How's My Living? » lucy wainwright roche

This Week in Great Music: 9/26 – 10/2

Sarah — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:48:54 +0000

Apparently in addition to last week being Andrew Bird week, last week was also “Sarah’s Too Busy to Blog” week. No worries, friends, I have a review of the (thoroughly amazing) Hideout Block Party coming up. Let’s just pretend that last week didn’t happen, otherwise.

This week is full of shows I want to go see but might not get to. I am hoping to see The Low Anthem tonight and Megafaun on Wednesday, but in reality, I might just go home and go to sleep instead.

Also, you’ve got a chance to hear me make my internet radio DJ-ing debut on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio. I’ll be playing some tunes for the music-loving masses from 6-9 pm on Saturday, October 1st. Give a listen, it will make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. And if you’re in to supporting local, all-volunteer organizations, consider giving a tax-deductable donation to CHIRP to help out with its fall campaign. CHIRP is a non-profit organization, and all donations go towards things like rent, internet streaming fees, and paying utilities. No donation is too small; even $10 will be a help. Check out the donation page, read up on CHIRP if you’re unfamiliar, and please consider giving. As an added bonus, if you put my name (or even the blog’s name) down under the “How did you find out about CHIRP” box, I’ll hook you up with your very own customized, possibly potentially hilarious, mix CD. Do it, it’ll make you feel good inside.

Monday, September 26
Beirut; Congress Theater. 7 pm, $30
Robbie Fulks, Randy Lee; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
The Low Anthem; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $12

Tuesday, September 27
Lucy Wainwright Roche, Anne Heaton; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-20

Wednesday, September 28
Bear Lake, The Juliets, Missing Chums; Double Door. 8:30 pm, $5
The Damnwells, Harper Blynn, Carley Tanchon; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $15
Megafaun, Doug Paisley; Schubas. 9 pm, $12

Thursday, September 29
Dar Williams, Joan Osborne; Park West. 8 pm, $35
Girls, Nobunny, Papa; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $18

Friday, September 30
Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen; Chicago Theatre. 7:30 pm, sold out
Mason Jennings, the Pines; Park West. 7:30 pm, $20-22
The Avett Brothers, Truth and Salvage Co.; the Aragon. 8 pm, $38.50-43
Tony Lucca, Jay Nash, Matt Duke; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-22
Ari Hest; Schubas. 10 pm, $18

Saturday, October 1
Dala; SPACE. 7 pm, $15-26
Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen; Chicago Theatre. 7:30 pm, sold out
April Smith and the Great Picture Show; Henry Wolfe; Bottom Lounge. 9 pm, $10
Jon Drake and the Shakes, The Future Laureates, Kingsley Flood, Ben Ripani Music Co.; Subterranean. 9 pm, $10

Sunday, October 2
Meh

Concert Review: Over the Rhine, Lucy Wainwright Roche; Lincoln Hall, 4/8/11

Sarah — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:34:50 +0000

[I've had this post sitting around in my drafts for a little while, and though it's not exactly timely anymore, I've got to admit that I'm really proud of how these photos came out, and wanted to share them in a post here with people who may not have seen them otherwise.]

Over the Rhine have long been one of my favorite bands, ever since I was first introduced to them by a friend in college. They manage to combine many of the things which make music fun for me: well-written, thoughtful lyrics; a singer with a powerful voice; a playful stage presence; an easy rapport with their fans. Karin Bergquist, she of the huge voice, is someone who I admire tremendously as a singer. I would love to channel her energy and strength as a performer. Over the Rhine songs are always my go-to songs when I’m looking to give myself something to do vocally. I walked around the house singing along to their new album, The Long Surrender, the other day; my cat looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, but sometimes you’ve just got to belt out along with Karin: ”All my favorite people are broken, believe me, my heart should know.”

Currently on tour for The Long Surrender, the band’s setlist for the evening drew primarily from that album. While there were some old favorites that I missed hearing, I do enjoy the new songs. Some of the new songs have been floating around for a while now; I saw them perform a few of them at SPACE last year. It’s been interesting to see which new songs made the cut for the album and which are still just live-only tracks. Unlike some bands who constantly re-tool new songs between being debuted on the road and winding up on a record, the newly debuted songs last year didn’t sound all that different from their official, post-release renditions. It’s a fact that makes it easy to convince someone to see Over the Rhine in concert: if you like Over the Rhine’s studio albums, you’ll love them live. End of story.

The main thing that I love about an Over the Rhine show is that there is always a sense of warmth and family present. There’s never a disconnect between performer and fan. The whole show feels like a conversation, like we could be sitting in Karin and Linford’s Civil War-era house, their dogs curled up on the sofas, listening to them chat and sing, like we’re all old friends. They tell stories, both spoken and sung, and for just a little bit, you can wrap yourself up in Karin’s warm voice. You don’t have to forget your troubles, but maybe you can exorcise some demons along the way as she sings.

Lucy Wainwright Roche is a frequent opener for Over the Rhine, something that makes me immensely happy, as it gets Lucy and her beautiful voice and simple folk songs even more exposure. I first found Lucy several years ago, when she was just finding her feet in the busy world of Wainwrights-as-musicians, and have been pleased to follow her career since then, whether it’s a house concert in Bridgeport or opening for half-brother Rufus in a large, ornate theatre. Her wry sense of humor and storytelling always charm the audience; every time I’ve seen her, I’ve always been struck by how many people leave the concert talking about how much they enjoyed Lucy. (I go to a lot of shows. It’s not often that people are still talking about the opener, even after the main act is finished.) Many of her songs came from her new, self-released album, and Lucy even got Over the Rhine in on the action during her set, bringing them up for a sing-along to Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart”.

See the rest of my photos on Flickr. For more photos which are way better than mine, check out Tammi Myers’ at QRO Magazine.

Setlist behind the jump.

The Laugh of Recognition
Rave On
Sharpest Blade
Suitcase
Undamned
On a Roll
Oh Yeah By The Way
The King Knows How
Infamous Love Song
Only God Can Save Us Now
Unspoken (instrumental)
There’s a Bluebird in My Heart
Trouble
Days Like This
All My Favorite People

Encore
Drunkard’s Prayer
No-Kill Shelter

This Week in Great Music: 4/4 – 4/10

Sarah — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:17:12 +0000

This week’s got a lot of great shows on the calendar, and I’ll be at a couple of them. Come find me and say hi at Tuesday’s Mountain Goats show (the Vic), or Friday’s Over the Rhine show (Lincoln Hall). I’m hoping to make it to Lincoln Hall on Saturday for Sharon Van Etten, but my own band, Jungle of Cities, is doing a show that night at US Beer Company (1801 N Clybourn). If you’re not enticed by any of the other shows on Saturday night, come out and see us — I think we go on around 10.

Monday, April 4
Robbie Fulks, Steve Frisbie; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, The Opposition Party, DJRC; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, sold out

Tuesday, April 5
The Mountain Goats, Megafaun; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $20
Joe Firstman, Marianne Keith; Martyrs. 8 pm, $10

Wednesday, April 6
The Raveonettes, Tamaryn; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $18

Thursday, April 7
David Choi, Drew Dawson; Subterranean. 7 pm, $12
The Cave Singers, Lia Ices; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $14
Wye Oak, Callers; Schubas. 9 pm, sold out

Friday, April 8
Andrew Belle, Haroula Rose; Schubas. 7:30 pm, sold out
Cut Copy, Holy Ghost, Kid Color; the Riviera. 8 pm, sold out
Over the Rhine, Lucy Wainwright Roche; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $22
Bone and Bell, Cloudbirds, Steve Dawson and Ellen Cherry; Uncommon Ground (1401 W Devon). 9 pm, $5
Movits!, Reds and Blue, Boutros; Beat Kitchen. 9:30 pm, $10

Saturday, April 9
Robert Plant and the Band of Joy, North Mississippi Allstars; Auditorium Theatre. 8 pm, sold out
Sharon Van Etten, Little Scream, In Tall Buildings; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $14
O’Death, Grandchildren, Chaperone; Beat Kitchen. 9:30 pm, $10
Las Guitarras de Espana, Uncommon Ground (1401 W Devon). 9:30 pm, $15

Sunday, April 10
Meh.

This Week in Great Music: 10/4 – 10/10

Sarah — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:39:25 +0000

Bit of a quiet week. I’m headed down to explore a new neighborhood on Friday for a house concert with Antje Duvekot and Lucy Wainwright Roche. I love house concerts, I just wish they weren’t so far away from my little north side cocoon.

Monday, October 4
Robbie Fulks, The Bramble and The Rose; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, October 5
Darren Hanlon, Martha Berner; Mayne Stage. 8:30 pm, $10

Wednesday, October 6
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant; Schubas. 9 pm, $14

Thursday, October 7
Justin Nozuka Band, Alex Cuba; Martyrs. 7 pm, $20
Maria Muldaur; SPACE. 8 pm, $20-36
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant; Schubas. 9 pm, $14

Friday, October 8
Suzanne Vega, Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm & 10 pm, $36-40
Antje Duvekot, Lucy Wainwright Roche; house concert. 8 pm.

Saturday, October 9
fun., Steel Train, Jarrod Gorbel; House of Blues. 7 pm, $13
Willy Porter and the Carpe Diem String Quartet; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-40

Sunday, October 10
OK Go, Company of Thieves, Summer Darling; House of Blues. 6:30 pm, $18-22.50
JP, Chrissie and the Fairground Boys, Amy Correia; Park West. 8 pm, $25
Will Hoge, Erick Baker; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $20

Concert Review: Over the Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche, SPACE 4/29

Sarah — Wed, 12 May 2010 21:50:51 +0000

This was the seventh time that I’ve seen Over the Rhine in concert, so I think I’m well-informed enough and justified in saying that the Ohio-based band always puts on a phenomenal show. Karin and Linford are not only top-notch performers — they know just how to pick a backing band, structure a set list, work a crowd — but they seem like downright good people, too. I’ve known all of this for years and years, but it’s reinforced every time I see them perform live.

Karin and Linford aren’t on the road promoting any particular album; their most recent album of new material is 2007′s The Trumpet Child. They’re on the road because they love making music. They’re going into the studio shortly to start work on their next album, working with producer Joe Henry, and are doing it as a grassroots, fan-supported affair, and have already amassed a hefty list of supporters on their website. This is a band which has been making music for 20+ years, is loved fiercely by their fans, and does it all while hovering just under the mainstream.

Their setlist included several new songs which they’ve been test-driving as of late, which may or may not make it onto the final cut of the forthcoming album. Shows highlighting new, unreleased material can be a little iffy — the audience doesn’t know the material, so it’s a little harder to keep them engaged. But these new songs fit in well, nestled between familiar favorites like “Drunkard’s Prayer” and “Cruel and Pretty”. They go right along with the natural evolution of Over the Rhine’s music and already feel like old friends, if you’ll allow me to personify a song for a moment.

The new songs are introspective, ponderous little numbers, but not afraid to be lyrically playful: “Only God Can Save Us Now”, for example, is a song about the various people encountered in Karin’s mother’s nursing home, some of whom had Alzheimer’s or dementia, some of whom who have since died. I don’t know how many other songwriters can work the words “fuzzy wuzzy was a bear” into a song that isn’t appearing on a children’s compilation album. The new songs were accompanied by stories of their origins, both mundane and profound: adopting a dog, a life-long love, the loss of a parent. Over the Rhine’s three-song encore consisted solely of new (or new-to-us) songs: “Infamous Love Song”, a stunning song which shows off Karin’s powerful vocals; “No-Kill Shelter”, a song ostensibly about adopting a dog, but full of the clever word play and double entendres that crop up often in their music (see also, “North Pole Man”), and “Honey, You Don’t Know My Mind”, a Jimmy Martin cover led with some fantastic guitar work by multi-instrumentalist Kenny Hutson. It’s a move that would be dangerous for less loved bands, sending you out the door with only vague notions of a new song in your head, but the packed house of Over the Rhine fans didn’t seem to mind.

Lucy Wainwright Roche opened and was a delight to listen to, as usual. Even though I’ve heard her stories more than once, I still can’t help but find myself amused by them. She played a few old tunes, like “A&E”, her folksy cover of “Hungry Heart”, and a song she always dedicates to herself, as she’s spent the past several years touring, in a car, by herself — a cover of Richard Shindell’s “Next Best Western”. Lucy’s got a new album out, currently, but it’s a limited pressing, only available directly from her. I’m hoping that someday, she’ll get to do a headlining show out here in Chicago, where we’ll be able to hear more than just five or six songs. She certainly deserves it.

Check out my photos from the show over on Flickr.

Over the Rhine: Official Website | MySpace | Twitter | Store
Lucy Wainwright Roche: MySpace | Blog

This Week in Great Music: 4/26 – 5/2

Sarah — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:51:45 +0000

Hey, so April’s almost over. What’s that all about?

I’ll be at the Thursday night show for Over the Rhine; I’d be at Wednesday’s, too, but making it to Evanston once in a week is going to be a stretch, so I’m not going to push it.

I can safely say that there’s a show every night this week that I want to be at. I’m not going to make any predictions of where I’ll actually show up, though, because that’s just asking for me to spend all week sitting at the computer and playing Plants vs. Zombies.

Monday, April 26
Robbie Fulks, Greg Cahill; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Jakob Dylan and Three Legs, ft. Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, Mimicking Birds; Park West. 7:30 pm, $25
Amos Lee, Tift Merritt; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, sold out

Tuesday, April 27
Jonsi, the Vic. 7:30 pm, $35
The Nadas, Keri Noble; Schubas. 8 pm, $12

Wednesday, April 28
Jonsi, the Vic. 7:30 pm, $35
Chris Pureka, Martyrs. 8 pm, $10-12
Over the Rhine, Lucy Wainwright Roche; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-40

Thursday, April 29
Gipsy Kings, The Venue (Horseshe Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond IN). 7:30 pm, $45-95
Over the Rhine, Lucy Wainwright Roche; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-40
Yeasayer, Sleigh Bells, Chandeliers; Metro. 9 pm, sold out
Jason Collett, Zeus, Bahamas; Schubas. 9 pm, $15

Friday, April 30
Los Campesinos!, Cymbals Eat Guitars; Metro. 7 pm, $18-20
Alice Peacock, Peter Bradley Adams; SPACE. 8 pm, $17-28
Lila Downs, House of Blues. 8:30 pm, $26-28
Kid, You’ll Move Mountains, Geronimo!, Inspector Owl, polarOPPOSITEbear; Schubas. 9 pm, $8
The Apples in Stereo; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $14
Essex Channel; Uncommon Ground (1401 W Devon). 10 pm, $10 suggested donation

Saturday, May 1
Jonatha Brooke, SPACE. 8 pm, $24-28
Deanna Devore, Rachele Eve, Ol’Boy; Hideout. 9 pm, $8

Sunday, May 2
Jon Langford and Christine Tarkowski; Chicago Cultural center. 2 pm, free
All Things Lucid, The Shams Band, Ornery Little Darlings, Jaime Rojo; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $7

Concert Review: Over the Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche, Old Town School of Folk Music, 12/12

Sarah — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:07:12 +0000

August 9, 2009

It’s not every day that you get to see one of your favorite bands not only perform twice, but perform two stellar sets and manage to outdo themselves each and every time. Saturday was just one of those nights, with two shows by Ohio natives Over the Rhine (husband and wife duo Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist, backed by a phenomenal band) at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

I’ve seen Over the Rhine several times over the years (these two shows were numbers five and six) and have never been disappointed, and these two shows were no exception. I always find myself at a bit of a loss for words when talking about their music, which makes it hard to review a show. There’s something so very real about their music — every last lyric comes from the heart. As they say in their song “I Don’t Want to Waste Your Time”, Linford and Karin don’t want to waste our time with music we don’t need. But it’s okay, because their music is definitely something that I would say is needed in this world. They’ve been making music for 20 years now, and I can say that my life is definitely much richer for it.

The early show seemed a bit subdued; the crowd was quieter, the age demographic skewed a bit older, and the concert hall had an almost reverent attitude towards the show and the performers. While the set lists have run together in my head (I forgot to take notes to help jog my shady memory), I felt that the early show drew mostly from Snow Angels, their most recent “holiday” album (I wouldn’t call it a Christmas album, and really think it’s better referred to as a “winter” album, maybe.), and from The Trumpet Child. From my seat, at very far stage left, I finally got a good look at drummer Mickey Grimm, and all I can say is that this man is an artist. He comes across as kind of humorous and goofy, but he is definitely talented. I’ve always found drum solos to be a little cheesy, but Grimm’s solo on “Who’m I Kiddin’ But Me” always manages to be both fun and incredibly impressive.

The second show was, almost predictably, the opposite of the first. The audience was a little closer to my age range, and very vocally engaged in the show. This set provided many more uptempo moments and stretched a little wider across the band’s 20-year history, but the highlight for me was the band performing “Poughkeepsie”, from 1996′s Good Dog Bad Dog, which Karin introduced as being a song for anyone who feels like crap during the holiday season. This is one of my favorite songs ever – my coffee house song, my open mic song, one of about three songs I can play on guitar — and I’d doubted that I would ever hear Over the Rhine perform it, as it’s from an older release and their shows usually don’t go that far back for material. Lots of others in the audience seemed to feel the same way, too, as there were more than a few gasps of surprise/delight/whatever when the song began. An absolutely gorgeous moment, and I’m not afraid to admit that I got chills and maybe a little teary-eyed. Hey, it happens.

Other songs performed included “I Don’t Want to Waste Your Time”, “Born”, “Trouble”, “North Pole Man” (who wants innuendo-laden holiday songs? yes please!), “I’m On a Roll”, “All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue”, “Snow Angels”, “Ohio”, “Don’t Wait for Tom” (introduced as the song where “Karin’s going to beat the crap out of a cookie sheet”; someone should send them a box of old cookie sheets as a Christmas present, I think), a cover of Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl”, “Hush Now (Stella’s Tarantella)”, “Desperate for Love” (which had one audience member explain that he’d been waiting forever for that song, which amused Karin to no end), and “Etcetera Whatever”. Both encores included “All I Need is Everything” and “New Redemption Song”, with the second set including “Angel Band”, dedicated to the father of a family friend who had recently passed away, a gorgeous yet heartbreaking tribute. Over the Rhine truly is one of those rare bands who can both make you laugh and bring you to tears in the same 90-minute period.

Opener Lucy Wainwright Roche was a fantastic choice, and the audience loved her. I first saw Lucy in January 2008, opening for her half-brother Rufus, and I’m glad to say that she just keeps getting better. Unlike Rufus, Lucy’s music is obviously rooted in folk tradition, accompanied only by a delicately-played guitar. Much like Rufus (and the rest of her Wainwright-heritage), however, Lucy is absolutely hilarious. She’s not only gifted with a pure and clear voice, but with a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humor as well. Though her set was short (only five songs), she certainly won over the audience with a series of amusing anecdotes: living the life of a touring musician and spending a lonely two years on the road; going on a date in London which ended with her date in the hospital after one of his lungs spontaneously collapsed; having her luggage and equipment lost by an airline; meeting Bruce Springsteen but being too shy to say anything to him; and getting ready to leave Brooklyn to drive out for this leg of the tour and finding that her car wasn’t parked where she’d left it the night before. She’s a wonderful musician and storyteller and I look forward to the release of her first full length album, which will hopefully be out next year. She has two EPs out currently, which can be purchased from Lucy directly on her MySpace page.

Over the Rhine: Official Website | MySpace | Twitter | Store
Lucy Wainwright Roche: MySpace | Blog

This Week in Great Music: 12/7 – 12/13

Sarah — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:04:59 +0000

Good morning to everyone from snowy Chicago. I got to test out my new winter boots this morning, so I guess I can’t lie to myself anymore; it really is winter now.

It’s a pretty small concert list this week, although there are tons and tons of classical and holiday shows going on this week. Every day this week at noon at the Harold Washington Library, and 12:30 at the Art Institute, there are free holiday concerts from local choirs, if that’s your thing. And with Dashboard, New Found Glory, and Rooney all doing shows this week, I feel like it’s the 90s all over again. Win? I’m not sure. This weekend has some epic shows: XRT’s holiday show out at the Allstate Arena with The Flaming Lips, Phoenix, and Pete Yorn; The Flat Five at the Hideout (Kelly Hogan and Nora O’Connor in the same place? Yes please.); the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival at the Congress on Saturday (with Bela Fleck headlining); and a day of free opera on Sunday at the Cultural Center downtown.

Monday, December 7
Sloan, Lincoln Hall. 7 pm, $20
Dashboard Confessional and New Found Glory, Subterranean. 7:30 pm, $25
Rosi Golan, Luke Brindley, and Peter Bradley Adams, SPACE. 8 pm, $10-18

Tuesday, December 8
Rooney, House of Blues. 6:30 pm, $13-16

Wednesday, December 9
Elizabeth and the Catapult, SPACE. 8 pm, $8-18

Thursday, December 10
Nothing; enjoy your day off in the cold.

Friday, December 11
The Flaming Lips, Phoenix, and Pete Yorn, Allstate Arena (6920 Mannheim, Rosemont). 7 pm, $40-50
The Flat Five (Gerald Dowd, Kelly Hogan, Scott Ligon, K.C. McDonough and Nora O’Connor), Hideout. 9 pm, $10

Saturday, December 12
Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival, Congress Theater. 11 am, $35
Over the Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche, Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm and 10 pm, $21-25 (7 pm show sold out)

Sunday, December 13
Day of Opera, Chicago Cultural Center. 1 pm, frees
Kris Delmhorst and Hayward Williams, Schubas. 8 pm, $14