January Saturday in Turners Falls

Tonight I went to the Brick House in Turners Falls to see a cool show. My friend Adam Foam put a show together which included Egg, Eggs and Andrea Pensado. Adam started the night off with his recorders and his electronics and I was eager to hear his set. It was hard not to be distracted during his set by his one year old daughter Ada, who I'm very interested in watching and hearing. I eventually decided to accept her rumblings and squeaks as part of his wall of sound. HIs set kept returning to a rain fall motif which built into a rather prodigious storm.

His set dissolved into a perfect rainy forest and electronics and Ada humming nearby to toads. His super great tones and rhythms issued forth and I stared at the beautiful brick wall as he played. He got quiet and I listened some more. He kept returning to a rain fall motif and he really took his time. I was almost shocked at how I kept thinking about the sounds he was making and he kept making them but I was never ready for him to stop. While he was playing someone came in and I spoke to them and felt guilty that I spoke over the music. He continued and the rain came back and an old telephone sound happened which was intriguing and made me feel lucky. I opened a seltzer and it made a sound and I felt guilty. Ada whooped in the back of the room. His set kept returning to a rain fall motif which built into a rather prodigious storm. I listened and it was finished.

Andrea then told a story like an old German fairytale punctuated by loud sounds. Then she took us around and everywhere she could and I loved where she took us sonically. I really don't want to be taking notes while she plays because I want to pay attention. I guess writing this now, later, when I am no longer watching her play, I could add that Andrea has a special style that changes every time I see her and she is like a planet. It feels like I am on the same planet every time I watch Andrea perform. But like earth, there are many different terrains to visit on the Andrea planet. She brings her listener to a different place on the Andrea planet each time. I like visiting.

Next Egg, Eggs played and I played too. I used my new guitar, a 1966 Hagstrom that I bought recently, and plugged into a moog pedal filter thing. David played a big synthesizer, Ted was up on the cymbal and the house pianos. Sophie plugged her harp into an amp she borrowed from the Brick House and Brett played something on the other side of the piano but I couldn't see him. I think it sounded really good and I had a fun time. I'm just a beginner on the guitar but I think I went to some interesting places a couple of times. The house asked us to play for 2 hours but we only made it to 57 minutes.



So that's it, my 3 nights with Ted Lee. That guy is super busy so I thought I'd tag along and document his busy 3 nights. He's off tomorrow to the New York City with Curse Purse. Stay tuned to this blog. I hope I can get other folks to write on here as well and make it a viable alternative to the other websites people visit. Stay tuned.