Though Shirley at the antique store on Cherokee (with whom mary and I hung out for like, an hour yesterday) might disagree (she thinks - among many other things, she has her some opinions - the Record Exchange is the best/realest record store)…this guy seems to be the Real Deal, as they say.
He also seems to be the manager of Vintage Vinyl.
As promised.
orginal (Jenny Lewis of the band Rilo Kiley. She sang backup on EC’s latest album named after the inventor of instant noodles. Jealous. ):
me, working the purple:
Pictures taken by the ever-talented Michael Daft.
Check out his site, he’s got some AWESOME pictures of St. Louis.
I like the words. i really like how they’re comically pessimistic. Sortof like he’s just being grouchy just because, but he really has a kooky and solid character and doesn’t really care about not-caring. I like to think that.
I like Elvis Costello.
I just relate to his lyrics a lot. Especially the earlier ones. Everyone characterized them as the typical “angry young man” - but I think he was just pulling everyone’s leg. I like to think that.
I could be wrong, but that’s my Elvis Costello and he’s the only one that matters to me.
Plus I think its kindof funny how he’s like BFFs with Jenny Lewis. (who was an inspiration for the hair-in-the-shrub shot…i should post that) it all comes full circle.
Which reminds me of a quote by another musician I’ve grown to like (though his latest album didn’t quite match the first two, IMHO)… who am I kidding, I totally love him (and I know I am not alone in this love):
“Some of us go full circle. Some of us blindly go nowhere. The circle doesn’t have to be very large to make a point, kick your ass and/or be entertaining. Remember that and stay light.”
He is also a neat lyricist. I really like his stuff. it’s rap-y.
indulge me a moment of la nostalgie: I remember when I did a poetry project when I was in 9th grade I included the words to “in My life” by the Beatles and had a sortof eureka moment that I liked lyrics to stuff. They don’t have to be lofty either. (I was just playing some Burt Bacharach/hal david and some George/Ira Gershwin - the latter(s) of whom were the lyricists…and man, I love that stuff!)
Ooo, further nostalgia…have I mentioned that I met the guy who wrote the words to Mr. Ed!??!@#@$(*&#@ —among so many other awesome songs (Silver Bells, Que Sera Sera, the theme to BONANZA!!!!)…his name was Ray Evans — he spoke at a panel at an almuni thing at UPenn when i was a jr, and I swear, when I found out he was who he was, I had an attack of super-fan intensity. I think he was like 89 or something. He might as well have been Michael jackson on the thriller tour to me. that was so cool.
in order of importance to me (at least the first 2)
1. Lumberjack
2.Mick Jagger
3.Portia De Rossi
4. Meg White
5. June Carter Cash (note the hair height)
Respect.
…at Atomic Cowboy. What’s the deal, man?
I feel like I should mention that if you didn’t go to the Comedy on Parade w/ Bill Chott last monday you missed out.
Amy, our costume designer came, and that makes her cooler than you! It was really funny! I brought my friend Laura, who is visiting our fine city from a far away land (Connecticut!)
Top 5 things that come to mind when I think of Connecticut:
1. Mystic Pizza! (I got a really awesome pair of sailor jeans at the Navy Surplus store in Mystic, and I also wore a lavender dress that day)
2. Land of Hedge Funds
3. my best friend from Penn
4. Said BFF’s nephew’s name is Sebastien!
5. David Letterman’s house
Did I just digress just there?
Do yourself a favor and go to the next Comedy on Parade show. I think there’s one this monday (?!? - do your research, I cannot take you by the hand the whole way) and if it’s half as funny that will still be very funny.
And I’m being honest here, I have a long line of comedian/comedy critical friends (and sometimes I even think I am funny), so I am can sometimes be not so generous in praise (though I am always generous with hope and enthusiasm) concerning local comedy. (not lately though, come to think of it.) I nearly rolled on the floor. Very nearly.
I’m just a girl, standing in front of a blog, asking you to laugh - b/c Bill Chott’s got something here. Also, you actorly types should think about taking some of his classes. I’m just sayin’!
Well its week three.
Can I even believe that it’s been a week since the last time I got to wear my lumberjack pants and dance around on stage in front of people who might very well see me out and remember that I was that one girl with the pants in that one show about John Cusack or something???
No I cannot. But it is true.
…in no particular order.
1. Paula Abdul
2. Robin Berger
3. Britney Spears
4. Fatima Robinson (choreographer of Dreamgirls)
5. Frankie Manning (old school lindy hopper from the 30’s I met when I was 16)
What a great essay/review posted on the old RFT blog (which is a really amazing news source, too - plug!) - this guy was PAYING attention! You can really tell Mr. F knows a thing or two about vinyls. Speaking of the vinyl era, word on the street is that my grandma’s coming by tonight. I’m sure she’ll really appreciate the nod to Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller in a few of the numbers.
So last night was performance number 5. I was really havin’ myself some fun. I also felt some happy vibes from the audience. I always like it when the audience is a little rowdy and occasionally yells things at semi-awkward moments. Come on guys! Have that extra pomegranate mojito at Bar Louie before you come and dare to take a chance at relevant heckling! (note: that’s just me, I have a feeling our director miiight not like it…but maybe!) I think I’m just being nostalgic - back when I was a young co-ed, heckling was definitely commonplace, espesh among the comedian friends always trying to show how comedic they are. I relish!
So yeah, I’m sortof at a loss when it comes to blogging now b/c I have nothing really to complain about (other than no free time - but I had some of that today! I always gravitate towards the porch with a cup of coffee for like 3+ hours when I have time to spare)! I guess there’s more to this than complaining.
It’s been really great seeing the reviews come out. I know I am always dying for feedback - it’s nice to have someone help you tighten up this dance move there, that harmony there, but mostly its just fun to dish out a million opinions with someone else who has them. I’m lucky because I have family in St. Louis, namely The Judester (my mom!), and she is quite the opinionated expert, and she is blunt, so there’s no fishing for the truth. The fish of truth jumps right into your boat with mom. Costumes, sets, whatever, this woman is a real people-ologist with quite a resume of theatre work from her past. (note: I really need to get her back to costume design b/c she is really good, & not just through a daughter’s rose-colored-glasses either, y’all)
So I got some good presentation feedback from The Mom, as I have for my whole life. I owe my good posture to her! …And a myriad of dance teachers, one important one being Miss Robin Berger, choreographer of High Fidelity, changer-of-lives-through-dance, and model female small-business owner…Robin has absolutely gotten adjective status in my household especially between my sister and I:
“…was it Robin-good, or just like, kinda ok?”
Both of us were lucky enough to have Robin as our coach when we were on the Kirkwoodettes, my hometown youth Pom pon squad. Yes. And, due to a dance gig that I did with/for Robin, I found my jukebox. See what I mean about changing lives through dance?! Whenever my sister and I discuss the situation for small business owners in St. Louis, who comes up? Robin! We love her, she is so awesome! She has adult dance classes (at Leaping Lizards, right by ted drewes), and excuse me while I cannot reccomend them highly enough. Especially if she includes the Famous (in my house) Robin Berger Jazz Warm Up! OMG I am so taking those classes. Robin, are you listening?
Yeah, so this post has turned into a bit of a paean - so I’m just gonna run with it.
In the spirit of saluting other local folk that I think are cool, what are you doing Monday night?
I’m going to the Comedy On Parade with Bill Chott (Mr. St. Louis Comedy - was also on The Dana Carvey show, nascent comedian primordial soup– hellow steve carell and colbert were on it, too) at the Atomic Cowboy. Saluting this whole bars-outside-the-box movement I’ve seen in town lately with bars offering more entertainment than karaoke (which is, don’t get me wrong, AMAZING…but variety is the spice of life).
I don’t mean to gush, and my favorite poet Aaron Belz will be there, too. (I love that I am his facebook friend! It’s awesomely silly to me. Aaron if you’re reading this, when are you coming to High Fidelity? Hm?)
See ya there.
*****
ahh, its time to leave and I don’t know what I’m wearing tonight. Saturday priorities!
In an attempt to make this interesting, I’m going to try to write on all show nights before and after. We’ll see how that goes.
So yeah, its opening night, i’m not that nervous, though I think my hair is in danger of having looked better last night than tonight. I’m really looking forward to saturday, when I might have some free time to catch up on some stuff that I have just not even bothered to think about at all. Working from 8am-11pm is a lil’ bit rough! Is it weird to say that I’m looking forward to being able to stay late at work these coming monday-wednesdays?
I’m sortof getting to the point where I have no idea what is interesting to talk about anymore. I lost my debit card last night, which was annoying (and debatably, it was stolen from the dressing room…maybe. I’m not sure, but no charges, so whatever). Did I mention that was annoying? But it’s all taken care of now.
Soooooo, I don’t really get nervous. I feel good about the music, lines, choreography, and all that. The music+band are all at tempos that make me happy, so I’m not dancing in slo-mo, so that’s that. I mean, hey. I hope people like the show, but there are hooks for us all to enjoy - Aretha, bruce, helllooo! Even I who, at first, was like, “omg why aren’t they just singing let’s get it on, what a lame-o song booo” - totally got it once I saw it live. I figure - as long as folks get that its like, Rob’s life took over all his favorite music and its now singing to him about what is literally his life (and not someone’s imagined life…pop music getting crazy personal) — they’ll like, totally love it and think it is clever, right?
That above description is pretty much exactly how I have explained the show to friends. Who will hopefully be coming to see the show in the next few weeks!
yeah, that means you.
In case you, like many others, were wondering where the lovely mural in this photo is…
It’s on Cherokee and California, right next to the taco stand. The tacos are frickin’ delicious, so you should go get one!
Also down the street is the firecracker press and apop records, and anarchist bakery and a pasta-making store. And a tortilla factory. And a grocery store. And a ballroom. AND MORE! wooo.
Be a tourist in your own town, people!
-Lori
I play one of Rob's ex-GFs in High Fidelity the Musical, and I'm gonna write about it all here.
Learn more about me in general here on the about page
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