all this time

In my previous post, I neglected to mention one other favorite aspect of the season: Largo's year-end shows. Not that I ever need much coercion to go to Largo, but mention Christmas and any of my favored performers, and I'm there, with (sleigh) bells on.

Watkins Family Hour, Largo at the Coronet, December 11, 2008: And to emphasize the spirit of the season, the Largo crew decorated the stage with rows of lights and even a little tree. They sure looked pretty against the red velvet curtains.



I use the word "family" a lot when describing the Largo experience, but Sean and Sara Watkins are the real thing, putting the "kin" in "kindred." But the family doesn't stop with the two of them; instead, it also encompassed their friends, many of whom contributed to this relatively lengthy show.

We had the magician Derek Hughes, who turned in a much more palatable opening act than he did the only other time I've seen him. For laughs, we welcomed the comedian Dave "Gruber" Allen, even though his act ran hot and cold. During his main segment, he alluded to ruining the show; though I wouldn't go that far, I have to admit I found him hard to follow at times.

We had stars of stage and screen: Minnie Driver joined in for a traditional Christmas song, and John C. Reilly took the reigns for a good four or five titles, ranging from the Louvin Brothers to the Everly Brothers, as well as a version of the letter to Santa he read as part of Aimee Mann's inaugural Christmas show two years ago.

And finally, we had the musicians--oh so many musicians. Benmont Tench, Sebastian Steinberg, and Don Heffington [Editor's note: Thanks for the correction, Tom!] filled out the house band, then several other guests stepped in and out of the lineup. All together, they handled original material, including songs from Sara's upcoming solo album; contemporary covers, such as Elliott Smith's "A Question Mark"; and older favorites, such as John Hartford's "Long Hot Summer Days."

Luke Bolla featured prominently on a handful of tracks, including a fiddle duo with Sara, while Glen Phillips played two of my favorite numbers of the night. The first was a gorgeous, sweeping song from WPA, the name of an upcoming project comprising much of the talent onstage that night; I didn't catch the title, but it had a confidence and a scope that begged to be played on the radio. Then in an homage to the holidays, Glen presented a season favorite: "A Lonely Jew on Christmas," courtesy of South Park.

Jackson Browne was billed as the top guest of the night, but the real treat may have been David Rawlings, who showed up at the same time. Alongside John C. Reilly, they started off with "Let It Be Me," then went into a few more selections, including what Jackson Browne called Dylan's only Christmas song ("Desolation Row").

Performers at Largo often joke about professionalism and pacing, or their lack thereof; this is not the place to go if you want to see a finely tuned, strictly scripted show. Then again, that's the way we like it. That said, however, some of the guests looked more at home than others. I don't think much of the audience was begging Minnie Driver to return, for example, though her voice was quite lovely, and John C. Reilly had a way of making every song introduction sound like it was a setup to a joke, even when it wasn't.

I'm no Scrooge, though. The show was a delight to the end, when we all teamed up to sing "Joy to the World." I had to bail after the first verse, but the voices around me stayed strong for three verses more. Can you say the same of your family?

See also:
» if there's a star above
» owner of this corner and not much more
» it's not going to stop

no one will be a stranger

Though merely month a since Jon Brion's most recent show, it's felt like ages. It probably didn't help that the sense of anticipation rode shotgun with a worrisome mix of questions, concerns, and rumors about the new space. After now having seen Jon Brion's first show at Largo at the Coronet, I admit that skepticism is in part justified. On the other hand, the new room holds lots of promise, as revealed in sometimes dazzling bursts tonight.

Jon Brion, Largo at the Coronet, June 6, 2008: It's never a bad sign when the first sight you behold at Largo is Bobb Bruno clambering onstage, bunny suit and all. All gussied up, he presented the Jon-based medley we first heard last month. Oddly, it served just as well christening the new spot as it had summing up the old room.

From there, the curtains pulled back to reveal a familiar setup, if also a new context. Having seen Jon at some fairly large venues, the updated layout didn't faze me; in fact, I was happy to see the big magical panel of knobs and switches not threatening to spontaneously ignite in an electrical fire.

Jon, like clockwork, settled in at the piano. I heard a touch of "Rhapsody in Blue," but I couldn't tell you what else lurked among the notes. The pot of gold at the end of this rainbow, however, turned out to be the Eternal Sunshine theme.

It was only natural that "Same Thing"--a longtime staple of Jon's set--would figure into this debut, especially since it's been a few months since we've heard it at his shows. But it was still anyone's guess what he'd do with it; if you predicted that he'd include an extended MicroKORG/celeste passage and some sotto voce readings, pat yourself on the back because that's exactly what crept into the final mix.

Jon asked for requests, which elicited a bunch of uninspired suggestions. Then again, I had nothing to contribute, so I shouldn't talk. Jon ended up piloting "Baba O'Riley" through a ragtime interpretation, making use of that big ol' analog synth that hasn't missed a show since last fall, adding some drums, and wringing it through the vocoder. In the course of this sequence, Jon genially proclaimed, "That's horrible!" Regardless, he finished out the song, though he also casually dismissed it by the end.

The Kinks request put us back on firmer ground, though only for a spell. I can't remember if it was at this point or later in the show that various audience members requested more covers, only to be brushed aside by Jon's comment that he felt like playing some of his songs. Anyway, we got a run of originals, including "Girl I Knew" with a tiny ad-lib at the beginning and "Trial and Error" with a fancy introductory flourish.

Early in the night, Jon warned us to consider the first month of shows to serve as a public soundcheck, and backing his point, he gestured to the soundbooth throughout the set, asking them to make some adjustments. In one instance, he even resignedly told Scott that whatever he had done hadn't worked. Meanwhile, Bret had been stepping onstage after nearly every song to adjust one of Jon's amps. Even I, usually clueless about technical details, noticed that the guitar during "Girl I Knew" was nowhere as loud as it needed to be. Tonight, it wasn't just a matter of the artist as a perfectionist; there was still work to be done.

But amid this sequence of originals (and semi-originals), "Someone Else's Problem Now" was one of the unadulterated successes of the first set. For those three or four minutes, it didn't matter what room you were in; the song hit you where it counted.

On the heels of that wonderful tune, "Purple Rain," much like "Baba O'Riley," got a less than reverent treatment from Jon, who let the keys-based instruments do all the talking. I loved the ragtime breakdown in the middle, and the mellotron sounded strangely appropriate, even if it's nowhere to be found on Prince's recording.

Jon started wrapping up the set with "Knock Yourself Out," which came across a bit like a nursery rhyme, thanks to his understated delivery and an old-timey, harpsichord-sounding passage he worked into the song. When he asked for a cover and fleshed out the Les Paul-style notes for "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," you had to know it was the end of the first set.

We were asked to leave the theater between sets so that the crew could make technical adjustments, and gathering in the courtyard, we cautiously voiced our doubts. I'm not going to take on the compare/contrast angle; surely, other bloggers and attendees will predictably hammer away at that angle. But I can say that as a debut, the first set was not a dazzler. I've seen Jon command big rooms filled with unfamiliar audiences, so I know he's not defined by a venue, even a beloved one. But something was clearly off tonight; the new space, along with its complications, served as the most convenient scapegoat, but there was more to the story, even if we couldn't quite put our finger on it.

Not that there was any doubt whether we'd head back for more. Chris Thile from Nickel Creek was Jon's first guest for the second set. Bearing his usual mandolin, Chris accompanied Jon (who played acoustic guitar) first on an unfamiliar instrumental number, then Jon's own "Happy with You," which was upbeat, delightful, and perhaps the first real sign that we had made a wise decision to stick around.

From there, they tried to figure out what song to do next and hit upon Of Montreal, for which the two of them shared vocals and lots of laughs. They followed with a goofy, geeky, and giddy testimonial to the genius of Kevin Barnes, with Jon giving Chris full credit for turning him on to Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

By the way, I'm not kidding when I say "geeky." In addition to urging us to buy the CD, they referred to previous two-man performances to the album in its entirety, floated the idea of busking in front of the band's gigs, squealed over the possibility of meeting the frontman, and marveled over Kevin's eyeshadow.

Exhaustive, obsessive knowledge, in and of itself, is stultifying; I know this setlist shit gets downright sterile. But every now and then, there's an opportunity to harness that familiarity for good rather than evil and maybe nudge the performers toward their strong points--that's my excuse, anyway, for once again offering the no-brainer request. And though I asked for "Croatia," I had no idea that it would be accompanied by an entirely spontaneous and hilarious guy-on-guy pas de deux.

So while Jon and Chris expertly carried off the song's funky, syncopated seesawing melody, they also treated us to the sight of two grown men charging toward each other, only to race away, stomp the boards, dive yet again into each other's personal space, and generally mug it up for all it was worth. As surely as we were rolling in the aisles, Martha Graham must've been rolling in her grave. And confirming that I wasn't the only one thinking that they couldn't have pulled it off at the old place, Flanny yelled out from the back, "Fuck you, Fairfax!"

Once we all pulled ourselves together, they asked Fiona Apple to come to the stage. She was the first person to comment on the old-fashioned microphone that Jon had brought out for the second set. I didn't realize it until she mentioned it, but indeed, the equipment made a huge difference, catching their voices and the instruments with amazing clarity and warmth. They took further advantage of its capabilities when they took in the rest of Nickel Creek (Sara and Sean Watkins, mais oui), and the five of them brought to life some old standards.

Following Fiona's turn, Jon recruited John C. Reilly, who's no stranger to Largo, thanks to links with Paul Thomas Anderson, as well as Aimee Mann. The unifying element for this particular grouping is the upcoming film Step Brothers, starring John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell. As it happens, Jon's helming the soundtrack, with help from the likes of Chris Thile, Nels Cline, and Greg Saunier, among others--i.e., business as usual at Largo.

If Nickel Creek decides to embark on another farewell (for now) tour, they'd do well to add John C. Reilly to the bill, as they had with Jon and Fiona for various legs of last year's shows. His songs of choice turned out to be traditional numbers and a perfect match for Nickel Creek's knowledge and strengths. In fact, Jon took more of a background role for this mini set, leaving the Nickel Creek kids to divvy up the harmonies and solos.

They put David Garza to work for the next couple of tunes, and he tagged Fiona for the second half of his set. Once David and Fiona nonchalantly but rather abruptly wandered off at the conclusion of the song, the others followed, and it became apparent that the performance itself was winding down.

For the last number, Jon ceded the floor to Chris Thile, but not before he waxed admiringly over Bach for his compositions, his dedication, and his ability to hold his liquor. This served as a prelude for Chris's interpretation of a Bach piece I won't even try to identify (the second movement of something or other?). We listened attentively as Chris plucked out notes on his mandolin that, at times, sounded almost like a harpsichord, in their fine, precise inflections.

I wasn't around for Jon's first shows on Fairfax. By the time I got to see him, he'd had a couple years and 100-plus performances to get a handle on the room. Of course, you could also argue that he never quite reached that goal--or whether it was a goal at all! Anyway, it's a blessing, a curse, and a testament to the reputation the club achieved over the years that Largo at the Coronet won't have the luxury of flying under the radar. Growing pains are inevitable and, tonight, evident.

I make no claim to being impartial when it comes Jon Brion, though I'm realistic enough to say that tonight's show was, at the least, uneven. But I'll take the long view, knowing full well what the amazing feats the Largo crew has pulled off over the years--and yes, even tonight.

Set 1
--Bobb Bruno

--piano (including "Rhapsody in Blue")
--Eternal Sunshine theme
--Same Thing
--Baba O'Riley
--This Is Where I Belong
--Why Do You Do This to Yourself
--Please Stay Away from Me
--Girl I Knew
--Trial and Error
--Love of My Life So Far
--Someone to Watch Over Me
--piano
--Someone Else's Problem Now
--Purple Rain
--Knock Yourself Out
--Don't Think Twice [Les Paul style]

Set 2
with Chris Thile
--instrumental *
--Happy with You *
--Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider *
--Croatia *

with Chris Thile and Fiona Apple
--After You've Gone **

with Nickel Creek and Fiona Apple
--? (lyrics: "no nothing for me") ***
--I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know ***
--You Belong to Me ***

with Nickel Creek and John C. Reilly
--Rank Stranger ****
--Angel Band ****

with Nickel Creek and David Garza
--Love You Out Loud

with Nickel Creek, David Garza, and Fiona Apple
--I'll Be Around

Chris Thile solo
--Bach piece

See also:
» all is full of love
» look at those cavemen go
» always counted us as lucky
» some people gonna get ideas
» here's a working model

it's not going to stop

Regular readers almost got a reprieve. I'd vaguely planned to catch a Cat Power show over Thanksgiving weekend, despite my earlier claims of having hit the Chan Marshall wall. Alas, it didn't happen (I blame the tryptophan), so you're stuck with the usual objects of my obsession.

While we're on the subject, a warning: Barring extenuating circumstances, it's gonna be nearly all Largo, all the time until the end of 2006, including the following Largo-away-from-Largo scenario. You're on notice.

Aimee Mann's 1st Annual Christmas Show, Bimbo's 365 Club, December 4 and 5, 2006: I've squandered a lot of opportunities to see Aimee Mann, perhaps most foolishly during her (arguably) best years, following the success of Magnolia and her masterpiece Bachelor No. 2. It took that long for me to realize how much I love her. But I got a lucky break when I caught the Acoustic Vaudeville tour, featuring Aimee, Michael Penn, and Patton Oswalt at Bimbo's in 2000. I'm pretty sure nostalgia originally moved me to buy tickets to that show, but ultimately, the gig is less a testament to a longing for the past than a peek at my future life as a Largo nerd.

Only time will tell if the gigs' "1st annual" appellation will hold up, but at least the "Christmas" billing was well represented onstage. In addition to the usual array of instruments, more symbols of the season dotted the setup: a pair of reindeer, a Christmas tree, several stockings, strings of lights. Despite these details and the addition of some of Largo's favorite names, I don't think we really knew what to expect from the show.

Even after Aimee and the band had worked their way through a couple of songs, their intentions weren't clear until Paul F. Tompkins joined them onstage. As Aimee and Paul chatted back and forth (with Aimee getting in as many zingers as Paul), they revealed that they were going for a Bob Hope/Andy Williams/Donnie & Marie vibe. Aimee and Paul also proved that their friendship is not just an affectation for the tour. They bantered effortlessly and giddily, though it also felt like they were sharing a big private joke that we couldn't guess at.

In the spirit of those '70s holiday specials, Aimee eventually duetted with each of her big-name guests: Paul, Grant-Lee Phillips, and John C. Reilly. Paul, especially, sounded better than expected. Each also got his time in the spotlight: Paul with his MC responsibilities, Grant as his usual troubador self, and John turning in spoken word duties.

I've never caught Paul's standup, so I'm not familiar with his style apart from what I've seen on VH1's Best Week Ever. I think I like his banter more than his routine, but I loved what he added to the mix. As I've stated again and again, Grant-Lee is one of my longtime favorites, and his voice is always a beautiful thing. I was just happy to hear him with an electric backing band for the first time in a while! I adored hearing Aimee on backing vocals for "Truly Truly," and you had to smile at his duet with Paul on "Little Drummer Boy" (with a heavy tip of the hat to Bing Crosby and David Bowie). John C. Reilly's singing chops are well known, but watching him act out some of the lines from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, I realized that may be the closest I ever get to seeing him in a play.

Rounding out the cast were cameos by Scott Miller (the Loud Family); on the first night, he treated us to an old hymn and a Peanuts classic, but when he did his own songs the second night (complete with an Aimee duet), I understood the connection Aimee must feel with his detailed and maudlin songcraft. Last but not least was Morgan Murphy playing the Hanukkah Fairy--in a white body suit and a pink tutu. Morgan was pretty funny when I saw her with Aimee at Largo back in April, but at Bimbo's, she stole the show. Her mention of the Trader Joe's on Masonic alone was worth the cost of admission.

What about the hostess? In addition to her razor-sharp wit, Aimee treated us to a set heavy on selections from her new Christmas album and a handful of her own songs, including the always popular Magnolia-era hits. The last few times I've seen Aimee, she's turned on her inner Joni Mitchell, and she did so again both nights. It worked nicely on "Red Vines," but "Deathly" didn't fare so well. Though I liked what she did with the vocals, I wasn't a fan of the overall arrangement. One of my favorite aspects of the song is the build toward the bridge, and this new version sort of erased that wonderful, suspenseful effect. That might be my only complaint, especially since she gave us what she claimed was her first-ever performance of "Way Back When."

The ensemble closed out the show in the only way that made sense: with a big singalong visited by both Santa Claus (John C. Reilly) and the Hanukkah Fairy. I was gonna let you guess which one brought the confetti, but I couldn't resist posting the picture.

It's an odd affliction, the need to see an artist repeatedly for fear of missing some nuance that could cast a brand-new light on the performer in question. I know that most bands' performances don't change much, but I'm willing to stick it out for those nuggets of originality, especially if they're sandwiched between songs I love so much.

At this point, you don't have to ask me of all people if it was worth going to both nights. The two shows shared more elements than differences, but we got a slightly different setlist over the two nights, and the participants even mixed up their stage banter. If I had to choose, I guess I liked the first night better, if only because the group seemed less sure of themselves and, thus, more open to goofiness. In fact, Aimee later mentioned that the show felt more like a dress rehearsal than a real gig, but I think this loose take really energized the festivities. The second night, the crowd felt more responsive, and I enjoyed seeing what the performers did to keep the material fresh for themselves.

See also:
» i'm the stuff of happy endings