The Twilight Singers
Southgate House
Newport, KY
November 11, 2003
In a recent interview, Greg Dulli said there are two types of people in Cincinnati - those that love him and those that can't stand him. This audience fucking ADORES him. The audience is filled with family, fans and friends (including an old friend called King Only who inspired a Twilight Singers tune). He doesn't screw around much- he's on a schedule and he's got too many stories to tell. His sister and mom are in the house and maybe that's why he's on good behavior.
It doesn't stop him from being a wiseass (looking up to the balcony at his family as he plays piano solemnly: "So, what're you gonna get me for Christmas? You can get your 38 year old son a subscription to Hustler. You don't have to look at the pictures... I will.") He even baits his new bandmates (introducing his German keyboardist: "We kicked their ass in World War I, we kicked their ass in World War II...and we'll kick their ass in World War III"). It's all playful and stops short of being antagonistic. Maybe he worked out his angst in Chicago.
In 2000, the first generation Twilight Singers band was funkier, more soulful and suave. Hell, when you've got the rhythym section of RC Mob, you gotta swing. Tonight it's a new line up and a rock and roll powerhouse. A solid band, not the Whigs but close enough for tonight. They have the same bob and weave, but man I miss that undercurrent of John's bass and the needly sting of Ric's guitar.
This band is ON and they hit the ground running. When they are in full lope on tunes like "Decatur St.", they are astonishing. Dulli clearly relishes a chance to bash these tunes out live and work it for the ladies ("Down around the corner/lives a naughty little girl/who clicks her tongue I love the way she talk/she pay no attention/knows I'm one of them sad boys/ who's hypnotized by girls who walk the walk").
They peel the paint off of the new album and amp up a handful off tunes off of the first one, grinding the pretty acoustics off of "That's Just How That Bird Sings" and supercharging "Twilite Kid".
It's a blast to see him spin that internal FM dial and blur through the days of high school parking lots and long summer days. Formal covers (i.e. let's do the whole song) include The Zombies' "Time of the Season" ("Are there any singers out there? Yeah? Think you can sell a line like this?: 'What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?') and "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair".
Fragments of other tunes are sprinkled all over. Some are natural All You Need is Love, A Love Supreme, Little Red Corvette ('Let's do this like the old days'). There are also total surprises as he stomps into a radical rework of Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" that's part Pink Flag Wire, part Gentlemen era Whigs and all brilliant. It's greeted by a lot of blank faces, but I'm instantly snapped back to when I fell in love with Kate Bush half a lifetime ago and fucking love Dulli for pulling this out.
He also throws in big handfuls of Whigs tunes ("What should I tell her? She's going to ask"...and "Tonight,tonight I say goodbye/ to everyone that loves me")as he sees fit to extend and build on the mood of his tunes and tie them into the fabric of what he's been mastering for the last 15 years.
He's been shooting up this junk all his life and he's more than happy to show you the figurative track marks on his arms: John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Stevie Wonder.
As the man himself sez, "You're never alone with your jones". He's also not afraid to reach out, telling an intro of how he got to know the late Elliot Smith as a late night acquaintance at a bar he owned and dedicating the dark 'Martin Eden' to him.
They play til midnight, then encore with the broken down version of "Love" with Dulli solo on piano. The band rejoins him and he cops to having a Stevie Nicks fetish and croons a medley of Gypsy and Rhiannon before jumping into a spectacular outro of the coda of Layla.
As the band comes back for the second encore, Dulli again confesses his fascination with Stevie Nicks and the guitarist starts churning out the riff for 'Edge of 17'. Greg gamely picks it up and runs with it for verse before stopping and promising to finish it when they play here next time. He looks around and says "Hey, we don't have a bass player. Oh, wait..yes we do" as John Curley gets onstage. "It's almost like it was planned", cracks Dulli.
Up to now it's been a stellar show, but Curley kicks it into overdrive his stabbing bassline providing a heavier, funkier , more frantic bottom. A big man wrestling with a big bass, looking like a viking with a broadax...electric..jumping out of his hands. They tear through "Uptown Again" and "Crazy" and people are going nuts. The mood is warm and friendly. Dulli talks about being the best man at John Curley's wedding and singing at the wedding along with Marcy Mays and Sue from Scrawl. It's clear that despite everything in their past, they both have huge affection for each other.
I kept joking with my friend that I'd love to see them do some new Outkast and he said, "Nah, I don't think that's gonna happen". The band vamps and Dulli says "Ladies....C'mon, shake it like a polaroid picture, shake it, shake it!" and splices it neatly into the Whigs' "66" ("So tell me baby can you shake it? If I can move it with ya will you let me take it?")
The night's coming to a close and Greg says, "I saw a movie in 1984 at Tricounty cinema on Rt. 4. And the singer sang a sad song. And I thought someday I want to write a sad song that made me feel like that". He sings a couple verses of "Purple Rain" and segues into "Faded" (the long, slow burning last tune on " Black Love"). He motions to John Curley to come stand next to him and puts his arm around John's shoulders as he plays. He sings to him,a huge smile on his face, "I wish I could remember what you said when I said enough/you said good boy/bad boy/killjoy...).
I've seen Dulli in many manifestations from "Gentlemen" era- top of the world ma- fuck you to a curiously remote "Black Love" secret show to cantankerous but soulful "1965 "gentleman. Last night was the first time I've ever seen him completely ECSTACTIC. The joy he was radiating was palpable and contagious and the buzz still hasn't worn off.
This is the best thing I've seen all year. Nothing even comes close.
A friend of mine was asking why Dulli gets away with being uneven, baiting crowds and being difficult and Ryan Adams doesn't.
Because Greg Dulli only opens his mouth every 3 years or so and Ryan hasn't shut his in 5.
Because Dulli is the prodigal son and you'll forgive him anything when he shows up on your porch. Ryan won't leave the house even after you've changed the locks and rented out his room.
Because Dulli believes in what he's selling and wants you in on the take. Ryan is in it for the commission.
There aren't many days I'm happier to be in Cincinnati than in Chicago.
Last night I was deliriously happy that I was in the house.
Southgate House
Newport, KY
November 11, 2003
In a recent interview, Greg Dulli said there are two types of people in Cincinnati - those that love him and those that can't stand him. This audience fucking ADORES him. The audience is filled with family, fans and friends (including an old friend called King Only who inspired a Twilight Singers tune). He doesn't screw around much- he's on a schedule and he's got too many stories to tell. His sister and mom are in the house and maybe that's why he's on good behavior.
It doesn't stop him from being a wiseass (looking up to the balcony at his family as he plays piano solemnly: "So, what're you gonna get me for Christmas? You can get your 38 year old son a subscription to Hustler. You don't have to look at the pictures... I will.") He even baits his new bandmates (introducing his German keyboardist: "We kicked their ass in World War I, we kicked their ass in World War II...and we'll kick their ass in World War III"). It's all playful and stops short of being antagonistic. Maybe he worked out his angst in Chicago.
In 2000, the first generation Twilight Singers band was funkier, more soulful and suave. Hell, when you've got the rhythym section of RC Mob, you gotta swing. Tonight it's a new line up and a rock and roll powerhouse. A solid band, not the Whigs but close enough for tonight. They have the same bob and weave, but man I miss that undercurrent of John's bass and the needly sting of Ric's guitar.
This band is ON and they hit the ground running. When they are in full lope on tunes like "Decatur St.", they are astonishing. Dulli clearly relishes a chance to bash these tunes out live and work it for the ladies ("Down around the corner/lives a naughty little girl/who clicks her tongue I love the way she talk/she pay no attention/knows I'm one of them sad boys/ who's hypnotized by girls who walk the walk").
They peel the paint off of the new album and amp up a handful off tunes off of the first one, grinding the pretty acoustics off of "That's Just How That Bird Sings" and supercharging "Twilite Kid".
It's a blast to see him spin that internal FM dial and blur through the days of high school parking lots and long summer days. Formal covers (i.e. let's do the whole song) include The Zombies' "Time of the Season" ("Are there any singers out there? Yeah? Think you can sell a line like this?: 'What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?') and "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair".
Fragments of other tunes are sprinkled all over. Some are natural All You Need is Love, A Love Supreme, Little Red Corvette ('Let's do this like the old days'). There are also total surprises as he stomps into a radical rework of Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" that's part Pink Flag Wire, part Gentlemen era Whigs and all brilliant. It's greeted by a lot of blank faces, but I'm instantly snapped back to when I fell in love with Kate Bush half a lifetime ago and fucking love Dulli for pulling this out.
He also throws in big handfuls of Whigs tunes ("What should I tell her? She's going to ask"...and "Tonight,tonight I say goodbye/ to everyone that loves me")as he sees fit to extend and build on the mood of his tunes and tie them into the fabric of what he's been mastering for the last 15 years.
He's been shooting up this junk all his life and he's more than happy to show you the figurative track marks on his arms: John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Stevie Wonder.
As the man himself sez, "You're never alone with your jones". He's also not afraid to reach out, telling an intro of how he got to know the late Elliot Smith as a late night acquaintance at a bar he owned and dedicating the dark 'Martin Eden' to him.
They play til midnight, then encore with the broken down version of "Love" with Dulli solo on piano. The band rejoins him and he cops to having a Stevie Nicks fetish and croons a medley of Gypsy and Rhiannon before jumping into a spectacular outro of the coda of Layla.
As the band comes back for the second encore, Dulli again confesses his fascination with Stevie Nicks and the guitarist starts churning out the riff for 'Edge of 17'. Greg gamely picks it up and runs with it for verse before stopping and promising to finish it when they play here next time. He looks around and says "Hey, we don't have a bass player. Oh, wait..yes we do" as John Curley gets onstage. "It's almost like it was planned", cracks Dulli.
Up to now it's been a stellar show, but Curley kicks it into overdrive his stabbing bassline providing a heavier, funkier , more frantic bottom. A big man wrestling with a big bass, looking like a viking with a broadax...electric..jumping out of his hands. They tear through "Uptown Again" and "Crazy" and people are going nuts. The mood is warm and friendly. Dulli talks about being the best man at John Curley's wedding and singing at the wedding along with Marcy Mays and Sue from Scrawl. It's clear that despite everything in their past, they both have huge affection for each other.
I kept joking with my friend that I'd love to see them do some new Outkast and he said, "Nah, I don't think that's gonna happen". The band vamps and Dulli says "Ladies....C'mon, shake it like a polaroid picture, shake it, shake it!" and splices it neatly into the Whigs' "66" ("So tell me baby can you shake it? If I can move it with ya will you let me take it?")
The night's coming to a close and Greg says, "I saw a movie in 1984 at Tricounty cinema on Rt. 4. And the singer sang a sad song. And I thought someday I want to write a sad song that made me feel like that". He sings a couple verses of "Purple Rain" and segues into "Faded" (the long, slow burning last tune on " Black Love"). He motions to John Curley to come stand next to him and puts his arm around John's shoulders as he plays. He sings to him,a huge smile on his face, "I wish I could remember what you said when I said enough/you said good boy/bad boy/killjoy...).
I've seen Dulli in many manifestations from "Gentlemen" era- top of the world ma- fuck you to a curiously remote "Black Love" secret show to cantankerous but soulful "1965 "gentleman. Last night was the first time I've ever seen him completely ECSTACTIC. The joy he was radiating was palpable and contagious and the buzz still hasn't worn off.
This is the best thing I've seen all year. Nothing even comes close.
A friend of mine was asking why Dulli gets away with being uneven, baiting crowds and being difficult and Ryan Adams doesn't.
Because Greg Dulli only opens his mouth every 3 years or so and Ryan hasn't shut his in 5.
Because Dulli is the prodigal son and you'll forgive him anything when he shows up on your porch. Ryan won't leave the house even after you've changed the locks and rented out his room.
Because Dulli believes in what he's selling and wants you in on the take. Ryan is in it for the commission.
There aren't many days I'm happier to be in Cincinnati than in Chicago.
Last night I was deliriously happy that I was in the house.
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
hmmmmmmm....okay.