Archive for February, 2008

Cousin’s backyard – Mid Winter 2008 Chicago, IL

Strange, unfamiliar, alienated from my norm but yet it was all too easy. This was the overall feelings of the day. I spent a lot of time avoiding the cold by staying inside watching cable TV- catching up on movies that I’d soon forget anything about. I alternated between that and did online communication exchanges of contexts that at the end, were just time fillers.

Strangest of this whole thing with the family was this odd shaped hole where I fit back in. I was staying with my cousin Tina (P’Pu), one of a handful of cousins I grew up with in the tiny town in Thailand. (That’s the home ran by our maternal grandparents.) She – being a few years older, was always the one looking after me. She was the perfect model child especially for me to take example of. She has always been so proper, sweet, practical, good at all things intricate. She was culturally correct and harmonious with all people of all ages. She left us from Thailand when she was about 12 to her parents living in Chicago with 2 younger brothers – Dean and Danny. I hadn’t seen them in probably 14 years, I think, since her wedding here. 

I came to realize the dynamic of a family composition. The reason we are who we are is because everyone else around us were a certain way. In my case, I suddenly felt explained – after decades of clouds. And all this without the expense of compromising my identity.

Introductions and reintroductions… Tina (P’Pu) has now 2 children. Her oldest is about 12, Pan. Pan looks EXACTLY like Tina the way I always thought of her. Tina is stuck at 12 in my memory. It was creepy. And what do you know… Pan was even MORE perfect of a child. How is this possible? Pan keeps up extracurricular activities of swimming, volleyball, violin, piano, art, AND she’s very advance in karate! Yet her manner is outstandingly polite. I suddenly found myself becoming a huge fan of her. 

Pan’s brother Jay, about 9, on the other hand is strangely quiet. He observes and smiles. I don’t think I heard him made a sentence the whole time I was there. He also looked exactly like Danny, his uncle, at the age I remember of Danny – at about 9. 

Slightly catching up with Tina’s parents, my aunt Na Tew and her husband Na Chusak was not too bad. I guess at my age, they just gave up on trying to tell me what is wrong with me. (…)

Pan

Pan's buddy Taty

Pan and Taty's day off

Pan and Taty making a movie

At some point I decided that it would be so cool to take Pan to see Wilco. It will be her first concert ever. Pan’s friend Taty has been hanging around, so I’d take her, too. I was excited to see what they would think about the concert scene in general, and how would Wilco translate to them.

As it turned out, the big excitement was the fact that they were staying up late on a school night.  And it proven difficult with them getting tired. I’ve gotta say though, that they were the greatest kids ever. I asked them to stay out of everyone’s way and stay near me at all time. They did exactly that. I adore them.

Pan and Taty hiding at Wilco's stage right

Pan and Taty being bored backstage

Pan and Jay getting ready to go to school

Tina (P'Pu) in charge

Pan and Jay on the way to school

Pan is heading to volleyball class

     Audience gathered in line waiting for the venue door to open

Finally the last night of a this residency at their home town Chicago . This day is as good as any day for me to say something about this band Wilco.

This is the 2nd run I got to photograph them in an extended period of time. The first time being the West Coast tour in August of 2007. Then, I flew up to get on board with them in Redmond, Washington and rode-along southward covering all the shows in Troutdale, Oregon, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Jay Leno show taping in Burbank. All this was possible because of  their lead guitarist Nels Cline, my top friend. He vouched for me. 

When I met this band for the first time, I only had vaguely heard of them. The most preparation I got before the trip was to look up wikipedia for the band members’ names. I jumped in and pretty much fell in love with this band before the end of the first show. 

What makes this band outstanding in my view is first and foremost, the great catalog of music. The more I hear, the more I feel, the more it was right. The quality of the work is the core. Then the personalities around it, the work ethics and structures, the drives, the coordination, were all functioning. The most impressive thing of all was the amazing crew of people who were outrageously nice. All the managers Jason, Abby, Ben, Tony, Nate the drum tech, Steve the monitor guy, Matrix & John the guitar techs, Andy the merchandise manager, .. everyone all the way to the truck drivers were so very friendly and kind. It’s definitely a family.

Maneuvering around this was then easy. Everyone was so inspiring.

So here I was – day 5 of a very special event. By this time I was already used to with the cold lifestyle. For no other reasons than watching my cousin pulled together her daily routine without and issues. I was very comfortable in this city. Even the Wilco fans were a lot of the same sweet people I saw over the 5 shows. Dedication, love, and community – What an amazing entity in itself.

Picture round up :

Will Call stationeer

Securities in place, about to open the door

dashing for the best spot

Audience anticipation

Pat and Mikael figuring out the samplers or .. the modules... or the plugins..

Sheet Music for the "Total Pros"

mic'd amp

Mikael

Nels Cline's petals and effects

Pat

Mikael

Ken streaming live music and stills

John

Zoran Orlic, the Wilco photographer

Nels

Mikael

Jeff signing some posters

Ben Levin and some people

Glenn and Ben

Jeff

John

Wilco last night , last song ending the 5 show residency

Yes. I was there. But … I can’t find the negatives from this whole night. 
They – will – turn – up —-

Day 3 of the show : I was so excited to bring with me my 12 year old second cousin, (or niece in Thai term), with me to the show. This was crazy amazing mainly because it will be her first concert ever. Her best friend also coming along with her. Manager Jason was super cool that he gave them “working passes” so they can run around with me freely.

John with acoustic bass guitar and Glenn

Mikael and Pat keys moment

Andrew Bird and Glenn Kotche

Pat, Jeff, and Glenn before show

Nels during the show

Pat during the show

John and Glenn during the show

Glenn

Guest - Andrew Bird

Jeff

Wilco on stage day 3

Day 2 of so many things :
Day 2 of Chicago winter.
Day 2 of reconnection with family
Day 2 of  Wilco-centric photography

snacks

Nels and Glenn discussed yet another music related item

Mikael Jorgensen and Manager Extraordinaire Jason Tobias

Jeff going through some songs

Mikael

Glenn

Andrew Bird sits in with Wilco

Pat does his thing

Jeff during the show

Nels during the show

Glenn during the show

Wilco on stage

A short flight from New York over to Chicago was simple. I arrived early in the morning to situate myself for the next five days of my stay in the city. The first concert was happening later the same day. The midwestern dead winter cold had been a challenge to me. It was the first time I experienced the temperature under … 30º! It snowed a tiny bit. It was the first snowing action I’d seen, ever. It was like powder…., yes, a profound observation here. I think it was 8º or some silliness. I don’t get how humans can live in such dramatic weather conditions? Looking at the buried drive ways and vehicles, it made me want to rebuild everyone’s houses to be underground with a heat pad roof top. But I speak purely out of humor at the expense of my own ignorance. Here I was looking forward to Wilco’s 5 day residency at the Riviera Theatre in Uptown Chicago. By the time the plane landed, I was  more queasy about meeting up with my family who I hadn’t seen in over a decade. I’ll be staying with them.

I’ll skip the family part for a different blog.

Later in that afternoon, I took the train from 10 miles northwest of the venue to arrive around 4pm to catch the soundcheck. The theater was a good size holding about 2500 people. All of the the 5 nights were sold out. What was most impressive to me was to see a line of people in freezing cold outside waiting to get in so they can get the best spots. The door opens at 6, but people arrive as early as 9 or 10 am! (I photographed some of that in later days. It took me more than a day to get used to being out in the element, and finally I got the guts to go take pictures of people huddling outside.) This band is so loved, and rightfully so, I think.

tampered

John – Soundcheck

Jeff - residency day 1 The Riviera Theatre, Chicago

Pat's side of stage - residency day 1 The Riviera Theatre, Chicago

Nels - residency day 1 The Riviera Theatre, Chicago

Glenn - residency day 1 The Riviera Theatre, Chicago

Glenn

So, I took the opportunity for being in the city to check out the Stone. I particularly was looking forward to see John Zorn playing there. I had to work a little bit to get the permission to photograph inside the place. Not without Zorn’s chuckling at me about it, I finally got the permission. I think I still need to earn more his trust. Then again, rightfully, once I arrived to the show, I found the intimate venue filled with attentive audience was truly justified in the banning of photography. I only took a few shots when the music was less quiet.

annual valentines benefit show at the Stone, NYC

John Zorn played at the Stone, NYC

Laptop music at the Stone, NYC

How excited I was to finally make the case to be in New York for the first time. John Ellis needs some publicity photos done for his upcoming new release with the Double Wide (album purchase highly recommended!) His new band consists of him on saxophone, Matt Perrine on the sousaphone, Gary Versace on organ, and Jason Marsalis on drums. That’s half New Yorkers, half New Orleaners as a band. John’s background for being from North Carolina, having lived in New Orleans, and currently residing in Brooklyn, his music showcase ALL that. I love this album so much that I would do anything to support it – including making a stop to see him in Brooklyn when I was sh*t faced broke, before I head out to Chicago for my next thing.

John in Brooklyn Park

John at Coney Island

John at the Brooklyn Park

John clowning around

John at home before a gig

We ran around in the park, and hopped on the subway to Coney Island and did some few shots there. John then had to get back and prepare to go to this gig on Valentine’s day. The Gig was at the 55 Bar. I walked about a mile from the Stone to catch them here. It was a little hard to find, I kept walking passed it. 

Todd Sickafoose at 55 Bar

Alan Ferber plays trombone on the same gig

Mike Gamble

Adam Levy

Nels listens to the playback

Going into this recording session, I knew immediately I was in on a very significant project. With my busy schedule of working full time, training afterward for a few hours each day, I still managed to show up to this most nights except the first one when Jon Brion and a ton of others were on the one day/side A session. But for the rest of 7 days, luckily for me, sessions like this go on a little late.  As long as I can physically reach the studio couch in Burbank, I’d be fine & happy.

Nels Cline in recording session

Nels was commissioned to write 39 pieces of music to accompany a series of painting be Ed Ruscha. It is to be released in 2 CDs along with the reproduction of the paintings in a form of a book. David Breskin – producer/poet – was writing poetry for each piece of painting. Musicians Scott Amendola, Devin Hoff, Alex Cline, Vinny Golia, Dan Clucas, Jeff Gauthier, Jessica Catron, Jeremy Drake, Brad Dutz, were the ones I caught up with. 

It has to be one of my favorite moments of the year.

Jeremy Drake's hand and guitar

Jeremy Drake - guitar

Jessica Catron on Cello

Dan Clucas on trumpet

Devin Hoff - bassist

Jeff Gauthier - violin

Alex Cline - percussion

Scott Amendola - drums

studying the chart