On Saturday, March 5, 2016, I attended a screening of Paul Thomas Anderson‘s film Punch-Drunk Love with the score played live on stage by Wild Up, the Wordless Music Orchestra, and composer Jon Brion. The film was shown at the Theatre at Ace Hotel . You can read about the film’s plot at the link above, if you have not seen the movie since it debuted in 2002. You can also see it on Netflix. The orchestra was already in place on the stage as the audience filtered into the theatre for this sold out performance. The conductor, Ryan
Author: admin
Gather ‘Round and Stomp the Floor
On Saturday, February 27, 2016 I caught The Dirty River Boys playing at Hotel Cafe. Having been encouraged to attend by a friend, I knew nothing about this band going into the show, other than they hailed from Texas. They played a good mixture of songs in varying tempos that I would categorize under the Americana genre, with flavorings of cowpunk, country, and even Celtic rock. Guitar players Nino Cooper and Marco Gutierrez, and bass player Colton James, traded off singing lead for various songs. Often times the whole group was singing together, producing solid harmonies and sonorous vocals. The
I Was Happy With You
Friday, February 26, 2016 found me back at Largo at the Coronet for Jon Brion’s monthly show. There was no guest to open the show, just Jon coming on stage, sitting down on a chair, and introducing himself saying that if the Irishman was there (referring to Largo-owner Mark Flanagan) he would say something like, “Get your knickers in a twist,” [here’s Jon Brion]. Then, as if he’d accidentally sat in the wrong seat, Jon hopped up and moved over to the piano, where he is clearly most comfortable easing into things. He started off playing some sweet jazz modulations
A Mortal With the Potential of a Superman
On February 6, 2016, I attended David Bowie: A Musical Tribute held at the Plaza Playhouse Theater in Carpinteria, California. This was a benefit for The Young & Brave Foundation, which helps children and young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer and their families. The show was produced by Ones to Watch Productions, who believe, and I can agree, that “music is the universal language that connects and touches us all.” The format was such that each musician would perform one or two of David Bowie’s songs backed by the house band under the musical direction of Tariqh Akoni.
It’s a Little Bit of Everything
I was absolutely thrilled to attend the Dawes concert on Saturday, January 23, 2016 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel (formerly known as the United Artists Theatre). I last saw Dawes in October as part of the Bluegrass Situation Festival. Since that time I had added the album Stories Don’t End to my music collection, which already contained the recent album All Your Favorite Bands and Nothing is Wrong. It always feels good to be fairly familiar with most of the music an artist is likely to play at a concert, as it enhances my appreciation and interest level for the