Monthly Archives: February 2008

I’ve written previously that I think the word “hero” is tossed about far too carelessly in these times. I can honestly say that Johnnie Carr is one woman certainly deserving of the title.

Safe travels, ma’am. Thank you for showing us all how to change. We will not forget!

Civil rights activist Johnnie Carr has passed away, aged 97

If you know me, you know that I’ve spent a good portion of my existence adoring, savouring and generally perpetuating all things smart ass; I’m a bit of a smart ass connoisseur, if you will.

This interview has entered the pantheon of the greats. If you aren’t sure what smart ass behavior is, please read this interview and drink from the knowledge of the great masters of the genre, Messrs. Dulli and Lanegan.

The Gutter Twins have come along…

(See the full gallery here.)

My continuing experiment shooting with no flash limited my quality and number of shots last night, but not as much as the fact that I just wanted to listen and to absorb it all, a show for which I’ve been waiting forever it seems (or least 3 years). My camera was pretty much my last concern on earth. And somehow, giving in and turning on they flash would have seemed especially wrong for this one, as I would have felt almost guilty injecting any extra light into an atmosphere that thrived so beautifully on darkess, on letting the lyrics be the only flashlight necessary.

Europe, brace yourselves. This is a rich, haunting, complicated show. Uh, yes, *of course* the mood and feeling are dark, but it goes far beyond that. Though just as transformative and all-encompassing as a Twilight Singers show, it most definitely does not have the same party ringmaster atmosphere, but more of divinely shadowy “the drinks will flow and the blood will spill” promise to it. (At least this was true last evening. Your experience may vary.) The sound is a double Bowmore single malt scotch, not vodka tonics and Cosmos, people. Prepare yourselves accordingly.

They’re not here to lift you up this time, party people. This is the anti-rave. The Gutter Twins are here to escort you all gentlemen-like down with them into their world, to give you a guided tour. Let them — trust me, you’ll like it and be all the better for it. Revel in the loudness that shakes your chest, the hypnotic sway of a band are already so tightly wound together, the way two voices melt into each other somewhere between the stage and your ears to become one. Kick to the curb the angel on your shoulder, as once you’ve seen Gutter Twins, you’ll realize that having these two whispering their world into your ears is a much finer way to live.