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

here's a working model

The first thought that occurred to me as I stepped into the McDonald Theatre: Dammit, I should've seen Jeff Tweedy here! Nonetheless, I realized I was in for a treat--at least I had a Jon Brion show to look forward to (but still!).

Nickel Creek/Jon Brion, McDonald Theatre, May 8, 2007: There are lessons you learn as a Jon Brion fan. One: Don't expect Jon to follow the same masterplan for albums, tours, or any aspect of the business as other musicians or artists. Two: See him live as many times as you possibly can. Three: Did I mention you should really see him live?

For this, my third and last show of the tour, I finally made my way to the front of the stage to take in what started off as business as usual. That is, Sara Watkins provided the loving introduction, and Jon took to the stage for a Billie Holiday number. The next song, however, was somewhat unexpected.

Not that Jon hasn't covered Thelonius Monk before, but so far on this tour, Jon had been sticking to crowd pleasers that made quick work of winning over the mostly unfamiliar audiences. "'Round Midnight," however, did not aim for that warm, fuzzy feeling. Au contraire. Though it wasn't as *ahem* laborious as some of the versions I've heard at Largo, it didn't sacrifice much in terms of moodiness or introspection.

It also answered for me the biggest question of this tour: how Jon's contributions would depart from--or stay true to--his Largo shows. The answer came in the song; he wasn't changing a thing, no matter who was listening.



Monk turned out to be a bit of a hiccup, and Jon returned to a more jovial track. "Piano Man" came from a call for audience requests, but of course, Jon made it into both a group bonding exercise, then a Hungarian folk tune.

Sean and Sara Watkins jumped in next with a variation on the songs they favor for the Watkins Family Hour. Unlike the previous night, Sara served as sole vocalist. And who could blame them when her voice is so lovely?

After they left, Jon took a request for "Strings That Tie to You." For the first time, I noticed Jon had loopers after all, and he used them to build up layers of electric guitar. The overall effect was delicate and subtle, exactly as the song requires.

Chris Thile's number came up, as he took his place alongside Jon for the last three songs of the opening set. I don't recall hearing mandolin accompaniment on "Happy with You" before, so that was a treat. Jon also did us the service of providing a title for the instrumental he and Chris have been playing (and with which they've been amusing themselves greatly in the process, it seems) on the tour. It's "Croatia," the song that always reminds me of Fleetwood Mac; it probably sounds disingenuous now, but the thought had hit me in Sacramento. But I'm used to hearing it as a song build, with huge, reverberating drums, so the acoustic treatment threw me off.

As this is now my third post on this tour, I figure it's about time I devoted a few more blog inches to the headliners. Confession: Several years ago, a friend asked me to come to a Nickel Creek/Glen Phillips show in San Francisco. As I recall, I looked at her gravely and warned her earnestly that Nickel Creek was--gasp!--bluegrass. [Insert feeble and overused alibi invoking former Anglophilia.] She went without me, and I'm sure she'd get a good laugh from this now.

There's a lot to like about Nickel Creek. They change up portions of their setlist and their banter from night to night; if you're so inclined, you could hear a lot of different tunes if you drop in at random shows. Also, I never got the feeling that they're anything less than engaged, driven artists. They enjoyed an easy, authentic rapport with the audience, driven by both their actions (repeatedly coming to the lip of the stage to play their parts) and their words. It also helps that my tastes have changed over time so that a twangy tone no longer sends me scurrying.



Ultimately, though, I realized that I feel the same way about Nickel Creek as I do about a lot of the dance music I used to listen to. I genuinely like them, but they don't quite connect with me. It doesn't take away from my in-the-moment enjoyment, but deep down, I know it's not my passion.

The show, however, delivered more than a handful of highlights. Their powerhouse instrumentals, such as "Ferdinand the Bull," commanded attention and awe, while their range was lovely to behold. At one end of the spectrum, they could play a song such as "If You're Gonna Leave Me" by Chris, a sugary, playful ditty about being dumped; add a dash of celeste (who could possibly help out in that regard?), and it'd be the perfect pop song. At the other end, they also pulled off nearly a cappella numbers highlighting Sara's gorgeous vocals.

Last but not least, Jon returned to the stage to help them close out the show. All five players joined in on "Trouble," and even Jon looked pleased at the multipart harmonies they added. Jon turned in a sterling piano solo on "Jealous of the Moon," and in between the two songs, a bit of banter became the basis for a full-band minor-chord jam (and lots of bad jokes about musical notes). Before they left the stage, they brought out "Anthony," which Jon graced with the celeste.



For the encore, they started with a traditional number drawn from the Watkins repertoire before unleashing "Helter Skelter" on us. Bluegrass and the Beatles' most incendiary number might seem like an unlikely match, but they didn't hold back. My only concern: I had to wonder how many of the young fans around me knew the song.



It hit me that they would only get better and have more fun with each other as the tour progressed, and for a moment, I got a little sad about going home the next day. I consoled myself with the thought that, in the course of these three shows, I caught the equivalent of either one very long Jon Brion solo set or 1.5 of his typical gigs these days. That should hold me. For now.

Jon Brion's opening set
--Me, Myself, and I
--Round Midnight
--Ruin My Day
--Piano Man [crowd singalong]
--Piano Man [Hungarian folk tune]
--Why Can't He Be You *
--I Go to Sleep *
--Same Mistakes *
--Strings That Tie to You
--Happy with You **
--Croatia **
--Meaningless **

accompanying Nickel Creek [main set]
--Trouble
--minor-chord jam
--Jealous of the Moon
--This Side
--Reasons Why
--Just
--Anthony

accompanying Nickel Creek [encore]
--Hop High My Lulu Girl
--Helter Skelter

* = with Sara and Sean Watkins
** = with Chris Thile

See also:
» some people gonna get ideas
» there's so much here to see

there's so much here to see

All but two Jon Brion shows I've seen have required an act of rock tourism, but those trips down south haven't particularly taxed my resolve. Spending a couple of days in Oregon isn't a hardship either, except that for the first time in a while, my favorite travel buddies weren't able to join me. Still, with Jon Brion's live appearances growing ever rarer, I didn't need much prodding to head north.

Nickel Creek/Jon Brion, Roseland Theater, May 7, 2007: I love a good general admission venue, and the Roseland in Portland (not to be confused with the hell hole in Manhattan that shares its name) qualifies as such a spot. Though I underestimated the demand for this sold-out show, I managed to take my place just a few layers of people behind the barrier.

The big question for me about this tour: How would Jon's show go over in these bigger clubs, in front of people who aren't necessarily there to see him or aren't even familiar with him or his music? Would he do anything different to win over the crowd? Would the crowd give him a fighting chance? Was it disaster waiting to happen?

Sacramento, though lovely, wasn't a true test, but Roseland was just the kind of place that could be a challenge. Early on, it was clear that Largo's chatter-free rule wouldn't apply here, but Jon didn't seem too bothered as he unveiled his self-penned standards. Also, as you might expect in a typical rock'n'roll club, the "Freebird" request came out early, but Jon took it up anyway and turned it on its head with one of his steamrolling piano medleys. I didn't take notes at this part, but you can rest assured that Jon's musical landmarks all crept into the tour de force performance. That is, we got the Peanuts theme, a smidgen of "Rhapsody in Blue," and a million other points I can't wrap my head around.

With that dreaded rock cliche thoroughly dispatched, it was time to reprise the little trick he showed off in Chicago (and way before that in Los Angeles), in which he asked two audience members to join him onstage for "Stop the World." Blythe and Rick couldn't quite match the level of their Midwestern predecessors, but on the other hand, I think we're all in agreement that at least one of Jon's pianists at Steppenwolf was less than honest about his knowledge of the ivories. Nonetheless, it's almost impossible to mess up that song, and it reinforced Jon's commitment to his idea of a show, regardless of locale.

The next collaborators, in contrast, needed no guidance, as Sara and Sean Watkins took the vocals for one song each. Jon seemed a little surprised that their cameo was so brief, though they didn't go far, watching from the side of the stage. That left Jon in the solo spotlight for a couple of tunes before, like clockwork, Chris Thile dropped in for the final two songs of Jon's opening set. By the way, "Croatia" and the nameless instrumental from Sacramento are one and the same, which I didn't find out until the Eugene show, but that report will come in due time.

Following the same model as the night before, Nickel Creek played most of their set without Jon, but he signed on for a couple of passages. His bravura work on "Just" inspired Chris to request a replay of the ragtime bridge for everyone to hear. Over Jon's solo, Chris sang in an Al Jolson-like tone; I'm not sure I watched it the same way the Nickel Creek fans did, but the final result was the same: satisfaction all around.

In a change from the Sacto show, Jon joined Nickel Creek around the old-fashioned microphone for "Anthony." Actually, I think he required some prodding from Chris, but there he was, not only playing the notes and contributing harmonies, but swooping in and out in time with the rest of the crew. It made an already charming song irresistible.



Once more, they ended with "Run for Your Life," before taking a group bow to close the night.

Jon Brion's opening set
--Same Thing
--Why Do You Do This to Yourself
--Freebird/piano medley
--Stop the World [with Rick and Blythe from the audience on piano and celeste]
--Same Mistakes *
--Write Myself a Letter *
--Knock Yourself Out
--Trial and Error
--Croatia **
--Meaningless **

accompanying Nickel Creek [main set]
--Jealous of the Moon
--This Side
--Just
--Just ragtime bridge reprise + Chris's old-timey singing
--Anthony

accompanying Nickel Creek [encore]
--Run for Your Life

* = with Sara and Sean Watkins
** = with Chris Thile

See also:
» some people gonna get ideas
» always counted us as lucky
» here's a working model

some people gonna get ideas

Known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns: One of Donald Rumsfeld's worst obfuscations regrettably came to me when I was pondering, of all things, Jon Brion's concert appearances in Northern California. I've seen him exactly once in San Francisco, but I know I've missed his unannounced appearances with Critters Buggin' and Polyphonic Spree up here, as well as a Grays in-store from way back. That was then...

Nickel Creek/Jon Brion, Crest Theatre, May 6, 2007: By coincidence, my only other visit to the Crest was to see Travis in 2000. That story has a pretty good ending, but again, it was another time.

Besides, the arrangements for that show had little bearing on this gig. For one thing, the venue was now all reserved seating, and because Jon's participation on this bill was announced relatively late, we had nearly nose-bleed positions, or as nose-bleed as they can be in a 1,000-capacity grand old movie theater. (Truthfully, I think I've been further from the action at certain Asian weddings of first-born sons.)

Sara Watkins provided the introduction for Jon and let us in on what we already suspected: half the gear onstage was Jon's, including the carousel of guitars in the back and the piano-celeste-chamberlain setup occupying stage right. His multitasking would be slightly curtailed, however, as we noted no drums or, as we later discerned, looping gear. From our perch, we could also see well enough to notice that Jon had rid himself of the small woodland creature that had been occupying the bottom half of his face. Overall, he looked very nicely put together for the capitol crowd, sporting a tie, a black leather blazer, and very red shoes.

As Jon kicked off his opening set in the customary manner, I sort of held my breath to take in the crowd reaction. No need to resuscitate--they loved him, showing him the utmost respect and laughing at his description of "Why Do You Do This to Yourself" as his crack cocaine song. A few dedicated souls even piped in their adulation of him.

"I'm on a Roll with You" hasn't been a regular part of Jon's set lately, so it was wonderful to hear, and "Knock Yourself Out" got the divine celeste treatment that seems to turn it into a starry-eyed nursery rhyme. The other titles weren't too different, aside from tiny shifts in inflection (likely inaudible to most of the crowd but nonetheless pleasing to these ears).

We got a taste of the Watkins Family Hour when Sara and Sean took to the stage. "Trouble," I could've anticipated, though the harmonies from Jon and Sean were a sweet touch. On the other hand, I hadn't heard them tackle "Same Mistakes" before; Sara's voice was lovely on it, and though I never second-guessed their opinion of Jon's music, that song proved it beyond a doubt.

As Sara and Sean left, Chris Thile came up. I should know the name of the first song they played, but I can't pin it down. Blame the mandolin for its undue influence, but the only guess I can muster is the theme to Zorba the Greek (seriously). Chris and Jon sounded great playing with each other, but even better, they were a riot playing to one other. Respective instrument in hand, they stood toe to toe, perking up or stepping down in accordance with the notes and having a good ol' time while they were at it. I halfway expected to hear Marlin Perkins narration underscoring their actions: "Observe, two musicians of the highest caliber, away from their native habitat but making a place for themselves among the unfamiliar surroundings, foregoing dominance in a show of complementary equality..."

Jon disappeared for a while before joining Nickel Creek proper in the latter part of their show. He started stirring the pot with "Money," but he didn't seem to come into his own until the Radiohead cover, when he unleashed a ragtime piano bridge that you won't find on the original. He returned to the wings again for another stretch before resuming his place with the group for the last song of the night: a version of the Beatles' "Run for Your Life" on which he supplied the "Ring of Fire"-like guitar work.

Jon Brion's opening set
--Fooling Myself
--Why Do You Do This to Yourself
--I'm on a Roll with You
--The Way It Went
--Knock Yourself Out
--Trouble *
--I Go to Sleep [Pretenders] *
--Same Mistakes *
--guitar and mandolin instrumental **
--Fast as You Can [Fiona Apple] **

accompanying Nickel Creek [main set]
--Jealous of the Moon
--Money [Pink Floyd]
--This Side
--Reasons Why
--Just [Radiohead]

accompanying Nickel Creek [encore]
--Run for Your Life [Beatles]

* = with Sara and Sean Watkins
** = with Chris Thile

See also:
» there's so much here to see
» here's a working model