Archive for the ‘cardinals’ Category
*Showing My Hand: Early thoughts on Ryan Adams ‘Ashes & Fire’
Since my favorite musician/singer-songwriter has a new release & is streaming it entirely, I am posting it here. I’ve listened twice all the way through and a couple songs a few more times than that. I can’t tell how I really feel about the songs yet because I’m just so friggin excited the fella is back in action.
Ryan Adams and his former band The Cardinals performed my favorite blend of what I love in songs, both on studio tracks and live. When that broke, along with the sudden loss of Cardinals band-member Chris Feinstein (aka Spacewolf ~ RIP), I def didn’t even really understand what I was missing. Did I miss Ryan? Did I miss the Cardinals? Did I miss Chris? I guess it was all of that jumbled together. Perhaps someday, down down down the road the Cardinals will be back in some form, but that’ll be awhile, if ever. Chris is def gone for good (but NEVER forgotten). And now, Ryan returns with his pretty, mellow record that’s all lovey dovey. I’m not in love. I don’t much relate to the sweet songs so much. Glad for him, though. Don’t get me wrong, I love plenty of people & things & places.
And when I fast-forward to being in Big Sur a couple short weeks from now, I surmise I will become hypnotized again like I remember all those nights listening and watching him sing my favorite songs with that band I loved so much. I’m DEF excited about the solo shows and looking forward to the new tunes growing on me. So far, Invisible Riverside is my easy favorite on the album. Waaay early call. Need to hear the whole thing in my car ~ the best listening chamber!
Do you like Ryan’s new release so far?
A View of A View of Other Windows
Neal Casal’s photo book of Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, found here on Amazon, brings back a TON of great memories. Whether you LOVE or just like Ryan Adams and/or The Cardinals, it almost doesn’t matter because these photos are so engaging. Admittedly, it’s hard for me to find some words to describe how much this book & this band mean to me. Since Chris Feinstein left the physical world behind in December, this book just capsulizes so many feelings. There has to be a word for being so emotional that you simply observe all the bumps & bruises & elations when they are jarred, from something as beautiful as this book. Maybe the word is “present”.
Let It Go, Chris Feinstein.
Sweet, kind, spirited being and friend Chris Feinstein took his last breath today. The news came to me as a bludgeon to my heart, that still makes me shake when I think of what it really means. Alas, I’ve been thinking all day what he would want me to do? How would he want me to feel? As gentle and sensitive as Chris was, he was also as rugged and tough. A true gemini. I haven’t been able to really grip on anything all day. I want to wake up tomorrow to hear this was all a nightmare. My mind feels fragile. My psyche bruised. My heart heavy.
Dedicating this to Chris, with love and much light:
An Acoustic Evening with Tim Bluhm, Neal Casal & Fred Torphy :: October 8
Filed under: big light, cardinals, fred torphy, mother hips, neal casal, reapandsow, ryan adams, tim bluhm |
Leave a Comment 
Tim Bluhm is affectionately known in San Francisco for his major role in the California Soul rock band, The Mother Hips.
Neal Casal has charmed many in the U.K, Europe, & Japan regularly over the last two decades with his solo work, and has recently gained U.S. recognition with his role touring with Ryan Adams & The Cardinals.
Fred Torphy just wrapped Outside Lands & Wanderlust fronting his SF-based band Big Light.
These three exceptional singer-songwriters bring their solo tunes to the Make-Out Room for one special evening of acoustic music. Thank you for helping make it a night of music to remember.
$12, doors open at 7p, music begins at 7:30p sharp & will conclude by 9:30p.
About reapandsow>presents:
reapandsow>presents is a division of San Francisco-based digital music distribution company, reapandsow, inc. We book, produce and promote events in the SF bay area and beyond, including the Annual Golden Gate Gramble and the reapandsow Artist Showcase at South by Southwest 2009.
feb recap
Filed under: ALO, big light, cardinals, fillmore, fox theater, great american music hall, jackie greene, mystic theater, phil lesh, ryan adams |
Leave a Comment i’ve gotten really behind on this blog. i’ve seen some amazing music in the last couple months. at the same rate, there were some really mammoth shows that i didn’t see, painstakingly enough. i’ll do a quickie little recap, if not for my own little self-indulgence that i happen to share on the WWW. some “expected” great shows, some unexpected…
eagles of death metal, fillmore in early feb. didn’t realized i would enjoy that one as much as i did. mingled with that camp thru a friend i met during the 2007 ryan adams/cardinals tour who was tour managing the EODM. they were a very sweet bunch of people, who have all known each other for years, and i felt grateful to be included for a night of their mayhem. major family vibe.
michael franti & ALO fox theater in oakland, during its opening weekend. that theater is poised to see some seriously epicly life-altering music, i reckon. believe it or not, i get kinda bored with michael franti lately. i feel ashamed of that, to a certain extent. but hey, i love SO much music that for me, it feels good to know what i like, at least. and its not that i don’t like it. i dance, and my friends are there n stuff. it all just starts sounding the same to me at a certain point. whatevz really, i thought the part i caught of ALO was REALLY good. can’t say enough about how good i think dan lebowitz (guitar for ALO) is. SICK!
the white thighs, connecticut yankee: valentine’s day found me babysitting for my dear friends, then busting a move out to see my big light friends play w their original band the white thighs. it was a super silly fun time.
ALO & big light, the mystic in petaluma: my virgin run of the mystic. local faves both big light AND alo B R O U G H T I T. a stormy massively rainy drive up from the city north to petaluma brought a super fun night of music. GREAT way for me to see my first gig at that neato venue.
jackie greene band + phil lesh, bob weir, great american music hall (night one): i LOVE jackie’s music. LOVE. this show was two sets of his original tunes, with an acoustic set by jackie/bobby/phil. um, HELL YES. the middle acoustic set on night one was a little rusty, but who cared? it was still REALLY good.
jackie greene band + phil lesh, bob weir, GAMH (night two): LOVED night 2 much better than night one. third set was KOOKOO! sorry, can’t deal w the details right now, but that third set was FUN~ whew! couldn’t mingle too much after cuz i had an ER-ER-EARLY flight the next morning to catch my last cardinals shows…
the cardinals plus ryan adams, new haven: LONG day for me, espesh having just ROCKED out at the jackie shows two nights prior, but this new haven show was good. the music was GREAT, but i was pooped from my travel day and ryan was kinda annoying me, prolly cuz i was tyty. nonetheless, GREAT music and i was happy to skip boston so i could be fresh for MONTCLAIR!
the cardinals plus ryan adams, wellmont theater: as it stands, this would turn out to be my “last” cardinals gig. it was a worthy show for me to bid farewell (for now) to my mighty friends who play that heavenly music. this show was just ON. had some of my SERIOUSLY best friends at the gig, and couldn’t have asked for a better night of music/fun/mischief. just AWESOME. i can’t even deal with putting the link to the show here cuz if i don’t keep typing to get thru my recap, it will not happen.
again, this is all more for me than anyone, cuz i’m amused when i actually read some of this stuff back. i could try to put pix up n stuff along w it all but i don’t have the energy. sorrs.
Let Go Of The Worry
in case you folks out there haven’t seen this, its the announcement of ryan’s current decision to bail from the cardinals. its been a long time coming…the constant struggle to be in his skin was often lubed by his band of brothers, those angels called the cardinals, and now, ryan is finally feeling like fleeing the nest, to fly into skies of the unknown, without the safety net that the cardinals provided.
hopefully we’ll hear from him before too, too long. otherwise, its been amazing and a privilege to be a part of this incredible ride~ i really hope to catch some of this last tour, on a wing and a prayer…
Much Gratitude for The Cardinals & Ryan Adams
Goodnight Rose
We’re going to win
Put your troubles behind you
And go on to bed
Let go of the worry
There’s so much nobody understands
Don’t live your life in such a hurry
Life goes by us all so fast
And the sun will come up again
And I will be here
If you get scared just hold my hand
Tomorrow is yours and who knows
Maybe we’ll win the whole shabang
Goodnight Rose, goodnight, goodnight Rose
Good morning sunshine
A new day begins
And the hustle and bustle of the traffic greets you kindly,
I can tell because you’re smiling
C’mon give ‘em everything that the winning demands
Just one more ribbon Rose
Before the mantle place caves in
And the sun will come up again
And I will be here Rose
If you get scared just hold my hand
Get out of that dress
Go on to bed
The bar is closed…
Goodnight Rose, goodnight, goodnight Rose
Goodnight Rose, goodnight, goodnight Rose
SO FAR PAST SAD I’M CRAZY~~~>
that 8.23.08 fillmore ryan and the cardinals show finally surfaced!!! pretty exciting reliving this incredible night of music again. major gratitude especially to the r.a. camp for being so fucking cool about taping. major major thx*
here’s a link to the torrent for that show.
to listen immediately, go here and stream it.
either way, exciting!!! also, here’s a link to my review from back when the show happened.
let it go
greetings in 2009.
lagg-o-rama on getting this happy new year post out, but still. here’s a tiny sliver of goodness from the 2008 pie of music that just filled me up to the rim.
i saw some GREAT GREAT GREAT cardinals shows this year (thank god~~~> it really is the best medicine for my heart & soul). ironically i DIDN’T see this dublin show that i am posting, and also these pix are NOT from dublin, i just love them (and took them). i really do find this dublin show to be my favorite cardinals recording of 2008. which is why i’m finally posting it, in my first post of 2009. hope you enjoy it. find a way to make 2009 your favorite year!!!
ryan adams and the cardinals from dublin: 11.08.08
Merry Christmas!!!
Filed under: big light, cardinals, jackie greene, mother hips, ryan adams |
Leave a Comment i’m just sliding in, under the gun to get this christmas/kwanzaa/channukah/holiday message in before the buzzer.
i’ve been hard pressed to come up with some top 5 or top 10 list of shows or albums or whatevz. i’m not sure its possible. i mean, i guess if i got “serious”, i could do it…with the caveat FOR SURE that i would prob amend it, and/or change it at whim, or ya know…amend & change being one and the same, of course.
fuck. january and february of 2008 seem like millions of years ago, right? its a good thing i have this blog cuz i would never remember what the eff i did this year!!!
off the cuff, since this is a remote report from the back shack, and i don’t actually have my own computer at my fingertips for pix or whatevz or my itunes to see what i actually listened to the most, i’ll say that there were some artists that made a HUGE impression on me this year, mostly thru live performances here or there, in and around the bay area. i feel like this is saying the sorta obvious, like saying the unsaid, but i realize that people check in from other places. and if you don’t live in our town, i HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend checking these artists out sooner than later.
BIG LIGHT: click here to listen
mother hips: website
jackie greene: oh god, so hard to get me started on this, but go ahead…start here, for easy access!
i could get all micro about it. i still might before the end of the year. after all, there are a few days left to get down to the REAL nitty gritty. until then, hope your holidays are just the way you want them!!!
and, here’s the instant gratification youtube vid, to round out this christmas post. (note: vid IS from 2006)
