tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post6378264649867858810..comments2023-08-10T05:24:20.775-04:00Comments on Razing the Bar: Halleluiah and Other CasualtiesAndy Whitmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-78681992008475960352007-07-09T08:26:00.000-04:002007-07-09T08:26:00.000-04:00A positive note on Hold Steady's audiences from ac...A positive note on Hold Steady's audiences from across the ocean...I saw their sold-out show in Manchester, UK, the other night and saw nothing matching the frat-boy stuff you mention. The audience were all ages, although predominantly 20-something, knew most of the words, had had a few beers but there wasn't a single hockey- (or socccer-) chant. Best sight of the night for a lifelong Sprinsgteen fan was three teenagers word- and note-perfect, harmonising on Thunder Road as they left...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-84354896638222695112007-03-23T05:36:00.000-04:002007-03-23T05:36:00.000-04:00Hi Andy,I was introduced to your writing through P...Hi Andy,<BR/><BR/>I was introduced to your writing through Paste and visit your blog regularly. I trust your ear and sympathize with a lot of your aesthetic values, not to mention your spiritual concerns.<BR/><BR/>In any case, I write songs sometimes, and I had this thought that I'd be really cool if you heard a couple. If you have time, please visit www.myspace.com/sestinasestina and listen to "GEm GEm" and "believe" (and the others if you're interested--the others actually have better sound quality). I just threw the site together today, and it randomly occured to me to comment on your blog. They're obviously demo quality and demo-arranged (i.e. just guitar). To be honest, I haven't been too musically active lately (my band's on a potentially indefinite hiatus), but I thought it'd pass the link on to you.<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>Scott<BR/>Torrance, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-9693272998247174432007-03-22T22:21:00.000-04:002007-03-22T22:21:00.000-04:00Some news from punknews.org..."The Hold Steady hav...Some news from punknews.org...<BR/>"The Hold Steady have announced plans to release a new acoustic EP titled Live At Fingerprints. The strictly limited disc will feature five songs recorded last October during an in-store appearance at Fingerprints independent record store in Long Beach, CA. <BR/><BR/>The album will only be available through indie stores and a full release can be found via thinkindie.com. It is expected on April 17, 2007."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-53592352998592387282007-03-22T11:37:00.000-04:002007-03-22T11:37:00.000-04:00Andy and other Scott... I wonder if I was one of t...Andy and other Scott... I wonder if I was one of the oh so many "dueting" with your son and the Murphys...most likely so. The best show that I can ever remember though was the 101der-fest from '99. I generally piss on all things 101, but for some reason, somehow they got Wilco to "co-headline" this with Matthew Sweet. Now, I can take or leave Sweet and he was decent enough...until he thought it would be a good idea to do a 5 SONG ENCORE! uh...no, you're nowhere near that good. All I could think was how he was cutting into Wilco's time, etc. But then Jeff and the boys, back when Jay Bennett was still around, absolutlely slayed me. From starting off with "Via Chicago" to ending the last encore well past 12 o'clock with "Casino Queen", it was the closest thing to a perfect performance I have ever seen. I remember walking out and my friend asked me "Well, what do you think?"...and I was speechless it was that good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-68978522868603272142007-03-21T13:01:00.000-04:002007-03-21T13:01:00.000-04:00Scott wrote:"I've seen many, many shows at the New...Scott wrote:<BR/><BR/>"I've seen many, many shows at the Newport/Agora since my first trip there from Athens in the mid-seventies and having lived in Columbus for the last 25 years. What's your favorite? The last one I saw there, in September with my son, was Rancid. And it was damn good."<BR/><BR/>Yeah, the Newport/Agora has sort of been my home away from home for many years. I've seen many dozens of shows there; maybe a hundred. <BR/><BR/>Best shows? The Loudon Wainwright III/Richard Thompson double bill from the late '80s would have to be way up there. Elvis Costello when he was just starting out. The Ramones in the late '70s. Bruce Cockburn and Sam Phillips from the early '90s. The Stray Cats when they were all the rockabilly rage. Los Lobos many times, pretty much whenever they come to town. And The Hold Steady show I just saw. It was great; a definite concert highlight of my life.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-16175912926016085982007-03-21T11:20:00.000-04:002007-03-21T11:20:00.000-04:00ah...someone actually has recognized Rancid and re...ah...someone actually has recognized Rancid and recognized that they are damn good. A smile has been brought to my face. I eagerly anticipate the new album sometime this summer, meanwhile, has anyone bothered to checkout the most excellent new Ted Leo?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-13174780862741045202007-03-21T07:53:00.000-04:002007-03-21T07:53:00.000-04:00Scott, I don't know if you're familiar with The Ho...Scott, I don't know if you're familiar with The Hold Steady, but as a big Springsteen fan I feel fairly confident in saying that you would love them. The keyboard guy has definitely studied at the Roy Bittan School of Romantic Bombast, And Craig Finn reminds me very much of early Springsteen circa "The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle," right down to his his phrasing and his songwriting chops.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-55433420057297071962007-03-21T07:47:00.000-04:002007-03-21T07:47:00.000-04:00Scott, The Hold Steady played at the Newport Music...Scott, The Hold Steady played at the Newport Music Hall, near the OSU campus.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-54832621476108112252007-03-20T23:10:00.000-04:002007-03-20T23:10:00.000-04:00No MTV awards?? I don't know...they got that Vagra...No MTV awards?? I don't know...they got that Vagrant Records thing going for them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-42790855318636649632007-03-20T18:52:00.000-04:002007-03-20T18:52:00.000-04:00"Unless you see Sufjan at Calvin. Then no one does..."Unless you see Sufjan at Calvin. Then no one does anything until the concert is over--and then there's only polite clapping."<BR/><BR/>Yep. The first time I saw Sufjan was in fact at Calvin, a couple years ago. I've seen him a couple times since then, but the Calvin concert remains my favorite. It was in a small auditorium/theater, and people sat and listened. I mean they really, really listened. There was no other sound than that of Sufjan and his band. I'll get to repeat that experience, I hope, in about a week and a half. And see Neko Case and Emmylou Harris, too.<BR/><BR/>The Calvin approach works for all three. It probably wouldn't be quite as effective for, say, The Hold Steady.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-64198857656389765182007-03-20T11:39:00.000-04:002007-03-20T11:39:00.000-04:00i guess i won't quibble with you over the designat...i guess i won't quibble with you over the designation as "greatest...." I like Spoon a lot better. But perhaps "like" and "best" are unrelated.<BR/><BR/>Your experience shows that good music is wasted on the drunk. It's a shame that one must wait until a band becomes unpopular to see them in a venue that doesn't involve alcohol, machismo, and slurred violence.<BR/><BR/>Unless you see Sufjan at Calvin. Then no one does anything until the concert is over--and then there's only polite clapping.ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13724389911456722864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-56946251774264002512007-03-20T10:22:00.000-04:002007-03-20T10:22:00.000-04:00Scott, If you are asking about the Cockburn show, ...Scott, <BR/><BR/>If you are asking about the Cockburn show, it was a Stuart's Opera House, in Nelsonville.<BR/><BR/>Great venue. You need to check the site for upcoming shows. Might surprise you.jackscrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16163915446151636189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-12298990374767042212007-03-19T21:52:00.000-04:002007-03-19T21:52:00.000-04:00Well Andy, glad you had fun. Sounded like fun?The...Well Andy, glad you had fun. Sounded like fun?<BR/><BR/>The Cockburn concert was great, per usual.<BR/><BR/>When he did "King Kong Goes to Tallahasee" every guitar player in the place was catching flys....<BR/><BR/>Two hours, one break, with three encores -- closer being "Pacing the Cage" and "Peggy's Kitchen Wall".<BR/><BR/>Good thing he didn't play "Festival of Friends" or id'a cried. <BR/><BR/>Again.jackscrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16163915446151636189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-88388604238267931912007-03-19T15:38:00.000-04:002007-03-19T15:38:00.000-04:00oh i know. i was just giving you a hard time. that...oh i know. i was just giving you a hard time. <BR/><BR/>that's awesome. i was very impressed that randy didn't end up with beer spilled all over him.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03873045531201669483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-25295123769688086972007-03-19T14:46:00.000-04:002007-03-19T14:46:00.000-04:00I'm sure you know this, but for everybody else the...I'm sure you know this, but for everybody else there, there's no slight intended at all, Karen. I had a great time with Randy and Jeremy. <BR/><BR/>My favorite drunk guy was the guy who couldn't even stand, but who was miraculously kept upright throughout the concert by the crush of the crowd that didn't leave him enough room to fall.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-43640623917202090622007-03-19T14:18:00.000-04:002007-03-19T14:18:00.000-04:00i'm afraid you forgot to mention the fabulous comp...i'm afraid you forgot to mention the fabulous company you were with... ;)<BR/><BR/>randy said there were a lot of really really REALLY drunk people there. i guess that's what you get for having a concert on s.p.d.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03873045531201669483noreply@blogger.com