September 14, 2006
Solomon Burke & Sweet Harmony at the Belcourt
Posted by Brendan McKennedy at September 14, 2006 3:34 PMListen up Middle Tennesseans and mid-South ramblers. You don't want to miss this. According to Gillian Welch's website, Gil & Dave will appear as guests of Solomon Burke and Buddy Miller, along with Emmylou Harris (!) and Patty Griffin (eh) at the Belcourt Theatre on September 25. King Solomon's country record Nashville, produced by Buddy Miller, hits store shelves the next day. By the samples on amazon.com, the record sounds largely acoustic-strummy and rough around the edges -- in other words, a Sweet Harmony production. These folks should form a brand name. Well, most of them.
The Belcourt is a Jazz Age movie house in the artsy-trendy Hillsboro Village neighborhood of Nashville: coffee shops, art galleries, a Mellow Mushroom pizza joint. The Opry broadcasted from the Belcourt, then called the Hillsboro Theater, in the mid-1930's. I saw Grant-Lee Phillips there in 2001, and I've seen Gil & Dave there three times. It's a perfect venue for the spooky spells they churn up. Just a few hundred seats in the place, a liquor bar. Ornate gold-leafed woodwork frames the stage, and the backdrop is bare black concrete. It's a nearly Lynchian atmosphere, and a mic'd acoustic guitar sounds lovely in there. I'm sort of upset that I can't go. Someone reading, please write us a review.
I'd bet a buck or two that after the show, at least some of the ensemble will sit for autographs at the West End Tower Records.
I'm glad as hell, by the way, to join the Hickory Wind team. Thanks to Larry & co for the invitation. It's a peculiar feeling to write something when you know people will look at it, even a weblog entry, so I may take awhile to find my footing. And I hope that my nudging around in new blog software doesn't wreck the joint.
(long time listener, first time caller)
The Belcourt is just a hop-skip-and-etc from where I hang my hat in Nashvegas. Great venue, but (perhaps not) unfortunately ignored by the whole Lower Broadway crowd.
Sounds like a good show; I might be able to get in on it (if I haven't been laid low by the Americana Music Conference at the Mercy the week before)... but it *is* Monday night...
Posted by: Dee at September 14, 2006 9:15 PMA few things:
1) Welcome to the blog, dude!
2) Boney, err, "Brendan," good work calling out Patty Griffin on your first post! You said you were gonna do that. (It's all him, Patty, don't come after us!) ;-)
3) Whether you belive it or not, we *all* read your Boney Earnest stuff. That's why we had to harrass you into writing with us -- so we could get our Tent Revue fix.
4) Dee, I'm very glad you stepped out from backstage to post! Welcome! Be sure to tell us about the show if you go.
And lastly -- damn that *does* sound like a great show! Especially since there's a good chance of hearing *new* songs from Gil and Dave.... man alive!
Posted by: larry at September 14, 2006 9:53 PMOh that reminds me, I saw a post on Guitartown today that said that Jimmy Buffett is covering "Elvis Presley Blues" on his next album. (hehe)
Posted by: larry at September 14, 2006 9:53 PMI can't think of a response to the Jimmy Buffet comment, except that I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THAT COVER, EVER.
I have nothing against Patty in particular, except that she's so clearly out of her league in Sweet Harmony. I just dislike the frangible flower-petal-soft wide-eyed pouty-mouthed Adult Contemporary vanilla touring band americana female singer songwriter genre. PattyGriffin ShawnColvin MindySmith etc. They all melt together into a sort of wallpaper glue. (Have I stepped on enough toes yet in my first week?) Obviously there's a huge contingent of listeners who disagree with me about this type of artist, or else there wouldn't be like six million of them.
Posted by: Brendan at September 15, 2006 3:17 PMBrendan, have you heard Carol Ames yet? She's about as fragile as a stiletto.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at September 15, 2006 4:25 PMNothing against Solomon Burke, Buddy Miller, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Emmylou Harris or Patty Griffin (okay, I'm still pissed at Patty Griffin for the lackluster concert I attended) but I'm really getting tired of the ever popular duet discs. I can't think of one that I play regularly (with the exception of "Poet: A Tribute To Townes Van Zandt".
Ooops. Obviously I'm comparing apples and tribute albums. I can't think of a duets disc that merits repeated listening.
Posted by: Hal at September 15, 2006 7:45 PMI'll check out Carol Ames, for sure.
Hal, I just want to be clear that the Burke record isn't a tribute -- it's a proper Solomon Burke album, produced by Buddy Miller, with songs written and guest appearances by Gillian, Emmy, etc.
As tribute albums go, Poet is definitely at the top of my list. Lucinda's version of "Nothin" surfaces like a bruise, and Emmylou's reading of "Snake Song" sticks pins in all the right vertebrae. I have yet to get around to the Bloodshot Records tribute to Wanda Jackson. Neko Case, Trailer Bride, Kelly Hogan, Wayne Hancock -- does it get any better?
The only duet album in my collection I can think of is Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, but I've really liked what I've heard of Caitlyn & Thad's stuff.
Posted by: Brendan at September 18, 2006 12:37 PMThanks for the comments Brendan. Let me qualify my complaint. By duet, I meant forced pairing of multiple "stars" with an elder statesman (or woman) on one over-produced and over-hyped disc. I think Thad and Caitlyn, Ella and Louis are great. It is the superstar mercenary duets I can't stand.
Anyone have any votes for the worst duets disc of all time?
Posted by: Hal at September 18, 2006 4:59 PMIt's not a disc, and it may (I pray) not even be a recording, but apparently Alison Krauss duetted with Shania Twain at some awards show a while back. I love Alison, of course, which is what makes this pairing all the more painful. I mean, good god. Why?
Posted by: stacy at September 19, 2006 10:39 AMWell, at least they weren't kissing.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at September 19, 2006 11:15 AMI believe you're think of kd twain.
Posted by: Hal at September 21, 2006 5:24 PM
