I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: LUCIUS-Live at the Newport Folk Festival (July 27, 2018).

I was considering going to see Lucius at Union Transfer on July 25.  Something came up and I wound up not getting tickets.

While hearing a stream of them isn’t quite as good as seeing them live (especially since their look is so arresting), it was great to hear what I missed.

For this tour, Lucius was unplugged–acoustic versions of their songs and some covers.

It sounds like there may have been more going on at Newport (as there always is)

Accompanied by members of yMusic, students from the Berklee College of Music on strings and J. Blynn, along with Lucius regulars Jess Wolfe, Holly Laessig, Dan Molad, and Peter Lalish. The group also incorporated choreography into the set, with the dancers known as The Seaweed Sisters.

Songs included favorites new and old, like “Woman” and Turn It Around.” Tears were shed as they movingly tributed the recently departed producer and musician Richard Swift. Lucius performed Swift’s song “The Most of What I Know” (from his 2006 album Dressed Up for the Letdown) and, in typical Newport fashion, were joined by Brandi Carlile and the Twins, Nicole Atkins, Sharon Van Etten and Bedouine.

Go Home” is my favorite song of theirs.  They opened with it.  I could have gone home happy.  “Right Down the Line” is a song I didn’t know by Gerry Rafferty.  It sounds pretty 70s–slick and poppy.  “Something About You”  featured the Seaweed Sisters doing choreography.

“Feels Like a Curse” is a slower number with strings.  It’s quite pretty.

“Turn It Around” is another favorite of mine, with big claps and a wonderfully catchy chorus (yes, I would have stayed for this!)  I love the power behind the chorus: “She’s looking through the wrong end of the telescope ha!”

Brandi Carlisle joins them for “Dusty Trails” and when they sing the “we’ll be alright” at the end, it is really transportive.

Next up

“They movingly tributed the recently departed producer and musician Richard Swift. Lucius performed Swift’s song “The Most of What I Know” (which I don;t know) and, in typical Newport fashion, were joined by Brandi Carlile and the Twins, Nicole Atkins, Sharon Van Etten and Bedouine.

“How Loud Your Heart Gets” is a little too overwhelmed by strings to really appreciate their vocals (which is crazy since they sing loud!).  “Woman” also sounds great and is a stunning set closer. The “encore” (sort of) is “A Dream Is A Wish” a lovely a capella version.

Below is the set list from Newport and what i would have seen had I gone to Union Transfer.

SET LIST:

• “Go Home”
• “Right Down The Line” (Gerry Rafferty)
• “Something About You”
• “Feels Like A Curse”
• “Turn It Around”
• “Madness”
• “Dusty Trails”
• “Most Of What I Know” (Richard Swift) [did not play at UT]
• “Two of Us On The Run”
• “How Loud Your Heart Gets”
• “Woman”
• “A Dream Is A Wish” (Daniel Bedingfield-Disney Song)

UNION TRANSFER SETLIST (duplicated songs in bold)

1. Go Home
2. Tempest
3. Right Down the Line (Gerry Rafferty)
4. Something About You
5. Neighbors
6. Feels Like a Curse
7. Until We Get There
8. Sweet and Tender Romance (The McKinleys)
9. Turn It Around
10. Madness
11. True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston)
12. Two of Us on the Run
13. How Loud Your Heart Gets
14. Woman
15. Dusty Trails
16. Strangers (The Kinks)
17. A Dream Is A Wish (Daniel Bedingfield-Disney Song)

[READ: August 6, 2018] “Displaced”

I enjoyed this story but it seemed to take forever.  I attribute this to Ford’s writing style although there’s nothing I could point to about it that makes me feel this way.

This is a story about a recently turned 16 year old boy, Henry, whose father died unexpectedly.  Henry’s main sadness about the is that if his father had lived longer, his mother would have divorced him and Henry could have gone o military school.

He is now alone, with his mother, in the South.  His fellow students have placed him in a strange limbo because of his father;s death .  He doesn’t like it.

In their neighborhood is a house for “transients.”  Out front is a sign that says DIAL 33377 (that’s all) and everyone referred to it as the DIAL house.  Secretaries and waitresses lived there.   Young married couples.  Even two men living together.  Henry realizes now that he and his mother were transients too, they just didn’t call themselves that.

There was one family living there, the McDiarmids from Strathfoyle Ireland.  The boy, Niall, used to come around and talk to them.  Henry’s mother liked his lilting voice and Henry enjoyed the stories Niall told of Ireland.  The stories were so much more exciting than his own.  In fact, when Niall asked the narrator to tell him a story about himself, Henry had nothing to say.  And then he felt bad about it.

Niall’s father grew ill and so Niall started driving his dad’s cab.  He would pick up blacks, where as most of the other white cabbies would not.

Then one day Niall told Henry that he had picked a whore (pronounced “hure”).  He said he’d be seeing her again, for sure.  Then he asked if the narrator wanted to go to the movies that night. Henry loved the movies with his dad, but he hadn’t been since his father die some moths ago  been since his father died months ago.  Niall would take them the drive-in (a Bob Hope gasser) in the cab Henry;s mother already said he could go).

On the way there, Niall says he’s interested in joining the Navy as a path to citizenship–especially since there’s no wars going on right them.  Then the evening turns bad.

Niall has some gin in a flask, which they both drink.  Niall seems to get cross with Henry and then asks if he can kiss him. Henry doesn’t mind, he finds it pleasant, but Niall seems upset about that too.

On the way home Niall wants Henry to tell him the worst thing he ever done.  Henry’s is pale compared to Niall’s (which who even knows if it’s true).

There is an epilogue but it is as enigmatic as so much of the story .