2006-11-29 Joes Pub NY

Joe’s Pub - New York - November 29, 2006

Pete Townshend - Sunrise, Drowned, Endless Wire, In The Ether (with Rachel), God Speaks of Marty Robbins, I’m One (with all)

Rachel Fuller - Blue, Sunrise (with Pete)

Sean Lennon - Tomorrow

Jimmy Fallon - Car Wash For Peace

Mikey Cuthbert - Misery, Plasticine

Martha Wainwright

Ryan Adams

 

Review by Jason Hare

Rachel Fuller and a fantastic group of artists made their return to Joe's Pub in NYC last Wednesday for yet another successful ATTIC JAM concert.  Their last concert, which I reviewed here in September, felt like a well-kept (yet sold-out) secret.  Well, after subsequent successful shows in locations including Chicago and Los Angeles, this show seemed more popular than ever.  The energy in the room was unbelievable.

Unfortunately, this time around, I wasn't able to gather all the song titles that each artist performed.  So before I get to the photos I took, I'll just share a little bit about each performance.

Jimmy Fallon:  Jimmy played a well-received, parody "We Are The World" type-song entitled "Car Wash For Peace."  I was impressed at how well Jimmy did as co-MC for the evening.  One thing I've always liked about Jimmy is that he never hides his enthusiasm around other performers.  He comes across like a genuine fan.  I spoke to him afterwards and he was extremely nice and down-to-earth.

Rachel Fuller:  Rachel, as always, gave an exquisite performance.  She's the consummate performer: charismatic, beautiful, and unbelievably talented.  She's the glue that holds the show together, and I loved watching her proud beams as each artist came up and performed as part of her evening.  Highlights for me were her cover of Joni Mitchell's "Blue," and of The Who's "Sunrise," with Pete on guitar.  I remember when she first played "Sunrise" on her In The Attic webcast, and her performance has come so far since then - it's become a song just perfect for her voice.  You can buy her latest EP, Shine at Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

Mikey Cuthbert:  Mike is a longtime friend of Rachel's and a mainstay on her ITA webcasts and performances.  He's a fantastic singer-songwriter with a strong, pure voice - kinda like Simon Townshend's, actually.  The man has got unbelievable vocal and guitar chops, and my hope is that he'll get a chance to expose more people in the U.S. to his music.  Keep your fingers crossed for a song on Grey's Anatomy or something.  You can get his new EP here.

Martha Wainwright:  Martha was making her second appearance at a NY ITA show, and was just as fantastic this time as she was back in September.  She's riveting.  I couldn't take my eyes off of her.  She also happens to be unbelievably photogenic!  She played a few brand-new songs with her talented bassist, as well as some I recognized from the previous show.  Buy Martha's album at Amazon or iTunes.

Pete Townshend:  Pete never disappoints as a solo artist.  In addition to playing guitar on "Sunrise," he performed a blistering "Drowned" and played three songs from the new album: "Endless Wire," "In The Ether" (Rachel on piano) and "God Speaks Of Marty Robbins."  If you don't want to go buy the new Who album, that's fine, but you must hear "God Speaks Of Marty Robbins."  It's one of the most beautiful, gentle and touching songs he's ever written.  The song, sung from God's perspective, is about how he can't wait to finish his work so he can listen to the guitarwork of his favorite creation, Marty Robbins.  Listen to a sample and buy on iTunes.  Trust me.  (When I have I steered you wrong?)  (Don't answer that.)

Sean Lennon:  Sean, for me, was the big surprise of the night.  I've never heard anything he's done before, so I was a clean slate, walking in.  He opened with a song called "Tomorrow" that blew me away.  A beautiful voice, perfect jazzy chords, and sweet, touching lyrics.  Just about every song he played just knocked me off my feet.  I'll be buying his new album, Friendly Fire, and I suggest you do too.

Ryan Adams:  Ryan Adams may be a talented and prolific musician, and his songs were fine at the show, but in my opinion, ITA was not the right place for him.  Whereas the show generally has a "community" feeling, with each artist inviting the others up on stage, joining in during the finale, etc, Ryan had no interest in any of it.  He came out, didn't say a word to the audience the entire time he was there, did his four songs, ducked off, didn't join in during the finale, and apparently insisted on being lit only in red.  I was completely irritated by his performance and most of the audience was as well.  All I kept thinking was that we could have been seeing Simon Townshend perform instead.  He came off as ungrateful and tortured.  (Please note: this is not an open invitation to argue about him in the comments.  I'm not talking about his talent, I'm talking about his attitude.)

Rachel's final few songs, as well as an excellent finale by (almost) all the artists, brought the mood back up to a high level.  The bunch performed their usual closer, "I'm One," with each artist taking a part of the vocal.  Jimmy Fallon swung his mike, which elicited cheers and laughter (even from Roger Daltrey, who was in the audience).  All in all, yet another unbelievable performance from all the artists at the jam.  Can't wait for the next NY one!

 

Review by Mike Starcke

We, Meg, Joyce, Laurie, Marc and I take two cabs from our hotel in mid-town Manhattan and pulled up to the curb in the lower eastside in front of the huf*ckingmongous bus parked there in front of Joe's Pub. I immediately spot Mikey Cuthbert talking to a couple and thus, I begin to start my "casing the scene".

As I case said scene, I spot several familiar faces in line such as the lovely and sweet Cynthia and say my hello's as my eyes look sideways left to right, I now see my opportunity to siege Mikey, who I've always taken a liken to.

I then summon Marc to whip it out (his video cam that is) and start filming as I shake Mikey's hand and make some small non-sensical talk as usual, then from out of no where appears the sleak, sexy, glistening and shining Rachel Fuller dressed in a tight black knit dress curving her arse into the shape of a moaning Lisa, I acost her like a paparazzi without a job (she was looking hot as a cat on a hot-tin-roof) and I barreled in and proceed to talk in my usual (startling start) in the middle of sentence ways that "I catch my twin bro Marc from time to time listening to your CD Cigarettes and Alcohol as he works out on the weights in his garage". Well, pretty embarrassing moment as her CD is actually called 'Cigarettes and Housework' so after being corrected by Marc, I went back to her and apologized only to get in return "you're all f*cking mad anyway". She was sweet and very down-to--earth, made us feel quite comfortable.

After standing in line for what seemed an eternity we proceed in and take our seats at a table where we can see Roger, Heather and Mr. Curbishley seated to our right in a level slightly above us. Lots of smiles from Roger, lots of staring from Marc who had a perfect sightline (he even said that he thought he was making ole Rog feel a bit uncomfortable at one point with the unavoidable staring), well, pointing a video cam at Mr.CSI (kidding) can help that situation grow a bit uncomfy dontcha think Mr. Starckarazzi?

We order our medicine, say hello to William Snyder and various mates such as Billy Canell (Who's Next guitarist) and his brother Jimmy. We schlop our drinks and order food and in moments the lights dimmer and on comes Rachel who intros Jimmy Fallon who does a hilarious bit called 'Car Wash for Peace'. Rachel did her gorgeous songs, Martha Wainright is fantastic just not my cup of tea (I did shout out, "what no horse pajama's" in which she made a comment about). You see, at the last Joe's Pub she was wearing these cute PJ's with horses on them and to say that those PJ's contoured her body like permanent tats woody be an underwear....I mean, under statement.

No comment on Ryan Adams (if there were rope on hand we would of either hung him or hung ourselves). He's not bad, just not the right crowd. Mikey did 'Misery' and 'Plasticine', he does sound much better live in the flesh.

Sean Lennon came out looking alot like his dad of the 1971 era decked in specs and beard. He sounded like him, talked like him and joked like him, it was quite eerie. His 4 songs were by far the best next to Pete. Oh, yeah Pete. Who did Marty Robbins! What a surprise and the best song of the night. Drowned kicked ass as did In the Ether and Endless Wire. Watching Pete push out In the Ether was spectacular to watch.

The nights participants came on for the finally to do ' I'm One' with Jimmy Fallon even having a part, done admirably and his mini-mic spin drew a chuckle from good ole Rog from his seat.

All in all, musically it was a good, not great. But the fact that we were obscured by a huge piano didnt really help the overall enjoyment but then again, meeting Pete was really what was on our minds more than anything.

Anyway, to keep this short, we were ushered into a hot stuffy room whilst we wait for our Peteness, we talk amongst each other and organize our stuff we want to get signed. Pete's then lead in and a friend of Joyce's named Joe Ganley I believe was the first to get with Pete.

To make this to the point, since I am the writee of the reviewee. Marc and I did the bookend poses with Pete as Meg snapped away at her cam, I tell Pete that we are Mike and Marc Starcke hoping he heard of us but just "oh'd" and smiled. (I think the APB has been out on us no thanks to my stalking emails to his assistant Nicola. Of course I may be paranoid too haha).

Pete's hands are big and he gave me a nice firm handshake (no I didnt kiss him as my brother did but now I wish I had. I wanted to know what those whiskers felt like lol).

Nuther great moment with Pete was when he remembered my poster from the Florida show and then later he signed it and wrote a little note that said ' YOU NOTICED... I NOTICED. Pretty darn cool!!