I love the somewhat cynical but not unyielding Frenchman in the beginning. I love that the a cappella version(s) are sung in this gorgeously Parisian, Old-World apartment building. In the first version, I love that there is a friendly dog running about. I love that people came home to find Bon Iver in their hallway. In the second version, I love the spirit of spontaneously making music for people out on the street. I love the idea of terrifying tourists with something unexpected and wonderful. In the third version, I love how amazing and pure their voices sound.

And I love the in-between songs.

And, I mean, unicorns! The mascot of hipsters everywhere. His are rocket-powered. One is even on skateboards.

I believe my favorite illustrations are the little red and pink bear on a ladder dreaming big…and then dreaming even bigger (and then it’s right up in your snout). And the cordoned off purgatories for non-dreamers Who’ve Given Up or Who’ve Never Tried. And the “Dream-etery” where all my dreams reside, beneath that menorah-looking thing. Also enjoyable are mundane people’s dreams of breakfast sandwiches. And “reg-u-lar”.

On his website, there is Dallas Clayton poetry, such as:

EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY

As I write this
an accounts receivable manager
has just joked
that he “put the G in Gmail”
and gotten a laugh
from a mail clerk
who came to work high.

I will let you draw your own conclusions.

Dallas Clayton has a six year-old, so you should buy his book for all the six year-olds you know, some of whom may be in their thirties.

©2010 Copyright Dallas Clayton

Because I am an idiot (I forgot the show was that night), I got there too late to see Britt Daniel of Spoon play his three songs (BD and/or Spoon has played 3-4 different places all over New York and Brooklyn recently and I have managed to miss each appearance. (I did shell out for a ticket to the Spoon show at Radio City Music Hall in March because I saw Björk play there 10 years ago and the acoustics are so amazing it sounded like she was standing in front of us.)

Oh well. Here is Britt Daniel playing “Who Makes Your Money”:

So I missed the frontman for one of my favorite bands, and it does not matter an iota because I got to see St. Vincent and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) play and then I got to see them play together (Songer Singwriter – consisting of Annie, Justin, a drummer and Brad from Megafaun). Another honor was the surprise guest, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), who sang this amazingly gorgeous song whose name I do not know. Her voice and delivery just blew everything else out of the water. She also did a Prince cover, which was wonderful. Had I known anything about her before Saturday, I would have gone to the show she had played the previous night at Bowery Ballroom.

Here is Justin Vernon performing one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen live:

Unexpectedly, for a bunch of delicate-sounding musicians, Songer Singwriter devolved into really balls-out noise (or evolved, depending on how one feels about noise), I mean, a crashing, borderline painful cacophony, particularly at the conclusion of “Jolene”, of which I do not have video.

Songer Singwriter cover Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon”:

And here is a partial clip of Songer Singwriter performing a jawdropping cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”:

Unrelated to the show, but having everything to do with Bon Iver, as part of another amazing evening with my friend, Kate M., she introduced me to La Blogotheque, which is run by people who invite musicians to play tiny, intimate shows in France. This is an a cappella version of “For Emma” sung in the hallway of an apartment building in Paris. Love the bewildered residents who came home to find Bon Iver. And, of course, the dog.

[Incidentally, Kate does not know this yet but she consistently introduces me to music that makes me think "This is why life is worth living." Not just the fantastic music itself, but the joy in discovering it exists out there in the world. Thank you, Kate, for also being out there in world.]

And I will leave you with a lovely, heartbreaking rendition of “Skinny Love”, also courtesy of La Blogotheque. Look at those joyous Frenchies who got to sit in a room the size of a closet and drink wine and sing along with this:

AIDS Wolf
An Horse
Angry vs. The Bear
(Animal Collective)
Apes & Androids
Arctic Monkeys
Atomic Kitten
Avi Buffalo
Baby Alpaca
Band of Horses
Bat for Lashes
(Be Your Own Pet)
Bear Hands
Bear in Heaven
Bear vs. Shark
Bearsuit
Birdmonster
Birds of Tokyo
Birds of Wales
Black Horse
Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears
Blank Dogs
Bloody Panda
Bowerbirds
Breathe Owl Breathe
Byrds of Paradise
Caribou [formerly Manitoba]
Cat Power
Catfish Haven
Chicken Snake
Common Loon
Crocodiles
(Crystal Antlers)
Cub Country
Danger Mouse
Daylight’s for the Birds
Deer Tick
Deerhoof
Deerhunter
Department Of Eagles
(Des Roar)
Doveman
Dr. Dog
Ducktails
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagull*Seagull
Earl Greyhound
El Perro Del Mar
Elefant
Elephant Parade
Fleet Foxes
Foals
Freelance Whales
Frightened Rabbit
Gorillaz
Grizzly Bear
Grouper
HORSE the Band
Horse Feathers
Hot Snakes
Jaguar Love
Japanther
Kid Koala
Kittens Ablaze
LadyHawke
Le Tigre
Lemuria
Lion Fever
Lubricated Goat
Lucinda Black Bear
Lungfish
Maus Haus
Miniature Tigers
Minus The Bear
MINKS
Modest Mouse
Mongrel
Moth! Fight!
Mouse on Mars
New Young Pony Club
Night Horse
Noah And The Whale
Noxious Foxes
Panda Bear
Panthers
Part Chimp
Patrick Wolf
Pedro the Lion
Peter and the Wolf
Pig Out
(Plants and Animals)
Priestbird
Psychedelic Furs
Red Sparowes
Rob Crow
Robyn
Sea Wolf
Seabird
Shark?
(Simian Mobile Disco)
Slang Chickens
So Cow
Spacehog
Stars Like Fleas
Stereo Pony
(Super Furry Animals)
Sweet Cobra
Tarantula
Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt
The Antlers
The Bees
The Bird and the Bee
The Dear and the Headlights
The Deer Tracks
The Deer in Your Headlights
The Detroit Cobras
The Donkeys
The Doves
The Eels
The Field Mice
The Fruit Bats
The Giraffes
(The Humble Feather)
The Jaguar Club
The Jesus Lizard
The Late Birds
The Mountain Goats
The Octopus Project
The Owl Stations
The Ponys
The Reindeer Section
The Wooden Birds
The Wrens
(The Young Fur)
These Arms Are Snakes
They Shoot Horses Don’t They
(Tickley Feathers)
Toadies
Tortoise
Toy Horses
Turbowolf
Tweakbird
Ultra Dolphins
Wallis Birds
We Are Wolves
Whales and Cops
White Rabbits
White Whale
(Wild Beasts)
Wild Yaks
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wolf Eyes
Wolf Parade
Wolfmother
(Zoos of Berlin)

Fake/Mythical/Extinct Animals and Monsters:
Care Bears On Fire
Dinosaur Feathers
Dinosaur Jr.
Dinowalrus
Dragonette
Dragons of Zynth
Echo & The Bunnymen
Goblin Cock
Graffiti Monsters
Humanbeast
Little Dragon
Mastodon
Megafaun
Mogwai
Nymph
Pet Ghost Project
Phoenix
Pterodactyl
Siouxsie & The Banshees
That Ghost
The Black Angels
The Dodos
The Muggabears
The Pixies
The Raveonettes
The Unicorns
Thing-One
Thunderbirds are Now!
USAISAMONSTER
Vampire Hands
Vampire Weekend
Your 33 Black Angels

New Off-shoot: Skeletons
Band of Skulls
Beach Fossils
Dead Man’s Bones
Ebony Bones
Skeleton Key
Skeletonwitch

Updated 07.24.2010

188

Stephen Merritt (far right) telling you that someday your dog or cat will die. I could see the band much better than my crappy cell phone lens could.

I bought two tickets in August to see Magnetic Fields play at Landmark Loew’s Theatre in New Jersey on Thursday, October 23rd. Landmark Loew’s is a gorgeous, cathedral-like movie theatre across the street from the PATH Journal Square Station. Then, the day of the show, the person with whom I was going fell ill. Literally fell. Unconscious. On the subway. (He’s okay now.)

I posted an ad on CL, FB, MySpace and sent emails asking if anyone wanted to buy my extra ticket. No cigar. Then I thought maybe I could sell the ticket at the show. Yes, it was me and eight other people out front trying to offload tickets, including a surprisingly bitter scalper. Part of the problem: Jersey. Other part of the problem: assigned seating. Result: show not sold out. Due to recent good luck with opening bands, I have been trying to go to shows on-time, so ten to 8 I went inside, ticket unsold.

The show was awesome. Stephen Merritt was obviously high or was just his usual high-seeming, random self. No, he was undeniably high after the intermission. He and Claudia had this odd banter like he was a crotchety, old man merry prankster and she was his exasperated, long-time companion, half humoring him, half laughing with him, half wanting him to shut it. Wait, that’s too many halves. She sang a lot of the songs he sang on the albums. But he sang, too. The vibe of the show was very low-key. I overheard a woman outside saying that she almost fell asleep at one part, but really they had just played some really delicately beautiful songs. You sometimes forget, with the funny lyrics and romping music, how gorgeous and deeply sad his songs can be.

It happened that there were two empty seats next to me, the seat for which I had the ticket and the one next to it. On my right was a very nice lady and her fellow. So, I piled my scarf, hoodie, coat and purse onto the seat next to me, and ended up sitting half yoga style with my left knee on the empty seat and leaning on the armrest.

At some point during the intermission, a woman behind me asked if anyone was sitting next to me, and because in times of inattention I can be oddly literal and oddly honest, I said, “No.” thinking they wanted to put their coats on the seats or on the backs of the seats, which one of them had already done and it was quite fine with me. However, I overheard her excitedly telling her friends on her cell phone that there were seats open in front of her and they should come on down.

Okay, here’s the thing. I do not want to be a selfish bitch. Nor do I want to cause trouble. But it is one thing to be made slightly uncomfortable by people sitting next to you in close proximity, such as in a movie theatre. It is quite another to pay $42 for the privilege. I did not want to stuff my purse under my seat, nor hold my coat, hoodie and scarf on my lap, nor sit on them. I did not want have to sit pressed between two other people. The way I saw it was, I had paid extra so my purse, coat, scarf, hoodie, left knee and left elbow would have a nice place to sit. I would like to think, too, that the woman to my right was more comfortable due to me leaning on my armrest and leaving the other for her exclusive use.

So, I turned around and told the woman that actually, I had paid for this seat, so only the other seat was free. She had this frozen smile on her face and I overheard her saying on her cell phone that she guessed she was mistaken because the seats were not open. Then after the show started again, I heard a lot of whispering, which may or may not have been related to me. But really, I had paid an extra $42 so I should be comfortable. Right?

Was I wrong? Am I a total bitch? My elbow and knee do not think so. I am inclined to agree with them.

Singing about the future and bionic eyes

Jonathan Coulton, a singer/songwriter with funny songs, “opened’ because The Hodg was late due to the taping and he also performed during the reading.

The Hodg reads from his new book, More Information Than You Require

10:35pm Paul
somebody got contacts today
and that somebody is me
haircut tomorrow
i’ll be like a new man

10:36pm Cari
Woo!
Sexy time for the Paul!
How short are you going or what style?

10:36pm Paul
pretty short
but it’ll just look like when i got here

10:36pm Cari
I think I’m an alcoholic because this week, I feel like I really need alcohol.
Like if I don’t get some at night I want to curl up into a ball and cease myself.
Also, the cigs don’t help.
I never saw you when you got here.
I met John Hodgman tonight.

10:37pm Paul
[snipped]
oh nice

10:38pm Cari
I couldn’t afford his book but now I think I should have made him sign my address book or something.

Then it turns out my friend, with whom I did not stand in line, totally is like his drinking buddy and they all chatted for like 15 minutes.

Now I’m thinking I should have gone back up there and partaken.
Tonight has been very regretful for me…i.e. full of regrets.

I just feel all outside of everything.
And a black hole of what not to do.
Sorry to vent.

10:40pm Paul
s’okay

10:40pm Cari
It’s like we met for a nice chat and I just vomited my angst all over your nice new xmas sweater.

10:40pm Paul
i never liked this sweater
even though it’s new

10:40pm Cari
Well, you can still give it to a homeless person.
He or she won’t mind.
Might not even notice.
Now it’s like I vomited all over the homeless.

10:42pm Paul
way to go, cari
it’s not a big deal
it’s just john hodgeman
you’ll meet better celebrities than that
[snipped]

10:45pm Cari
[snipped]
it’s not the celebrity, it’s that he’s really funny, and nice and I like him.
And I have nothing funny or original to offer spur of the moment.
If I could write him an email, maybe something would surprise me.
But you can’t send emails at book signings.

10:49pm Paul
right
most people don’t do well in those situations
so don’t beat yourself up

10:50pm Cari
I just don’t want to be one of those assholes who asks what their favorite cereal is.
Or this dick in front of me who accused JH of making him miss his dinner.
And JH was pretty gracious all things considered, and said he’d come from a taping (The Daily Show) so he hadn’t eaten dinner either, and did that guy want to stay and sign all these people’s books so JH could go eat a steak?
Hahaha, that was awesome.
It wouldn’t have mattered if I hadn’t been feeling so unmoored this week.

So, I am waiting in line at the bank only half listening to the music they were playing.

First, it was

Then:

All fairly par for the bank music playing course. But then, surprisingly (for me):

[Of course, they played a shortened version because you know, Stairway to Heaven it's not...never mind that the full-length song has a nice build to it.]

There had been hints here and there that this song had gained some popularity, but I’d not paid much attention: a person whom I would not expect to know who Death Cab for Cutie was, did, and also I thought I saw “I Will Possess Your Heart” on that stupid video screen in the elevator but it flashed so quickly, I knew not what I had seen.

So…yay for Death Cab.

$20 no-fee tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com

Prior to “We Were Dead….”, I 100% would have gone. But now they suck and don’t play enough older songs to warrant attendance.

However, if they hopped on the “play an album in its entirety” bandwagon and opted to play (my all-time favorite) This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, or Lonesome Crowded West, or Building Nothing Out of Something, or even The Moon and Antarctica, I would be in line right now instead of typing this.

Of the free shows, I want to see: Sonic Youth w/ The Feelies, The Breeders, Fiery Furnaces, Liars w/ Fuck Buttons, Feist, Blonde Redhead, Battles w/ Black Dice and Gang Gang Dance, Santogold and Aesop Rock.