« spoon :: gimme fiction | Main | new releases 05.17 »
May 16, 2005
live :: gang of four, kathleen edwards
Tonight was marked on my calendar for months: the first chance to see my heroes Gang of Four in the flesh, to hear "Damaged Goods", "I Found That Essence Rare", and "Anthrax" with all of the bite and passion that I imagined as I held my hard-sought used LP copy of Entertainment and spun it over and over in college.
I also knew it would be a Monday, and that the mood wouldn't be quite right. And so tonight I saw a band obviously in command of their music, and often thrillingly so, but with a long week looming (and the Doves waiting at the end) I stood at the back and kept my distance. From there, I knew the band had given their all and the crowd up front had the time of their life. For my part, I was only sporadically abosorbed, more my fault than theirs. I hope you can dedicate yourself more than I was able to - I'm sure you'll get out of it what you put in.
On the other hand, last Tuesday I found myself with time on my hands and Kathleen Edwards at the club across town. So off I went, hoping for a few good tunes, a short night and a couple of beers with a pal.
Just as when I saw her two years ago, she proved that she's so much more than the polished AOR songstress her record company would lead you to believe she is. She likes to rock, she goes all out, and she has spazzy Canadian stage banter about Ottawa. She's not afraid to sing about hockey skates, and if she was a pro she'd be Kris Draper - solid, careening, and yet displaying flashes of finesse. Don't miss her when she comes around.
Thoroughly endearing. I'm glad to bring back the song about the blue line, with its great guitar lick, here.
Kathleen Edwards :: Hockey Skates (mp3)
Gang of Four tour dates
Kathleen Edwards tour dates
Posted by borrowed_tunes at May 16, 2005 11:50 PM
Comments
Don't you think the lyric that begins "Do you wish that your nose was longer.." almost ruins this track? I like the album ('Failer'), though.
Anyway, love your site. I think I originally found it through the Sharon Jones thread on ILM a while back.
Posted by: Audrey at May 17, 2005 03:14 PM
Thanks for the kind words! I actually thought the fundamental conceit - "I'm tired of playing defense, and I don't even have hockey skates" - was a major howler until it wore me down. She's the kind of girl that keeps a twinkle in her eye even through the worst that life has to offer, and it's refreshing given the dour, self-destructive affect of the Lucinda Williamses of the world (don't get me wrong, I like Lucinda too, but sometimes . . . get over yourself).
Posted by: borrowed tunes at May 17, 2005 04:13 PM
I just returned from the Gang of 4 in NYC. Anyone who has described their shows as huge is kidding themselves. It was tired, outdated, and unexciting. I'm not sure what else to say except that I wish I hadn't gone, and, unlike you, the conditions were ripe for me to like it - the end of my first year on a new job, etc. I have to note a strange thing though. As I listened to Entertainment! during the week before this show, I found myself feeling some of the same feelings I mention about the live show for the very first time with them. I'm not sure why. I guess the conditions weren't all aligned. I HATE Irving Plaza.
Posted by: JC at May 18, 2005 12:07 AM
I feel bad that your blog had to be spoiled by JC, buzzkilling product of our declining educational system.
I feel sorry that he had to go see Gang of Four after completeing his first year at new job and discover they are tired and unexciting and just plain not as cool as he is.
If he makes any more importnat contributions to the cultural landscape do keep me informed...
Posted by: not JC @ NYU at May 30, 2005 10:01 PM