Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams is one of my favourite bands/musicians!
I think It will be funny in 10 (15, 20, etc.) years to hear people say “Oh man, if only I could have seen ____ back in ___.” Well that’s how I feel about Whiskeytown (along with Uncle Tupleo and the Lemonheads, among others).
The first (and last) time I saw Ryan Adams in concert was a little over a year ago at the Alabama Theatre. As you can imagine, I was pumped and looking forward to seeing a good show with my wife! Well, Mr. Adams, you acted like a diva and cut your performance short after some over-zealous fans requested one of your songs off your latest album (Easy Tiger).
Instead of playful stage banter (look up Jeff Tweedy in “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”), Ryan got his feelings hurt and his guitar player had the awkward job of telling the audience to basically “listen quietly and respect the confused genius at work.”
Sad to say, I decided that night I would never pay money to see Ryan Adams perform again (apparently he played a great show last week in Tuscaloosa).
Even though he is a complete prima donna, you can’t dispute the fact that he makes some fantastic music. His next record (I feel so Zandura101 saying that) comes out next Tuesday, but you can preview the album in its entirety here.
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4 comments:
I tried to see him at the Tabernacle, and he was a diva then too -- he didn't even hit the stage until like 3 hours in. Did you hear Lucero got a big time record deal? They also have a history of acting like prima donnas at shows (or at least too drunk to actually put on a good show).
That is unfortuntate that you caught Ryan while he was having his man period. I caught him in ATL with none other than the extraordinary Bridgers duo and equally as extraordinary Mr. Trey Lyles. Phenomenal concert, and he even called Uncle Elton (John) out to play a couple of tunes with him. I must say that Ryan Adams man period last 3 weeks out of the month and he is off of it 1 week out of the month. You need to time it better next time.
ive seen the lemonheads ba bam! ba bam! and oh how i love jeff tweedy. he is a fantastic performer. he does have the best in-between-song banter.
He is the ultimate DIVA - he might as well be the aretha franklin of alt-country or whatever category you box him into (im sure he hates labels). I celebrate the guys entire catelog, but like so many artist the guy might need a filter or sounding board to bounce things off of...I saw him in 2002 at the Ryman in Nashville. It was a piss poor show, but it is now something of legend in the Ryan Adams lore. Whether it was coke or heroin, the man was gone. Three songs in Joe Random screams out, "Summer of '69"! - ans the rest is history...Adamsstops abruptly, ask them to turn all the lights on (they do). "Who the F__K sais that?!? Who thinks theyre SO funny?". The guy's entire section sells him out. He leaps from the stage, walks up to the guy and says, "how much was your ticket?". he gets out his wallet. "It can't be more than $35 bucks. Here get the f__k out of here" he then throws the money in his face and goes back to the stage. He then screams that he wont play until someone escorts him out. they do (and I'm pretty sure put him in the balcony). The rest of the show was filled with profanity laced drivel and various moments where he would put a 45" on a little turntable in the middle of the stage and have us all sing along (e.g. - Madonna's "Like a Virgin") There was a great solo piano # of the Stones' "Brown Sugar". At least, I was there for the circus. I was speaking to this Irish guy the other day about him and that show in particular. He made a great point I never thought of. He said that he wouldnt be surprised if that guy had been planted in the audience....wouldn't put it past him...madness
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