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Dec. 17th, 2005 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elizalavelleTwo days in a row of Sarah Slean, and this time with far less travelling between shows lol. My reviews/fangirling are behind the cut This one is for the 15th. It's long so I'll make a seperate post for the 16th.
Thursday December 15th.
This day was the day of the crazy snowstorm. After work I went up to the bus station, using the Path all of the way because there was no way I was walking through a blizzard. I made it about 15 minutes early and then waited and waited and waited.... I knew the busses were running late but this got to the worrysome part of late. Finally a bus came in from Kitchener but Andrea wasn't on it! and it was about 40 minutes late from when she was supposed to arrive so I was totally freaking out thinking she'd missed her bus or something and I didn't have her new cell number so I had to get my brother to get on my computer (which reminds me I now must change passwords for a bunch of stuff, boo) and he sent a text to Neal asking for her number and got me her old phone number so I could try to call her mom. Crazy. The people at the bus station weren't very helpful. They just kept sending me to talk to other people, no one seemed to know anything about where busses were. I didn't want exact locations, just generally, they left at this time..... etc. Anyways I did get a hold of Andrea and she hadn't missed her bus. It ended up that she was over two hours late (that's some powerful snow!) so we just had time to cab to my house, I got changed and we grabbed some food to eat at the theatre and then we ran and caught a cab downtown. It was a mad crazy rush and by the time we got to Harbourfront my adrenaline was just running so high that I couldn't sit still. I was bouncing all over the lobby (reason 1982384 that usher probably hates me)
My posters were still up!
We met some more people off of the board (your_wish_is_my_wish and jeff) and then played some musical chairs with the tickets because Jim got stuck in the snow and couldn't make it :( So Cam and Nancy lucked out and moved up to front row :D Jarita got one of their tickets so she moved up to fourth row and then we went around the theatre trying to find someone who wanted to move up closer to take the other fourth row ticket. So many people were there in groups and no one wanted to seperate from their friends. Very sweet but had I been in the last row of the theatre and someone offered my 4th row for free I'd take it lol. We eventually did find a girl who wanted the ticket so that worked out well. The usher glared at us the whole time. That woman seriously hates us. Hello we are doing a good deed here, and making sure the front seats are filled which looks better for the whole establishment, why get angry about that. She also had Andrea Kat and I go tell the boys to not lean on the stage. They were hardly leaning but whatever, can I start being paid for ushering as well? ;)
Speaking of which Sarah's grandmother was at the show right behind us! I helped her to find her seat lol but I had no idea that it was her of I'd have given up my seat for her.
The Show
setlist:
Mary - Sarah started with this one because Mary was in the audience (as mentioned above) which as soon as she said that we all just looked at each other and realized that she was right behind us, which is sort of intimidating lol. This one was just Sarah on the piano.
Then the Blue Spruce String Quartet came out and they did a strings only verson of
Lucky Me - This was just so amazing. The transitions this song has made over the past year are amazing. Every version is great but so so different. My jaw just dropped at the string scoring. I love it! And we sung the "declined" and "first prize" parts pretty well, go audience!
Eliot - this was piano and strings and again, I gush for the stings. (Clearly I adore the piano as well, always love the piano, but the strings were a new addition and there were parts of their playing that made my jaw drop it was just an amazing combination) Also I love this song, and now I always think of Patty (sandonthebreeze) during the "sand on the breeze" line, I wish you could have made it to TO for these shows, stupid exams!
I Know Piano and strings.
I must make a sidenote about this song. I convinced my friend Viv to buy tickets for this show based on the fact that someone on the board had randomly mentioned one day that they thought Sarah would play I Know again. Not a good fact source lol but I wanted Viv to come to the concert and it's her favourite song. SO even though I thought there was no way in hell she'd actually get to hear I know I lied and told her it was a strong possibily for the TO shows. Clearly Sarah has my phone line tapped because low and behold she played the song. ;)
Anyways back on topic. I Know is still so hard to watch Sarah play. There's so much emotion there and I was really worried she wasn't going to make it through the song at all. But it was so beautiful as well.
Bank Accounts - The strings took the trumpet solo which was definitely fun and different to hear. Sarah also says that she wrote this song years ago but she now realizes it was for Paris Hilton all along lol.
High - Which was introduced with a little bit about Martin (poor Martin lol) Usually she intros about him for "My Invitation" anyways... the cello in this song was so great!
Last Year's War - I hadn't heard this song before so it was great to finally hear what all of the fuss was about ;) Such a beautiful piece.
Then came the special guest of the night was was of course Tomi Swick. She talked about how her lable had signed him so had forced him upon her for tours etc (which was what we'd guessed lol) but then when she met him she loved his music and vocals so it was all good :)
the covered:
Hallelujah - which was great! Now I'm not a huge Tomi Swick fan but I liked him much better tonight. Perhaps I'll need to invest in his album to see if he's just one of those artists who you have to listen to for a while before you really really love them.....
Then we went back to Sarah and her piano
Out In the Park - I love this song, different lines hit me on different nights. Charming :)
Pilgrim - Sarah said she was going to do a string arrangement for this piece but then remembered how much fun it was to play alone LOL. I love this song live. I really hope it makes it on the live album. It's just gained more and more power as she's been playing it on tour.
Then she asked for requests which prompted the usual amount of screaming and Sarah told the story about Becca putting up her hand (which I still refuse to do on principal lol)
St. Francis - my request! It's all about the lines
"Flying through tunnels
At the mouth of New York
Sometimes, I belong here
But it’s funny how leaving
Turns the emptiness up
The hole you never heard before"
Because that just spells out how I feel whenever I have to leave New York so perfectly. I wrote a bunch of poems about New York the morning before I left this past trip and none of them said exactly what she says there. Also I know Cam had really been wanting to hear this song too :) So it was a multi purpose request ;)
Somebody's Arms - I'm so glad she played this one because Jarita had so wanted to hear it and she was finally able to come to a show so *yay* and this is such a happy song. I love singing it in my head while walking around TO.
The Score - This one I don't believe I'd heard since Sudbury, so wow. :)
The Blue Spruce quartet came back out for a string solo of:
Pie Jesu - which was just WOW. I think nothing will beat Sarah doing this song acapella in Kingston (well with a bit of piano at the beginning) but it is still super impressive to hear her sing this song. Also it's a gorgeous song, simply beautiful... I may throw in the fangirl swoon for that one ;)
Then the final song of the set with strings and piano
When Another Midnight - which now endlessly amuses Andrea and I because of the intro in Kingston about "if I wrote cartoon music this is where the bad guy would come.... on his tippy toes....... he pulls out a knife!" Sadly our actions were lost on Neal and Camron who both probably think we are crazy now ;) Back to the song. The strings in this one... again, just wow. I don't even have words for how amazing the string arangements were. AND Sarah wrote them (which of course she would have but honestly that didn't even occur to me until she said it.... she is so multi-talented!)
ENCORE:
She asked for more requests and a group of people in the balcony screamed "SWEET ONES" It was loud, made me jump lol. Then Neal put up his hand and asked if she'd learned "Love For Sale" and she hadn't yet (sidenote, I am so excited for Black Widow!) then he asked for Count Me Out instead. Then Sarah called on another person in the 4th row who asked for Blue Parade. Then she asked Neal if he wouldn't mind if she played that request instead (see this is where I start getting into my rant about not putting up hands because it makes her have to choose between people as opposed to a bunch of random calling out of songs which is less civilized but also less personal if she doesn't want to play your song)
ANYWAYS
Blue Parade - Just Sarah and the piano... beautiful heartbreaking song. I love it.
Sweet Ones - Before playing this she asked if "this place was too classy to sing along" and then she said that "no place ever should be" which I love. And people sung along and Neal and Kat are AMAZING! They harmonize so well and it was all unplanned. Great job guys!
Piano and strings:
Narcolepsy Weed - another song I'd never heard live! She said she wrote it after watching the movie "My Own Private Idaho" which starred River Phoenix playing a narcoleptic male prostitute and she sympathized with the character so much that she had to write a song about it. Also she said it was the only movie she ever could stand Keano Reeves in (and I realize I don't know how to spell his name, lol... unless that's right, but it looks off to me)... anyways. The song was lovely :)
Playing Cards With Judas - This is a song I love too! Who am I kidding there isn't a song that I don't like of hers I don't think ;) but it was a great way to end the night.
After the show we hung out for a while, Neal and Andrea and I got paid for our promotion work :) and we all just chatted for a bit while waiting for Sarah. Viv and Mike stuck around for me, thanks you guys for braving the Passioneers ;) I think we're a bit intimidating after a show because we all know each other now lol.
OH and Jarita found this guy we'd met at the White Ribbon benefit! That was so random but so fun. Then of course we ranted about that night a bit (gift bags grrrr!)
Sarah came out and was sweet and charming. Signed stuff for people and took a few pictures. Andrea, Neal and I all got our posters we made/put up signed :) and it turned out that she'd seen one of the posters on Queen Street! We also asked if she was coming out to chat the next night (because that's when we planned to give her the card but we didn't tell her that part) and she said "of course" which was great, we didn't even have to hint at a Passioneer Present or anything :) Ummmm what else... oh the Live Album is going to be pieced together from this whole tour (I knew we'd seen mics before at the shows!) Sarah especially mentioned the church venue shows. Go Kingston! I'd just like to have every show officially released in a giant box set. NEVER ever going to happen but that would be awesome.
Oh and at one point (before Sarah was talking to us) someone had asked me something about money and I said "Sarah Slean has all of my money" which has been my financial catch phrase since NYC.. because seriously, she does, as does Greyhound. And she looked up at me and goes "where did it go" I said "Kingston" which was true.. that and NYC were the more expensive stops. Still totally worth it though, I wouldn't trade any of those shows!
And we asked about the blue dress she was wearing and it was indeed the one she'd bought in Victoria and had mentioned in her blog. I told her I was worried about her not having boots (seriously I'm a worrier, I should never know that people who I know are walking around in REGINA of all places without winter boots) and she told us that she actually has somehow scuffed holes into the sides of her boots, how she managed to do that I don't know but I hope Santa brings her new boots this year.
and that's it for the 15th
Thursday December 15th.
This day was the day of the crazy snowstorm. After work I went up to the bus station, using the Path all of the way because there was no way I was walking through a blizzard. I made it about 15 minutes early and then waited and waited and waited.... I knew the busses were running late but this got to the worrysome part of late. Finally a bus came in from Kitchener but Andrea wasn't on it! and it was about 40 minutes late from when she was supposed to arrive so I was totally freaking out thinking she'd missed her bus or something and I didn't have her new cell number so I had to get my brother to get on my computer (which reminds me I now must change passwords for a bunch of stuff, boo) and he sent a text to Neal asking for her number and got me her old phone number so I could try to call her mom. Crazy. The people at the bus station weren't very helpful. They just kept sending me to talk to other people, no one seemed to know anything about where busses were. I didn't want exact locations, just generally, they left at this time..... etc. Anyways I did get a hold of Andrea and she hadn't missed her bus. It ended up that she was over two hours late (that's some powerful snow!) so we just had time to cab to my house, I got changed and we grabbed some food to eat at the theatre and then we ran and caught a cab downtown. It was a mad crazy rush and by the time we got to Harbourfront my adrenaline was just running so high that I couldn't sit still. I was bouncing all over the lobby (reason 1982384 that usher probably hates me)
My posters were still up!
We met some more people off of the board (your_wish_is_my_wish and jeff) and then played some musical chairs with the tickets because Jim got stuck in the snow and couldn't make it :( So Cam and Nancy lucked out and moved up to front row :D Jarita got one of their tickets so she moved up to fourth row and then we went around the theatre trying to find someone who wanted to move up closer to take the other fourth row ticket. So many people were there in groups and no one wanted to seperate from their friends. Very sweet but had I been in the last row of the theatre and someone offered my 4th row for free I'd take it lol. We eventually did find a girl who wanted the ticket so that worked out well. The usher glared at us the whole time. That woman seriously hates us. Hello we are doing a good deed here, and making sure the front seats are filled which looks better for the whole establishment, why get angry about that. She also had Andrea Kat and I go tell the boys to not lean on the stage. They were hardly leaning but whatever, can I start being paid for ushering as well? ;)
Speaking of which Sarah's grandmother was at the show right behind us! I helped her to find her seat lol but I had no idea that it was her of I'd have given up my seat for her.
The Show
setlist:
Mary - Sarah started with this one because Mary was in the audience (as mentioned above) which as soon as she said that we all just looked at each other and realized that she was right behind us, which is sort of intimidating lol. This one was just Sarah on the piano.
Then the Blue Spruce String Quartet came out and they did a strings only verson of
Lucky Me - This was just so amazing. The transitions this song has made over the past year are amazing. Every version is great but so so different. My jaw just dropped at the string scoring. I love it! And we sung the "declined" and "first prize" parts pretty well, go audience!
Eliot - this was piano and strings and again, I gush for the stings. (Clearly I adore the piano as well, always love the piano, but the strings were a new addition and there were parts of their playing that made my jaw drop it was just an amazing combination) Also I love this song, and now I always think of Patty (sandonthebreeze) during the "sand on the breeze" line, I wish you could have made it to TO for these shows, stupid exams!
I Know Piano and strings.
I must make a sidenote about this song. I convinced my friend Viv to buy tickets for this show based on the fact that someone on the board had randomly mentioned one day that they thought Sarah would play I Know again. Not a good fact source lol but I wanted Viv to come to the concert and it's her favourite song. SO even though I thought there was no way in hell she'd actually get to hear I know I lied and told her it was a strong possibily for the TO shows. Clearly Sarah has my phone line tapped because low and behold she played the song. ;)
Anyways back on topic. I Know is still so hard to watch Sarah play. There's so much emotion there and I was really worried she wasn't going to make it through the song at all. But it was so beautiful as well.
Bank Accounts - The strings took the trumpet solo which was definitely fun and different to hear. Sarah also says that she wrote this song years ago but she now realizes it was for Paris Hilton all along lol.
High - Which was introduced with a little bit about Martin (poor Martin lol) Usually she intros about him for "My Invitation" anyways... the cello in this song was so great!
Last Year's War - I hadn't heard this song before so it was great to finally hear what all of the fuss was about ;) Such a beautiful piece.
Then came the special guest of the night was was of course Tomi Swick. She talked about how her lable had signed him so had forced him upon her for tours etc (which was what we'd guessed lol) but then when she met him she loved his music and vocals so it was all good :)
the covered:
Hallelujah - which was great! Now I'm not a huge Tomi Swick fan but I liked him much better tonight. Perhaps I'll need to invest in his album to see if he's just one of those artists who you have to listen to for a while before you really really love them.....
Then we went back to Sarah and her piano
Out In the Park - I love this song, different lines hit me on different nights. Charming :)
Pilgrim - Sarah said she was going to do a string arrangement for this piece but then remembered how much fun it was to play alone LOL. I love this song live. I really hope it makes it on the live album. It's just gained more and more power as she's been playing it on tour.
Then she asked for requests which prompted the usual amount of screaming and Sarah told the story about Becca putting up her hand (which I still refuse to do on principal lol)
St. Francis - my request! It's all about the lines
"Flying through tunnels
At the mouth of New York
Sometimes, I belong here
But it’s funny how leaving
Turns the emptiness up
The hole you never heard before"
Because that just spells out how I feel whenever I have to leave New York so perfectly. I wrote a bunch of poems about New York the morning before I left this past trip and none of them said exactly what she says there. Also I know Cam had really been wanting to hear this song too :) So it was a multi purpose request ;)
Somebody's Arms - I'm so glad she played this one because Jarita had so wanted to hear it and she was finally able to come to a show so *yay* and this is such a happy song. I love singing it in my head while walking around TO.
The Score - This one I don't believe I'd heard since Sudbury, so wow. :)
The Blue Spruce quartet came back out for a string solo of:
Pie Jesu - which was just WOW. I think nothing will beat Sarah doing this song acapella in Kingston (well with a bit of piano at the beginning) but it is still super impressive to hear her sing this song. Also it's a gorgeous song, simply beautiful... I may throw in the fangirl swoon for that one ;)
Then the final song of the set with strings and piano
When Another Midnight - which now endlessly amuses Andrea and I because of the intro in Kingston about "if I wrote cartoon music this is where the bad guy would come.... on his tippy toes....... he pulls out a knife!" Sadly our actions were lost on Neal and Camron who both probably think we are crazy now ;) Back to the song. The strings in this one... again, just wow. I don't even have words for how amazing the string arangements were. AND Sarah wrote them (which of course she would have but honestly that didn't even occur to me until she said it.... she is so multi-talented!)
ENCORE:
She asked for more requests and a group of people in the balcony screamed "SWEET ONES" It was loud, made me jump lol. Then Neal put up his hand and asked if she'd learned "Love For Sale" and she hadn't yet (sidenote, I am so excited for Black Widow!) then he asked for Count Me Out instead. Then Sarah called on another person in the 4th row who asked for Blue Parade. Then she asked Neal if he wouldn't mind if she played that request instead (see this is where I start getting into my rant about not putting up hands because it makes her have to choose between people as opposed to a bunch of random calling out of songs which is less civilized but also less personal if she doesn't want to play your song)
ANYWAYS
Blue Parade - Just Sarah and the piano... beautiful heartbreaking song. I love it.
Sweet Ones - Before playing this she asked if "this place was too classy to sing along" and then she said that "no place ever should be" which I love. And people sung along and Neal and Kat are AMAZING! They harmonize so well and it was all unplanned. Great job guys!
Piano and strings:
Narcolepsy Weed - another song I'd never heard live! She said she wrote it after watching the movie "My Own Private Idaho" which starred River Phoenix playing a narcoleptic male prostitute and she sympathized with the character so much that she had to write a song about it. Also she said it was the only movie she ever could stand Keano Reeves in (and I realize I don't know how to spell his name, lol... unless that's right, but it looks off to me)... anyways. The song was lovely :)
Playing Cards With Judas - This is a song I love too! Who am I kidding there isn't a song that I don't like of hers I don't think ;) but it was a great way to end the night.
After the show we hung out for a while, Neal and Andrea and I got paid for our promotion work :) and we all just chatted for a bit while waiting for Sarah. Viv and Mike stuck around for me, thanks you guys for braving the Passioneers ;) I think we're a bit intimidating after a show because we all know each other now lol.
OH and Jarita found this guy we'd met at the White Ribbon benefit! That was so random but so fun. Then of course we ranted about that night a bit (gift bags grrrr!)
Sarah came out and was sweet and charming. Signed stuff for people and took a few pictures. Andrea, Neal and I all got our posters we made/put up signed :) and it turned out that she'd seen one of the posters on Queen Street! We also asked if she was coming out to chat the next night (because that's when we planned to give her the card but we didn't tell her that part) and she said "of course" which was great, we didn't even have to hint at a Passioneer Present or anything :) Ummmm what else... oh the Live Album is going to be pieced together from this whole tour (I knew we'd seen mics before at the shows!) Sarah especially mentioned the church venue shows. Go Kingston! I'd just like to have every show officially released in a giant box set. NEVER ever going to happen but that would be awesome.
Oh and at one point (before Sarah was talking to us) someone had asked me something about money and I said "Sarah Slean has all of my money" which has been my financial catch phrase since NYC.. because seriously, she does, as does Greyhound. And she looked up at me and goes "where did it go" I said "Kingston" which was true.. that and NYC were the more expensive stops. Still totally worth it though, I wouldn't trade any of those shows!
And we asked about the blue dress she was wearing and it was indeed the one she'd bought in Victoria and had mentioned in her blog. I told her I was worried about her not having boots (seriously I'm a worrier, I should never know that people who I know are walking around in REGINA of all places without winter boots) and she told us that she actually has somehow scuffed holes into the sides of her boots, how she managed to do that I don't know but I hope Santa brings her new boots this year.
and that's it for the 15th
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-19 01:00 am (UTC)and regarding eliot, you know what? I think of me too when i hear that line!!! LOL *self-absorbed* but seriously, tthat's so sweet you think of me! I think of you too whenever I hear duncan now! =)
I still can't believe she play I Know and Narcolepsy Weed. wow
no subject
Date: 2005-12-19 02:41 am (UTC)I couldn't believe she played I Know...both nights! And Narcolepsy Weed too... lots of surprises from her :)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-19 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-19 07:06 am (UTC)However when they're not weird names that I'm overly familiar with I'm screwed for spelling. You've heard my spelling story of how I messed up a thesis when I was a kid right? lol no one should study me ;)
lol back on topic, I'm glad you liked the review :)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-22 10:59 pm (UTC)Regardless of the fact I've already discussed this to death with you in real life. *SQQQQQQQQQUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!*
Score. I am so awesome. It's for reasons like this that I believe I live in a Truman Show-esque world. Or there are just really big conspiracies. Oh crap. I just noticed my printers out of paper. Soz. That was way OT. Anyways... Um.
Yes. Fantastic. 'I Know'!!!!!!! God, I just about died...BOTH nights.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-23 01:29 am (UTC)Get more printer paper, are you printing Alona Tal letters in bulk?
no subject
Date: 2005-12-23 02:35 am (UTC)Ohmygeh. That would be the ultimate freaky. hahaha. I can't even figure out how to write one, let alone bulk, heh. But that would still be hilarious(ly creepy).