Me, Clint, and our new friend Erin went to see Hem at Workplay Saturday night. I first heard Hem play a couple of months back when we went to see Over the Rhine in ATL with the Murphy’s. Over the Rhine has written some music that has been really important to me and Clint (Drunkard’s Prayer pretty much captures the essence of our relationship to a T), but I ended up enjoying Hem way more!
So Saturday night, this guy named David Mead opened up. Clint’s probably going to be frustrated with me for saying this because I didn’t even listen to half of the set, but: Terrible. Terrible songs, terrible singing, terrible. The guy totally lost me within the first 20 seconds by saying the phrase “sweet piece of ass”. I was really surprised that Hem allowed this man on stage.
Ahh but Hem, they were divine as usual. I didn’t realize that that lead singer Sally Ellyson was pregnant, but pregnant she was! She did the cute pregnant thing and would rest her hands on her stomach as she was singing. A couple of times this asshole from the front would shout a song request like we were at some honkey-tonk (I think it was South Central Rain) and she was like “um, security?”. One of the things that I have grown to love about this band in a short time is how much they remind me of Red Mountain Music when they play: all very talented musicians that have a good repartee, laid back stage presence, but still manage to hit a noticeably bad note or two. There was one part where Steve Curtis (guitar/harmony vocals) hit one bad note, then proceeded to hit two more bad notes in a row. The piano player Dan Messe also fudged a little, but somehow it was endearing and made me appreciate their talent all that much more. I think my one complaint would be that I wish Sally had talked more about the music. She didn’t really talk until the end. I think the intimate atmosphere at Workplay lends itself to storytelling, you know?
Alas, we had great seats, in a great venue, and it was a great show. Really couldn’t ask for more.
So Saturday night, this guy named David Mead opened up. Clint’s probably going to be frustrated with me for saying this because I didn’t even listen to half of the set, but: Terrible. Terrible songs, terrible singing, terrible. The guy totally lost me within the first 20 seconds by saying the phrase “sweet piece of ass”. I was really surprised that Hem allowed this man on stage.
Ahh but Hem, they were divine as usual. I didn’t realize that that lead singer Sally Ellyson was pregnant, but pregnant she was! She did the cute pregnant thing and would rest her hands on her stomach as she was singing. A couple of times this asshole from the front would shout a song request like we were at some honkey-tonk (I think it was South Central Rain) and she was like “um, security?”. One of the things that I have grown to love about this band in a short time is how much they remind me of Red Mountain Music when they play: all very talented musicians that have a good repartee, laid back stage presence, but still manage to hit a noticeably bad note or two. There was one part where Steve Curtis (guitar/harmony vocals) hit one bad note, then proceeded to hit two more bad notes in a row. The piano player Dan Messe also fudged a little, but somehow it was endearing and made me appreciate their talent all that much more. I think my one complaint would be that I wish Sally had talked more about the music. She didn’t really talk until the end. I think the intimate atmosphere at Workplay lends itself to storytelling, you know?
Alas, we had great seats, in a great venue, and it was a great show. Really couldn’t ask for more.
Highlights for me:
Rabbit Songs:
Lazy Eye
When I was Drinking
Eveningland:
Hollow
Half-acre
Fire-Thief
Pacific Street
Funnel Cloud:
Not California
Reservoir
13 comments:
man...we need to get that new record. love you!
very sorry I missed that show.
I'm surprised to hear that about David Mead. I have a couple things by him that I really like -- one of which is a live recording. Strange.
Anyway... glad it was enjoyable.
man - I hate that I was passed out and couldn't be there. I've heard from numerous people that this show was incredible, with more instrumentation then ever.
and I don't get the red mountain reference. personally, I never miss notes. surely you are talking about clint.
I listened to half acre last night and really liked it.. so i might be converting to hem-onism.. or something. Glad you enjoyed the show. I've heard a few things by David Mead over the past few years and have never been really impressed, so the "sweet piece of ass" comment pretty much made me delete any and all songs I have by him lol. Miss you.
clintboy- indeed we do. hope you enjoy wilco, i know you will = )
e- i'm sure david mead has some decent stuff, it just so happened that he pissed me off at the beginning so i totally wrote him off. he could be alright. maybe not.
btm- hehehe, i heard all about your fun day at talladega. mixing liqour and beers a bitch.
and don't even play about not missing some notes mr. murphy. you were the forerunner for some major fuck-ups at the 'help my unbelief' release party. ooh snap!
i only pick because i care.
danielle- yay! i'm glad you're converting. an excellent thing to change your mind about. miss you like crazy babe.
and the fact she was very pregnant was quite endearing. i love them so much more to.. but i almost feel asleep 7 times becuase her voice does that to you...
em- yes, she has an excellent lullaby voice. good for sedation.
comment delete- why did you delete your comment? it was a good one, and a first for you here on my blog.
I think you misunderstood the intention of his lyric.
I want to get a hem CD sinse you recommend them so highly. If you had to get one, and only one, which would you get?
matthew- i'm sure i did, but i still hate him, and his first born child.
on that note: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
ersatz- definitely eveningland. but they're all good. also definitely nothing like jayz or the vampire guy we listened to though, so be forewarned. it's like lullaby music. it's wonderful.
At Liz's kind urging, I decided to repost my previously deleted comment.
I think what I said was that I continue to appreciate Liz's, and Clint's, and Brian's, and others' posts about music. You guys really LISTEN to music in a way I don't. Yes, I know it's because you're musicians, after all, and I'm not. But I appreciate your posts on music because I don't really know anything about music, though I've always enjoyed listening and have plenty of my own baseless opinions about what music is good and what is bad. (Except for my enthuasiasm for RMC music, I try not to share these opinions, as I don't like to be laughed at!)
I also made the point that reading the posts on music is, for me, much like listening to guys who are really into college football talk about their favorite teams and players. They've got stats. They've got stories. They've got insights gleaned from Sports Illustrated, ESPN, highlights reels, that game they saw together from those great seats, rumors from friends in the know, the girl they used to date whose brother played for that other school, what they read in the paper or saw in an email about the latest NCAA investigation, etc., etc., etc. I can't keep up with most of it because I'm just not that into football, but I find it interesting to listen to the discussions nonetheless.
So keep up the good work. Maybe some of us will actually learn something about music.
john- glad you reposted. it's funny that you should lump me in the musician category because i'm actually not a musician. just another music enthusiast i guess you could say.
and i hated football until my dad finally sat me down and explained it. there's so much to know! i've loved it ever since, although my team really sucks (alabama).
glad you enjoy the posts. good to know someone does. and feel free to comment anytime.
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