Dark Waters, 2006 (yesterday actually), Oil on Panel, 12x12
Doug and I went to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center last night to see Ray LaMontagne, one of my very favorite singers perform. We saw him once before at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC and he was amazing, not to mention endearingly uncomfortable onstage, so we were looking forward to this concert too.
Unfortunately there was quite a big difference in the audience this time than the last time we went to SPAC. We were out numbered by teens and young adults looking for fun and were surrounded by incredibly rude, hostile and loud people. The young girls in front of us kept flipping their long hair backwards into our laps to redo their ponytails, instant messaged all of their friends, talked on their phones and basically chattered through the whole thing. The worst though, were the two old-enough-to-know-better women behind us (row W, section 3, seats 105 and 107 to be exact), who literally talked at the top of their lungs, you know, SO THEY COULD HEAR EACH OTHER OVER THE MUSIC, and discussed their family histories, lack of good friends and other very personal issues. They only did this during the first four songs though, because Doug finally had had enough (I tend not to say anything in these kind of situations) and turned around to tell them to shut up, and the guy next to them, at the very same time told them to stop too. They were fairly quiet after that, though we could feel the daggers, until we left, when they felt compelled to then curse at us. There were also a few vomiting issues in the next section, which is a problem for everyone downhill, if you know what I mean. I think this is about the last large venue show for us. We are just too old to handle all of that crap and we left before the other band, Guster, whose audience this was, I'd say, based on the lack of interest around us in Ray's performance, came onstage. I have one of their albums and I like their music but we both were glad to head home early. Geez, I do sound old!
Despite all that, it was great to hear Ray singing. I totally connect to his music. His voice so full of passion and yearning and the lyrics are wonderful and-if I could write lyrics-express what I would like to say. I found this description of his voice that is a much better expression of it than I could ever come up with, so go check that out. He had more musicians onstage with him this time and he played some new music, including a great cover of "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. His new album comes out in a few weeks and I am really looking forward to getting that onto my ipod for studio music.
I am delivering eight pieces to the Smithy-Pioneer Gallery in Cooperstown today for a group show called Upstate Landscape. I literally painted all of these pieces this last week and glued them into the frames just this morning. Cut this one a bit too close I'd say, but there didn't seem to be any other way around it. The opening is on Monday evening from 5-7pm, just case you plan to fly into town for it. heh.
12 comments:
I have never heard of this singer, but i will be sure to check him out.
Someone vomited on my shoes at a Grateful Dead concert once. That took the shine off the event in a huge hurry. I had to leave as i couldn't bear wearing the puked-on shoes one second longer than necessary.
wow everytime a see a new work of your's the colors you use just wow me This one is awesome
Beautiful painting!
Meno, What a bummer to have to leave a Dead concert because of that! I would have had to leave too. Hope you like Ray.
Thanks, Amber and Robin. I found that this is a painting that is very difficult to photograph. It's actually much darker in real life, and even nicer I think. Moodier.
I've never really liked concerts unless they were really civilized. I don't like the crowd pushind thing... Bjork live was fantastic when she toured with an orchestra, chorus, and throat singer. When I was little I was a big fan of Raffi concerts.
I love your artwork. Do you sell it?
Hi Bobealia, I love Bjork! She is such a kook, in a good way, and has such an amazing voice. I bet her concerts are good. Glad you like my work. I do sell my work but I don't personally handle that. I hand everything over to the galleries listed on my sidebar and they sell them for me.
small venue shows are the only ones I go to any longer, I like you can't stand the big crowds and their need to talk, act out loudly, and on and on. Lessons learned the hard way, but makes you appreciate the small, personal shows so much more in retrospect!
You are so right Harold. I love the shows that we have seen recently in small venues. The others have been a mixed bag, obviously.
Must be another age thing, don't you think? Even though I didn't go very often, I loved going to concerts at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, when I was in college. I didn't vomit though. Well, at least not AT the concert:-)
wish i could have been there :) i would love to see more - i liked the edge treatment i saw at saltmeadow - must be different than "glued them into the frames" - details please :)
Hi Stephanie, Did you have a nice visit at the Cape? It was so cool that you came to the opening-thanks!
The pieces at Salt Meadow were painted on cradled panels, the ones I glue into frames are painted on 1/8" thick hardboard, and then I glue them into a simple black wood frame. The edges still show, however a black frame is visible from the front of the piece on these pieces. It's kind of a floater style frame, I guess. I'll put one up on the blog this week that shows the frame.
haha I complain about the same stuff now too but when I look back at all the stuff we did when we were "kids" and went to concerts like stuffing more than one wine bottle in our pants at a time to sneak in and dropping and breaking one LOL! I went to an Aerosmith Concert in the late 70s and I stood under a cops arm while beer and whiskey bottles flew over our heads. The crowd was out of control and there was nothing he could do about it. Your new work is great! I don't go to too many events any more-- concerts or sports. Even Broadway theater is getting wacky people attending!
Thanks! I don't know where I got the description for his voice, but it does seem to fit...
And yes, I agree, Ray should always be the headliner.
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