|
2004-06-20 - 10:59 p.m.
Jonathan sings!
A couple Tuesdays ago, I went to see Jonathan Richman at the Ottobar. I’d seen him there two summers ago and it was really one of most enjoyable, smile-inducing shows I’d ever seen, so I was looking forward to seeing him again. It was also one of the only nights I had free to hang out with J.G., and I thought she might enjoy it, I brought her along with me. We got there just a little while before he went onstage, and as usual, Jonathan got right down to business. His drummer, Tommy Larkin, had a full set this time, instead of standing at a simple snare and hi-hat setup like he usually does, but it was still a relatively quiet rock show, with Jonathan playing his acoustic guitar with no strap. He has a really odd, funny stage demeanor. During the songs he’d often stop strumming and hold the guitar by the neck while singing, or step back from the microphone and do a little dance move. He played classics like “Girlfriend” and “I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar”, and showed off his multilingual talents by singing various songs in Spanish, Italian and French. He even did a bizarre monologue throughout “Let Her Go Into The Darkness” where he recounted a lover’s quarrel in several different languages. It was really strange and funny. Jonathan Richman is really one of the most strangely compelling performers I’ve ever seen. There’s a big element of humor and awkwardness, but all the while he’s singing these love songs full of poignant observations while looking out with those sad eyes of his. I think maybe he was a little too weird for J.G.’s tastes, but it was still a nice night out. -al
previous - next
|
