This week I have been catching up on all my tour managing duties, doing a little editing on the
Pernille Sparboe project, signing various contracts and what not, and trying to squeeze in a little time just enjoying being home. On Tuesday night Dominique and I went to see
Beirut's sold out show at the Bataclan. I like the band, but somehow I felt that the instrumental parts were the most interesting bit...the singer is not exactly a dynamic or versatile singer. He has a pleasant sound, but it's kind of a one-trick pony. But, he has assembled a great band and the instrumental sections of his songs are undeniably magnificent. Now, having not been too complimentary about his singing I will admit that he did a brilliant, spot-on Serge Gainsbourg cover...I don't know if they learned it just for shows in France, but it certainly got the audience singing along. One other thing: when the bass player played his stand up bass, and the keyboard player wasn't playing Wurlizter, it was music played on no electric instruments, and it was LOUD. Bravo!
Kite & Butterfly, who I knew as itinerant musicians, and produced some songs for way back when, but the world now knows as fashion designers, are in town this week and Dom, Aden & I met up with them and Kite's tiny daughter Lavender Blue and went to the museum of magic, in St. Paul, so not too far from our place. Aden participated in the magic show, and was as surprised as we were when her empty hands that she had palms down on the table suddenly were filled with the foam balls that had been in the magician's hands seconds before. Good one.
After the magic bit, we went to have a coffee next door in a courtyard that has a cafe, an antique shop, etc. Turns out this little place had lavender ice cream, a fetish of mine. Not long after my cone was consumed, a little rain started to fall. The awning was lowered to cover the terrace. Good thing--ten minutes later the skies erupted with thunder, lightning, buckets of rain, and chiclet-sized/shaped hail--for the next 45 minutes we were pinned at this place. I've never seen it rain like that in Paris, ever.
On Friday Billy, from Tel Aviv, arrived. The wife of Shy Nobleman, who put together my tour of Israel in December. I have been mixing Billy's band
Billy & the Firm, and she came to be a part of it--I did the first half of the album in March, and since I had less time to work with now I thought it would be much quicker if she was here to give me feedback. On the first day I ended up playing guitar on the song, and in fact I'm not sure it's going any more quickly but we're having fun.
We took a break tonite to see
Kristov & the Commoners at La Scene Bastille which is pretty close to my hood. He did a great job, you can tell the band is a bit new but you gotta love a drummer who not only plays great but sings awesome backups. La Scene is weird tho, it's a showcase club, so no vibe of its own, and not the most cozy place on earth. They didn't even give the band a 5-minute warning, just cut 'em off, which was really awkward of course. Dumb place.
It's rained every day this week. Remi from
Cheap Star & I had two tennis dates, both foiled. I think it's gonna be quite awhile before the racket gets taken out again...
Love
KS
Paris
