LARVIK 12/26
Of course, I expected the waters to part for the Disciplines' first show. But...they did, in a way. But I wanted it to go so well that...well...no matter what happened...I was going to be disappointed in the end. Plus, it was hours of gnarly travel to get to Larvik, the day after Christmas; the usual 45 minute shuttle ride to CDG; long lines; an hour flight to Amsterdam; 3 hours layover; an hour and a half flight to Torp, and an hour-plus drive to Larvik. Because of my early departure, I slept on both flights, and when I woke up as we began our descent into TRF, I could see with the impressionable eyes of the just awakened the perfect streak of fire that was the sun setting between two black borders. The cold air was startling in its clarity, and the terrain of Sandefjord, the small city adjacent to TRF, was exaggerated and incredibly detailed despite the darkness descending on it.
The event we played at is an annual post-Christmas party that commandeers a small hotel and fills it with bands, DJs, and revelers. The tastemakers who run the thing make sure it's stimulating for the mind (although the DJ, late in the set, did resort to playing fucking Blue Monday...) by booking indie bands of a credible nature. The place fills up with about 500 people, and you can imagine...it takes on a highly jocular air.
The more I think about the Disciplines' show, the better I feel about it. It's patently ridiculous, on one hand, to have me as a front man, but, you know...I just don't care. If I refrained from ridiculous behaviour...well, let's just say, I'd probably still be living at home.
As it was our first show almost no one knew our songs, and it took a bit to break the ice, but, by the end of our set (curiously, the ice-breaker was the song I do unaccompanied on the piano) people were putting their puffy, drunken Norwegian hands together for more. Which we did not have--we have written 10 songs ready for public consumption so far, and our set included all of them. So, the encore was an extremely ragged version of the Posies' "Flavor of the Month" (which Briskeby had covered live) and pretty epic version of "The Lovers Hymn". I played Bjorn's surprisingly delicate SG for these two songs...and of course with my ham handed technique I banged it out of tune every other bar. People loved it.
After the show I was telling Lise "Karl" Karlsnes, Briskeby's singer, how much respect I had for the lead singers of this world. It took *all* my strength to hold the attention of the crowd with only occasional opportunities to lean on my keyboard for a prop. What to do with the hands? the mic stand? Of course, I have learned a lot about the art of lead singer-ing from Michael, having watched about 200 REM gigs from a rather privileged position. But I'm no Michael, and I'm no "Karl". It took me most of the show to devise a way to be Me. It's liberating, tho--I can just push out the vocals with no distractions, and that feels fantastic. I can't worry about the authenticity of me accepting the job--otherwise for sure I would eliminate myself from the running.
BTW, the Disciplines' album will be recorded in 2007, we plan to start work in February in Oslo.
It wasn't long after our set that I was falling asleep, literally, backstage. I had hardly touched any wine, or any other intoxicant, so this was just due to the hard travel in part, and in greater part the exertion required to make that show go. I was not in a party mood, and after struggling to keep my eyes open, I went to bed, cursing the DJ for "Blue Monday"...I probably really fell asleep at about 3.30. The party itself went until 9!
I woke up at 11.30, feeling much better about the show and feeling great about my decision to make an early night of it--it sucks to come home to Paris burnt out and hungover, etc. The hotel was still serving breakfast and just starting to clean the main areas of the party, so they could care less about the rooms. Meaning, that I could take may time. I got dressed, and checked email in the lobby, and Claus eventually came by to pick me up and take me to TRF. We felt good about the night, and he confirmed that he received plenty of kudos as the evening went on into morning .
There was an ongoing Expedia-SNAFU that left the legitimacy of my return ticket in doubt in the eyes of KLM, but it was worked out and I was able to board my buisness-class flight to Amsterdam. I landed in Paris at about 10pm, and came home for a late night dinner at home before midnight. Aden devoured, barely unwrapped, the chocolates I brought from TRF's gift shop. I had a wallet bulging with Euros and NOK from the show. I went to bed feeling...like I wanted to do another gig...right away.
But that's it for 2006. Show stats coming soon!
As for the recent news--RIP Godfather of Soul; the last surviving member of the Warren Commission takes the real story to his grave; Saddam quickly dispatched; people finding that in the face of islamic extremists that they feebly endorse another illegal incursion (Ethiopia into Somalia)...yikes.
There was an interesting story in the IHT this weekend about the Paris bureau librarian, an American named Daniel Reasor, who was found dead in his home in St. Denis, one of Paris' most dangerous suburbs. No cause of death was mentioned. He was 58. If anyone knows more, please email me at ken@kenstringfellow.com
Plans tonight? I might be at La Fleche D'Or for the live band karaoke...you never know. Typically, my enthusiasm for NYE is pretty low. So we might spend the evening with a bottle of Domaine Weinbach "W" pinot noir.
But...in 2007 a bunch of bottles in my wine collection can be officially thought of as mature...including the 2002 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz, Robert Parker gives it a 99. So...tomorrow that big tree gets the axe.
Whatever you do tonight, stay safe and...uh...watch out for huge, glittering descending orbs...especially if they vaporize the downtown of your city...
Love
KS
Paris
