OT: Shawn Colvin Concert report

[Michael Maddox]

For all you singer-songwriter fans:

Just got in from seeing Shawn Colvin here at The Moon in Tallahassee. She's been a favorite for a long time, and I am very happy I got to see her in her element--just her and her Martin. She told stories behind the music, goofed around and dropped a couple of picks in her guitar, and completely enthralled the audience. All this after a delayed flight and a long drive in from Atlanta. (She didn't even get to change clothes.)

I was lucky to get a photo or two.

Wow. I am so fat.

I'm a complete dork, too.

[RABikes2]

Looks like a good evening out, Michael. Dang, I've got to consider getting out more ... I seem to miss some fun times in Tally. That's what living out here in the country will do! ;)
RA

[Michael Maddox]

If you want to hear a REALLY good local band, RA, I heartily recommend the Sarah Mac Band. Sarah opened for Shawn last night, I believe at the last minute due to flight difficulties, though I'm not sure.

The SMB show was amazing. They defy categorization, but you might call it acoustic rock (at least, that's what they say on the website, http://www.sarahmacband.com/ ). Only 4 songs, but each one filled with a lot of power and great lyrics; I think she was channeling a bit of Janis Joplin. Her "signature" song is Open Fire, which really allows her to explore her vocal limits, and although good on CD, is downright POWERFUL performed live. The crowd really responded well, becoming more and more enthusiastic as they played.

As I told Sarah later, I know people showed up to hear Shawn Colvin, but they LEFT talking about her.

The Sarah Mac Band will be playing a few shows locally in the next few weeks. You should get out to see them. (And this is from someone who NEVER goes out to see bands.) Additionally, they have two EPs and a full CD available on iTunes, with a new album due out soon.

[ejh]

you dog, the last time I got to see her was when she opened for Lyle Lovett at Red Rocks back in 95

[konstantkarma]

I saw her at the Denver Zoo, of all places, in like 1994. She was amazing. Steady on!

[victoryfactory]

I also am a big fan of SC
Her Live '88 album is awesome.
In her infrequent tv appearances to promote
a current album, she sometimes seems a little off her game
but based on that live88 album, she is close friends with the Muse.

VF

[bpm]

I've seen her about a dozen times over the years, but the best by far was in the early 90's at Sanders Theater at Harvard. Just her and her guitar, a little bit of goofing around, and the best I've heard her sound, before or since.

[maunahaole]

Saw her when she opened for Richard Thompson. Great show.

[Louis]

Changing the tone just a bit: Since many of us will be in Indianapolis, last time I was there was back in my grad-school days for an AC/DC concert. Just a bit different from the OP :)


For those about to rock...

[Bob Ross]

Here's my Shawn Colvin story:

I used to work as an audio engineer mixing FOH and/or monitors for live concerts. Shawn was scheduled to headline a festival gig I was the monitor engineer for...this would've been around 2002 or so, an outdoor concert south of Boston. One of the other guys on the crew had worked for Shawn before, and he told me "Be prepared; she likes her monitors really quiet."

(Monitors are those speakers that allow the performer to hear themselves; see black box on the floor to Shawn's right in OP's picture.)

I figure I'll preset everything considerably quieter than the other acts have been using, and then she'll love me, right? So I turn the monitors way down before Shawn gets up on stage (no soundcheck at these festival gigs). I mean WAAAAAY DOWN, like half as loud as any other act has been using. Then I start to doubt myself and turn it down some more. The monitor speaker is barely making a peep. It is quiet.

Shawn walks out on stage, gives a perfunctory "Good evening Boston!" comment into the microphone, and quickly turns to me saying "Oh my, that's loud!" I start to reach for the fader but Shawn says "Can I hear it turned all the way off?"

I turn her monitor speaker completely off, she strums a chord on her guitar, hums into the mic, turns back to me and says "That'll work just fine, thanks."

So I got paid to sit in the audience and watch her show.

[Michael Maddox]

The opposite happened Thursday in Tallahassee. She came out and couldn't hear her guitar at all. WE could. She quizzically looked at us and said, "Really? You can hear it?" She played a moment and finally decided, "Okay, let's have a LITTLE bit of monitor."

Finally, they ended up re-cabling her monitor.

Still, she got to talk a bit, which made the show very enjoyable. It was a small venue, which always makes for more fun.

[Ahneida Ride]

Wow !!!!!! ;)