Getaway (February)
New Project Alert! To the surprise of no one who has ever been unfortunate enough to ask me the question, "Who's your favorite band?", I have teamed up with Chicago filmmaker Fred Uhter to produce a documentary about the greatest little rock band you've never heard of, the Vulgar Boatmen. Should be fun, as there are few bands with as long (25+ years) and goofy a history as the Boatmen - and the live concert footage should be worth the price of admission in and of itself. Filming started last month and is set to continue through the summer...
And speaking of artists with long and goofy histories, former "Adventures of Pete & Pete" co-star Syd Straw is all set to do her annual Heartwreck Show on Valentine's Day next week at Tonic. If you've never been to one of these shows, then you're missing out on one of the most memorable evenings' worth of entertainment you're likely to get all year. I've been going faithfully for the past four years (including making an appearance on stage in 2003, allowing bassist J.D. Foster to guess my weight - which he did within 5 pounds!), and the format has pretty much stayed the same. Syd hosts the evening in her inimatable way, telling countless long, shaggy-dog stories in between singing duets with a host of talented artists including Jody Harris, Don Piper, Dave Schramm, and Christine "The Beehive" Ohlmann. I won't guarantee that it'll be the best show of the year, because its most charming feature (the laid-back, shambling vibe) is also its greatest liability - the loose nature of the show allows for lots of moments of wonderful spontenaity and inspiration from the artists, but if it gets too loose then it sort of falls apart (or careens out of control, as it did in the unforgettable 2004 show...). But when Syd & Co. get the balance just right (which is more often than not), there's nothing like it.
You can hear Syd herself talk about past Heartwreck Shows on archived WNYC shows here and here; I'm sure she can give you a better idea of what to expect than I.
And speaking of artists with long and goofy histories, former "Adventures of Pete & Pete" co-star Syd Straw is all set to do her annual Heartwreck Show on Valentine's Day next week at Tonic. If you've never been to one of these shows, then you're missing out on one of the most memorable evenings' worth of entertainment you're likely to get all year. I've been going faithfully for the past four years (including making an appearance on stage in 2003, allowing bassist J.D. Foster to guess my weight - which he did within 5 pounds!), and the format has pretty much stayed the same. Syd hosts the evening in her inimatable way, telling countless long, shaggy-dog stories in between singing duets with a host of talented artists including Jody Harris, Don Piper, Dave Schramm, and Christine "The Beehive" Ohlmann. I won't guarantee that it'll be the best show of the year, because its most charming feature (the laid-back, shambling vibe) is also its greatest liability - the loose nature of the show allows for lots of moments of wonderful spontenaity and inspiration from the artists, but if it gets too loose then it sort of falls apart (or careens out of control, as it did in the unforgettable 2004 show...). But when Syd & Co. get the balance just right (which is more often than not), there's nothing like it.
You can hear Syd herself talk about past Heartwreck Shows on archived WNYC shows here and here; I'm sure she can give you a better idea of what to expect than I.
posted by Michael at 7:33 PM
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