Love Speaks
So I'm leaving tonight for a ski trip in Upper Michigan, which should help take my mind off some of the crises going on around here. And to help take your mind off the jealousy you have for not being able to come with, here's a guest entry by Adman! Like me, he really gets into his concerts, so he's blogging a guest concert review! And he's a very good friend, so treat him well while I'm away.
Concert Review
Brett Dennen-Love Speaks Tour
February 26th, 2007
The Stage Door (behind the Orpheum Theater)
Madison, WI
Are you laid back? In your favorite chair? If you�re the high strung type, this artist will only slow you down. If you like to stop and ponder the design of things, Brett is your guy. I�ll start off with the set up of that Monday night.
So in the beginning of January my wife and I sent out an email to two of our close friends. In this email we invited this pair of friends to give up a night in February and trust us, asking them to bring only a camera, $10, and an open mind. If they asked one question about what we were doing, they would be replaced by someone else. To our surprise, they didn�t ask one question. For two whole months we observed them, they spoke amongst themselves, but never a word to us.
On Monday night the 26th, they both showed up at the house, putting full trust in Melodee and me for the evening. Suckers. We left at 5:30, down the interstate. Harmony�s first guess of Eau Claire was out, maybe La Crosse? Matt would chime in with some dinky town like Portage, Ft. Atkinson maybe? Both wrong. As we drove for a � hour, Harmony says �I know we aren�t going to Madison, it�s not like Melodee to do this.� (You see, we all had to be to work at 7 the next morning, Madison is a 2hr drive, both ways. Melodee loves sleeping like Pooh loves honey, just can�t get enough)
2 hours later, we arrive in Madison, one of my favorite cities. Still no good guesses from Matt (who we affectionately call Bigkat) or Harmony. But we neared State St. so fun was to come for sure. After trying out several parking lots and on the 2nd or 3rd try, we found a spot. Whew!
So now we pick it up, all of us walking down the street, and they still don�t have a clue (at least their aren�t leading on like they do). Out of Noodles & Co. walks a 6�-5� red headed gentleman, with 4 guys on his side. One chimes out �they are comparing you to Jack Johnson, what do you think of that?� (He was reading the review in The Onion) So there we were walking down the street, behind the very artist we are going to see. What do I do? It was the Chris Martin experience all over again. I looked at Mel, she looked at me. Blank faces on each of us. Finally outside the venue, beside a 12� camper they are touring the country in, they all stop. I tug on his elbow, and ask for a picture, he said �sure� He proceeded to put his arms around Bigkat and I and pulled us in closer.
(Harm, me, Brett, and Bigkat)
So now Harm and Bigkat now know what�s up. But who is the guy with the red hair, and why is Adam speechless?
His name is Brett Dennen. He hales from California. He�s not used to snow, cold and slush. This is his first time in Wisconsin. I sincerely hope he comes back so you all can catch him. (He�s on tour now catch him if you can)
(Melodee couldn�t get the camera to work; my feet are on the left, Brett�s on the right.)
None of us had ever been to The Stage Door before. We weren�t sure what to expect when we got inside. (I should also mention this is Bigkat�s first concert) We go inside and are greeted by the usual �Having a drink, you need a wrist band.� The bar was a couple sheets of black plywood, not sure what was behind it. We walk through a set of double doors into the main hall. Maybe 50 seats and about 15� of open space before the stage. All full, so we go up the balcony. (Yes this place had a balcony) Only two people in the front row, so we join. Already in progress is a local artist named Mike Droho. He was pleasant to listen to. He managed to infuse a little rap into his love songs. Interesting. Just a former UW student trying to make it in the music biz. I bought his cd. He pleaded for us to do so, something about gas money.
Honestly the whole show blurred together. I have been waiting about 2 years to see him, now I�m here, with my friends, for $7 a head, having just met him outside. I�m a little excited. Here are some of the songs I�m sure he played:
Desert Sunrise
There Is So Much More
She�s Mine
Those are the ones I could find videos for. (You have to check out �By and By� with lyrics like: I tell you that I, I love you by and by/ I don�t know if I�d survive/ without a friend like you in my life. Guaranteed to put a smile on your honey�s face when you play it for her) He played several others from both of his Albums, his self titled debut and his second effort called �So Much More�.
His show was very spontaneous. They had to deal with their own technical difficulties, telling the sound guy they could use less bass in the front speaker, and so forth. Interestingly he also plays barefoot. He glides around the stage. We would have thought his feet would have got cold. The audience was in it from the beginning. Maybe about 125 of us were invited to dance, and sing the part of the back up singers (who apparently couldn�t fit in the Winnebago) during the song �All We Have�. He split the room into 3 parts. We in the balcony had one part, I forget what it was.
All in all we had a great time. Work the next morning was tough for all of us, (I think Bigkat slept in his clothes) but well worth it. From his beats contest with the drummer Randy (In which Brett would beat box for a minute or so, then Randy would try to copy and out do on the drums) to the seriously themed song �I Ask When�, everyone in the room was enchanted and pleased to know that there is talent out there worth listening to, and it doesn�t cost an arm and leg to go sit with 30,000 people just to get a glimpse. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) At the end of the night, he thanked us for coming and was sorry he didn�t bring us a bottle of wine or a California artichoke, but please would we buy a cd or t-shirt, because something was broken on the Winnebago, and gas was expensive. No problem Brett. Thank you for coming.
I think the girls had fun.
(Melodee and Harmony)
-Adman
Posted by heydomsar
2007-03-09
go back | random brainstorm | go forth
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