The Joanna Newsom Thread

[Amy Lawn]

Bristolians, I might join you for this one http://www.colstonhall.org/shows/joanna-newsom/

 

It's about time she had her own thread. Use this thread for all your general hype for the upcoming shows, Divers, and Park Stage headline slot 2016.

[FloorFiller]

if she could headline the Park against the inevitable shit Pyramid headliner next year that would be just swell. loving the two songs she's released from the new album thus far

[TomViolence]

A headline slot would be perfect, but I'll take her being booked ANYWHERE. Can't wait for the album and London show, not too long to wait

[Amy Lawn]

I got my Divers! Will be listening to it in t-minus 1 hour, there seems to b LOADS of buzz about this, even amongst muggles.

[whisty]

Who needs Kate Bush! And for my money, to see JN in a smaller venue with good quality acoustics is going to be way better than anything in a field. Not that I bought a ticket mind, but have seen her in a 60 person venue and the Royal Festival Hall. Anybody with a ticket is in for a great night I'm sure, bit jealous btw

[somecoolusername]

she's brilliant. really hope she plays next year. 

[somecoolusername]

she's brilliant. really hope she plays next year. 

[H.M.V]

Saw her in the Bridgewater Hall some years ago and she is just so stunningly good. Keeping everything crossed shes at Glasto next year. 

Need to give the new album a listen. Thats the mission this weekend. Is it on Spotify? 

[dentalplan]

Saw her in the Bridgewater Hall some years ago and she is just so stunningly good. Keeping everything crossed shes at Glasto next year. 

Need to give the new album a listen. Thats the mission this weekend. Is it on Spotify? 

She labelled Spotify a rotten banana the other day so it's doubtful, I'm afraid.

I don't think I've ever wanted an act to play the festival as much as I want J-New to be there next year. I just need it.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Going to buck the consensus - and probably my own previous statements on the subject - and say that for me the perfect place and time to see her would be early afternoon on the Pyramid. 

The Pyramid is actually the stage with the least noise competition, whereas later on The Park is backgrounded by nuff thump thump thump.

[H.M.V]

She labelled Spotify a rotten banana the other day so it's doubtful, I'm afraid.

I don't think I've ever wanted an act to play the festival as much as I want J-New to be there next year. I just need it.

Can't say I blame her, I can be somewhat conflicted on the Spotify thing. Will see if I can old school it and pick up her CD tomorrow. 

[stuartbert two hats]

Saw her in the Bridgewater Hall some years ago and she is just so stunningly good. Keeping everything crossed shes at Glasto next year. 

Need to give the new album a listen. Thats the mission this weekend. Is it on Spotify? 

I think there's about one song on Spotify. I checked today after all the commotion.

[Amy Lawn]

This is different, but very fucking good. Feels much more straightforward than the previous two musically, but less on the nose lyrically. My one complaint is that she couldn't include a download card with all these glossy pictures and lyric sheets with the LP, I actually bought Have One On Me on CD after I already owned the LP so I could have it on my ipod and in the car.  I think if you pay £25 for an album, you should get a download as well, not really costing the label any more money.

[Mardy]

OK, based on you lot, I'm going to give this a go. I've always sort of been against her, but I'm not sure I can remember why, exactly. Somewhere in the dim and distant past, I got it into my head that I didn't liek her. Will give this one a spin today and see what happens.

[Mardy]

Going to buck the consensus - and probably my own previous statements on the subject - and say that for me the perfect place and time to see her would be early afternoon on the Pyramid. 

The Pyramid is actually the stage with the least noise competition, whereas later on The Park is backgrounded by nuff thump thump thump.

 

Yeah, one of the things baout this forum that makes me laugh is people wanting their favourite act to play the Park, whoever it is, whatever the size of the band, whatver the situation . I reckon you're right about this, same as Patti Smith last year, there were a lot fo calls for her to headline the park, but actually, the Pyramid was far better. And I don't for one second believe the Pyramid is as conservative and hostile to different sorts of music during the daytime as some would say.

[CaledonianGonzo]

The Unthanks played the Pyramid last year and managed very well.  Hell, even the avant-garde ballet drew a very positive response, from an admittedly 'selective' crowd.

Someone's view of Pyramid crowds will naturally be influenced by the bands they themselves choose to go to see there.

Though The Park can and does accommodate all different genres.  I get more amused by people nominating all sorts of inappropriate stuff for West Holts.

[Winslow Leach]

I get more amused by people nominating all sorts of inappropriate stuff for West Holts.

The West Holts bookers, for one.

[stuartbert two hats]

The thing Iove about The Park during the day isn't the sound quality, bleed can certainly be a problem; it's being able to see the performers. Partly because the area is so far from anywhere, fewer people can be bothered to trek all the way up there. And for the smaller crowds, the natural amphitheatre effect makes it even easier to see them. 

Sound bleed is a bugger though.

[Amy Lawn]

Seeing her tonight!

HYPE! HYPE! HYPE!

I've had limited opportunity to listen to Divers since it came out, but I've enjoyed the few I've managed to cram in. Thus far I've not gone as mad for it as I have for Ys and Have One On Me, but I warm up to it with each listen. I'll probably be hopelessly in love with it after tonight though.

The Ys Street band is currently on the turntable, I really can't wait to hear Cosmia played live.

[CHRLY]

I'm speechless. It was so beautiful. 

[Amy Lawn]

I'm speechless. It was so beautiful. 

Completely agree, even with there "Oooh I'm a bit rubbish because I've not played in a while and this micophone's giving me grief and my shoes are a bit weird" it was wonderful. Not really a fan of The Milk Eyed Mender, but Bridges and Balloons sounded fucking great even with the wrong key shenanigans. I've got a soft spot for Peach Plum Pear because of Owen Pallett's lovely cover, not madly keen on the original, but the way she played it tonight sounded so incredible, completely blindsided me. Sapokanikan and Leaving The City were highlights, Goose Eggs and Anecdotes also really came into their own live. I think I might not really like Divers..... (the song rather than the album). I was over the moon to hear Emily, Cosmia, Have One On Me and Soft As Chalk. Really really glad I was there for the first show of the tour, really really glad I get to see her again on Monday, really really looking forward to how it translates to festival sets next year!

[Amy Lawn]

Setlist proves that Baby Birch is rehearsed and ready to be brought out! I'll be a mess if we get that in Bristol.


 

I might be wrong, but I feel like the actual order of the main set was slightly different.

[CHRLY]

All of the new stuff worked brilliantly - the reaction Sapokanikan got was great.

Emily was a teary twelve minutes for me, just managed to hold it together for Cosmia. Still can't believe I heard them, they were the two I wanted most.

I actually think the mistakes made it better. It's good to be reminded that she's human considering I spent most of the gig in shock at how she manages to compose and perform such complex songs.

[Amy Lawn]

All of the new stuff worked brilliantly - the reaction Sapokanikan got was great.

Emily was a teary twelve minutes for me, just managed to hold it together for Cosmia. Still can't believe I heard them, they were the two I wanted most.

I actually think the mistakes made it better. It's good to be reminded that she's human considering I spent most of the gig in shock at how she manages to compose and perform such complex songs.

I completely agree with you there, I've obsessed over these songs for so long that I've though of her on the same level as long-dead authors who have become infallible mythical creatures over time. It was so nice to see that Joanna Newsom is a nice normal human being who just happens to be really really good at something. Helped her work sound much more human to me, seeing her perform Emily and Cosmia and realising they're about real experiences in her life made them even more affecting.

[CHRLY]

I completely agree with you there, I've obsessed over these songs for so long that I've though of her on the same level as long-dead authors who have become infallible mythical creatures over time. It was so nice to see that Joanna Newsom is a nice normal human being who just happens to be really really good at something. Helped her work sound much more human to me, seeing her perform Emily and Cosmia and realising they're about real experiences in her life made them even more affecting.

Exactly, I was in a heap after Emily - I've know people dismiss it as some sort of mock Shakespearean piece, it's so much more than that. It's original, and it's perfect.

I was speaking to a guy who said he saw her at the Bridgewater Hall touring Ys, she had a full orchestra with her then. Can't imagine what it would've done to me then.