I am a mid-30's something gay white male, third-generation native Washingtonian, living in NW DC. I work in local politics and can be found hanging with friends at the DC Eagle, Titan, and various happy hour spots around town including Zengo, and sometimes Cafe Nema. More often than not, though, I can be found dallying in billiards and addictive bar video games. Bud light is my drink of choice. Buy me one, ok?

Friday, October 27, 2006

October 21, 2006 -- Emmylou Harris at Strathmore

Finally, I have seen Emmylou live in concert. Asked my friend John, another devotee of Ms. Harris, to join me, and he enthusiastically did. We had dinner at Annie's in DC, then headed to Bethesda to the Strathmore for the show.

Absolutely awesome performance. If it's possible for me to be in even further awe of her voice and her talent, I am. Her voice has been described as otherworldly and heavenly, and those who claim this are right to do so. Whether singing "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby," from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," the Beatles' "For No One," or countless of her own songs, Emmylou wowed everyone in the concert hall. And when she stepped over to the acoustic microphone to engage Pam Rose and Mary Ann Kennedy in gorgeous, heartstopping three-way harmony on "Bright Morning Stars," I very literally swooned.

I remain to be puzzled by people who go to concerts and feel the need to talk during the performance as if they were in their living room or on their front porch. We had one such talker at the end of our row, on the aisle. He was shooshed from all angles, but this did not dissuade him. But then he did the unforgiveable. As Emmylou began into Neil Young's "After the Goldrush," this boob, decided it would be a good idea to add his voice to the harmony. Emmylou had to have heard the chorus of SHHHHHHHHHHHHH all the way down on the stage. What a moron. At the end of the show, he refused to stand up so anyone could pass by, so I squeezed my enormous ass right on through.

This annoyance, in comparison to the show, while bothersome, bearly registered. John asked me going into the concert what one song I wanted to hear, and I said, "Boulder to Birmingham." And his was "Evangeline," by The Band. John sort of got his wish, as she sang "O Evangeline" from her Stumble Into Grace album, and I scored during the encore when she did mine. The most pleasant surprises for me were her inclusion of "Going Back to Harlan," a McGarrigle Sisters tune off of "Wrecking Ball," and what Emmylou called one of Neil Young's many apocolyptic little ditties, "After the Goldrush." LOL

Billboard Magazine, in 1999 made Emmylou the eighth recipient of its Century Award, given previously to George Harrison, Buddy Guy, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, Chet Atkins and James Taylor (it has since been given to Randy Newman, John Mellancamp, Annie Lennox, Sting and Stevie Wonder, and Tom Petty is due to receive it this year). Writing about her selection for the honor, Billboard said, "As both a truly venturesome, genre-transcending visionary and a provocative guardian of counry music's living heritage, Emmylou Harris has uncompromisingly advanced the cause of roots music in our nation and its artistic and cultural resonance around the world."

And now here I am at home, listening to random Emmylou tracks from my iPod. I'm reminded just how damned good her voice is suited to Willie Nelson's by hearing "My Own Peculiar Way," from his "Teatro" album, which she provided backing vocals on.

If anyone reads this, other than Ethan, LOL, and you don't know of Emmylou, check her out. Her first album, "Pieces of the Sky," is a great starting point. And "One Big Love" from her "Red Dirt Girl" album is another one. And let me know what you think. Oh yeah, also check out "Light of the Stable," the title track from her late 1970s Christmas album. This song features harmony from Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young, and is nothing short of amazing.

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