Finally Daniel, Chris and I met face to face after a long time of knowing a bit about each other through his Dad. We went to the Danielson concert in Kilburn (sounds like it’s in Yorkshire, but as you know it’s NW London) last night, armed with little cakes ping* had made for them when she saw how gruelling their tour schedule is. One of the benefits for we visual artists when we go on our tours/working holidays is we bed down, get to know the local supermarket/tabacconists and forests/restaurants over several days. As we came in I saw John Ringhofer in the bar checking his email
If you haven’t already heard of him, he has (or is) a band called half-handed cloud, and he, when playing solo, plays more instruments than most bands of four people do. Last night he was only playing one guitar for Danielson throughout, but I think he took comfort by reaching for his water bottle when other musicians may have been unable to coordinate themselves. He gets through about three individual melodies most musicians would die for in each song, and uses them for half the time they would. People with ecological/economical concerns will end up with placards outside “save the melodies”, “how many tunes can there be?” But guys, this is energy! He burns bright! Last night I was able to show him how to make personalised toast with a moistened finger. Great to catch up and get to know him better.
The concert was rather awesome. From now on I will play their albums that loud all the time. They wore their nautical uniforms:
Several of their songs from other albums were given a great energy with the sound they had last night. As you may already know, we are putting out a book I wrote that is half about Danielson in March ’07 (register your interest by emailing david from main page), so it was good to subject my theory to the reality, and at least one of my ideas about the stage failed and will be replaced before printing. In the Danielson Family Movie you really don’t get to see how a stage performance works for Danielson. So much of it is teaching lines and clapping rhythms to an inanimate audience, who like us last night end up animated. All these guys, Sufjan included, always seem to put up their own equipment as well, no roadies. I know they can’t afford them, but their absence seems ideological as well. The music was tectonic, and it moved with great confidence, continuity and charisma. The only thing lacking was the presence of the women in the band. It is good to see men and women working together rather than with resentment. But there are a lot of young babies around at the moment, so travel is difficult. If you don’t already know this band shame on you!
