Saturday 29 Sept. Bagel and coffee. Subway from 103rd, 1 train. I went to Century 21, a large department store downtown, right next to Ground Zero. A lot of great clothing for not much money; I had a ball. Especially in the hat section.
I lived on bagels, coffee and pizza this week. A slice of pizza is about $2, and the size of a small island.
It was strange, this was Saturday - my second day in the city, but I felt like I'd always been there. I belonged! I wore a leather jacket and was asked for directions.
The Fillmore East at Irving Plaza is created in the image of the original Fillmore in San Francisco, the same Fillmore where Lucinda Williams' spectacular live album comes from.
I got a Jameson's and browsed the merch table. Something caught my interest: a pile of albums I hadn't seen before... Upon further investigation I discovered the 'essence' of Lucinda's tour. Concept concerts! She plays for a number of nights in a row, each night playing a different album which is recorded, then mastered and burned to cd while she parties through the second half of the show.
So at my particular concert, Lucinda with her band came on and performed World Without Tears. She was beautiful and so entertaining, telling jokes and stories in that southern drawl. She finished all the songs from that album, and the first half was over. Out the back, the mastering of the new recording began...
Lucinda left the stage, and Fionn Regan came on. Sometimes there are so many young male solo folk singers in the world I just get sick of it. But this guy really is great. I guess nobody in that genre today can get away from the word 'Dylanesque'. There I said it. Now I need a drink. Regan's little show was cool but lively. He played what he wanted and didn't care about the obnoxious crowd. Soon after that Lucinda returned to jam with friends Jim Lauderdale, Chip Taylor, and my personal favourite, CHARLIE LOUVIN!!. He wore suspenders. What a funny old guy. I highly recommend his latest album, it includes Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Tift Merritt, and David Kilgour! David Kilgour from Dunedin!
So all these great musicians partied their way through various Lucinda Williams songs, and Chip Taylor's big one - "Wild Thing", and the concert was over. And here's the best part: I bought the cd at the merch table of the show I'd just been at. Lucinda Williams live at the Fillmore East NYC, Sat 29 September 2007.
Lucinda Williams Live @ The Fillmore (East)
