Backseat Sandbar

First off Production Simple, Jim James’ Management and John King get a very special Valentine from me because without their help I could not have taken a single photo.  As the clock struck 7, I got decked out in my Sunday best (black suit, red tie and beat-to-heck satchel), and drove down to the Seelbach Hotel.  I wasn’t on the press list because it was a small venue and the “big guns” were there (Paste, Rolling Stone…), but I had hopes to just catch a glimpse of the venue and a song or two to grab a few pictures for our readers.  Tickets sold out in 15 minutes, so I was left out in the cold there as well.  John King has made a huge impact on the Louisville community and could have easily told me to hit the highway.  Instead, he busted his ass to get me into the event.  I got to take pictures of the first couple songs of Bootsie Anne’s set and, as luck would have it, got to take a picture of the men of the hour, Jim James and John King.

The venue was majestic and everyone there will agree.  The Rathskeller is in the basement of the Seelbach and is a scene out of time.  Word is Al Capone played poker in the room.  Arches and frescoes filled your vision and everyone was decked out for Valentine’s day.  Everyone got a rose, so there were plenty of flowers floating around.  [My girlfriend and I celebrated Valentine's day on Saturday, just so I could go to the show.  I guess I owe her a bunch of flowers for the inconvenience.]  Bottom line, I can’t think of a more perfect venue for the finale of the Louisville is for Lovers series.  If they wanted to go out with a bang and in the highest class possible, they reached that goal and exceeded any expectation.  After seeing Jim at the Rud and 21c, I can only imagine the energy in the room as he provided the lovers in attendance a beautiful serenade.

It’s great to know that Louisville has the initiative and the demand to support such a great project like “Louisville is for Lovers” and to show it with a event like the one last night (and Saturday at Vernon Lanes for that matter).

Louisville is for Lovers.  You will be missed.  Cheers to looking forward to what is next!

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(Photos by Noelle Bailey)

I’ve had the pleasure of see Jim James play solo twice this year, and I am amazed each time at how talented he is. (Note: understatement of the year.)  A sold-out crowd gathered in the lower-level gallery at 21c to see James and Daniel Martin Moore as part of a benefit for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth’s involvement with raising awareness of mountaintop removal in Appalachia.  21c has a wealth of resources and has really stepped up as a great music venue in town.  From Akron/Family to Rachel Grimes to the OSSO/BQE showing, it has been a great place to see amazing artists in an intimate setting.

Daniel Martin Moore played first and was eventually joined by James for a few songs.  (Be on the look out for DMM’s upcoming album on Sub Pop with Louisville’s Ben Sollee, coming out early next year.)  Yim finished off the night with a set similar to that at the Rud.  He played a few MMJ favorites, including “The Way That He Sings” (below) and a lot from the Monsters of Folk album.  The crowd stood silently in awe of his pure genius and echoing voice.  I love MMJ live, but James solo (x2) is up there as my favorite shows of the year. He left the stage with everyone wanting more, but satisfied that they just witnessed something special.     For info on KFTC and their mountaintop removal awareness program, GO HERE.

more pics below the break…

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December 6, 2009
21c Hotel (Atrium Gallery)
6pm-8:30pm
$25/$30

Wendell Berry, Erik Reece and Rebecca Howell will talk about their contributions to the book Plundering Appalachia followed by Daniel Martin Moore and Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. On sale NOW at kftc.org/21c, and at 21c.

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is a community of people taking action for justice. We work with people to organize in their home communities and across the state.  We help everyday community members become extraordinary community leaders.  We s9upport community leaders as they build effective organizations.  Together, we win important issue campaigns.

See more video and photos in our review of Jim James’ show at The Rud in October HERE.

This Monday, Nov 2nd, at 21c, Osso (a quartet from Brooklyn, NY) will be playing their new album “Run, Rabbit, Run” which is an arrangement by a handful of New York composers of Sufjan Stevens‘ 2001 instrumental album “Enjoy Your Rabbit” for a classical string quartet.  In addition, Sufjan Stevens will be coming to introduce his film “The BQE” which will follow the Osso Quartet’s performance (film presented in partnership with the Louisville Film Society)!!!!!!!

I’m not going to ask for anything this Christmas.  My wish has come true.

Tix $10 adv, $12 door available at 21c Front Desk & ear X-tacy, and available online at 21c Museum.

Tour Schedule
10-28 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *^
10-29 Minneapolis, MN – Southern Theater @^
10-30 Madison, WI – The Project Lodge @^
11-01 Indianapolis, IN – Indianapolis Museum of Art @^
11-02 Louisville, KY – 21c Museum Hotel *@
11-03 Cincinnati, OH – Country Club @
11-04 Pittsburgh, PA – Warhol Museum *
11-05 Rochester, NY – Lovin‘ Cup
11-06 Medford,  MA – Tufts University *
11-07 Brooklyn, NY – Bell House *

* with The BQE
^ with DM Stith
@ with The BQE plus Sufjan introduction

One of my favorite bands, Akron/Family is coming to Louisville, Kentucky’s 21c Hotel/Museum on September 20, 2009.  They are mostly folk-sounding, but throw in a health serving of electronic and experimental elements.  I’ve seen a few shows at 21c and they all have been good.  I hope they start doing this more often.  Louisville will be the last stop on a pretty hefty tour, so I hope they end with a bang.  Jeffrey Lewis and Slaraffenland open.  Not sure about ticket info yet, but when we find out, we’ll get this updated.

Also…

A series of 7″ singles from Akron/Family’s recent Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free LP will be available at the shows.   Each record comes with a Set ‘Em Wild track on the front and a brand new creation on the back– the first one, “Everyone Is Guilty” is available at the band’s site now.

Akron/Family Tour:

07-22 Cleveland, OH – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
07-23 Detroit Lakes, MN – 10,000 Lakes Festival
07-24 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge !
07-25 Calgary, Alberta – Calgary Folk Festival
07-26 Calgary, Alberta – Calgary Folk Festival
07-29 Steamboat Springs, CO – Ghostranch Saloon
07-30 Vail, CO – The Sandbar
07-31 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
08-02 Liberty Park, NJ – All Points West Festival
08-11 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel *
08-12 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
08-13 Atlanta, GA – E.A.R.L. *
08-14 Birmingham, AL – BottleTree *
08-15 Asheville, NC – Harvest Festival at Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
08-28 San Francisco – Outside Lands Festival
08-29 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theater $
09-07 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot Festival
09-08 Portland, OR – Baghdad Theatre
09-10 Baltimore, MD – Talking Head Club #
09-11 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s #
09-12 Monticello, NY – ATP NY
09-14 Hudson, NY – Jason’s Upstairs #@
09-15 Williamsport, PA – Site B #@
09-16 Ithaca, NY – Castaways #@
09-17 Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place #@
09-18 London, ON – LOLA Fest
09-19 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick #@
09-20 Louisville, KY – 21C Museum Atrium Gallery #@

! with Icy Demons
* with Wooden Wand
$ with Howlin’ Rain, Lucky Dragons
# with Jeffrey Lewis
@ with Slaraffenland

LARKIN GRIMM – 21c Hotel

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
In the atrium gallery
Doors open at 7pm
Cash bar

$8 in advance and $10 at the door
Tickets available at the 21c Hotel Front Desk and ear-X-tacy
Percentage of the proceeds benefit International Contemporary Art Foundation

An artist of diverse background, Larkin Grimm’s talent eludes commonplace musical genres. Perhaps a chanteuse folk-singer-songwriter, her voice and instrumentation plunge into the intense, ecstatic, and ethereal. A former member of the Dirty Projectors, Grimm has also pursued painting, sculpting, writing, and performance art—at one point even receiving a scholarship at Yale University.

Larkin Grimm has shared the stage with Devendra Banhart, Spires that in the Sun Rise, Entrance, The Microphones, Viking Moses, and Old Time Relijun. After traveling the US continent and excursions into Thailand and Guatemala, she currently resides in Providence, RI and has released three albums to date: Harpoon (Secret Eye, 2005), The Last Tree (Secret Eye, 2006), and Parplar (Young God Records, 2008).

Opening for Larkin Grimm will be Louisville’s own Sandpaper Dolls with 16mm projections by Cinemanonymous. Returning after a Summer Open-Air Garage show at 21c on First Friday Trolley Hop, the a’cappella trio Suki Anderson, Rebecca Dennison, and Amber Estes has performed individually as a.m. Sunday, Liberation Prophecy, and the Jamie Barnes Band.

Get your ticket early and join us for this rare chance to see these very talented performers!

Larkin Grimm- Ride That Cyclone [audio=http://marivaudage.s3.amazonaws.com/larkin/02%20Ride%20That%20Cyclone.mp3]

I don’t really do clubs, but something as big as this is at least worth noting. Hotel Nightclub is set to finally replace the upstairs portion of Fourth Street Live on Friday, Feb. 22, filling the 10,000 square feet void left by Red Cheetah, Parrot Beach and Palm Bar’s eviction. The club is said to be a “VIP ultra lounge, featuring high-energy house/dance music.” ModelShooter has already been doing some work for them (I’m guessing they might have had a closed party first). Personally, I welcome the change, replacing trashy places like Parrot Bay with something like Hotel. To this point, I’ve only ever really been to Felt or Maker’s Mark down on Fourth Street, but it looks like my options might have widened just a bit. Expect the lines to be long on Friday, but it might be worth checking out nevertheless if you’re not at the Wax Fang show.