Patrick Watson at The Largo Coronet

I was privileged to join a small band of fans to see Patrick Watson play in Los Angeles this weekend. Patrick is a Canadian musician who fuses complicated percussion, looping, and a feeling of improvisation with heartfelt melodies and earnest vocals. His music is lovely to listen to, but it is entirely different to see it performed. Patrick and the members of his band seemed to approach each song like a new creative endeavor as they built the sounds up using trickery and technique that you can't fully appreciate unless you see it being done. At any given moment, someone on stage was banging pots and pans, using a bow on a guitar, stomping their feet, or playing the saw. Patrick occasionally sang into a megaphone, and then mute it like a jazz trumpet player.
The show was lively and fun because it was clear that Patrick and the band were genuinely enjoying playing together. It felt like we were looking in on a practice rather than a performance at times--which is not to say say that they were lazy performers. It would be impossible to say that as Patrick even came out into the audience to sing one song, but I did feel like they didn't care whether or not an audience was there at all to see them play. There was just some serious love of music and each other going on that night.

If you haven't heard this talented and unique musician yet, here are a couple of songs by Patrick Watson for you to check out. Also, the set list from the show is posted below--except for one song I can't remember because my pen died and I couldn't write it down.

Go To FileFactory.com

Set List:
Tracy's Waters
Beijing
Wooden Arms
Big Bird in a Small Cage
Traveling Salesman
The Storm
Man Like You
Where the Wild Things Are
Hearts in the Park
Luscious Life

Encore:
To Build A Home
Bright Shiny Lights

Classic Film: Random Harvest

I sat down to watch Random Harvest the other day without having any previous knowledge of it except that it starred the fantastic actress, Greer Garson. I had no idea the pleasant surprise that awaited me with this film from 1942.

The story is about an amnesiac British war veteran who marries a kind chorus girl named Paula. When another head injury restores his memory, the vet then loses all of his memories since the amnesia first set in. He returns to his former life, gets engaged to another girl--all without ever realizing that he has abandoned his first wife. If that wasn't twisty drama enough, Paula resurfaces in her husband's new life, but not in any way I expected.

I was never sure as the film progressed whether the ending would be a happy one or not. I was completely drawn into the story and the characters. For a film that is more than half a century old, Random Harvest never felt out of date.

Random Harvest came out the same year as another great Greer Garson film, Mrs. Miniver. While she may have won an Oscar for her role in Mrs. Miniver, I think Random Harvest might be an even better film. Has any one else seen both of these movies and would like to weigh in?

COMING SOON: THE MOTH

My friend Kim and I are pleased to announce that The Moth is coming soon!

Save the date for TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27th!

For those of you who are not familiar with The Moth, it is a public radio program of true stories from life told without scripts or notes.

Our theme for the night will be, "The Maiden Voyage: Stories of First Attempts."

Storytellers for the evening will be:
Judy Smith
Monica Romig-Green
Danny Paschall

If you would like more info on The Moth, check out their official site: www.themoth.org

Invite a friend a come along!
Kim and Judy

Bon Iver at Hollywood Forever Cemetary

Any Bon Iver fans out there?

Last weekend I was lucky enough to score a ticket to see the band play live. At 6am. In a graveyard.

Yes, you read that correctly. This was a unique concert that was the brainchild of Bon Iver's lead guy, Justin Vernon, and was put on by none other than my favorite radio station, KCRW.

The doors opened at midnight and although I was not among them, many people showed up the the Hollywood Forever Graveyard to camp out. There was music and entertainment throughout the night including a showing of Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket. My friend Bethany and I ended up getting up really early and showing up just in time for a blessing by some Buddhist monks. It was nearly 6 by this time, still dark and appropriately misty. It would have been creepy if there weren't a couple thousand of us all crowded together in the dark.

When Bon Iver finally got onstage, the sleepy crowd roused themselves for an awesome show. As the show progressed, the sky when from dark, to pink, to blue as the sun rose over Los Angeles. It was an odd but perfect setting for a band that sounds as good live as they do on their albums. I'll include the set list below, but make sure to comment if you were at the show. Did you camp out? What was your favorite song of the morning? Post pictures if you got them!

I loved the banjo/fiddle on "Worried Mind" performed with members of the band Megafaun, but you can't beat "Skinny Love" or "Flume" in the morning: best wake-up call ever.

Set List:

Sum

Creature Fear

Brackett, WI

Flume

Skinny Love

Babies

Blood Bank

Beach Baby

Worried Mind by Megafaun

For Emma

Re: Stacks

Wolves