"Every Reason Why" Part 4.2 - Dreaming In Black And White & 'Southern Shore' Praise

Some things are indisputable, clearly a matter of black and white. Alan as the hottest of Rock Star Guitar Gods is one of these things. 

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This entry is the companion piece for the preceding entry. Most of the pictures appear in both entries, though not all, a few being so much better either in black and white or in colour that the picture appears one way only. Several of the Paddy Murphy photos appear only here; it was frustration with the Paddy photos that got me to fooling around with the black-and-white editing options; the lights during this song were very low and even more Very Red and the photos were impossible...Sean and Bob looked like a pair of tomatoes. I liked the look of the black and white for these photos and decided to try it on a few more pictures. I found I really liked the look on Alan's Rock Star shots, and the Walk On The Moon photos looked pretty darn good too.

Of course, I couldn't decide which versions I liked best of which shots, as always. Alan looks great to me in every format. I was going to put them all up in one entry, but there were too many. Then I thought about waiting on both versions of the When I Am King photos until after the weekend, but it made no sense at all not to put those pictures up before the New York show at the Bowery Ballroom. When I Am King is Alan at his hottest, and what better way to head out to New York City than with images of the Most Gorgeous Sexy Rock Star Guitar God strutting his stuff...in colour and in black and white? More of the wonderful is always better, and the timing is impeccable. To see The More, The Better, The Wonderful in colour, simply scroll down to the companion entry.

Closeups from When I Am King and Walk On The Moon.

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Walk On The Moon.

Paddy Murphy - these first two photos were impossibly red in colour and just too cute not to find some way to use.

WIAK Intro - Alan talks about his "most shameful" song.

Lead guitarist on fire. 

Winning wars and fighting fights.

Sexiest lead guitarist, sexiest pick slide.

Dream in black and white.

Now I'm ready to head to New York. Assuming we get out of the airport in the morning; if the weather really goes to shit, I might wind up with only these photos to take solace in this weekend, these photos and the assurance that my favourite Rock Star Guitar God is going to set New York on fire. Another one of those black-and-white, indisputable matters.

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One last bit of black and white, this time in the form of words in print. This is a review of Southern Shore, the new Irish Descendants CD that was produced by Alan Doyle. I've already written several times about how highly I think of this CD and why (here, for starters), and as time passes, I find I am enjoying this music even more. It's very good to see such a deserving work (which has just garnered an ECMA nomination) being appreciated by others. I was especially glad to see particular note being made here of Not For The Money Alone, the excellent song co-written by Con O'Brien and Alan, the song I think is the most impressive in an overall strong group of tunes.

From the January 10th online edition of the Cape Breton Post

Irish Descendants new CD should put them in the spotlight again

DAN MACDONALD 
The Cape Breton Post

The Irish Descendants have been around the East Coast music scene since the early 1990s. Coming out of the rich Newfoundland cultural circuit, they were playing, recording and winning awards before Great Big Sea and The Fables ever arrived.

The latest musical project from the ever-evolving group is called Southern Shore, a nod to the fishing community heritage of many of the band’s members, including leader Con O’Brien. This 12-cut CD contains a collection of traditional material, (some brought from Ireland), mixed carefully with new (and not so new) material from some well-known composers.

There are songs from contemporary Newfoundland wordsmiths Jim Fidler and Francis Aspell, as well as a tune co-written by O’Brien with Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle. Included in the list are two Tommy Makem songs (including Four Green Fields), as well as one from Art Scammell (The Six Horse Power Coaker), a pair of writers with a longstanding influence on Newfoundland music. I’m particularly taken by their musical version of J.M. Devine’s original poem that has become popular as the song Pat Murphy’s Meadow, as well as Not For The Money Alone, O’Brien and Doyle’s fond memories of the lost art of cod tongue cutting.

One song stands out more for the message then the melody. We Laughed, written by Billy Bragg and Maxine Edgington (a cancer victim), celebrates the power of laughter between a mother (who has cancer) and her teenage daughter. This powerful song was originally recorded as part of England’s Rosetta Requiem project.

Southern Shore is a very listenable recording, with an interesting mixture of styles, sentiments and textures of material. All together, this is a most enjoyable CD, something to push The Irish Descendants back to centre stage.

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Off to check the Weather Channel and cross my fingers. I really do want to see the Rock Star Guitar God and the Best Newfoundland Band conquer New York. Again. 

Comments

[JoAnn]

Gotta love black and white..thanks for these Lynda..travel safe!

JoAnn

[Birgit]

Hi Lynda,

Just popping in to give you a link to some lovely photos.
http://www.madeleine.gl/photography/toenderfestival/index.html

Have to admit to my regret that I can hardly find the time to keep up with your blog, but it's always a source of joy and inspiration.

Cheers, Birgit

[Jennifer]

Hello Lynda

I normally don't respond to your posts with a post but I just had to say "WOW" that first pic is fantastic, breath-taking even and the rest are great too. I just wish he'd have kept the beard, it looked good on him.

As for the New York weather, you'll have no problem getting here but you may have to wait a day or two to go back, it looks like it may get a little messy this coming week.

Have fun

Jennifer

[Marianne]

The color pix are great but these are breath taking. Alan really looks like the rock star. :)

Mari

[Leslie]

Lynda -

They certainly did conquer NYC last night again. Amazing show. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk. I was afraid someone in line would take offense to my coming up there to talk. Heh. Then once we got inside, my friend and I decided we were old, and headed for the balcony seating. And when it was over, I had to run out of there to catch my bus home.

I was telling my friend how we knew each other, and we decided that if we had the money/jobs that allowed us to do it, we'd love to just travel around and do what you do, see new places and a great band. What's better than that?

I've decided that I really, really like balcony seating. The sound is just better up there. You can actually hear Bob when he sings.

Tonight was even more amazing in person than I thought it would be. Oh my God. I can't wait for that one on a CD. Oh Yeah is...interesting. Different. But not in a bad way. I like rock and roll Alan.

I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say, since most of last night is a jumbled mess in my brain already.

Take care,
Leslie

[lynda]

Sorry to take a bit of time to put these up; I pretty much just used my laptop for downloading video files - a whole heck of a lot of video files - from my camera during our weekend whirlwind of NYC touristing.

Leslie, I'm still thinking about the show - still uploading videos too (Straight To Hell, with encore comments about Speedo cruisewear, is uploading as I type this) - so it will be a day or two more before I write very much about it, I think, though I will likely put up a first entry tonight (or tomorrow morning, if we make it to the pub as planned tonight) with the video links and a couple of photos I really like; I've got one of Alan that is so sweet it immediately and irrevocably evokes the 'Here's my heart, do with it whatever you please" response, and another one that comes close to capturing why he is simply the best of the best performers. And I loved the comment Alan made about himself and Bon Jovi; I've got the perfect photo to go with that quote too, along with the perfect coincidental moment.

It will take my usual forever to get all the photos done (especially since I am also halfway through both Grey Cup photos and Christmas Show photos too), so I don't know what to do in what order, though I do have some time between now and Jacksonville to maybe even get it all done. I want to write about our time in NYC too - which was a blast, best time I've had there so far - including the very good show we saw on Saturday night. Video coming of that too.

I have one video from the Bowery show that's hilarious. When Sean started to sing the impromptu "Volvo" song, I was videoing him and Alan, holding the camera horizontally so I could get them both in. While Sean was warbling and Alan came to stage edge and turned his back to the crowd and started to climb down from the stage (so he could "see what we look like"), in so doing, there was suddenly the most gorgeous arse I have ever seen, filling my camera screen. Ahem. So much for keeping my cool. He shook and rattled me so much that at first I forgot all about the camera (and instinctively got it the hell out of the way of enjoying the pleasure of that spectacular closeup view...so much for my ever qualifying for the title of Intrepid Photographer) and by the time I recalled the camera - which was still videoing merrily away - and got it back up, now I was videoing vertically, not even remembering that I had started it out horizontally. I didn't realise it until I watched the video last night.

I am not sure what in the world to do with that Horizontal/Vertical video file, other than laugh at it, treasure it, and keep right on admiring the lovely view of that most gorgeous arse I have ever seen. So much more than just a money shot, it is more like a grand-prize-winning lotto ticket. Maybe I should just put the video up as it is, with Alan's lovely arse going both ways, in tribute to the distracting power of that most gorgeous arse, which grows even more gorgeous, and even more distracting, the closer it gets.

But as for the real writing about the Bowery show, that will happen when I know for sure what I want to say. It was a really good show - the connection with the crowd was spectacular - the kind of show that leaves you breathless and delighted and knowing you have just been a part of something very special.

And the show, even more so the front man, also had an edge to it/him, maybe better to call it a "double edge," that has left me still casting about for the best way to write about him and it, even for the best words to use to describe him and it. That double edge worked perfectly with this NYC crowd - a self-possessed and slightly ironic edge is right at home among most New Yorkers - and it also left me intrigued and thoughtful, enough so to make me hesitant to write much before thinking hard. Maybe while I'm still thinking, Alan will write the show from his own perspective, which would keep me from having to go too far out onto that wobbly limb all by myself.

Yes, I'll admit it, as appealing and compelling as the edges were ("Edges and Curves" would be a perfect description of one very beautiful man) and as great as this show was, those edges left their mark on me. It's not so much a feeling of worry as it is just being concerned - but then, that's just me and my own perspective.

All of them have worked so hard for so long, and Alan especially is often so willing to pay an exorbitant price to obtain and keep what he most desires...so edges, even edges that play really great with a particular crowd, tend to concern me. I want him to get what makes him happiest (actually, I've gotten pretty invested in wanting to see Sean be happy too, now that I've gotten a look at him being that way), and I'm going to feel much better when those things Alan most desires and may have paid dearly for - such as the new CD and the new tour - actually happen.

Along with the breathless delight - and there was definitely no shortage of breathless delight - these are the thoughts I took out of the Bowery Ballroom with me. Not all of the thoughts, to be sure, but some of them. There was also the "Well, maybe Bon Jovi is almost as hot as Alan is when Jon's having a really good night" thought too, among other related musings. Breathless-delight thoughts. Which is not to say I don't think really well of Bon Jovi; anyone who loves great performers would think well of him, and I do love great performers. There's just not a bit of doubt about who my own choice would be between the two of them, on stage or off. I mean it when I say Alan's the "Best of the Best".

I spent most of yesterday pondering this show a bit more soberly (literally...the drinks at the Bowery are as outrageously strong as they are outrageously expensive) in quieter moments, including all the way back up on the flight. After we got in, I sat up a long time thinking about it while watching the snow plow scurrying around, then decided to sleep on it and see what occurred to me when I woke up. Here I am now, still working on it, but getting closer.

For now, I can say I think they did great - especially Alan and Sean, who have been so good performing together lately...Sean has been wonderful to watch on stage, so much so I forget to take pictures most of the time just because I am so enjoying seeing him smile - and the crowd clearly loved everything they heard on that Old GBS/New GBS set list.

Murray seemed especially glad to be in New York - where there are always some endlessly faithful Fruheads positioned nearby his stage spot, and Kris seemed cheerful too. I'm not sure what is up with Bob lately; he's playing well, but for much of several of the recent shows (including the Grey Cup and the Christmas shows, the Vancouver casino shows as well) there's been what looks to be an undercurrent of ambivalence persistently appearing on the performance surface.

Alan really did a spectacular job on Tonight, and Sean too. I love Tonight; it's beautiful and honest and powerful, and it plays like it comes straight from the heart, straight from the very good heart of a very dear man. I'm going to say more about Tonight when I write about the show for real, so for now I'll just say I love this song and I think the world of the songwriter/s.

I like Rock And Roll Alan too. Oh yeah. I like R&R Alan a whole hell of a lot. Oh Yeah really is different from much of anything GBS's ever done (though it's an excellent an d logical companion to Straight To Hell musically), and I've been wondering how the mainline/longtime GBS fans are going to react to that difference. Two crowds so far, at home and in NYC, and two positive reactions, if maybe a bit startled at first. But by the end of the song, most of the people I've seen at both shows have been rocking along, grins on their faces, though some will be sure to think it's "too different" to suit their own tastes.

And, frankly, those who for whatever psychological reasons have a need to see GBS - and/or Alan specifically - as being nonsexual (the Anatomically Incorrect Teddy Bear Brigade) are not going to be at all comfortable with Oh Yeah. This is one fucking sexy song, gloriously so, and the adjectival choice is quite intentional. Though I tend to find all of his songs sexy, and see him much more as the Lion King than as the teddy bear, no matter what the tune. Personal taste and individual perspective yet again. To each her own.

Oh Yeah was even getting positive reaction along Delancey Street during soundcheck; as people walked by and heard the music blasting out from inside the venue, quite a few of them (especially the oh-so-fashionable young ladies, I noticed) began to bounce along to the beat as they walked, almost without even realising they were reacting to it. I do lenjoy seeing passers-by on a NYC street bouncing along to the driving beat of a Great Big Sea rock song, listening to a sexy Alan Doyle growling out the song's lyrics, out-doing Bon Jovi altogether. This is very good.

Leslie, I missed talking more to you too. When you went back to your spot in line, I figured I'd see you inside to talk more. You were right about crankiness in line...I think the ladies in front of us would have gotten irked if you'd stayed up with us very long (they were nice but maybe a bit territorial), but if I'd known we wouldn't get a chance to talk more, I'd have come back to you for a chat. Hopefully we'll get another chance to talk when this tour finally gets on the go...if still not by March and you are in the mood for a drunken mosh pit of foolishness, come meet up with me at Shamrock Fest.

I've wound up in the balcony at some shows (the Town Hall show was one of them), and it really can be a great experience, completely different perspective altogether. You get to see how the whole band performs together and how the crowd reacts too. The sound was pretty good up front too this time, not anywhere near as muddy as it often is right at the stage, so it must have sounded wonderful up there.

JoAnn, Jennifer, and Mari - thank you for the comments and I am so glad you liked the pictures this way. So do I. Look for more B&W from this Bowery show, since this was another dark and Very Red show and I am sick and tired of Great Big Tomatoes pictures. Alan does look more like the Rock Star he truly is in the B&W than in red, though I must confess he does make a gorgeous tomato too. There was also some really strong backlight at the Bowery too, and the B&W seems to cut down on some of that.

Birgit, thank you for the photos link and even more for the kind words. I sure hope they decide to go back to Tonder again soon, to see you again as well as to see them.

Jennifer, we did fine with the weather, nothing more than a bit of rain Sunday night, not even really sprinkles on Monday morning. Felt like early spring in Seattle. Then we got back here and it feels a bit more like genuine winter again, with more of the same coming in. Back to shovelling, not at all an exorbitant place to pay for being here, something else that is definitely and always worth my while.

Straight To Hell just finished uploading; time to upload Oh Yeah.