Our Second Showcase is the First Written 2013 Showcase, #afterthebreak…
Eels & Nicole Atkins @ The Fonda (02/15/13)
Showcase #2 drops before Showcase #1. Little odd. That’s because Little Big Town has much more words than my first experience with The cult favorite Eels & newcomer Nicole Atkins. It’s coming. Promise all showcases will have write ups in 2013.
My friend invited me to this one and it was nice palette cleanser between what once was and what is coming up this year. #2 should’ve been JT. Felt the regrets running through my mind up until the lights faded out and the music rose at the Fonda Friday night. A venue that was one of my firsts back in 2010. Before it changed it name. That living ‘music box’ where Jenny & Johnny & James Blake shared a tune. Knows it like the back of my hand, you see– From the double bar, to the risers, to how the crowd moves and shakes up until the lights come back on. Experts will tell you this: never drink at the bar in the venue. Go next store. Blue Palms Brewhouse is my home away from home. Get drunk there before the show. Top it off after. One recommendation. Sorry if it offends the Fonda.
Bizarrely the show didn’t open with Nicole Atkins, but reining Los Angeles Air Guitarist Champion — Tim “Six String General” Granlund. Weirdest hype man I had laid eyes on. You could tell by my expression. Most of the fans really enjoyed it. Me, not so much. Sure was an interesting experience. Really want to go on a rant about this, but choosing not to.
Nicole Atkins, if you are reading this, you blew me away. The highlight of the night was her small intimate acoustic set. By far. Rolling Stone’s ‘Artist to Watch’ recommendation is well deserved and couldn’t agree more. Her vocal tone reminded me of a better Lana Del Rey. Same sort of high octave haunting siren over dark subject matter. It was a dark set. She knew it. Made fun of it. Beautifully sung. Curious if it differs in a band type setting. I hope so. Otherwise, just slit my wrists now…(hehe, bad joke– let me finish)…because I was musical heaven. Still don’t understand why she was wearing a native american necklace and cape. Very Florence Welch. Knowing she has spent much of her time in New York / Jersey makes sense why the Psychedelic rock weeps from the strings.
The Eels slithered on and played to a full house next. Close to being a sell out. Very shocked. This is a long time underground indie band that has been highlighted on countless Soundtracks I own [understatement] and swimming on the edge of the pop spectrum their entire career. You’ve heard an Eels song. Probably didn’t occur to you, but I’m here to tell you…you have. Might have enjoyed it too.
Their stinky hipster cult following was refreshing. So was their sound. Vintage. These guys are the living ‘Blues Brothers’. Except, instead of suits, they wear matching Adidas jumpsuits. Soulful brothers with indie rock booty shaking beats. Lead by the enigmatic ‘E’, who spent the opening tracks hugging her musical brothers, the Eels performed a variety of hits from their numerous albums. There was even a Bro marriage between longtime members ‘E’ & ‘The Chet’. Now if they get a divorce they have to pay extra. Won’t happen.
Weirdly. Didn’t know a lyric. Nor a beat. This was an entirely new experience. Free of expectations. Need more of these type of shows. That’s the focus. Open my ears, I’ve said. Stay away from mainstream. Might make me a better listener.
If you’re looking to get into Eels’ music, pick up the ‘Yes Man’ soundtrack. You get 9 classic greatest hits like tracks in one tiny package — Somebody Loves You, The Sound of Fear, Blinking Lights (for Me). You’ll fall head over heels for their big band, indie rocking, eclectic that probably highlighted your twenties and you didn’t even know it. They rocked live. Pleasantly surprised.
Oh, and they did 3 encores. Talk about Fan loyalty. 2+ hours of hits if you are a huge Eels fan.
Their new record — Wonderful, Glorious — is available everywhere! Pick it up.
Short. Simple. To the point. Should write more annotated shows. There was so much more I wish I wrote, but everything above is all I really need to share.
Pictures came out amazing. My 2012 Nikon L610 really impressed me with speed, accuracy and shutter speed. Battery life is still horrible. Even all the way in the back of the Fonda got close enough to action that I didn’t hate not being in the front. Would’ve stayed if the overweight…sorry to offend, but she was a hippo…hipster would’ve taken a shower before the show. You could smell her stank pussy every time she swayed to the beat. Became unbearable halfway through the Eels set. I’ve smelt some stinky pussies in my lifetime, but good lord. Needed a quarantine & shower afterwards.
I learned, happily, that some of the best experiences happen by saying Yes and you never know what kind of amazing performances you might find outside the normal popular acts. More of these to come.
Thank you to The Eels, Nicole Atkins, and the Fonda for hosting such a wonderful unexpecting night. Sorry for typos. Our first showcase will drop soon and #3 coming next.
Slideshow:
Set List:
- Bombs Away
- Kinda Fuzzy
- The Sound of Fear
- In My Dreams
- Open My Present
- New Alphabet
- Wonderful, Glorious
- Fresh Feeling
- Peach Blossom
- On the Ropes
- Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac cover)
- Trouble with Dreams
- Go Knuckles!
- Stick Together
- Dirty Girl
- True Original
- The Turnaround
- I Am Building a Shrine
- Itchycoo Park (Small Faces cover)
Encore:
- Fresh Blood
- I’m Your Brave Little Soldier
- My Beloved Monster / Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
Encore 2:
- Climbing to the Moon
- Souljacker, Part I
Encore 3:
- Dog Faced Boy
- Go EELS!