1 post tagged “rem”
The Patti Smith gig the other night was in one word: Amazing! I had never seen her before, liked the last album Twelve, but mostly went to see a legend without really knowing what to expect. I ended up being treated to a show full of humour, emotion, good natured banter and even some sing alongs. The Paradiso was well sold out, and it was crammed tight from fairly early on, though I must admit I came in much later than I had intended.
It was kind of funny seeing the mix of people there and how after a few years of going to gigs, you start recognising the faces all around. I ran into a couple I met last year at a Nick Cave gig in Antwerp. Then a handful of others I met at the Joan As Police Woman gig in Haarlem last year. One woman I meet just about everywhere, but mostly 16 Horsepower, Peter Hammill and John Cale related things and there was one girl I swear I met at a Bowie gig in 2002. Quite a diverse audience, so.
The evening went all over the place. Up, down, left, right. From sweeping trashing sound to tender ballad, from Hendrix' "Are you experienced?" to Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" (after a long story about getting lost AGAIN trying to get to Rembrandt's House, finally finding it and having a moment of philosophical insight, then turning around and wandering on to the BlueBird cafe for two cups of mint tea and some cake...).
Then there was the story of being online with Gabriel Byrne the night Keith Moon died and how he looked so handsome and she kept buying him hashies, hoping that if she gave him enough he'd think she was a boy.
Also there's the girl that climbed up on the stage to give her a hug, taken into her arms like a grandmother taking in a long lost grandchild. That image gets scattered a little when she jokes "What can I say? I'm popular with the girls" though.
Peter Buck of R.E.M. is playing the upstairs room with Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus Room later that evening, but joins Patti for a cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Highlight of the evening, however, comes when he sticks around to join in on a unrehearsed cover of.... R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts". Nevermind that she forgets the lyrics halfway through... the audience happily takes over. Such is the stuff from where dreams are woven.
All in all, probably one of the most memorable concerts I have been all year, and a perfect night to test my new lens.
Making a little sidestep to the photography end of things... The music mag setup I am involved in is taking shape, and the layout I have seen so far looks promising. It's kind of nice to be involved in something like that, and it's kind of making me a lot more motivated as well.
This is probably the reason I spent most of my day yesterday putting together a little gallery of pictures. Call it a portfolio if you wish. I may actually set up a website again and pimp it a little, though my site programming skills are rusty. Oh well, it doesn't have to be slick, it just has to be functional.
Tom just got in touch with me too for a copy of a picture I took of Bowie in 2003. It's actually one of my favourite pictures ever. He wants to use it for an article they're doing on his work and it will probably be printed in international engineering mags. How cool is that? Frankly, I'm glad I can finally return a favour to him! I do want a hardcopy though :-]
All in all, life's pretty smashing at the moment. I have actually booked a little holiday on Texel in a few weeks, since my mum wants to celebrate her 60th there, with all of the family. Sounds like an accident waiting to happy, but I am taking Solon as well, so I don't have to spend all my time with the rest of them.
One of my German friends just texted me to say Arcade Fire is playing there August 22 and should she get me tickets. How nice! Some of my Bowie related UK friends will come over for that too, so it'll be a nice little reunion.
And once again, summer is shaping up nicely (and quite unexpectedly!)
