We know Elvis is , reportedly, on domestic duty while Ms Krall tours Australia but he can surely find time to drop in on this show -
http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010- ... 660zv.html
Hal Willner's Neil Young Project
A host of special guest performers — Lou Reed, Ron Sexsmith and many more — and an all-star band led by members of Broken Social Scene and Joan as Police Woman will celebrate Canadian rock icon Neil Young in a concert for the ages. Visionary music producer Hal Willner presides over the proceedings with his signature off-kilter genius for curating live shows, digging deep into Young's massive catalogue to illuminate hits and obscurities alike with magical pairings of song and singer. Surprises are in store. A certain amount of mayhem is inevitable. Musical nirvana is guaranteed.
When:
Thursday, 2/18/2010 at 8:00 pm
Friday, 2/19/2010 at 8:00 pm
Where:
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Hamilton Street at West Georgia, Vancouver
Principal Artist(s):
Featuring:
Chris Brown
Vashti Bunyan
Robert Burger
Brendan Canning
Fred Cash
Jason Collett
Julie Doiron
Kevin Drew
Sam Goldberg
Emily Haines
Shahzad Ismaily
Colin James
Eric Mingus
Sun Kil Moon
Jenni Muldaur
Ambrosia Parsley
Justin Peroff
Ben Perowsky
Joan as Policewoman
Elizabeth Powell
Bill Priddle
Lou Reed
Alasdair Roberts
Ron Sexsmith
Teddy Thompson
James Blood Ulmer
Andrew Whiteman
Doug Wieselman
Emily Haines
Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Last edited by johnfoyle on Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10?
Or maybe not ; from a New Zealand 'paper interview witn Ms Krall -
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/bl ... -interview
16/02/2010
The kids travel with Krall when she tours but they will not be making the trip out to Australia and New Zealand.
"They're going on the road with their father this time. So they're still going on the road."
And this is good - this is how Krall and Costello want to raise the children, introducing them to music at any early stage, keeping as many members of the family together at any one time as is possible.
"They're learning - and they're enjoying - they love all kinds of music and we get to listen to lots in the cars, in transit..."
Whose music do they prefer?
"Actually their favourite thing to sing along to is Sheryl Crow, which I think is just fine. I mean she has some great singalong songs. I'm not sure their father thinks that's as great as I do - but he's certainly not unhappy about it - it takes me back to when I was young and hearing music for the first time. I mean I was raised on Ray Brown, which is why he is - still - such a hero to me."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/bl ... -interview
16/02/2010
The kids travel with Krall when she tours but they will not be making the trip out to Australia and New Zealand.
"They're going on the road with their father this time. So they're still going on the road."
And this is good - this is how Krall and Costello want to raise the children, introducing them to music at any early stage, keeping as many members of the family together at any one time as is possible.
"They're learning - and they're enjoying - they love all kinds of music and we get to listen to lots in the cars, in transit..."
Whose music do they prefer?
"Actually their favourite thing to sing along to is Sheryl Crow, which I think is just fine. I mean she has some great singalong songs. I'm not sure their father thinks that's as great as I do - but he's certainly not unhappy about it - it takes me back to when I was young and hearing music for the first time. I mean I was raised on Ray Brown, which is why he is - still - such a hero to me."
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10?
What did I tell ya ?!?!
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainme ... story.html
Cultural Olympiad: Elvis Costello, Emily Haines, James Shaw and Colin James join in tribute to Neil Young
Vancuover Sun
February 17, 2010
VANCOUVER -- Elvis Costello, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw, and bluesman Colin James are joining in the Hal Willner Neil Young project Thursday and Friday, Vanoc announced Wednesday.
They will join several other noted musicians, including Lou Reed and Ron Sexmith, to pay tribute to the Canadian pop/rock/folk master.
The performances start at 8 pm.m. both nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at 1800 TICKETS tickets.com.
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainme ... story.html
Cultural Olympiad: Elvis Costello, Emily Haines, James Shaw and Colin James join in tribute to Neil Young
Vancuover Sun
February 17, 2010
VANCOUVER -- Elvis Costello, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw, and bluesman Colin James are joining in the Hal Willner Neil Young project Thursday and Friday, Vanoc announced Wednesday.
They will join several other noted musicians, including Lou Reed and Ron Sexmith, to pay tribute to the Canadian pop/rock/folk master.
The performances start at 8 pm.m. both nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at 1800 TICKETS tickets.com.
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainme ... story.html
Musicians gather to pay homage to the old master in Neil Young project
Ron Sexsmith, Lou Reed and others will delve into Young's catalogue
By Graeme McRanor, Special To The Sun
February 18, 2010 1:06 AM
Hal Willner's Neil Young Project
Featuring Lou Reed, Ron Sexsmith, Joan as Policewoman and others
When: Tonight and Friday, 8 p.m.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Hamilton Street at West Georgia
Tickets: $74.50, $67.50, $59.00 at www.vancouver2010.com
---
Like most singer-songwriters, Ron Sexsmith considers fellow Canadian Neil Young to be the consummate craftsman. And Sexsmith, himself rarely lost for lyrics, says he was playing Young's tunes long before he ever crafted his own.
"I used to play [his] songs when I was starting out, before I was writing my own songs," he says. "I used to play the bars in my hometown [St. Catharines, Ont.]. And you can play Neil Young songs all night and no one will complain. He's just got so many. I don't know how many records he's put out, probably around 50 by now. And he's still very relevant. It's very inspiring."
Sexsmith, along with a large cast of musicians -including Lou Reed, members of Broken Social Scene and Joan as Policewoman -will, under the guidance of producer Hal Willner (also the longtime music supervisor on Saturday Night Live), be delving into Young's massive catalogue for a two-night tribute that promises plenty of musical surprises. But Sexsmith isn't making any promises when it comes to the song -or songs -he'll be performing.
Because he still hasn't been told.
"That happens a lot in this business," he says. "But we do have a few days to rehearse before the actual show and
More join the tribute
Elvis Costello, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw, and bluesman Colin James are joining in the Neil Young project, Vanoc has announced.
I'm assuming before I head out there someone will send me [some songs]. And there's quite a few more performers than when we did it last time, so maybe I only have to learn one song."
Sexsmith participated in a Hal Willner-led Young tribute in Brooklyn in 2004, where he performed Like a Hurricane and a few others he "never even heard before," he says.
So maybe Willner will assign him the same songs and Sexsmith won't have to learn any new material. Regardless, he says, he's happy to perform at a tribute to a living legend.
"Neil, obviously . . . his catalogue looms large in rock-and-roll history," he says. "I've been plugging away for years and I don't have any songs that resonate that way. There was a time when you could be someone like Neil Young and be really uncompromising and yet still kind of break through and have songs on the radio."
The 64-year-old Young -who won his first Grammy this year for best art direction on a boxed or limited-edition package, and was named by Grammy producers as Musicares 2010 Person of the Year for his philanthropic work and broad musical influence -was present for a star-studded tribute in Los Angeles that took place the weekend of the awards show.
So does Sexsmith expect to see the famous rocker with the heart of gold in the Vancouver crowd?
"I can't imagine he would come up to Vancouver to see it," he says. "I'm sure he's been invited. From what I've heard, he's the kind of person, you know, that's the last thing he wants to sit through. People throwing all this praise on him, it must be kind of uncomfortable. But it would be exciting if he showed up."
Sure. Be nice, so to speak, to see the old man look at his life and lyrics.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Musicians gather to pay homage to the old master in Neil Young project
Ron Sexsmith, Lou Reed and others will delve into Young's catalogue
By Graeme McRanor, Special To The Sun
February 18, 2010 1:06 AM
Hal Willner's Neil Young Project
Featuring Lou Reed, Ron Sexsmith, Joan as Policewoman and others
When: Tonight and Friday, 8 p.m.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Hamilton Street at West Georgia
Tickets: $74.50, $67.50, $59.00 at www.vancouver2010.com
---
Like most singer-songwriters, Ron Sexsmith considers fellow Canadian Neil Young to be the consummate craftsman. And Sexsmith, himself rarely lost for lyrics, says he was playing Young's tunes long before he ever crafted his own.
"I used to play [his] songs when I was starting out, before I was writing my own songs," he says. "I used to play the bars in my hometown [St. Catharines, Ont.]. And you can play Neil Young songs all night and no one will complain. He's just got so many. I don't know how many records he's put out, probably around 50 by now. And he's still very relevant. It's very inspiring."
Sexsmith, along with a large cast of musicians -including Lou Reed, members of Broken Social Scene and Joan as Policewoman -will, under the guidance of producer Hal Willner (also the longtime music supervisor on Saturday Night Live), be delving into Young's massive catalogue for a two-night tribute that promises plenty of musical surprises. But Sexsmith isn't making any promises when it comes to the song -or songs -he'll be performing.
Because he still hasn't been told.
"That happens a lot in this business," he says. "But we do have a few days to rehearse before the actual show and
More join the tribute
Elvis Costello, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw, and bluesman Colin James are joining in the Neil Young project, Vanoc has announced.
I'm assuming before I head out there someone will send me [some songs]. And there's quite a few more performers than when we did it last time, so maybe I only have to learn one song."
Sexsmith participated in a Hal Willner-led Young tribute in Brooklyn in 2004, where he performed Like a Hurricane and a few others he "never even heard before," he says.
So maybe Willner will assign him the same songs and Sexsmith won't have to learn any new material. Regardless, he says, he's happy to perform at a tribute to a living legend.
"Neil, obviously . . . his catalogue looms large in rock-and-roll history," he says. "I've been plugging away for years and I don't have any songs that resonate that way. There was a time when you could be someone like Neil Young and be really uncompromising and yet still kind of break through and have songs on the radio."
The 64-year-old Young -who won his first Grammy this year for best art direction on a boxed or limited-edition package, and was named by Grammy producers as Musicares 2010 Person of the Year for his philanthropic work and broad musical influence -was present for a star-studded tribute in Los Angeles that took place the weekend of the awards show.
So does Sexsmith expect to see the famous rocker with the heart of gold in the Vancouver crowd?
"I can't imagine he would come up to Vancouver to see it," he says. "I'm sure he's been invited. From what I've heard, he's the kind of person, you know, that's the last thing he wants to sit through. People throwing all this praise on him, it must be kind of uncomfortable. But it would be exciting if he showed up."
Sure. Be nice, so to speak, to see the old man look at his life and lyrics.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadi ... bP9FN-HWiA
19 Feb. 10
Neil Young doesn't show, but spirited Olympic tribute a hit with fans
By Nick Patch (CP)
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Neil Young didn't didn't show up for his Olympic tribute on Thursday night, but the more than two dozen artists who took the stage captured his spirit closely enough with a show that was heartfelt, stirring and delightfully rambling.
Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Ron Sexsmith were among the performers who took the stage at a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre to play songs drawn from Young's expansive catalogue in Hal Willner's Neil Young Project, a part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Much of the three-and-a-half hour setlist focused on more obscure Young tunes while renditions ranged from studiously faithful to almost unrecognizable in the show, which was scheduled for a second performance on Friday.
Reed, clad in all black with a demeanour that could only be described as all business, hammered his guitar through a performance of "Helpless" before accompanying vocalist Jenni Muldaur on a rendition of "Harvest."
Costello brought a finger to his lips to hush the cheering crowd before crooning a version of "Love in Mind" (culled from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") then, later, whipped the same crowd into a frenzy with strutting renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl." When the latter inspired a standing ovation, Costello - one of the evening's most energetic showmen - doffed his spotted fedora.
Where Reed and Costello sang Young's songs in their own inimitable styles, a few of the evening's other performers opted to hew more closely to the originals.
Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning, Sam Goldberg and Bill Priddle each channelled Young's high-pitched voice as they performed. And a section of the show just prior to the intermission seemed to sag as a series of artists attempted faithful versions of Young's early-career ballads.
But the evening's highlights were borne from riskier renditions of Young's tunes.
Eric Mingus - the son of jazz legend Charles Mingus - brought the house down with a spare, insistently urgent take on "For the Turnstiles" (from 1974's "On the Beach.") Accompanied by bass, drums, handclaps and, eventually, saxophone, Mingus bellowed and shook while he sang. The next time he was set to arrive onstage to chant the lyrics to "On the Way Home," the crowd cheered appreciatively at the mention of his name.
Meanwhile, avant-garde blues guitarist James Blood Ulmer's searing version of "Scenery" was almost unrecognizable. The 68-year-old tossed up the devil horns as he ambled offstage to an ovation from the crowd.
The entire evening, in fact, had a likably ramshackle feel to it.
Willner - an American producer and the music supervisor on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" since 1981 - didn't tell the artists which songs he wanted them to perform until the days leading up to the show. As a result, many had to read music and lyrics as they played.
Oddly, there wasn't much by way of banter between the performers and the audience. When singer-songwriter Julie Doiron acknowledged Young specifically toward the end of the show - the first time anyone had done so - she almost acted as though she were speaking out of turn.
"I know we all grew up listening to Neil Young," the Sackville, N.B., native announced.
"It's been a thrill and an honour to be here."
If the collective onstage seemed to be enjoying themselves, so was the enthusiastic throng in the crowd.
Each time Reed took the stage, the audience united in chants of "Loooooooou" (Reed acknowledged them once, holding his guitar up in salute). And just prior to Emily Haines' gorgeous version of "A Man Needs a Maid," an overeager spectator shouted "Whoa, mama!" as the slim blonde singer walked onstage.
The wilfully obscure setlist didn't seem to dampen their spirits in the slightest - and some diehard Young fans in the crowd even said they appreciated it.
"I'd rather see that than all the hits," said Mark Hamilton, a fan who had just arrived after flying out from his home in Guelph, Ont.
"I'd be really happy if they played something off of 'Trans,"' contributed Paul Dickson of Vancouver before the show, referring to Young's vocoder-heavy 1982 experimental album.
Performers made few efforts to engage the audience, too.
During a performance of "Walk On," Jason Collett marvelled at how well-behaved the crowd had been ("It's very Canadian of you," he said) before asking them to follow along through some audience "participaction," which involved fingers snapping and hands clapping against thighs.
But ultimately, hours of listening to Young's songs - even with the man of the evening absent from the festivities - was enough for most fans.
"I love it," said Tim Harris of Vancouver. "I'm singing along to all of it. I listen to a lot of Neil."
Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.theprovince.com/entertainmen ... story.html
Young does Young best
Long list of singers deliver uneven results
By Stuart Derdeyn
The Province
February 19, 2010
Was Neil Young in the house? Someone announced it as we milled about in the Queen Elizabeth foyer.
Didn't see the legend being feted for the evening.
But I can only imagine him wincing on more than one occasion during Hal Willner's Neil Young Project last night.
That the Saturday Night Live musical director's massive group performances are events, not tribute homages to an artist's greatest hits, means that they are always a mixed bag.
This show was no different. When it worked, such as during Eric Mingus's gospel choir rave-up of "For the Turnstiles" or Teddy Thompson's delicious countrified take of "Don't Cry No Tears," pure magic. However, the promise of the opening choral arrangement of "A Dream That Can Last" really only came together a few times.
Otherwise, the concert ventured far too often into mere bar-band mimicry, offering up tame to lifeless versions of classics and more obscure tunes from the massive Young catalogue, with plenty of opportunity to let the guitarists wank. Trouble is, as cool as Apostle of Hustle is, their take of "Mr. Soul" with Julie Doiron was just too spot-on to matter. Of course, fans were freaking over a track they were really familiar with.
Or it became more about the personalities on stage than the music. "A Man Needs a Maid" features some of Young's most precarious lyrics -- mean and vulnerable -- but Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw didn't convincingly deliver the underlying malice or melancholy of the piece nearly as well as, say, Veda Hille.
People seemed more interested in how "hot" Haines is anyways. Totally not her fault, obviously.
The two heavy hitters proved to be polar opposites as well: Elvis Costello sauntered on stage, crooned his ditty and left. Lou Reed took ownership of "Helpless" to such a degree that he could consider recording it. Perhaps one of the most solidly rocking moments all night.
One thing that held true throughout was the backing band. Chris Brown and Robert Burger -- a Willner project regular -- were awesome on keys while Broken Social Scensters Brendan Canning, Kevin Drew, Sam Goldberg, Bill Priddle and Andrew Whiteman were in fantastic form all night. Ditto Herculean drummer Ben Perowsky.
As guests vocalists, from Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell to Scottish folkie Alasdair Roberts, tried their hands at bringing something new or vital to the Young songbook, it became increasingly evident that, unlike his earlier Stay Awake project of Disney tunes or incredible Nino Rota release, Willner wasn't hitting this one out of the park.
Or maybe Neil Young doing Neil Young is just the very best way it can be. At least this was true of this show's first 90 minutes.
sderdeyn@theprovince.com
© Copyright (c) The Province
19 Feb. 10
Neil Young doesn't show, but spirited Olympic tribute a hit with fans
By Nick Patch (CP)
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Neil Young didn't didn't show up for his Olympic tribute on Thursday night, but the more than two dozen artists who took the stage captured his spirit closely enough with a show that was heartfelt, stirring and delightfully rambling.
Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Ron Sexsmith were among the performers who took the stage at a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre to play songs drawn from Young's expansive catalogue in Hal Willner's Neil Young Project, a part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Much of the three-and-a-half hour setlist focused on more obscure Young tunes while renditions ranged from studiously faithful to almost unrecognizable in the show, which was scheduled for a second performance on Friday.
Reed, clad in all black with a demeanour that could only be described as all business, hammered his guitar through a performance of "Helpless" before accompanying vocalist Jenni Muldaur on a rendition of "Harvest."
Costello brought a finger to his lips to hush the cheering crowd before crooning a version of "Love in Mind" (culled from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") then, later, whipped the same crowd into a frenzy with strutting renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl." When the latter inspired a standing ovation, Costello - one of the evening's most energetic showmen - doffed his spotted fedora.
Where Reed and Costello sang Young's songs in their own inimitable styles, a few of the evening's other performers opted to hew more closely to the originals.
Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning, Sam Goldberg and Bill Priddle each channelled Young's high-pitched voice as they performed. And a section of the show just prior to the intermission seemed to sag as a series of artists attempted faithful versions of Young's early-career ballads.
But the evening's highlights were borne from riskier renditions of Young's tunes.
Eric Mingus - the son of jazz legend Charles Mingus - brought the house down with a spare, insistently urgent take on "For the Turnstiles" (from 1974's "On the Beach.") Accompanied by bass, drums, handclaps and, eventually, saxophone, Mingus bellowed and shook while he sang. The next time he was set to arrive onstage to chant the lyrics to "On the Way Home," the crowd cheered appreciatively at the mention of his name.
Meanwhile, avant-garde blues guitarist James Blood Ulmer's searing version of "Scenery" was almost unrecognizable. The 68-year-old tossed up the devil horns as he ambled offstage to an ovation from the crowd.
The entire evening, in fact, had a likably ramshackle feel to it.
Willner - an American producer and the music supervisor on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" since 1981 - didn't tell the artists which songs he wanted them to perform until the days leading up to the show. As a result, many had to read music and lyrics as they played.
Oddly, there wasn't much by way of banter between the performers and the audience. When singer-songwriter Julie Doiron acknowledged Young specifically toward the end of the show - the first time anyone had done so - she almost acted as though she were speaking out of turn.
"I know we all grew up listening to Neil Young," the Sackville, N.B., native announced.
"It's been a thrill and an honour to be here."
If the collective onstage seemed to be enjoying themselves, so was the enthusiastic throng in the crowd.
Each time Reed took the stage, the audience united in chants of "Loooooooou" (Reed acknowledged them once, holding his guitar up in salute). And just prior to Emily Haines' gorgeous version of "A Man Needs a Maid," an overeager spectator shouted "Whoa, mama!" as the slim blonde singer walked onstage.
The wilfully obscure setlist didn't seem to dampen their spirits in the slightest - and some diehard Young fans in the crowd even said they appreciated it.
"I'd rather see that than all the hits," said Mark Hamilton, a fan who had just arrived after flying out from his home in Guelph, Ont.
"I'd be really happy if they played something off of 'Trans,"' contributed Paul Dickson of Vancouver before the show, referring to Young's vocoder-heavy 1982 experimental album.
Performers made few efforts to engage the audience, too.
During a performance of "Walk On," Jason Collett marvelled at how well-behaved the crowd had been ("It's very Canadian of you," he said) before asking them to follow along through some audience "participaction," which involved fingers snapping and hands clapping against thighs.
But ultimately, hours of listening to Young's songs - even with the man of the evening absent from the festivities - was enough for most fans.
"I love it," said Tim Harris of Vancouver. "I'm singing along to all of it. I listen to a lot of Neil."
Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.theprovince.com/entertainmen ... story.html
Young does Young best
Long list of singers deliver uneven results
By Stuart Derdeyn
The Province
February 19, 2010
Was Neil Young in the house? Someone announced it as we milled about in the Queen Elizabeth foyer.
Didn't see the legend being feted for the evening.
But I can only imagine him wincing on more than one occasion during Hal Willner's Neil Young Project last night.
That the Saturday Night Live musical director's massive group performances are events, not tribute homages to an artist's greatest hits, means that they are always a mixed bag.
This show was no different. When it worked, such as during Eric Mingus's gospel choir rave-up of "For the Turnstiles" or Teddy Thompson's delicious countrified take of "Don't Cry No Tears," pure magic. However, the promise of the opening choral arrangement of "A Dream That Can Last" really only came together a few times.
Otherwise, the concert ventured far too often into mere bar-band mimicry, offering up tame to lifeless versions of classics and more obscure tunes from the massive Young catalogue, with plenty of opportunity to let the guitarists wank. Trouble is, as cool as Apostle of Hustle is, their take of "Mr. Soul" with Julie Doiron was just too spot-on to matter. Of course, fans were freaking over a track they were really familiar with.
Or it became more about the personalities on stage than the music. "A Man Needs a Maid" features some of Young's most precarious lyrics -- mean and vulnerable -- but Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw didn't convincingly deliver the underlying malice or melancholy of the piece nearly as well as, say, Veda Hille.
People seemed more interested in how "hot" Haines is anyways. Totally not her fault, obviously.
The two heavy hitters proved to be polar opposites as well: Elvis Costello sauntered on stage, crooned his ditty and left. Lou Reed took ownership of "Helpless" to such a degree that he could consider recording it. Perhaps one of the most solidly rocking moments all night.
One thing that held true throughout was the backing band. Chris Brown and Robert Burger -- a Willner project regular -- were awesome on keys while Broken Social Scensters Brendan Canning, Kevin Drew, Sam Goldberg, Bill Priddle and Andrew Whiteman were in fantastic form all night. Ditto Herculean drummer Ben Perowsky.
As guests vocalists, from Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell to Scottish folkie Alasdair Roberts, tried their hands at bringing something new or vital to the Young songbook, it became increasingly evident that, unlike his earlier Stay Awake project of Disney tunes or incredible Nino Rota release, Willner wasn't hitting this one out of the park.
Or maybe Neil Young doing Neil Young is just the very best way it can be. At least this was true of this show's first 90 minutes.
sderdeyn@theprovince.com
© Copyright (c) The Province
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Kind of related -
jennydowyl blogs -
http://thedowtown.blogspot.com/2010/02/olympics.html
Friday, February 19, 2010
Olympics!!!
(extract)
It has always been a dream of mine to go to the Olympics. The spirit and excitement of the games is something that I've always wanted to experience. On Tuesday, Keith got a call and was offered two tickets to a womens first round hockey game between Finland and China. We don't have any connection to either team, but we do like to watch hockey. I wasn't going to let a little thing like work get in the way of this opportunity, so I called in a replacement and we left for the border at around 3:30 for a 7:00pm game. What a night. Keith and I have a lot of things up in the air right now, so here is an account of what happened throughout the evening.
The tickets we were getting were coming from Keith's boss and they were on a city bus coming from downtown so we waited for them at the beginning of the security line. Celebrities like Matt Damon, Elvis Costello, Carrie Underwood all thanked us via prerecorded loudspeaker for supporting the Olympics and warned us about what we could and couldn't bring into the arena. It was pretty funny.
jennydowyl blogs -
http://thedowtown.blogspot.com/2010/02/olympics.html
Friday, February 19, 2010
Olympics!!!
(extract)
It has always been a dream of mine to go to the Olympics. The spirit and excitement of the games is something that I've always wanted to experience. On Tuesday, Keith got a call and was offered two tickets to a womens first round hockey game between Finland and China. We don't have any connection to either team, but we do like to watch hockey. I wasn't going to let a little thing like work get in the way of this opportunity, so I called in a replacement and we left for the border at around 3:30 for a 7:00pm game. What a night. Keith and I have a lot of things up in the air right now, so here is an account of what happened throughout the evening.
The tickets we were getting were coming from Keith's boss and they were on a city bus coming from downtown so we waited for them at the beginning of the security line. Celebrities like Matt Damon, Elvis Costello, Carrie Underwood all thanked us via prerecorded loudspeaker for supporting the Olympics and warned us about what we could and couldn't bring into the arena. It was pretty funny.
-
sweetest punch
- Posts: 6010
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:49 am
- Location: Belgium
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadi ... bP9FN-HWiA
Neil Young doesn't show, but spirited Olympic tribute a hit with fans
Neil Young didn't didn't show up for his Olympic tribute on Thursday night, but the more than two dozen artists who took the stage captured his spirit closely enough with a show that was heartfelt, stirring and delightfully rambling.
Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Ron Sexsmith were among the performers who took the stage at a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre to play songs drawn from Young's expansive catalogue in Hal Willner's Neil Young Project, a part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Much of the three-and-a-half hour setlist focused on more obscure Young tunes while renditions ranged from studiously faithful to almost unrecognizable in the show, which was scheduled for a second performance on Friday.
Reed, clad in all black with a demeanour that could only be described as all business, hammered his guitar through a performance of "Helpless" before accompanying vocalist Jenni Muldaur on a rendition of "Harvest."
Costello brought a finger to his lips to hush the cheering crowd before crooning a version of "Love in Mind" (culled from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") then, later, whipped the same crowd into a frenzy with strutting renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl." When the latter inspired a standing ovation, Costello - one of the evening's most energetic showmen - doffed his spotted fedora.
Where Reed and Costello sang Young's songs in their own inimitable styles, a few of the evening's other performers opted to hew more closely to the originals.
(...)
Neil Young doesn't show, but spirited Olympic tribute a hit with fans
Neil Young didn't didn't show up for his Olympic tribute on Thursday night, but the more than two dozen artists who took the stage captured his spirit closely enough with a show that was heartfelt, stirring and delightfully rambling.
Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Ron Sexsmith were among the performers who took the stage at a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre to play songs drawn from Young's expansive catalogue in Hal Willner's Neil Young Project, a part of the Cultural Olympiad.
Much of the three-and-a-half hour setlist focused on more obscure Young tunes while renditions ranged from studiously faithful to almost unrecognizable in the show, which was scheduled for a second performance on Friday.
Reed, clad in all black with a demeanour that could only be described as all business, hammered his guitar through a performance of "Helpless" before accompanying vocalist Jenni Muldaur on a rendition of "Harvest."
Costello brought a finger to his lips to hush the cheering crowd before crooning a version of "Love in Mind" (culled from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") then, later, whipped the same crowd into a frenzy with strutting renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl." When the latter inspired a standing ovation, Costello - one of the evening's most energetic showmen - doffed his spotted fedora.
Where Reed and Costello sang Young's songs in their own inimitable styles, a few of the evening's other performers opted to hew more closely to the originals.
(...)
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Neil Young Project Honours Canadian Icon With Imaginative, Star-Studded Performance
By Jenny Charlesworth
The only thing that might have made the first night of Hal Willner's Neil Young Project more enjoyable was if the celebrated Canadian crooner himself had graced the stage of Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Rumours swirled that the iconic singer-songwriter might make a surprise appearance Thursday night, but despite his absence, the sensational lineup featuring Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Iron and Wine, Metric's Emily Haines and Broken Social Scene co-founders Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, among others, easily held the audience captive as they performed re-imagined Neil Young classics during the most-anticipated event of the Cultural Olympiad.
Taking to a stage draped in billowing white fabric and littered with enough gear to outfit a recording studio, artists offered up sentimental renditions of iconic tracks "Walk On" (aced by Arts & Crafts mainstay Jason Collett) and "Harvest Moon" (reimagined by Brendan Canning) under the watchful eye of artistic direction Hal Willner, who is perhaps most famous for his role as music supervisor on Saturday Night Live.
Costello's first number of the night, a lounge-y take on the heart-stricken ballad "Love in Mind," set the bar high for the rest of the group, as did the moody version of "Helpless" performed by legendary New York rocker Lou Reed, who was greeted by booming "Looouuuuuu" chants the moment he appeared on stage sporting, unsurprisingly, a black leather jacket.
While some songs favoured sparse instrumentation, or none at all, like the show-stopping spoken-word rendition offered up for "On the Way Home" by Eric Mingus (son of jazz legend Charles Mingus), other covers enlisted the talents of the Broken Social Scene fronted-backing band and string section to transform once-subdued material into boisterous jams.
There were plenty of magical moments throughout the evening, including the rousing cover of "Don't Let It Bring You Down" by Elizabeth Powell from Land of Talk/Broken Social Scene, which was belted out with jaw-dropping intensity. The impromptu audience-made "thunderstorm" mid-way through "Walk On," which Collett orchestrated with the zeal of a camp counsellor by directing the packed house to snap their fingers and stomp their feet, was another show-stopper.
The highlight of the affair, however, was undoubtedly Costello's hard rocking "Cinnamon Girl," which garnered the first standing ovation of the evening. Showcasing his formidable guitar skills, the talented UK expat led the ensemble to a blistering climax, giving the enraptured audience in the majestic theatre ample reason to applaud Costello's addition to the bill after the initial lineup was announced.
The Neil Young Project concludes tonight with a second performance from its ensemble cast. Will this be the night the folk hero makes an appearance? No one's talking.
Neil Young tribute bold, inventive
Stellar cast pays homage to Canadian rock icon
BY FRANCOIS MARCHAND, VANCOUVER SUN
VANCOUVER - An all-star cast featuring Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Iron and Wine, Joan as Police Woman, Colin James and members of Broken Social Scene and Metric gathered to pay homage to Canadian rock icon Neil Young at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Thursday night.
Under the supervision of artistic director Hal Willner (famous for his work on Saturday Night Live), the Neil Young Project offered classic upon classic to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd.
You could tell this was meant to be something special: the stage, draped in white, filled with too many instruments to count, and the audience buzzing about the show's incredible lineup.
(Warning: If you're planning to attend the Friday night show, there are many, many spoilers past this point.)
Star attractions Costello and Reed singing Young's Love in Mind and a rousing rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's Helpless fairly early on certainly stood out.
But gripping moments also came from the likes of Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek, who dug up a poignant Albuquerque (from Tonight's the Night) and Powderfinger (from Rust Never Sleeps). Outstanding.
Ron Sexsmith provided a quivery New Mama and Brendan Canning had the honour of tackling a sweet, flute-tinged Harvest Moon.
Backed by the core of Broken Social Scene's cast and a rotating team of strings, horns and keys, the Project took on a multitude of shapes and contrasting moods.
Interestingly, the show seemed to work especially well when it went completely off the wall: spoken word artist Eric Mingus's reinterpretation of For the Turnstiles, which went from strange, clap-along beat poetry to full-blown, apocalyptic wall of noise, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw delivering A Man Needs a Maid with piano and chimes, and Joan as Police Woman sending electric violin bolts through the audience on On the Beach. Wow.
Other brilliant moments: Expected To Fly, Needle & The Damage Done, Teddy Thompson's I Believe In You and Elizabeth Powell's crowd-jolting Don't Let It Bring You Down.
Costello would eventually return for some mighty fine rocking with Cowgirl in the Sand and Cinnamon Girl in the second act, and Reed would also come back for a killer F***in' Up with Costello and legendary bluesman James "Blood" Ulmer, decibels pushed as high as they would go.
Topping it off, a sing-along version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart that had the audience swaying from side to side.
It wasn't always pitch-perfect, but that probably wasn't the point. When dealing with Young's material it's probably a pro more than a con -- you need some real, honest grit to make it feel right, and there was plenty on Thursday night.
Considering the sheer magnitude of the undertaking and the absolute brilliance of the man's work, one couldn't help but be amazed by the whole thing.
The Neil Young Project hits the Queen E stage once more on Friday night.
By Jenny Charlesworth
The only thing that might have made the first night of Hal Willner's Neil Young Project more enjoyable was if the celebrated Canadian crooner himself had graced the stage of Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Rumours swirled that the iconic singer-songwriter might make a surprise appearance Thursday night, but despite his absence, the sensational lineup featuring Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Iron and Wine, Metric's Emily Haines and Broken Social Scene co-founders Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, among others, easily held the audience captive as they performed re-imagined Neil Young classics during the most-anticipated event of the Cultural Olympiad.
Taking to a stage draped in billowing white fabric and littered with enough gear to outfit a recording studio, artists offered up sentimental renditions of iconic tracks "Walk On" (aced by Arts & Crafts mainstay Jason Collett) and "Harvest Moon" (reimagined by Brendan Canning) under the watchful eye of artistic direction Hal Willner, who is perhaps most famous for his role as music supervisor on Saturday Night Live.
Costello's first number of the night, a lounge-y take on the heart-stricken ballad "Love in Mind," set the bar high for the rest of the group, as did the moody version of "Helpless" performed by legendary New York rocker Lou Reed, who was greeted by booming "Looouuuuuu" chants the moment he appeared on stage sporting, unsurprisingly, a black leather jacket.
While some songs favoured sparse instrumentation, or none at all, like the show-stopping spoken-word rendition offered up for "On the Way Home" by Eric Mingus (son of jazz legend Charles Mingus), other covers enlisted the talents of the Broken Social Scene fronted-backing band and string section to transform once-subdued material into boisterous jams.
There were plenty of magical moments throughout the evening, including the rousing cover of "Don't Let It Bring You Down" by Elizabeth Powell from Land of Talk/Broken Social Scene, which was belted out with jaw-dropping intensity. The impromptu audience-made "thunderstorm" mid-way through "Walk On," which Collett orchestrated with the zeal of a camp counsellor by directing the packed house to snap their fingers and stomp their feet, was another show-stopper.
The highlight of the affair, however, was undoubtedly Costello's hard rocking "Cinnamon Girl," which garnered the first standing ovation of the evening. Showcasing his formidable guitar skills, the talented UK expat led the ensemble to a blistering climax, giving the enraptured audience in the majestic theatre ample reason to applaud Costello's addition to the bill after the initial lineup was announced.
The Neil Young Project concludes tonight with a second performance from its ensemble cast. Will this be the night the folk hero makes an appearance? No one's talking.
Neil Young tribute bold, inventive
Stellar cast pays homage to Canadian rock icon
BY FRANCOIS MARCHAND, VANCOUVER SUN
VANCOUVER - An all-star cast featuring Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Iron and Wine, Joan as Police Woman, Colin James and members of Broken Social Scene and Metric gathered to pay homage to Canadian rock icon Neil Young at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Thursday night.
Under the supervision of artistic director Hal Willner (famous for his work on Saturday Night Live), the Neil Young Project offered classic upon classic to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd.
You could tell this was meant to be something special: the stage, draped in white, filled with too many instruments to count, and the audience buzzing about the show's incredible lineup.
(Warning: If you're planning to attend the Friday night show, there are many, many spoilers past this point.)
Star attractions Costello and Reed singing Young's Love in Mind and a rousing rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's Helpless fairly early on certainly stood out.
But gripping moments also came from the likes of Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek, who dug up a poignant Albuquerque (from Tonight's the Night) and Powderfinger (from Rust Never Sleeps). Outstanding.
Ron Sexsmith provided a quivery New Mama and Brendan Canning had the honour of tackling a sweet, flute-tinged Harvest Moon.
Backed by the core of Broken Social Scene's cast and a rotating team of strings, horns and keys, the Project took on a multitude of shapes and contrasting moods.
Interestingly, the show seemed to work especially well when it went completely off the wall: spoken word artist Eric Mingus's reinterpretation of For the Turnstiles, which went from strange, clap-along beat poetry to full-blown, apocalyptic wall of noise, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw delivering A Man Needs a Maid with piano and chimes, and Joan as Police Woman sending electric violin bolts through the audience on On the Beach. Wow.
Other brilliant moments: Expected To Fly, Needle & The Damage Done, Teddy Thompson's I Believe In You and Elizabeth Powell's crowd-jolting Don't Let It Bring You Down.
Costello would eventually return for some mighty fine rocking with Cowgirl in the Sand and Cinnamon Girl in the second act, and Reed would also come back for a killer F***in' Up with Costello and legendary bluesman James "Blood" Ulmer, decibels pushed as high as they would go.
Topping it off, a sing-along version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart that had the audience swaying from side to side.
It wasn't always pitch-perfect, but that probably wasn't the point. When dealing with Young's material it's probably a pro more than a con -- you need some real, honest grit to make it feel right, and there was plenty on Thursday night.
Considering the sheer magnitude of the undertaking and the absolute brilliance of the man's work, one couldn't help but be amazed by the whole thing.
The Neil Young Project hits the Queen E stage once more on Friday night.
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bronxapostle
- Posts: 4923
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Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
sounds like a GREAT EC night, huh? Michael Dorf should get him on THE WHO TRIBUTE bill at Carnegie Hall March 2!!!
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Top balcony
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- Location: Liverpool
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
EC's original design specification for the Attractions drummer was the ability to sound like Keith Moon! Step forward Thomas, P.
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bronxapostle
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Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
cool TOP. don't recall hearing that (tho' i probabaly did 33 years ago!!!) THANKS!
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And No Coffee Table
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Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Elvis Costello shines in Neil Young Project
By Alexander Varty
Whoever coined the all-too-appropriate phrase “let the games begin” probably wasn’t thinking about the epic battle that played out between Canada and the United States at the Queen E on Thursday night, but it’s hard to imagine a more gripping contest—even on ice.
That’s probably not what producer Hal Willner had in mind when he came up with the idea for the Neil Young Project. In fact, in an earlier interview with the Straight, he expressed the hope that both of his “house bands”—Toronto’s Broken Social Scene and an ad hoc collection of ace New York session players—would wind up playing together. This did happen, on occasion, but more often the two groups took turns—highlighting, in the process, the cultural divide between their native lands.
The Canadians, as usual, were respectful and guileless and communally minded, as when Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett sweet-talked the crowd into a goofy—but effective—exercise in creating an audio rainstorm out of finger snapping and knee slapping. The Yanks, as usual, were more individualistic and took greater artistic risks, as when singer and upright bassist Eric Mingus led a fantastically vivid avant-gospel version of Young’s minor masterpiece “For the Turnstiles”.
So who won the tourney?
A Brit.
But at least he’s our Brit: West Van resident Elvis Costello, a Londoner by birth, was one of two surprise guests and the undeniable star of a night that was in sore need of resuscitation after a run of unexceptional performances midway through its second act.
I knew it was coming—during intermission, I had scoped out the soundboard and discovered a set list in full public view. But I had no idea just how stunning Costello’s second appearance of the night would be. Sure, he’d given hints with his earlier rendition of “Love in Mind”, a major performance of a minor song during which he’d been in full Tony Bennett jazz-crooner mode. But when it came to the one-two punch of “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Cinnamon Girl”, both from Young’s breakthrough Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere LP of 1969, he simply killed.
Barely in control of a big, blond Gibson guitar that squealed and snarled like it was possessed by old Shakey himself, Costello stalked the stage with a flamenco dancer’s élan. Even a ridiculous leopard-skin trilby didn’t undercut his sinister—and, yes, weirdly sexy—intensity; he’d probably skinned that cat himself.
The crowd, which had been drifting toward torpidity, rose to its feet and stayed there for the rest of the night.
There were other highlights, including James Blood Ulmer’s slurred but compellingly surreal take on “Scenery”, Teddy Thompson’s sweetly sung “I Believe in You”, and the arrival of the night’s other unannounced guest, Emily Haines, whose tough edge brought a new dimension to “A Man Needs a Maid”. A couple of Willner’s conceptual notions didn’t quite come off, such as the pairing of Ulmer and Lou Reed on an oddly tepid “Fuckin’ Up”. And there were a few out-and-out disappointments, such as Iron & Wine mainstay Sam Beam’s disappearing act and folk icon Vashti Bunyan’s disappearing voice.
It was a mixed bag, then. Somehow, though, this seems appropriate for a survey of the notoriously unpredictable Young’s oeuvre—and Costello’s star turn was genius. Elvis was in the house—and so, through him, was Neil.
Elvis Costello, BSS, Lou Reed Highlight Hal Willner's Neil Young Project In Vancouver
By Brian Pascual (CHARTattack)
Bringing the Hal Willner Neil Young Project to Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games was a complete no-brainer — if you're celebrating Canada's diverse talent and rich music history, it's a major coup to recruit some of the country's most revered musicians (plus American greats) to play the selected songs of one of its finest and most beloved artists.
Some would argue that bringing in the Broken Social Scene family is too obvious, but who can deny the far-reaching network they have at their disposal? Besides, they were only responsible for the Canadian content, with Joan Wasser, a.k.a. indie punk R&B songstress Joan As Police Woman, responsible for the American players.
The night had a special air to it beyond the catch-lightning-in-a-bottle nature of the lineup and potential set list. Lou Reed had already been touted as part of the bill when the show was originally announced, but only days before Elvis Costello was added in as a last-minute ringer. Oh my.
One can only imagine how chaotic it must be to not only organize over 20 musicians into one three-hour set, but also keep the night running smoothly when you have a revolving door of lead singers and different combinations to juggle.
So it wasn't surprising the show's opening was a bit sloppy — there were no introductions to the any of the players, and no welcome beyond Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning saying he hoped the crowd would stick with the group for the entire night.
Yes, there was a voiceover intro — a completely random snippet of Alfred Hitchcock asking his audience if they believe in ghosts and making sure that the lights are out and the doors closed. Cute. But a proper intro of the musicians — especially since they led with about 15 onstage — would have been nice, too.
A group of vocalists including folk singer/songwriter Teddy Thompson, BSS's Jason Collett and Julie Doiron opened with "A Dream That Can Last," and sang at the front of the stage while timpani and piano provided the gorgeously soft background. Following that, the full band seemed to flood the stage for a bouncy and lively "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," offering two drum kits, two pianos (one upright, one grand), three guitarists and two bassists.
The tricky part of the night was adjusting to the constantly rotating cast for each song. It was hard to even realize there was a string section (that Wasser was a part of on violin) until Teddy Thompson's take on "Don't Cry No Tears." It once again spoke to the difficulty in taking on such a large initiative.
But you couldn't help thinking they should have assigned a proper and consistent MC for the night. Prior to the fourth song (Ron Sexmith's mostly acoustic "New Mama") Wasser finally started announcing each new vocalist as they took the stage.
From there, it was like hitting shuffle on an iPod filled with Young's entire catalogue. Collett and Land Of Talk's Elizabeth Powell executed a perfectly down-home version of "Down To The Wire;" Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw ignored the catcalls and whistles for Haines to offer a pretty faithful (and slightly sinister) "A Man Needs A Maid." When Haines pleaded, "When will I see you again?" it was killer.
Other highlights before the intermission included jazz/blues vocalist/poet Eric Mingus' very menacing and body-shaking "For The Turnstiles," Sun Kill Moon's (and former Red House Painter) Mark Kozelek singing "Albuquerque" and of course, the evening's two crown jewels.
Costello walked on stage to the night's loudest of cheers, and by politely shushing the crowd and immediately picking up his guitar, the message of the night was clear — this was a group, not individual, performance.
With a Burt Bacharach-ian horn section backing him, Costello crooned a lovely "Love In Mind" to the delight of a completely dumbstruck crowd wowed by the fact that they were watching one legend cover another legend.
Speaking of legends, Reed was bathed with a chorus of "Louuuuuuuuuuu" from the crowd before silently setting up and ripping into the great "Helpless." It was so sublime to listen to Reed's powerful yet calm and cool voice ring through the theatre while the full band blasted through the classic.
Post-intermission brought back — as promised — most of the singers and players from the first half of the show. It also brought BSS's Kevin Drew (who had been ominously absent until that point) out as a quasi-MC/guitar/vocalist, giving the night a little more structure and also a little more fun.
Among more of the notable moments: Canning performed a by-the-numbers "Harvest Moon," Reed came back to lead a psych-out noodling jam, folk singer Vashti Bunyan and vocalist Ambrosia Parsley shared vocal duties on a quiet and tender "Wrecking Ball" (during which Bunyan's voice unfortunately consistently cracked). Collett (with about 20 of the players on-stage) took lead on an infectiously spirited "Walk On" before getting the audience to participate in a "make it rain" exercise involving rubbing of hands, snapping and knee-slapping in unison.
Costello's return to the stage brought the crowd to their feet, taking command of a raucous "Cowgirl In The Sand" — watching Costello riffing hard on a Young solo, still dressed in a sharp suit and fedora is something to behold — and a duet with Wasser on "Cinnamon Girl." As patriotic as the crowd was on this night, Costello was clearly their favourite.
For a show that understandably flew by the seat of its pants for most of the night, few could complain about what they had just witnessed. Sure, the musicians probably had more fun than the audience at times, but it's hard to fault them for enjoying a night of playing with so much talent assembled on one stage.
The lack of a proper MC was definitely missed. Even with Drew taking over the reins a bit for the last half of the show, it still missed some valuable structure.
Leave it to Doiron to say what hadn't already been said — that it was an honour to be on the stage playing the songs of someone who has meant a lot to everyone on stage in some way over the years.
In the end, the performances that stood out the most were by the vocalists who sang in their own voices and weren't trying to emulate Young's nasally falsetto. Whereas Reed, Costello and Kozelek really shined, former Treble Charger co-lead Bill Priddle, new BSSer Sam Goldberg, Bunyan and even Canning's treatments were well-played but hard to remember after the fact.
Nonetheless, the timing for this show and its execution were still a victory. During a week when patriotism for the country is running high, Young stood tall.
Hal Willner's Neil Young Project
By Marsha Lederman
It took three hours, but the crowd who packed the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver for Hal Willner's Neil Young Project finally got on its feet. It happened at precisely 11:00 p.m. PST, after Elvis Costello rocked the house with Cowgirl in the Sand. Sure, those three hours included an intermission and the show started a bit late, but the point is, the Neil Young Project was missing something – and it wasn't just Neil Young (no, he didn't show). It had the elements: gifted musicians, fantastic performers, Young's catalogue. But the magic was simply missing.
It's hard to know why. Was it the venue, more suited to opera than rock and roll? Was it the crowd, too middle-aged and comfortable in the cushy seats? Was everyone simply worn out from watching too much sports?
The Neil Young Project is the brainchild of U.S. music producer Hal Willner. He's known for this sort of thing: gather big names (and not-so-big names), put them on-stage in various configurations and have them pay tribute to an iconic artist through music. Lou Reed was the show's original superstar attraction. Ron Sexsmith and members of Broken Social Scene were also big draws. Costello and Emily Haines and James Shaw of Metric were just announced this week (and thank goodness; one shudders to think what it would have been like without them). For the final bow, there were more than 30 artists on stage.
What's hard to figure out is why the show failed overall when there were so many spectacular individual moments.
Haines and Shaw gave a sparkly performance of A Man Needs a Maid (it was great to hear a woman sing it). The amazing Eric Mingus wowed the crowd first by delivering a gospel version of For the Turnstiles and later by turning On the Way Home into a spoken word gem. Reed did a phenomenal version of Helpless (he had us at “There is a town in North Ontario”). There was more: Jenni Muldaur's performance of Harvest, accompanied by Reed's guitar playing; Muldaur (man, she was good) joining Sexsmith for Star of Bethlehem; Teddy Thompson's gorgeous I Believe in You (yes, accompanied by Muldaur).
But despite Joan as Policewoman's constant thrilling presence on violin and microphone, acting as a sort of M.C., and Julie Doiron's bouncy best efforts, the on-stage feel was often flat. Jason Collett's early attempts at cutting loose – he stood on a stool – felt just a little awkward and forced. For some reason, this format wasn't going to let him have a good time.
There was little attempt to engage the audience and almost no banter, although Costello did wish the crowd a “Happy Olympics” and Collett did try to get things going. “Ladies and gentlemen, you've been sitting on your asses all night long,” he said. “You've been very well behaved. It's very Canadian of you.” He was being polite, but I don't think he meant it as a compliment. How Canadian of him.
Somehow – let's call it years of experience, phenomenal talent, confidence and a genuine love for the music – Costello turned the night around in the last half-hour. After Cowgirl in the Sand there was a rocking version of Cinnamon Girl and then Costello and Reed were on stage together for F––-' Up – wow. The crowd stayed on its feet – right through to the somewhat forced (but still kind of lovely) sing-along ending of Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
There were some minor logistical problems Thursday night: feedback, other sound issues, long pauses between songs, musicians starting with the wrong sheet music or on the wrong key, and a couple of rough performances by Vashti Bunyan (unfortunately one of them was After the Gold Rush – ruining what should have been a highlight of the show). But that was not the poison.
The musical mishmash produced some phenomenal moments, but they weren't enough; they failed to fuse to make this the legendary night so many fans had hoped for when they fought their way through jubilant post-hockey crowds and into the theatre. (Was that the problem? High expectations?) The night began inexplicably with the theme song from Alfred Hitchcock's TV show. I don't think Willner meant it this way, but the Hitchcock, as it turned out, was a good fit. The Neil Young Project has produced a mystery: why did this show, with its great potential, fail to truly capture the audience? Kind of scary, too.
By Alexander Varty
Whoever coined the all-too-appropriate phrase “let the games begin” probably wasn’t thinking about the epic battle that played out between Canada and the United States at the Queen E on Thursday night, but it’s hard to imagine a more gripping contest—even on ice.
That’s probably not what producer Hal Willner had in mind when he came up with the idea for the Neil Young Project. In fact, in an earlier interview with the Straight, he expressed the hope that both of his “house bands”—Toronto’s Broken Social Scene and an ad hoc collection of ace New York session players—would wind up playing together. This did happen, on occasion, but more often the two groups took turns—highlighting, in the process, the cultural divide between their native lands.
The Canadians, as usual, were respectful and guileless and communally minded, as when Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett sweet-talked the crowd into a goofy—but effective—exercise in creating an audio rainstorm out of finger snapping and knee slapping. The Yanks, as usual, were more individualistic and took greater artistic risks, as when singer and upright bassist Eric Mingus led a fantastically vivid avant-gospel version of Young’s minor masterpiece “For the Turnstiles”.
So who won the tourney?
A Brit.
But at least he’s our Brit: West Van resident Elvis Costello, a Londoner by birth, was one of two surprise guests and the undeniable star of a night that was in sore need of resuscitation after a run of unexceptional performances midway through its second act.
I knew it was coming—during intermission, I had scoped out the soundboard and discovered a set list in full public view. But I had no idea just how stunning Costello’s second appearance of the night would be. Sure, he’d given hints with his earlier rendition of “Love in Mind”, a major performance of a minor song during which he’d been in full Tony Bennett jazz-crooner mode. But when it came to the one-two punch of “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Cinnamon Girl”, both from Young’s breakthrough Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere LP of 1969, he simply killed.
Barely in control of a big, blond Gibson guitar that squealed and snarled like it was possessed by old Shakey himself, Costello stalked the stage with a flamenco dancer’s élan. Even a ridiculous leopard-skin trilby didn’t undercut his sinister—and, yes, weirdly sexy—intensity; he’d probably skinned that cat himself.
The crowd, which had been drifting toward torpidity, rose to its feet and stayed there for the rest of the night.
There were other highlights, including James Blood Ulmer’s slurred but compellingly surreal take on “Scenery”, Teddy Thompson’s sweetly sung “I Believe in You”, and the arrival of the night’s other unannounced guest, Emily Haines, whose tough edge brought a new dimension to “A Man Needs a Maid”. A couple of Willner’s conceptual notions didn’t quite come off, such as the pairing of Ulmer and Lou Reed on an oddly tepid “Fuckin’ Up”. And there were a few out-and-out disappointments, such as Iron & Wine mainstay Sam Beam’s disappearing act and folk icon Vashti Bunyan’s disappearing voice.
It was a mixed bag, then. Somehow, though, this seems appropriate for a survey of the notoriously unpredictable Young’s oeuvre—and Costello’s star turn was genius. Elvis was in the house—and so, through him, was Neil.
Elvis Costello, BSS, Lou Reed Highlight Hal Willner's Neil Young Project In Vancouver
By Brian Pascual (CHARTattack)
Bringing the Hal Willner Neil Young Project to Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games was a complete no-brainer — if you're celebrating Canada's diverse talent and rich music history, it's a major coup to recruit some of the country's most revered musicians (plus American greats) to play the selected songs of one of its finest and most beloved artists.
Some would argue that bringing in the Broken Social Scene family is too obvious, but who can deny the far-reaching network they have at their disposal? Besides, they were only responsible for the Canadian content, with Joan Wasser, a.k.a. indie punk R&B songstress Joan As Police Woman, responsible for the American players.
The night had a special air to it beyond the catch-lightning-in-a-bottle nature of the lineup and potential set list. Lou Reed had already been touted as part of the bill when the show was originally announced, but only days before Elvis Costello was added in as a last-minute ringer. Oh my.
One can only imagine how chaotic it must be to not only organize over 20 musicians into one three-hour set, but also keep the night running smoothly when you have a revolving door of lead singers and different combinations to juggle.
So it wasn't surprising the show's opening was a bit sloppy — there were no introductions to the any of the players, and no welcome beyond Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning saying he hoped the crowd would stick with the group for the entire night.
Yes, there was a voiceover intro — a completely random snippet of Alfred Hitchcock asking his audience if they believe in ghosts and making sure that the lights are out and the doors closed. Cute. But a proper intro of the musicians — especially since they led with about 15 onstage — would have been nice, too.
A group of vocalists including folk singer/songwriter Teddy Thompson, BSS's Jason Collett and Julie Doiron opened with "A Dream That Can Last," and sang at the front of the stage while timpani and piano provided the gorgeously soft background. Following that, the full band seemed to flood the stage for a bouncy and lively "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," offering two drum kits, two pianos (one upright, one grand), three guitarists and two bassists.
The tricky part of the night was adjusting to the constantly rotating cast for each song. It was hard to even realize there was a string section (that Wasser was a part of on violin) until Teddy Thompson's take on "Don't Cry No Tears." It once again spoke to the difficulty in taking on such a large initiative.
But you couldn't help thinking they should have assigned a proper and consistent MC for the night. Prior to the fourth song (Ron Sexmith's mostly acoustic "New Mama") Wasser finally started announcing each new vocalist as they took the stage.
From there, it was like hitting shuffle on an iPod filled with Young's entire catalogue. Collett and Land Of Talk's Elizabeth Powell executed a perfectly down-home version of "Down To The Wire;" Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw ignored the catcalls and whistles for Haines to offer a pretty faithful (and slightly sinister) "A Man Needs A Maid." When Haines pleaded, "When will I see you again?" it was killer.
Other highlights before the intermission included jazz/blues vocalist/poet Eric Mingus' very menacing and body-shaking "For The Turnstiles," Sun Kill Moon's (and former Red House Painter) Mark Kozelek singing "Albuquerque" and of course, the evening's two crown jewels.
Costello walked on stage to the night's loudest of cheers, and by politely shushing the crowd and immediately picking up his guitar, the message of the night was clear — this was a group, not individual, performance.
With a Burt Bacharach-ian horn section backing him, Costello crooned a lovely "Love In Mind" to the delight of a completely dumbstruck crowd wowed by the fact that they were watching one legend cover another legend.
Speaking of legends, Reed was bathed with a chorus of "Louuuuuuuuuuu" from the crowd before silently setting up and ripping into the great "Helpless." It was so sublime to listen to Reed's powerful yet calm and cool voice ring through the theatre while the full band blasted through the classic.
Post-intermission brought back — as promised — most of the singers and players from the first half of the show. It also brought BSS's Kevin Drew (who had been ominously absent until that point) out as a quasi-MC/guitar/vocalist, giving the night a little more structure and also a little more fun.
Among more of the notable moments: Canning performed a by-the-numbers "Harvest Moon," Reed came back to lead a psych-out noodling jam, folk singer Vashti Bunyan and vocalist Ambrosia Parsley shared vocal duties on a quiet and tender "Wrecking Ball" (during which Bunyan's voice unfortunately consistently cracked). Collett (with about 20 of the players on-stage) took lead on an infectiously spirited "Walk On" before getting the audience to participate in a "make it rain" exercise involving rubbing of hands, snapping and knee-slapping in unison.
Costello's return to the stage brought the crowd to their feet, taking command of a raucous "Cowgirl In The Sand" — watching Costello riffing hard on a Young solo, still dressed in a sharp suit and fedora is something to behold — and a duet with Wasser on "Cinnamon Girl." As patriotic as the crowd was on this night, Costello was clearly their favourite.
For a show that understandably flew by the seat of its pants for most of the night, few could complain about what they had just witnessed. Sure, the musicians probably had more fun than the audience at times, but it's hard to fault them for enjoying a night of playing with so much talent assembled on one stage.
The lack of a proper MC was definitely missed. Even with Drew taking over the reins a bit for the last half of the show, it still missed some valuable structure.
Leave it to Doiron to say what hadn't already been said — that it was an honour to be on the stage playing the songs of someone who has meant a lot to everyone on stage in some way over the years.
In the end, the performances that stood out the most were by the vocalists who sang in their own voices and weren't trying to emulate Young's nasally falsetto. Whereas Reed, Costello and Kozelek really shined, former Treble Charger co-lead Bill Priddle, new BSSer Sam Goldberg, Bunyan and even Canning's treatments were well-played but hard to remember after the fact.
Nonetheless, the timing for this show and its execution were still a victory. During a week when patriotism for the country is running high, Young stood tall.
Hal Willner's Neil Young Project
By Marsha Lederman
It took three hours, but the crowd who packed the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver for Hal Willner's Neil Young Project finally got on its feet. It happened at precisely 11:00 p.m. PST, after Elvis Costello rocked the house with Cowgirl in the Sand. Sure, those three hours included an intermission and the show started a bit late, but the point is, the Neil Young Project was missing something – and it wasn't just Neil Young (no, he didn't show). It had the elements: gifted musicians, fantastic performers, Young's catalogue. But the magic was simply missing.
It's hard to know why. Was it the venue, more suited to opera than rock and roll? Was it the crowd, too middle-aged and comfortable in the cushy seats? Was everyone simply worn out from watching too much sports?
The Neil Young Project is the brainchild of U.S. music producer Hal Willner. He's known for this sort of thing: gather big names (and not-so-big names), put them on-stage in various configurations and have them pay tribute to an iconic artist through music. Lou Reed was the show's original superstar attraction. Ron Sexsmith and members of Broken Social Scene were also big draws. Costello and Emily Haines and James Shaw of Metric were just announced this week (and thank goodness; one shudders to think what it would have been like without them). For the final bow, there were more than 30 artists on stage.
What's hard to figure out is why the show failed overall when there were so many spectacular individual moments.
Haines and Shaw gave a sparkly performance of A Man Needs a Maid (it was great to hear a woman sing it). The amazing Eric Mingus wowed the crowd first by delivering a gospel version of For the Turnstiles and later by turning On the Way Home into a spoken word gem. Reed did a phenomenal version of Helpless (he had us at “There is a town in North Ontario”). There was more: Jenni Muldaur's performance of Harvest, accompanied by Reed's guitar playing; Muldaur (man, she was good) joining Sexsmith for Star of Bethlehem; Teddy Thompson's gorgeous I Believe in You (yes, accompanied by Muldaur).
But despite Joan as Policewoman's constant thrilling presence on violin and microphone, acting as a sort of M.C., and Julie Doiron's bouncy best efforts, the on-stage feel was often flat. Jason Collett's early attempts at cutting loose – he stood on a stool – felt just a little awkward and forced. For some reason, this format wasn't going to let him have a good time.
There was little attempt to engage the audience and almost no banter, although Costello did wish the crowd a “Happy Olympics” and Collett did try to get things going. “Ladies and gentlemen, you've been sitting on your asses all night long,” he said. “You've been very well behaved. It's very Canadian of you.” He was being polite, but I don't think he meant it as a compliment. How Canadian of him.
Somehow – let's call it years of experience, phenomenal talent, confidence and a genuine love for the music – Costello turned the night around in the last half-hour. After Cowgirl in the Sand there was a rocking version of Cinnamon Girl and then Costello and Reed were on stage together for F––-' Up – wow. The crowd stayed on its feet – right through to the somewhat forced (but still kind of lovely) sing-along ending of Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
There were some minor logistical problems Thursday night: feedback, other sound issues, long pauses between songs, musicians starting with the wrong sheet music or on the wrong key, and a couple of rough performances by Vashti Bunyan (unfortunately one of them was After the Gold Rush – ruining what should have been a highlight of the show). But that was not the poison.
The musical mishmash produced some phenomenal moments, but they weren't enough; they failed to fuse to make this the legendary night so many fans had hoped for when they fought their way through jubilant post-hockey crowds and into the theatre. (Was that the problem? High expectations?) The night began inexplicably with the theme song from Alfred Hitchcock's TV show. I don't think Willner meant it this way, but the Hitchcock, as it turned out, was a good fit. The Neil Young Project has produced a mystery: why did this show, with its great potential, fail to truly capture the audience? Kind of scary, too.
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/ ... neil-young
Insiya Rasiwala
Feb 20th, 2010
(extract)
Canadian music icon Neil Young did not show up on the second night of a tribute concert in his honour, but the sold out crowds at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre didn’t seem to mind.
There were many highlights, some predictable like stylish showman Elvis Costello jamming his trademark guitar to Love in Mind" (from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") and later, rousing the crowd, in a sparkling gold jacket – Costello’s nod to Olympic Gold - and leopard print fedora, with renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl."
Insiya Rasiwala
Feb 20th, 2010
(extract)
Canadian music icon Neil Young did not show up on the second night of a tribute concert in his honour, but the sold out crowds at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre didn’t seem to mind.
There were many highlights, some predictable like stylish showman Elvis Costello jamming his trademark guitar to Love in Mind" (from Young's 1973 live record, "Time Fades Away") and later, rousing the crowd, in a sparkling gold jacket – Costello’s nod to Olympic Gold - and leopard print fedora, with renditions of "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl."
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
http://backstagerider.com/2010/02/21/ha ... g-project/
Photos - Brittney Kwasney
2010 Cultural Olympiad: Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project
Posted by Mikala
21 February 2010
How is it possible to have members Broken Social Scene, Metric, Iron & Wine, Eric’s Trip, Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon, Shivaree, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Land of Talk, Treble Charger plus Joan as Policewoman, Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Eric Mingus (son of Charles), Teddy Thompson (son of Richard and Linda), Jenni Muldaur (daughter of Maria and Geoff) and handfuls of other phenomenal session musicians from the US and Canada up on the same stage together doing Neil Young covers and have the end result be so….draggy and inconsistent?
I’ll tell you how: It was all about the songs, man.
Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project (part of the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad) had lofty goals…and in many ways delivered on them. Get together incredible Canadian (mostly Toronto-based) and US (mostly NYC-based) and perform the songs of the venerable, wonderful, Neil Young. Play rareties and hits, and show the crowd a real good time.
And for about half of the show, that’s what they did (thank the gods for Elvis Costello and hey, even, you Mr. Cranky Lou Reed). But for the other half, total snoozeville.
Ultimately, the Olympic-happy crowd weren’t hardcore Young fans. They didn’t want rareties. THEY WANTED TO TAP THEIR TOES AND NOD AND SING ALONG, gods dammit!
And lest you argue: “but, hey, Backstage Rider, Neil Young does a fair few slow, ballady songs”, I would counter that he has, over the years, also managed to inject those ballads with a bit of edgy rebel awesomeness.
And that’s what was missing for a good part of the show. Despite the collected musical wisdom on stage, songs were a bit too earnest, a bit too bland. Just when things got going, they faltered. Hurry up, wait. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But there was still a fair few stellar moments scattered amongst the sleepy (and creepy. Yes, you, English folk singer Vashti Bunyan. Thanks for ruining two excellent songs “After Goldrush” and “Wrecking Ball.”)
Ron Sexsmith’s versions of “New Mama” and “Bethlehem” stirred the crowd, while Bill Priddle (Treble Charger/Broken Social Scene) sounded like a young Harvest-era Young on “Oh Mr. Soul” – just lovely. Emily Haines from Metric’s “A Man Needs a Maid” was flawless and came equipped with a kind of seething intensity.
And Eric Mingus? Genius. He bopped onto stage, booming: “Someone said we didn’t engage the audience enough last night…they may regret that” and then played and danced through a funky version of “For the Turnstiles”, winding it up with some totally bonkers scat singing. Later, he “destructurized” Young’s “On the Way Home” and turned into beat poetry. Brilliant.
Jason Collett strutted around the stage for a version of “Walk On” with Julie Doiron, Jenni Muldaur and Elizabeth Powell bopping in the background. BSS’s Sam Goldberg and Kevin Drew did a pretty groovy version of “Out on the Weekend” with awesome Hammond organ support by the most excellent ex-Bourbon Chris Brown.
Mark Kozelek from Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters with Ambrosia Parsley (Shivaree) and Emily Haines doing “Sugar Mountain” sounded sublime.
Oh and Lou Reed? Coming on stage in trademark leathers and scowl, he blasted through a crunchy rock version of “Helpless” then stayed on stage to play back-up guitarman for Julie Doiron as she muddled through “Harvest”.
The winner, undoubtedly, though, was Oh Mr. Gold (sparkling suit-jacket to represent Gold medals), Elvis Costello. How much of a genius is he? *Holds arms wide apart* THIS MUCH.
The crowd swooned and cheered and Ctapped their toes and grinned like fools through the three tracks he played: “Love in Mind”, then later “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Cinnamon Girl” with Joan as Policewoman. He was like snowboarder Shaun White – in terms of awesome, Costello was miles apart from anyone else on stage.
Afterwards, Joan Wasser/as Policewoman was having a smoke outside. She looked (and said she was) exhausted. It wasn’t a perfect night. And it was definitely a long one. But as musical director (along with BSS’s Brendan Canning) she should be proud that nobody really f*cked up on stage and that during the three hours there was at least 90 minutes of excellence.
Step up and accept your bronze medal, Hal Willner. You can go for Gold in the next Games.
Photos - Brittney Kwasney
2010 Cultural Olympiad: Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project
Posted by Mikala
21 February 2010
How is it possible to have members Broken Social Scene, Metric, Iron & Wine, Eric’s Trip, Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon, Shivaree, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Land of Talk, Treble Charger plus Joan as Policewoman, Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Eric Mingus (son of Charles), Teddy Thompson (son of Richard and Linda), Jenni Muldaur (daughter of Maria and Geoff) and handfuls of other phenomenal session musicians from the US and Canada up on the same stage together doing Neil Young covers and have the end result be so….draggy and inconsistent?
I’ll tell you how: It was all about the songs, man.
Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project (part of the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad) had lofty goals…and in many ways delivered on them. Get together incredible Canadian (mostly Toronto-based) and US (mostly NYC-based) and perform the songs of the venerable, wonderful, Neil Young. Play rareties and hits, and show the crowd a real good time.
And for about half of the show, that’s what they did (thank the gods for Elvis Costello and hey, even, you Mr. Cranky Lou Reed). But for the other half, total snoozeville.
Ultimately, the Olympic-happy crowd weren’t hardcore Young fans. They didn’t want rareties. THEY WANTED TO TAP THEIR TOES AND NOD AND SING ALONG, gods dammit!
And lest you argue: “but, hey, Backstage Rider, Neil Young does a fair few slow, ballady songs”, I would counter that he has, over the years, also managed to inject those ballads with a bit of edgy rebel awesomeness.
And that’s what was missing for a good part of the show. Despite the collected musical wisdom on stage, songs were a bit too earnest, a bit too bland. Just when things got going, they faltered. Hurry up, wait. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But there was still a fair few stellar moments scattered amongst the sleepy (and creepy. Yes, you, English folk singer Vashti Bunyan. Thanks for ruining two excellent songs “After Goldrush” and “Wrecking Ball.”)
Ron Sexsmith’s versions of “New Mama” and “Bethlehem” stirred the crowd, while Bill Priddle (Treble Charger/Broken Social Scene) sounded like a young Harvest-era Young on “Oh Mr. Soul” – just lovely. Emily Haines from Metric’s “A Man Needs a Maid” was flawless and came equipped with a kind of seething intensity.
And Eric Mingus? Genius. He bopped onto stage, booming: “Someone said we didn’t engage the audience enough last night…they may regret that” and then played and danced through a funky version of “For the Turnstiles”, winding it up with some totally bonkers scat singing. Later, he “destructurized” Young’s “On the Way Home” and turned into beat poetry. Brilliant.
Jason Collett strutted around the stage for a version of “Walk On” with Julie Doiron, Jenni Muldaur and Elizabeth Powell bopping in the background. BSS’s Sam Goldberg and Kevin Drew did a pretty groovy version of “Out on the Weekend” with awesome Hammond organ support by the most excellent ex-Bourbon Chris Brown.
Mark Kozelek from Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters with Ambrosia Parsley (Shivaree) and Emily Haines doing “Sugar Mountain” sounded sublime.
Oh and Lou Reed? Coming on stage in trademark leathers and scowl, he blasted through a crunchy rock version of “Helpless” then stayed on stage to play back-up guitarman for Julie Doiron as she muddled through “Harvest”.
The winner, undoubtedly, though, was Oh Mr. Gold (sparkling suit-jacket to represent Gold medals), Elvis Costello. How much of a genius is he? *Holds arms wide apart* THIS MUCH.
The crowd swooned and cheered and Ctapped their toes and grinned like fools through the three tracks he played: “Love in Mind”, then later “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Cinnamon Girl” with Joan as Policewoman. He was like snowboarder Shaun White – in terms of awesome, Costello was miles apart from anyone else on stage.
Afterwards, Joan Wasser/as Policewoman was having a smoke outside. She looked (and said she was) exhausted. It wasn’t a perfect night. And it was definitely a long one. But as musical director (along with BSS’s Brendan Canning) she should be proud that nobody really f*cked up on stage and that during the three hours there was at least 90 minutes of excellence.
Step up and accept your bronze medal, Hal Willner. You can go for Gold in the next Games.
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
I would dearly love to see these renditions, but I presume it wasn't televised.
Maybe some fuzzy, wobblycam version will turn up soon, though! Fingers crossed!
Maybe some fuzzy, wobblycam version will turn up soon, though! Fingers crossed!
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Here's a couple of clips from the audience, go to this Flickr account and you'll find bits of "Cowgirl" and "Love in Mind"...Mr. Foyle may be able to give you better links but hopefully this will get you there
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963
Dave
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963
Dave
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Frustratingly short extracts!
Elvis Costello - Love in Mind
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963/4376470233/
Elvis Costello - Cowgirl in the Sand
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963/4381477618/
Elvis Costello - Love in Mind
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963/4376470233/
Elvis Costello - Cowgirl in the Sand
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kate963/4381477618/
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bronxapostle
- Posts: 4923
- Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:27 pm
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Frustratingly short extracts!
i'll say JF!!! and what? NO cinnamon girl clip at all?? too bad...
i'll say JF!!! and what? NO cinnamon girl clip at all?? too bad...
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Short - but oh so sweet.
Love In Mind has always been one of my favorite NY tracks and I just love how EC made it his own. And Cowgirl looks like it was a blast too.
Thanks for posting the links!
Love In Mind has always been one of my favorite NY tracks and I just love how EC made it his own. And Cowgirl looks like it was a blast too.
Thanks for posting the links!
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charliestumpy
- Posts: 710
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:33 am
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'10
Ta for links to nice sounds.
'Sometimes via the senses, mostly in the mind (or pocket)'.
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Jeremy Dylan
- Posts: 934
- Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:39 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Elvis in Neil Young tribute show, Vancouver 18/19 Feb.'1
I could be happy the rest of my life...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goD5pdd4AmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goD5pdd4AmU