Friday, September 11, 2009

#3: Catch a Jon Brion Show






Do you know who Jon Brion is? I didn't, until a respected musician friend of mine told me a year ago that I HAD to see this musical savant's one-man show. That was back when it was held every Friday night at the old Largo.

Well I finally made it out for Jon Brion's infamous Friday night show. $25 could not have been better spent.

This man can hold an audience captivated for over 2 hours as he sings, plays the drums / guitar / piano / vibes / harmonica, and loops sounds like a mad scientist . The musical creations that come out of this one man band are just awe inspiring.

For those of you who are as clueless as I was, Jon Brion has produced musicians such as Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, Dido, and Kanye West. He's also scored the films I Heart Huckabees, Eternal Sunshine, Magnolia, and many others. Read about it yourself:
photo from migratingtaste
The highlights of the evening:

-Covers of
Prince and Strawberry Fields (on vibes)
-A hauntingly beautiful looped clip of a woman singing, with Jon singing and playing piano over it
-Jon playing a piano soundtrack over a silent
black and white felix cartoon
-Pieces layering drums/guitar/piano/etc. AMAZING.

Now for the 411 on the venue:

The Jon Brion show is held in the
new Largo location, which is the size of a small movie theater. You sit down for the show. The will call/ticket "booth" is at a locked gate in the front where a guy takes your $25 CASH through the iron bars and stamps your hand. The booth opens at 8, the doors open at 8:30, and the show starts at 9:30. When we got there at 8, there was no line to buy tickets. We ate at Real Food Daily (just a hop skip and a jump away), and returned at 8:30, getting seats in the first row.

Overall, this has been one of my favorite musical experiences in L.A..
Go.

Now.


You jaw will hit the floor, your toes will be tapping, and you will thank me later.

1 comment:

  1. blew me away. if you get there a little early you can sit anywhere you like. the closer the better because he makes interesting faces and noises while he plays.

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