Recent Concerts You've Enjoyed

Thought this might be a fun thread and a way to find out about acts on tour.

My wife and I saw the Smoke Fairies at the Tractor Tavern last evening as the opening act for Rasputina. The Smoke Fairies are a 'folk blues' duo from Wales and have been described as "Bob Dylan's dream." I thought that their debut release "Through Low Light and Trees" was one of last year's best. It was just the two principles singing and playing guitar. Really terrific concert with excellent acoustics and thankfully not too loud.

If you are ever in Seattle, the Tractor Tavern is a great venue in the Ballard neighborhood. Very fun people watching...I think my wife and I were the only ones without tattoos! I got to chat with them after their set and had my LP signed. I love the lilting Welsh accents!

Here's a video of "Hotel Room" from their debut LP:

[video]

 

Yesterday we enjoyed the Linton Music series' April 21st performance. Exceptional performances of all four pieces.


Linton Music link here: http://lintonmusic.org/season-announcement#April
Program Notes here: http://lintonmusic.org/program-notes#April

Sunday, April 21, 2013 – 4pm
Monday, April 22, 2013 - 7:30pm

Leon Fleisher, piano
Jaime Laredo, violin
Bella Hristova, violin
Ida Kavafian, viola
Sharon Robinson, cello

Ludwig van Beethoven
? Serenade for Violin, Viola and Cello in D Major, Op. 8
Marcia: Allegro – Adagio
Menuetto: Allegretto
Adagio - Scherzo: Allegro molto - Adagio tempo primo - Allegro molto – Adagio
Allegretto alla Polacca
Andante quasi Allegretto – Allegro – Tempo I
Marcia: Allegro

Jaime Laredo, violin
Ida Kavafian, viola
Sharon Robinson, cello

Antonin Dvo?ák
? Miniatures for Two Violins and Viola (Drobnosti), B.149, Op. 75a
Cavatina: Moderato
Capriccio: Allegro
Romance: Allegro
Elegie: Larghetto

Jaime Laredo, violin
Bella Hristova, violin
Ida Kavafian, viola

John Corigliano
? The Red Violin Caprices
Theme
Variation 1: Presto
Variation 2: Con bravura
Variation 3: Adagio, languid
Variation 4: Slowly con rubato
Variation 5: Presto, pesante

Bella Hristova, violin

INTERMISSION

Johannes Brahms
? Quintet for Piano, Two Violins, Viola and Cello in F Minor, Op. 34
Allegro non troppo
Andante, un poco adagio
Scherzo: Allegro
Finale: Poco sostenuto; Allegro non troppo; Presto non troppo

 

Hot on the heals of the Linton Music series' April 21st performance, I Spent Friday Evening enjoying the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) performing incredibly good music play at or near the best I've heard them play.

CSO link: http://cincinnatisymphony.org/Content.php?id=230

The show Title for this series was called Inextinguishable

The Guest Conductor was Carlos Kalmar and the violinist for the Concerto was Simone Lamsma

The music included:
- BEETHOVEN: Leonore Overture No. 2
- BRITTEN: Violin Concerto
- NIELSEN: Symphony No. 4, The Inextinguishable

Some program notes:
The sweeping Inextinguishable Symphony, written against the backdrop of World War I, conveys, in Nielsen’s words, “The elemental Will of Life. Music is Life and, like it, inextinguishable.” (A duel between two sets of timpani in the finale is a highlight!) This intriguing program also features Simone Lamsma, a rising star violinist with technique to burn, performing Britten’s Violin Concerto—music that is at once tender and lyrical, spirited and passion-filled.

This was an excellent night and an outstanding performance!

Dre

 

Leo Kottke at the EGG in Albany NY...Leo is a great guitarist and even better entertainer... amazing the variety of ages in the audience

 

Checked one off the musical bucket list last evening at Jazz Alley. The Brad Mehldau Trio with Larry Grenedier and Jeff Ballard was spectacular. Here is a small taste:

[video=vimeo;19796100]http://vimeo.com/19796100[/video]

 

Aerosmith! Had a blast!

 

Buddy Guy. What a guy (at 77!).

 

Next week, May 19th....Rolling Stones

 

Next week, May 19th....Rolling Stones

Lucky guy! I'm envious, but happy for you!

 

Lee Ritenour (small venue, sound was dialed in, performance was sensational)
Victor Wooten (same small venue, great sound, wonderful performance...female vocalist Crystal Peterson..great pipes)
Gordon Lightfoot (concert hall with great acoustics...good band...Gordon at 73 has lost much of his range but still puts on a great performance and can still do his finger picking thing...great time had by all)

 

I used to live a few blocks from Gordon Lightfoot

 

I've followed his career from the late 60s. He is a Canadian national treasure.

 

I grew up in Toronto. He lived very close to me but that goes back over 35 years ago

 

IMO there's never been anyone quite like him. He is the penultimate minstrel/troubador. In fact if you read his lyrics without musical accompaniment they read like well written poems. His deep knowledge of so many things is evident in his lyrics and his songs always tell a story. There's never been anyone like him and it's likely there never will be. When he's gone it will leave a very large void in the world of music.

 

Next week, May 19th....Rolling Stones

Happy Anniversary!

 

The Kruger Brothers at Space in Evanston. Very good.

 

Diana Krall and very disappointed because she did not wear anything similar to what she was wearing at the album cover of Glad Rag Doll

 

Diana Krall and very disappointed because she did not wear anything similar to what she was wearing at the album cover of Glad Rag Doll

 

Diana Krall and very disappointed because she did not wear anything similar to what she was wearing at the album cover of Glad Rag Doll

I think that you have to be Declan Patrick MacManus to enjoy that ensemble.

 

Dead Can Dance was pretty good at the Sydney Opera House.

Redd Kross was awesome when they played with Dinosaur Jnr. Dino Jnr was fckn LOUD.

 

I enjoyed an awesome evening at The Monastery Studio with and intimate performance of no more than 100 guests.

On the ticket were Ben Lapps and the feature was David Wilcox. There was a very interesting contrasts in styles and audience engagement.

The Monastery Studio: http://monasterystudio.com/home

David Wilcox: http://www.davidwilcox.com/index.php?page=homepage

David Wilcox: Start With an Ending

David Wilcox - Hurricane (Bing Lounge)

Ben Lapps - The Perc U Lator (Eric Roche)

Ben Lapps - Phunkdified