Post by missalabama on Mar 16, 2010 0:11:11 GMT -5
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! BRILLINT! LOVELY! I’m still on a Garrison high! Words fail to express how wonderful it was, except for the fact that my fellow boardies were not there to share it with me. Y’all were dearly missed! This Garrison gigging is becoming a real habit now and I don’t know if I could break it, even if I wanted.
“I left on Saturday morning. La, La, La, La!” Gorgeous, brightly colored, dramatic view of The City at sunset as my plane landed. Sunday and Monday, hung out in the city! Finally, Tuesday couldn’t have been a more perfect day. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world that day. It was a lovely, lovely NYC day- sunny, breezy, cool and a perfect day for a great gig. Had incredible lunch at Chat Noir French Bistro before John’s surprise, Best Buy gig- pomme frites to-die-for! I had permanent grin on my face all day with the thought of hearing John play! Gutted I was a few minutes late to Best Buy because of traffic and the taxi driver who took the scenic route through Canada, hit every pothole in the city on the way and left the transmission on park avenue. It was so bumpy and hot in that cab, I started feeling seasick and almost vomited all over his not-so-clean backseat. I had to hang my head out the window like a dog or a drunken sorority chick to feel better. Finally out of the roller coaster taxi- hope to never have that driver again! Outside Best Buy, there were about 20 police cars lined up in front with sirens going and lights flashing… I have no idea what that was for. I thought maybe John had a police escort or something... Heheh! As I walked into Best Buy, the first thing I heard was that angelic, gorgeous “voice I know so well,” pouring through the building like a river against rocky shore and soothing the soul like an extra dirty martini on the rocks. I just followed it and there he was- all cool, sporting a black shirt with a great, gray, check suit and the awesomely cool kicks that Lucy loves. He was just standing there right in front of me, performing his little heart out, in the middle of the musical instrument section, and singing so beautifully to the shoppers and dorky me. I felt like it was a personal gig- just pour moi! It was an incredibly beautiful performance that I will never forget! My Dad always says that if one has to die, the best way to go is doing something one loves… He would be happy to die on the golf links. Well, if I had died that day, that would have been one great last day- hanging in NYC and oh-so-very happily listening to John singing!!
John’s voice was absolutely perfect. What I love about his voice (aside from it being just plain sexy) is that his range is incredible. I just don’t know how he hits those lovely high notes but at the same time has a great, throaty deep voice! What I find most endearing about hearing John perform live is that he is a very emotional performer and his music is genuine, authentic, honest and refreshing. There is nothing prepackaged or phony about Johnny G! I don’t know how influenced he is by the singer-songwriters of the Seventies, but I feel that he strives for that type of rawness and purity of music- just instrument and voice. John has a real musical sound that is all his own, straightforward, honest, unassuming, clear, haunting, lyrically frank and cutting to the core of life! Unless you’re an unfeeling, moronic industry P***K, there is no way to walk away from a Garrison gig unchanged, unmoved, without being unnerved at the feeling that has just read every bit of unspoken feeling in your heart without even knowing you, or without wanting to cry a million tears for that reason. That, to me, is the sole reason for music… That connection… That feeling for a moment that we are not alone and that in the end, all of the struggles of life can not be all for naught… All the things, good and bad, that tie us all as humans are wrapped up in every Garrison song and make them all so real. Perhaps that’s why he doesn’t fit in any of the industry’s corporate, ready-made, boring categories. He’s too real for the industry! John doesn’t fail to make you run the gamut of emotions from wanting to dance and tap your feet to wanting to crawl all the way under your covers in your bed and cry for a week, and he always leaves you wanting more! What more can I say but that it was just an absolutely gorgeous set. My personal favorites were “Convincing myself,” “So Close” and “2nd for the First Time.” He smiled and waved at me… AW! SWEET! Thanks for humoring a nutty groupie, John! I was, of course, too shy and awkward to say anything to him but I smiled and waved back… Then bolted. Hehe! Got one video only because I forgot my video camera and I was trying to preserve memory card space on my digital camera. UGH! What a special afternoon for me. I cannot expresse how much I loved hearing John perform his music live in the middle of Best Buy on a New York City afternoon!
Afternoon shopping and counting down hours to more Johnny Gee… Quick change to try to look cool and hip enough for the lower East side set of folks… Barely fit into my jeans after all the eating in NYC! Uh-Oh! Depressing! Oh well, diet later… On to hear Johnny Gee! I dragged little sis to the gig early. When we got there, John was setting up in the back room, so we sat at the bar in the front room and ordered drinks. Then, I was just standing there when John walked by, said hi and asked me if I enjoyed the Best Buy gig. I think my brain stopped functioning for a minute. Haa! Sorry, John! I don’t remember exactly what I said but I think I said it was good and that it was the first Best Buy gig I had been to... (IDIOT, MISSY!) I should have said it was absolutely beautiful and I love your gorgeous music!
Sis and I picked a table in front. John was sound checking…. Fun to watch that! Remembered my video camera this time, but of course, my battery was dead. GUTTED! So, I only have one video from my little, digital camera. Must fix technical issues next time! The crowd started coming in. It was a nice little crowd… Very intimate! The Living Room is a cool, little, locals’ place. I prefer going to places like that than touristy stuff or “The Scene.”
John started on guitar with “Let’s Run,” “I Leave on Friday,” and “So Close.” Then he played several songs on piano and they were beautiful! “Is this the Best it Gets,” “No Surprises,” and “My Morning Sun.” He closed with “Cold Coffee” and “2nd for the First Time” on guitar. What a superb gig: PERFECT voice and a touching, emotional performance. “Let’s Run” was a great, opener…Upbeat tempo and it’s a bit of a hopeful song. “I Leave on Friday” always makes my toes start tapping- even though I would hate to be that girl! It’s always best to be the one leaving rather than the one left behind, in my experience. I got goose bumps and a huge lump in my throat on “So Close.” It was exquisite. Very moving and so tragically sad! That song really is my Roberta Flack moment. I have no idea how he put things I have felt but never said into song but he did! The line “’Cause tonight I feel too close to you and I feel I’m losing you,” really got me because John looked so sad when he sang those lines and you could hear the empty feeling in his voice too! I really loved piano bit of the gig! From his self-effacing comments on his piano playing, I gather he feels more comfortable with his guitar skills than his piano skills, or maybe he just likes to be coy; he is English, after all. In any case, the songs on the piano were truly pretty. There was something extraordinarily striking, raw, open and expressive about just John’s voice and the piano, LIVE! I wish I had written, “Is this the Best it gets,” is all I can say about that stunner! For me, John’s version of “No Surprises” really gives the original a run for its money because it is so stripped down and elemental. He really took that lovely, sad song and made it his own. Had to hold back tears on the lines, “I’ll take a quiet life, a handshake of carbon monoxide…. This is my final fit, my final belly ache with no alarms and no surprises.” “My Morning Sun” was really the loveliest “grumpy old man song,” as John called it, that I have ever heard. It is a good commentary on the ways of the world and real estate developers too. “Cold Coffee” was almost too emotional to bear, so I had to think about “a herd of puppies licking my face.” My sister said that “2nd for the First time” was her favorite. What I like about that one is that while it is about John’s travels to NYC, there is a universality to the experience of uprooting oneself, whether it be literally or figuratively, emotionally or professionally, taking chances and also moving through different phases of one’s life.
My personal favorites of the evening were “So Close” “No Surprises” “My morning Sun” and “2nd for the First time.” The sound was flawless, as was his voice. An absolutely perfect evening! Afterward, I went to talk to him and get a pic but he was a bit swarmed with folks and then he had an interview. He said to wait around and he would take it though. I asked for the set list but he left it on the stage and the other band was already playing…. DARN! Again, I forgot to bring my albums and my Blunty ticket for him to sign, but I did get his autograph on the Living Room drink menu that I stole off our table. I didn’t think about asking for the guitar pic until later… Next time! There are so many things I forgot to say or rather was too spastic to say… Most of all I would have said, ”Thank you, John, for your lovely music that touches my heart and my soul in a way that no other has! Thank you for the picture and for the autograph too!”
I had a lovely chat with The AfroShane! What an incredibly nice guy he is and he has a really cool voice. I asked for a picture with him and he said sure but he wasn’t sure why. He is too modest! John’s amazing albums wouldn’t be so lovely without The AfroShane’s hard work and talent! We had to take the picture a second time because AfroShane blinked… Haha! He had on a purple and pink hat that matched my purple and pink fur collar… HEHE! We planned it! LOL! Little did I know that he was from South Carolina… I thought I was the only Southerner here this whole time! Silly me! No wonder he’s SOO COOOLLLL! We talked about FOTC, restaurants, barbeque and, of course, sweet tea! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him! There are no pretensions with AfroShane. It was so nice to find that these guys are just normal guys. It’s really refreshing to see real, honest performers and music folks, rather than Hollywoodized, corporate moguls, rubbish music and people who don’t care about anything but money, fame and being seen wearing the right clothes, at the right parties, with the right people. It’s definitely not about the money or fame with John and AfroShane. It’s about sharing a little of what it is to be human through absolutely gorgeous and haunting music. Thank you so much for taking the time for the nice talk and for the picture, Matthew! It was very nice to meet you! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your work! Keep it up!
I didn’t get the chance to tell John and Matt goodbye or say thank you because my group got antsy to go to our dinner reservation, plus, John and Afroshane were busy talking… I probably would have said something dorky anyway… So I will say now, (even though after all this rambling, y’all probably get the point), “What a LOVELY evening! Best wishes in every endeavor. Your music has meant more to me than you could ever know!”
Thank You,
Missy
XOXO
“2nd for the First Time,” Best Buy: NYC, March 9, 2010
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo5gzFbE2cA
“So Close,” The Living Room: NYC, March 9, 2010.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjiQ319jz2s
John, The living Room: NYC, March 9, 2010. Not bad for an iPhone pic… Blurry but kind of artsy. I like that John has 2 shadows....
Missy’s Little Sissy, John, and Missy…
The Very Cool AfroShane and a not so good picture of little, old me… Coordinated in pink and purple… HEHEH!
“I left on Saturday morning. La, La, La, La!” Gorgeous, brightly colored, dramatic view of The City at sunset as my plane landed. Sunday and Monday, hung out in the city! Finally, Tuesday couldn’t have been a more perfect day. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world that day. It was a lovely, lovely NYC day- sunny, breezy, cool and a perfect day for a great gig. Had incredible lunch at Chat Noir French Bistro before John’s surprise, Best Buy gig- pomme frites to-die-for! I had permanent grin on my face all day with the thought of hearing John play! Gutted I was a few minutes late to Best Buy because of traffic and the taxi driver who took the scenic route through Canada, hit every pothole in the city on the way and left the transmission on park avenue. It was so bumpy and hot in that cab, I started feeling seasick and almost vomited all over his not-so-clean backseat. I had to hang my head out the window like a dog or a drunken sorority chick to feel better. Finally out of the roller coaster taxi- hope to never have that driver again! Outside Best Buy, there were about 20 police cars lined up in front with sirens going and lights flashing… I have no idea what that was for. I thought maybe John had a police escort or something... Heheh! As I walked into Best Buy, the first thing I heard was that angelic, gorgeous “voice I know so well,” pouring through the building like a river against rocky shore and soothing the soul like an extra dirty martini on the rocks. I just followed it and there he was- all cool, sporting a black shirt with a great, gray, check suit and the awesomely cool kicks that Lucy loves. He was just standing there right in front of me, performing his little heart out, in the middle of the musical instrument section, and singing so beautifully to the shoppers and dorky me. I felt like it was a personal gig- just pour moi! It was an incredibly beautiful performance that I will never forget! My Dad always says that if one has to die, the best way to go is doing something one loves… He would be happy to die on the golf links. Well, if I had died that day, that would have been one great last day- hanging in NYC and oh-so-very happily listening to John singing!!
John’s voice was absolutely perfect. What I love about his voice (aside from it being just plain sexy) is that his range is incredible. I just don’t know how he hits those lovely high notes but at the same time has a great, throaty deep voice! What I find most endearing about hearing John perform live is that he is a very emotional performer and his music is genuine, authentic, honest and refreshing. There is nothing prepackaged or phony about Johnny G! I don’t know how influenced he is by the singer-songwriters of the Seventies, but I feel that he strives for that type of rawness and purity of music- just instrument and voice. John has a real musical sound that is all his own, straightforward, honest, unassuming, clear, haunting, lyrically frank and cutting to the core of life! Unless you’re an unfeeling, moronic industry P***K, there is no way to walk away from a Garrison gig unchanged, unmoved, without being unnerved at the feeling that has just read every bit of unspoken feeling in your heart without even knowing you, or without wanting to cry a million tears for that reason. That, to me, is the sole reason for music… That connection… That feeling for a moment that we are not alone and that in the end, all of the struggles of life can not be all for naught… All the things, good and bad, that tie us all as humans are wrapped up in every Garrison song and make them all so real. Perhaps that’s why he doesn’t fit in any of the industry’s corporate, ready-made, boring categories. He’s too real for the industry! John doesn’t fail to make you run the gamut of emotions from wanting to dance and tap your feet to wanting to crawl all the way under your covers in your bed and cry for a week, and he always leaves you wanting more! What more can I say but that it was just an absolutely gorgeous set. My personal favorites were “Convincing myself,” “So Close” and “2nd for the First Time.” He smiled and waved at me… AW! SWEET! Thanks for humoring a nutty groupie, John! I was, of course, too shy and awkward to say anything to him but I smiled and waved back… Then bolted. Hehe! Got one video only because I forgot my video camera and I was trying to preserve memory card space on my digital camera. UGH! What a special afternoon for me. I cannot expresse how much I loved hearing John perform his music live in the middle of Best Buy on a New York City afternoon!
Afternoon shopping and counting down hours to more Johnny Gee… Quick change to try to look cool and hip enough for the lower East side set of folks… Barely fit into my jeans after all the eating in NYC! Uh-Oh! Depressing! Oh well, diet later… On to hear Johnny Gee! I dragged little sis to the gig early. When we got there, John was setting up in the back room, so we sat at the bar in the front room and ordered drinks. Then, I was just standing there when John walked by, said hi and asked me if I enjoyed the Best Buy gig. I think my brain stopped functioning for a minute. Haa! Sorry, John! I don’t remember exactly what I said but I think I said it was good and that it was the first Best Buy gig I had been to... (IDIOT, MISSY!) I should have said it was absolutely beautiful and I love your gorgeous music!
Sis and I picked a table in front. John was sound checking…. Fun to watch that! Remembered my video camera this time, but of course, my battery was dead. GUTTED! So, I only have one video from my little, digital camera. Must fix technical issues next time! The crowd started coming in. It was a nice little crowd… Very intimate! The Living Room is a cool, little, locals’ place. I prefer going to places like that than touristy stuff or “The Scene.”
John started on guitar with “Let’s Run,” “I Leave on Friday,” and “So Close.” Then he played several songs on piano and they were beautiful! “Is this the Best it Gets,” “No Surprises,” and “My Morning Sun.” He closed with “Cold Coffee” and “2nd for the First Time” on guitar. What a superb gig: PERFECT voice and a touching, emotional performance. “Let’s Run” was a great, opener…Upbeat tempo and it’s a bit of a hopeful song. “I Leave on Friday” always makes my toes start tapping- even though I would hate to be that girl! It’s always best to be the one leaving rather than the one left behind, in my experience. I got goose bumps and a huge lump in my throat on “So Close.” It was exquisite. Very moving and so tragically sad! That song really is my Roberta Flack moment. I have no idea how he put things I have felt but never said into song but he did! The line “’Cause tonight I feel too close to you and I feel I’m losing you,” really got me because John looked so sad when he sang those lines and you could hear the empty feeling in his voice too! I really loved piano bit of the gig! From his self-effacing comments on his piano playing, I gather he feels more comfortable with his guitar skills than his piano skills, or maybe he just likes to be coy; he is English, after all. In any case, the songs on the piano were truly pretty. There was something extraordinarily striking, raw, open and expressive about just John’s voice and the piano, LIVE! I wish I had written, “Is this the Best it gets,” is all I can say about that stunner! For me, John’s version of “No Surprises” really gives the original a run for its money because it is so stripped down and elemental. He really took that lovely, sad song and made it his own. Had to hold back tears on the lines, “I’ll take a quiet life, a handshake of carbon monoxide…. This is my final fit, my final belly ache with no alarms and no surprises.” “My Morning Sun” was really the loveliest “grumpy old man song,” as John called it, that I have ever heard. It is a good commentary on the ways of the world and real estate developers too. “Cold Coffee” was almost too emotional to bear, so I had to think about “a herd of puppies licking my face.” My sister said that “2nd for the First time” was her favorite. What I like about that one is that while it is about John’s travels to NYC, there is a universality to the experience of uprooting oneself, whether it be literally or figuratively, emotionally or professionally, taking chances and also moving through different phases of one’s life.
My personal favorites of the evening were “So Close” “No Surprises” “My morning Sun” and “2nd for the First time.” The sound was flawless, as was his voice. An absolutely perfect evening! Afterward, I went to talk to him and get a pic but he was a bit swarmed with folks and then he had an interview. He said to wait around and he would take it though. I asked for the set list but he left it on the stage and the other band was already playing…. DARN! Again, I forgot to bring my albums and my Blunty ticket for him to sign, but I did get his autograph on the Living Room drink menu that I stole off our table. I didn’t think about asking for the guitar pic until later… Next time! There are so many things I forgot to say or rather was too spastic to say… Most of all I would have said, ”Thank you, John, for your lovely music that touches my heart and my soul in a way that no other has! Thank you for the picture and for the autograph too!”
I had a lovely chat with The AfroShane! What an incredibly nice guy he is and he has a really cool voice. I asked for a picture with him and he said sure but he wasn’t sure why. He is too modest! John’s amazing albums wouldn’t be so lovely without The AfroShane’s hard work and talent! We had to take the picture a second time because AfroShane blinked… Haha! He had on a purple and pink hat that matched my purple and pink fur collar… HEHE! We planned it! LOL! Little did I know that he was from South Carolina… I thought I was the only Southerner here this whole time! Silly me! No wonder he’s SOO COOOLLLL! We talked about FOTC, restaurants, barbeque and, of course, sweet tea! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him! There are no pretensions with AfroShane. It was so nice to find that these guys are just normal guys. It’s really refreshing to see real, honest performers and music folks, rather than Hollywoodized, corporate moguls, rubbish music and people who don’t care about anything but money, fame and being seen wearing the right clothes, at the right parties, with the right people. It’s definitely not about the money or fame with John and AfroShane. It’s about sharing a little of what it is to be human through absolutely gorgeous and haunting music. Thank you so much for taking the time for the nice talk and for the picture, Matthew! It was very nice to meet you! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your work! Keep it up!
I didn’t get the chance to tell John and Matt goodbye or say thank you because my group got antsy to go to our dinner reservation, plus, John and Afroshane were busy talking… I probably would have said something dorky anyway… So I will say now, (even though after all this rambling, y’all probably get the point), “What a LOVELY evening! Best wishes in every endeavor. Your music has meant more to me than you could ever know!”
Thank You,
Missy
XOXO
“2nd for the First Time,” Best Buy: NYC, March 9, 2010
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo5gzFbE2cA
“So Close,” The Living Room: NYC, March 9, 2010.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjiQ319jz2s
John, The living Room: NYC, March 9, 2010. Not bad for an iPhone pic… Blurry but kind of artsy. I like that John has 2 shadows....
Missy’s Little Sissy, John, and Missy…
The Very Cool AfroShane and a not so good picture of little, old me… Coordinated in pink and purple… HEHEH!
- 
I Know, I'm really nutty 
and I really am a horrid typist too!