Sacred Places
This is in response to Jack’s posting.
I haven’t travelled or lived as long as Jack (sorry Jack), so I don’t have multitudes of memories for many, but here it goes. These are places that stick in my mind because of the music I heard there. Not chronological and maybe not all venues.
The Wiltern: Patti Smith (1996), Natalie Merchant (1995), Sigur Ros, Travis, Wilco, The Decemberists, Green Day. I think my favorite venue.
The Artist Lounge, WBR – The White Stripes, Neil Young, R.E.M., Randy Newman. I sat in here, cross legged next to Jack White listening to Icky Thump.
Blackbird Studio, Nashville, TN – Last year I went and heard the last R.E.M. record for the first time in the fall. The entire band sitting behind me as I was in the producers seat listening, eyes drilling into my neck it felt like.
The Armory Studio, Vancouver – Three of us from WBR went up to hear Accelerate (before it had a name, this was just as they started recording). We were I think in our hearts, scared to death since this record was following up Around the Sun. What if it sucked? What if what we heard sucked the life out of the room? What would we say?
We all three sat in Aeron chairs facing the studio monitors as Jacknife Lee queued up “Living Well is the Best Revenge” full blast, in early demo form. We all three pulled out our iPhones and/or Blackberry’s and texted Michael, who was in Georgia.
Peter Buck’s condo – the first time I heard most of Accelerate, before the band headed to Dublin.
The Showbox, Seattle, WA – one of the most emotionally stirring performances I’ve ever seen: Patti Smith.
Jones Beach, NY – The first time I had an after-show pass. Patti Smith was there and I got to finally meet her.
The Casbah, San Diego – I spent the day with the Minus 5 taking photographs (700 frames, which became my final project in college). Also saw the Decemberists there opening for someone else, playing to maybe 20 people.
The 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA – I lit a couch on fire.