plum TV, a local station, and were performing on the beach. She found the segment entertaining and said Steve O'Reilly explained the origins of their name. He liked the idea of the unruly, outsider status of Tammany Hall (of the Boss Tweed/Gangs of New York era) and combined it with the fact that he loved New York. I have to say whenever I tell someone the name of the band, they always comment on it. That's the kind of name you want.
Here's a little something about this concert. I got to introduce the music of THNYC to a good friend, who, despite the fact that I have intimate knowledge of her music collection because of her trust in my ability to do a High Fidelity-esque re-organization of it, was a skeptic. But in a way, that made the experience that much better. She was hooked from the first measure. I hadn't even settled into it yet when she turned to me and said, wow, he (Steve O'Reilly) has such a good voice. Then she proceeded to augment her compliments as the show progressed. We talked about Matt Anthony's guitar-playing, Steve O'Reilly's guitar-playing as well as his cute interstitial chatter and the overall charm and professionalism of the band (since it was an acoustic set, it was just the two of them).
If you haven't gathered by now, I derive great pleasure from "winning over" people to my corner when it comes to music, movies, books, tv and even food (maybe I'll tackle that next on this site). So I was happy to hear her say she was totally interested in getting a cd. So we gave our compliments to the band as they walked by and arranged for her to get Back in the Bottle and Buddy.
Here's a personal milestone alert (I know you probably don't care but it sort of fascinates me): I think I have now attended as many performances by THNYC as I have by the Replacements/Paul Westerberg/Tommy Stinson combined (I never saw Chris Mars or Slim Dunlap on their own). I just saw that Tommy Stinson cancelled his latest NYC show so it remains to be seen whether it will stay a tie or if THNYC reigns. By the way, I heard a rumor that VH1's Bands Reunited (a show I really enjoyed) approached the Mats for a possible reunion and Paul and Tommy told them to f*** off. [Note: I saw Tommy's show at Mercury Lounge in 9/04 and Paul's show at Supper Club in 4/05 thus bumping the Mats back in the lead. Next, I'm trying to rack up frequent flyer miles as a Sondre Lerche-head.]
So one final statement: I am happy to report that I got a power dosage of THNYC vitamins so I think I'm good for awhile. I can stop chasing that dragon... at least until the next show or new song. Oh, I should mention that they performed two new songs which was cool.
I am so enamoured with this band. Though I've seen them before, I feel like I never really heard them for what they were until now. They put on such a good show and it was pure joy to be there.
As evident, my m.o. is to cast a very wide pop culture net and check out what looks decent. Then I feast on what is tasty. Perhaps this is related to the universal fear of plateau-ing, not fulfilling one's potential, falling into a rut and staying there. At any rate, I love my old school music to no end, but staying open to what's new is the spice of my pop culture life.
The gems: Well, let me start with the venue. Everyone I know who's familiar with the Mercury Lounge loves it. It's intimate but not claustrophobic. The sound is always solid and it's easy to find a good place to stand. There is also some seating along the walls for those who'd rather engage in chair-dancing.
What makes Tammany Hall stand out is the song-writing and their undeniable talent which exudes on-stage (and in the studio). They aren't one of those bands where you're not sure where one song ends and the other begins because after listening to them for 15 minutes, their output still sounds like the same uninspired background noise. Also, it makes a big difference if you look like you're having fun and happy to be there. It makes the audience happy to be there. And the band was definitely having a good time. They have great presence and are very kinetic.
The show was to celebrate the release of their new album Marathon. I liked all the new songs. I sort of didn't consider the songs previously released on Shiner (an EP of sorts) as completely new so there were only a few songs I didn't know at all. I was very impressed with Beyond An Ocean. It has the "eternal present" concept that Gavin Smith and Richard T. Jameson spoke of regarding films that I reinterpreted to apply to pop culture (i.e., to quote myself, "Pop culture's 'eternal present' is all of pop culture influencing what's next and how what once was is still as relevant as what is and what will be."). As I listened to this song, first I felt, this is very of-the-moment and right now. Then the sound enveloped me and I thought, this song has real lasting power. I can't wait to hear it again to explore this reaction more. The other new song I can remember distinctly is Nightmare On The Make. I remember the title because it is in the vein of those catchy, upbeat, just-telling-it-like-it-is songs I have a penchant for (like Foo Fighters' The Last Song which I cannot get enough of). I have to hear it again to say more but I just remember being amused and being caught up in the music. What more do you want from a song?
I've already expounded on the title track Marathon. (Click here and scroll down to the end.) Suffice it to say that I think it has all the elements of a "crank it up so I can hear it full out" tune.
They are like me and like their old school as much as their new school so they performed a good number of older joints like The Jello Song which has grown on me over time along with Sullivan Street and Wait For Jane.
So this is full disclosure time: I felt like I could truly appreciate all the great aspects of Tammany Hall and their music after having taken a hiatus from them. I felt like my earlier gushing was justified. Anyway, this revelation made me reflect on life and realize (again) that this is what we aspire to do in our existence. We want time to pass and to be able to value and understand how people, places and experiences contribute to our time on this planet.
Nothing makes sense until it's over. - from Jean-Luc Godard's "In Praise of Love"
A good friend and fellow PCA recently asked me what my favorite books were. As a voracious reader with a terrible memory for plot (this may account for why I treat favorite books like favorite albums and read them over and over again), I said my list changes constantly. It depends on when you ask me. This is just a long preamble to telling you that right now,
Watch clip from Work of the Director Spike Jonze.