Best Shows 2006 Part 2

The Long Winters
10/5/06 -The Magic Stick, Detroit

I was very excited to see The Long Winters-Joe discovered them opening up for The Decemberists several years ago but this was my first time. We got there extremely early, nerdishly early, so early we got to see the band pull out their Macs and search the lounge area (The Majestic complex actually has 2 venues, a bowling alley and a pizza place) for a signal. They are led by John Roderick, one of those very tall, furry, wear-their-heart-on-their-sleeve types that I find so appealing. There are several band members who have been along for more than one record but Roderick is The Long Winters in the way Conor Oberst is Bright Eyes. After waiting through 2 opening acts (we played some hangman to pass the time) our headliners were great. Often the opening act and so confined to only 45 minutes they seemed very happy to stretch out, pretty much playing every song, many in audience requested order. Their song "Scared Straight" is one of my pysch up songs and I was overjoyed to hear it live. They also played almost all of the new record which was great as it had only been out a short time. There was an opportunity to speak to Roderick after the show which I did not take, though I'm still not sure what I would have said, I wish I had now. The 5th is one of Joe & I's anniversaries and this was a fine way to celebrate.

The Drive By Truckers
10/20/06 - The Majestic, Detroit

This was the one we had been waiting for-like a lot of folks we jumped on the DBT bandwagon with "Southern Rock Opera" but had missed all their local appearances for one reason or another. There was an opportunity to see them earlier in the summer on the Robert Randolph tour but after weighing the options (driving an hour and a half for 45 minutes) we decided to wait for a full blown DBT tour. Boy, am I glad we did. This show was an amazing assault that left us buzzed for days. First, it was extremely loud (in the best rock way where things are clear but you really feel it in your chest) and definately the smokiest (we joked their idea of a smoke machine was a roadie throwing lit cigarettes in a fan). All three songwriters/singers (Patterson Hood, Jason Isbell and Mike Cooley) had their time in the spotlight yet somehow it was all part of a seamless rock whole. The energy level in the crowd was amazing, later on the DBT blog Hood proclaimed Detroit the best show on the tour. (Hood also gets bonus points for doing his research enough to know that the Majestic was the site of Houdini's last show-as he rightly said in his note to self don't ask anyone to punch you in the stomach in Detroit.) Highlights of the show for me were "Daddy's Cup", "Outfit", the repeated "five tornadoes" bit from "Sink Hole", hopping up and down (the only appropriate dance) to "Feb 14th" and, of course, seeing Elmore Leonard in the crowd (surely the ultimate Detroit cool). One of the absolute highlights of 2006.

What the Hell?

This week my poor car was hit. Again. Three weeks ago when walking the dogs I noticed that someone had bashed my trunk. I don't know when, where or who. And because I don't know any of that the insurance company, though sympathetic, was pretty much, "Well, good luck with that. If the repairs cost more than your deductable give us a call back."

Super.

Then this week while I was at work one of the supervisors called me over the walkie talkie to say there was a customer I needed to speak to. I was assuming it was an angry one but the lady in question was very kind and apologetic as she led with, "Do you drive a red Toyota?"

You know you're going to love those conversations.

The scrape in question was so minor as to be completely unnoticable-I didn't even take any insurance info from the woman especially after hearing how she waited in the parking lot for an hour because she thought it was a customer's car. That kind of dedication to doing the right thing did cheer me some even as I wanted to cry in frustration.

What the hell? This is the fourth time a car of mine has been hit while properly parked in a parking lot, the third time alone with this car. What is it with Eudora that makes her such an attractive target? Yes, she's red (or burgandy actually) but that can't be the explaination. What the hell?

Best Shows 2006 Part I

2006, for all its faults, was a fabulous year for shows and that's without being able to afford some of the uberexpensive ones (like Tom Waits) that we were dying to see. Most of these I blogged about afterwards so the ones I cite here are truly the ones that stuck, the ones you can bring back after months of living in between.

Sarah Harmer
3/27/06- The Ark, Ann Arbor

I'm so glad that we saw her again because it completely rescued "I'm a Mountain" for me. The songs, which had mostly seemed flat and very much lesser Harmer on CD, were so charmingly presented live (as I have written before Sarah is a total babe) that I was forced to completely reconsider the album. I even like "Le Salamandre" now and it's a song about an amphibian sung in French. As I think I also mentioned before I really liked the shirt I bought at that show cause it has both a mountain and a kite on it. Some people after seeing them 3 times you're done but I'd gladly see Sarah more.

Kathleen Edwards
4/20/06- The Ark, Ann Arbor

And now for a completely different female Canadian singer songwriter! Kathleen, as my boyfriend rightly says, is kind of crazy and more than a little feral. She is one of those "one of the boys" girls in the best possible way. One of the joys of seeing her live is that there's no telling what she might do or say which keeps things very interesting. My friend Marla and I gave her a book called The Idiot Girls Action Adventure Guide when she was first starting out and I'm pleased to say it fits as well today as it did then.

James McMurty
6/5/06- The Magic Bag, Ferndale

I wrote for a long time about this show in one of my favorite blog entries, "Be My Valentine James McMurtry" so it's hard to know what to say in addition except that the show was a great experience period, far beyond just entertainment. In fact, when it came time to choose songs for my favorites of 2006 CD I was tempted to add some McMurtry not because he had a 2006 release but because this was the year my fandom was kicked into overdrive. I was disappointed that I did not hear from him after sending a care package but tried to comfort myself with the thought perhaps he didn't get it instead of my normal assumption which is that he hated what I sent.

Hem
10/2/06- The Ark, Ann Arbor

This was the third time seeing Hem and Joe is now so over them I will totally need a new date because I will want to see them everytime they come around. It's hard to know how to describe their music-countrypolitan sounds so fussy-so I normally just say it's pretty. It's music that speaks to me deeply in ways that even Lester Bangs couldn't describe-I just feel compelled to listen repeatedly and to shove their CDs into other people's hands and say, "you listen too-find yourself a song among these to love." Hem songs are one of the few that I can listen to when feeling panicky that will actually calm me. Seeing them live is always a treat, especially when they bring the strings, but seeing them in Michigan is always a bit of a family reunion as Dan, the pianist, is from here. The family feel makes for an even warmer show.

Dear Thomas Harris

Tomorrow the new Thomas Harris Hannibal Lector book comes out, Hannibal Rising. It tells the story of how young Hannibal became the Hannibal the Cannibal we all know. While I don't believe anyone cares a whit about this one (I think the last one sort of did the character in) in case it is a success I would like to offer the following modest title suggestions for further Lector books:

Who's Afraid of Hannibal Lector?
The Lector Code
Tuesdays With Hannibal
The Series of Unfortunate Appointments: Book 1 Meeting Dr. Lector
Yum-O :30 Minute Meals with Hannibal Lector
Hannibal's Web
What Not to Wear Gourmet Edition
Hannibal Lector and the Goblet of Brains
A Man, a Can of Fava Beans, a Plan
You are the Diet

Original Voices

If you are a Borders shopper you've probably seen the display at the front of your neighborhood store-Original Voices. It's a program orginated by the buyers here in Ann Arbor who wanted the opportunity to highlight new or emerging authors with a special display and discount. Then each year they take all of that year's featured titles, the company as a whole votes on the nominees and then a committee decides the winner from the nominees. My boyfriend is the head of the Nonfiction Committee and when he found out that the Young Adult/Independent Readers Committee was looking for members he suggested me and my friend, Terry. We got the nod and became the first two non Home Office people selected to serve.

(Yes, I realize it's a small honor but when it comes to honors I'm not picky.)

It's not the Nobel, of course, and the monatary prize is somewhat modest as those things go, but I like the idea of helping an author along. It's a good deed that's fun to do.

And, in case you're reading and wondering yes, I do know I am a nerd.

There Ought to Be an Award

Speaking of there ought to be an award, we are now making our way through HBO's "Big Love" on DVD (it's no "Wire" or "Deadwood" but it's good). One of its stars is Harry Dean Stanton, one of my faves. That got me thinking about an article I read where he responded, when asked if he had a girlfriend, said he had girlfriends which, considering his age, is pretty impressive. And that got me thinking about Rebecca DeMornay, one of his previous girlfriends, who also was with Leonard Cohen for a while whose new movie just came out on DVD. And I was just marveling at a sex life that includes both Harry Dean Stanton and Leonard Cohen.

I mean damn girl, that is something.

There really ought to be an award.