So last night I went with my fabulous roomie and my dear friend from work to the Exit/In for a long awaited show......Joshua Radin and Vanessa Carlton. We all found it a big strange that Vanessa was actually the opener, but the set up worked. I've enjoyed Joshua's music for over a year now, actually finding him through his former girlfriend Schuyler (pronounced: Skylar) Fisk( http://www.myspace.com/schuylerfisk) -sidenote: she also happened to be to be in the phenominal movie The Babysitters Club-
Back on point, Vanessa opened the show for Joshua (there was an opener for her, but we didn't make it there in time). We got there right after she started playing "White Houses" which I believe was the first single off her second album, both of which didn't do great. The front have of the audience was sitting on the floor Indian style, apparantly in a throw back to Vanessa's days in "Montessori School". She told the audience that she went to Montessori school for 10 years and thats why she has so many problems. haha. I'm not totally familiar with her second album, but yesterday at work I listened to a lot of her new one on Rhapsody. I gotta say, it's really really good. It also must be said that she is even better live. If you ever have a chance to see her, especially in a club setting, do it. Her vocals were superb live, and she is an incredibly gifted piano player (her piano talents remind me in many ways of Tori Amos). She did her job as far as I am concerned......I'm definitely going to hop out and buy at least the newest cd, if not one or both of the older ones.
Back on point, Vanessa opened the show for Joshua (there was an opener for her, but we didn't make it there in time). We got there right after she started playing "White Houses" which I believe was the first single off her second album, both of which didn't do great. The front have of the audience was sitting on the floor Indian style, apparantly in a throw back to Vanessa's days in "Montessori School". She told the audience that she went to Montessori school for 10 years and thats why she has so many problems. haha. I'm not totally familiar with her second album, but yesterday at work I listened to a lot of her new one on Rhapsody. I gotta say, it's really really good. It also must be said that she is even better live. If you ever have a chance to see her, especially in a club setting, do it. Her vocals were superb live, and she is an incredibly gifted piano player (her piano talents remind me in many ways of Tori Amos). She did her job as far as I am concerned......I'm definitely going to hop out and buy at least the newest cd, if not one or both of the older ones.
Check out her new cd Heroes and Thieves here (http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Thieves-Vanessa-Carlton/dp/B000VKJ6UY/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216839535&sr=8-1)
And check out her second album Harmonium here (http://www.amazon.com/Harmonium-Vanessa-Carlton/dp/B0002ZYEKA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216839322&sr=8-4)
*She played the track Half a Week Before the Winter at the show. Check it out.
After Vanessa's set came our friend Joshua Radin (dreamy as always). He's got a cool little band (himself on accoustic, a keyboard/toy baby grand player [an artist in her own right, check her out here www.myspace.com/laurajansenmusic], a bass player, a drummer, an electric guitar player, and a cellist........with the electric player occasionally on mandolin). His songs are very personal and very in depth.......something i enjoy.....but what i dont necessarily need to know is how he was having dreams that his ex cheated on him and then they broke up and she broke his heart and then he wrote this song......i mean, i like knowing the back story behind songs, but not if it involves speaking unkindly of someone (it might be different if his fans didn't know who his ex was, but i feel like most do.....in fact, someone shoulted her name to him last night). His music and set are incredible, but not for the downhearted.....you might commit suicide afterwards even if you're just a tinge sad. For happy people, it's likely to bring you down to an introspective contemplative state, and let's be honest, that's usually not a bad thing.
Watch for Joshua's new album which is out the end of August (and features the lovely Ptty Griffin on the song You've Got Growing Up to Do, a song that you can currently listen to on his myspace minus Patty)
Check out his first full length album We Were Here (one of my favs is Starmile) at http://www.amazon.com/We-Were-Here-Joshua-Radin/dp/B000F4MLZ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1216840082&sr=1-1.
Or check them out on the road! (www.joshuaradin.tickets.musictoday.com)
Peace, Love, and Good Music!
-Lela
1 comment:
I was among the front half of that audience that night sitting in the floor. In fact, as one of the first people there, I was just sitting up front by the stage waiting for the show to start and several others joined me. The show started unexpectedly, and we just stayed seated. Vanessa loved it, but Joshua called us a sleepy crowd.
Either way, Vanessa is coming back to Nashville in two weeks, and I'm going to be there!
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