The first two people that respond here and are able to go tonight will be put on the guest list, courtesy of Jim James. Each person will get a pair of tickets.
Jim James to perform a special acoustic performance as part of The Rock n'
Roll Hall of Fame's "The Craft." Jim will be interviewed by Warren Zanes
formally of The Del Fuegos, as well as perform a special acoustic set.
WHEN: Tonight, July 9th
DOORS: 8:30pm
WHERE: The Belly Up Tavern
143 South Cedros Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075
CC, you so cool. 8-) Hope the luckies have a blast!
If only we weren't a couple thousand miles from San Diego!
Well, we'll try and be there in spirit and play some JJ tonight at 8:30 pacific time (11:30 here). Sigh . . .
Man, that's so sweet. If only...
thats sweet that jim thought of the forum members. have fun whoever gets to go! lucky son of a guns.
you know you've got a problem when you're like : ok, what can i sell for money, how long to get to the airport, and then how long to san diego - damn, there's no way i can make it on time. ;)
is this being taped (sorry, i only have time to read about 1/4 of the threads these days) because i really would like to hear this interview.
So, my heart just broke into 3 million pieces!!!
My wife and I live in Philly, but hail from San Diego. We're only here for her to get her MFA at UPenn, then we're moving back home.
WHICH IS IN TWO FUCKING WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We totally could've gone to this!!!!
And maybe Jim would have played "our" song (I Will Be There When You Die) which he played especially for us in Los Angeles back in 2003!!!!!!!!!!
One more time: Yet another reason why I hate Philadelphia!!!!!!!!
you hate philadelphia, coltrane? i never knew...
;)
we are working on a pretty cool project just outside of philly right now. but it won't be ready until after you move away. ah well. did you at least enjoy the cream cheese?
Damnit!!! I miss everything!!!
No cream cheese. But they have these little markets called Wawa's and you can order up a sandwich ala Subway, but you do it through a computer--so you don't ever have to speak to a human being--and it's open 24/7!!
P.S. Cheese steaks are gross.
P.P.S. EC rules. Hardcore.
Coltrane: I total feel your pain.
EC: As soon as I read this (6:15 PM CT), I looked at my clock and thought, shit, I can get a last minute flight. I can chrage this on the company card and pay it back in a month. ARRRRGH dammit, it's a 3 hour flight I won't make it with drive times. Shit.
We seriously need to invent the Star Trek Teleporter technology......
EDIT- PS And yes it is total BADASS that Jim is doing this. Just another reason in a VERY long list why we love this band.
Did anyone get the tix yet? What are y'all waiting for?
yes! i'll be there as long as i can weave my way through traffic from LA in time.
what a treat, awesome of Jim to do this. Enjoy vacuuman!
thanks. i'll try to come back with a full report. traffic gods be with me!
oh to live in San Diego! What a great birthday that would have been. Whoever goes please tell us all about it :)
Just got back. Here's a quick review...
Made it down to the Belly Up just after 9 pm. Never been there, but it's a small to mid-size venue that lots of bands stop at during their west coast treks. Very beachy, San Diego vibe (think skaters and orange county types).
Warren Zanes (interviewer) came out, quick intro about the craft series and himself, and then introduced Jim, who came out sporting a red and white scarf and holding a power drill (wtf?). no idea what that was about, and he only picked it up again at the end.
The format was interview questions bookended by songs (played Gideon first, then sat down for first interview segment). I enjoyed the interview more than I thought I would. Warren had done his homework on past press and critical attitudes toward the band, so while he touched on some familiar territory, the questions gave Jim a chance to open up quite a bit. Topics included the songwriting process, inspiration, the question of band vs. solo performer, rehearsing and recording the new record in Colorado, album theory, and musical heroes and influences. As for the new record, they're holed up in a remote corner of Colorado somewhere, playing music in a barn (again) and playing lots of basketball. Jim's been holding interviews to find a producer for the record (they don't have one yet). He said that they've come in with 20-22 songs, but that they'll try to pare that down to the best 8-10. Talked about how sequencing of songs on record is important, and to be able to make a concise, cohesive album without fluff (hence no double discs of new studio material).
Perhaps the best moment was when Jim got up and played two new songs (unsure if they've ever been performed before?). The first included the repeated refrain of "I feel so wonderful...". A very hopeful song that Jim said was "a study in opposites," about leaving the hospital but feeling vibrant and full of life. The second new song is about looking up to a model citizen/being and is very soulful and spiritual. Wish I could give you more detail, but I was caught up in it and not about to try to transcribe the entire thing. It'll be interesting to see how they come out on record. Promising stuff.
Here are a few of the best quotes from the interview that I wrote down:
"It's this big pulsating beast." (describing James Brown and his band performing "The Big Payback")
"You want the band to be moved by what they're playing." (talking about how he brings the band the songs and their basic structures, but wants everyone to be able to put themselves into the songs, and not feel like they're just conduits for what he wants.)
"Your influences are always alive in your body."
"People don't think enough about rooms." (describing how vocal tones vary depending on the surroundings: bedroom, bathroom, office, studio, kitchen, etc.)
"There are still bands out there that think in albums, and we think in albums." (on how he'd rather have a shorter statement of the best tracks, a la dark side of the moon, than something rambling and incoherent)
"Some things I do well and some things I wish I could do better." (on how he's not that comfortable writing narrative songs--though the new album has one or two. i love this quote. it's all glass-half-full, no pessimism, no "things I can't do.")
Setlist:
Gideon
WAWM (omnichord)
Golden
New Song ("I feel so wonderful...")
New Song ("peace & glory...")
The Way That He Sings
Bermuda Highway
Anytime (omnichord)
Totally worth the 2 hour drive each way. And since the event was sponsored by miller beer (=drink tickets), my only costs (other than gas) were a few bucks in tips.
They were very anti-camera in there, but here's what I managed to get:
(http://lh6.google.com/natbach/RpNXS853STI/AAAAAAAAA_o/L2lnHuAwsvE/DSC01254.JPG?imgmax=512)
Up at dawn to go for a run and this totally made my morning.
Thanks so much for the as-soon-as-u-got-home report. Those are always the best kind:) And you're right - I love the quote you love.
Heading out the door with WAWM and a smile...
Thanks for the review, sounds like an awesome time! I was just in SD a couple weeks ago and walked right by that Belly Up place... oh to have been there...
thanks for the review! That one new song is called Wonderful (the way I feel). not sure about the other one.
Vaccuuman - that was a wonderful review. Thanks for sharing your experience. :D
Quote
"You want the band to be moved by what they're playing." (talking about how he brings the band the songs and their basic structures, but wants everyone to be able to put themselves into the songs, and not feel like they're just conduits for what he wants.)
"Your influences are always alive in your body."
"People don't think enough about rooms." (describing how vocal tones vary depending on the surroundings: bedroom, bathroom, office, studio, kitchen, etc.)
"There are still bands out there that think in albums, and we think in albums." (on how he'd rather have a shorter statement of the best tracks, a la dark side of the moon, than something rambling and incoherent)
GOD, I love this guy. He just gets it: life, writing, interviews -- whatever it may be. He always seems to talk from his heart and make a motherload of sense.
Excellent. Thanks for the report Vaccuuman!
Nice, thanks for the report Vaccuman! Sounds like a lot of fun.
Murph, nice new avatar! Ha!
So is this going to be streaming on the Rock HOF website or not?
i hope so.....
oh, and thanks to CC for the heads up and to Mike for the the tix!
let's hope they stream the show in its entirety, and not just little clips.
I have been reading this forum for well over a year now, and have never posted. But since I figured I was one of the only ones on this board to have attended the Jim James show last night at the Belly Up in San Diego, that I should offer my 2 cents as well.
The person who already offered a review and a picture did a really nice job of describing the event.
I would also add that I thought the entire event was wonderful and very special. It was a real treat for any music fan to attend, but especially great for a huge MMJ fan like myself to be able to go to.
The only problem I had with the whole thing, was the interviewer himeself was pretty grating and really liked to hear himself talk. Jim James was being extremely nice and open throughout the entire interview, even when the questions were less than thought provoking.
The interview was a huge music geek, not that that's a bad thing, but he seemed intent on letting everyone know just how much he knew about music, and that was annoying.
He also neglected to ask the #1 thing that I wanted him to ask JJ about -- and that is the live shows. He asked him a little bit about the Oknonokos DVD, but never about what JJ feels up on stage or the arrangements of any of his special shows IE: NYE at the Fillmore or the Prom at the 40 Watt.
However, the show itselft was very special and entertaining. My favorite part was when JJ was explaining that lots of great songs get lost when he is in a "remote location" and doesn't have any of his standard recording equipment to capture raw jam sessions. You could tell that JJ said "remote location" very tongue and cheek, and was basically saying -- "whenever I am really wasted and playing an awesome jam session -- but don't have the right of mind to actually record any of it."
JJ also mentioned that he will just be driving around and listening to music, and he will record a snippet of a song he really likes on his cell phone or mini-disc player, and then go home and listen to that clip, and that often times, he will get an idea for a new song from that one small clip alone.
He also mentioned the idea that the band is trying to get away from having everyone just banging on their instruments all at the same time within the same song, and that he has realized that songs can be better when everyone in the band gives each other space to let others play their instruments, while other guys in the band just listen to that part of the song, and then react later in the song with their own instruments.
Another very cool part of the interview is when they played music from other artists and had JJ respond to it. They played a song from Flamenco that highlighted why JJ likes Reverb so much (in fact, they talked about Reverb extensively.)
They also played a clip of a song from John Prine, and JJ talked about how much he resepcts Prine's voice, and how that JJ is aiming to write some new songs with more of a narrative -- like Prine tends to do.
All in all, a very fun and entertaining night, wish all of ya'll could have been there.
The one thing I walked away with is this: JJ seems to be just a normal, fun loving dude -- who is extremely talented at making music. He seems to truly love his band and he just loves all music. He is very chill and laid back, and seems like a guy that anyone would want to be friends with and hang out with. There seems to be very little of any "rock star" complex to him at all.
Nice post mls1! Thanks!
thanks for the reviews, y'all. thinking about how awesome this must have been makes my shitty day better.
Looks like Jim's hair is coming back in nicely. ;)
thanks mls1!:) fantastic details.
I love that they played clips of music for him to comment on. That's the first time I've heard of that one.
Thanks for the great reviews. I just wish I would have checked te thread earlier and gotten to go. Oh well.
JJ holding a power drill? Maybe it was a little play on the title of the show. JJ doing carpentry, a craft, on stage.
QuoteJJ holding a power drill? Maybe it was a little play on the title of the show. JJ doing carpentry, a craft, on stage.
Good thought! That makes sense, in a "Jim Humor" sort of way. :)
Holy mother of god! I f'ing love the Belly Up! Been there a ton of times. Plus, just down the road is Alberto's, the best rolled taco's EVER - especially at 2:00 a.m. Damn! Had I not been on a can't-get-on-the-computer-feeling-too-intruded-upon-at-home embargo, I would have flown down. See what happens when your life gets turned upside down!?!? I hope this show gets posted soon.
QuoteJJ holding a power drill? Maybe it was a little play on the title of the show. JJ doing carpentry, a craft, on stage.
maybe he thought he was supposed to fix some stuff?