Howe Gelb, Giant Sand, AAAA

[cashed checks]

so this forum is for critical listenning, huh? well half the new Gelb record "Arizona Amp and Alternator" sounds to me like it was recorded in a bathroom... in a good way! John Parish apparently peiced it all together(i'm guessing this is the record he was refferring to back in T.O.35) and the whole record is just a beautiful mess.

More proof that performance trumps just about everything else.

Also, caught him last night at the Empty Bottle with John Parish openning and it's a damn shame that it was scarcely attended. that being said, having that kind of amazing show all to yourself is really special... plus $2 PBRs.

as a last note, more people need to play piano like howe.

[thunderboy]

Howe Gelb is the best!

And I'm not saying that just because he wrote a song about me, either.

jt

[cashed checks]

"Howe Gelb is the best!"

the show was my ideal dream scenario for a band: people who just enjoy music.
he was calling out to people in the crowd to go up and join him on certain songs. couple that with hiim always changing things up on a whim and it seemed like a 'practice.' I've always been in bands with people who hated 'practicing' and i just can't relate... i mean, what's better than playing music? Howe's show makes it clear that it's one and the same whether it's practice or a 'performance.' it's about creating something special between a group of people, not REcreating something you've previously done and feel important by being on a stage.

on the flip side everyone i know thinks all his songs sound the same.

[ottokbre]

howe is livin in Denmark now. maybe he had to record it in a bathroom 'cus the cool old adobe houses just aint around no more.

[Ivon]

"Howe Gelb is the best!"

the show was my ideal dream scenario for a band: people who just enjoy music.
he was calling out to people in the crowd to go up and join him on certain songs. couple that with hiim always changing things up on a whim and it seemed like a 'practice.' I've always been in bands with people who hated 'practicing' and i just can't relate... i mean, what's better than playing music? Howe's show makes it clear that it's one and the same whether it's practice or a 'performance.' it's about creating something special between a group of people, not REcreating something you've previously done and feel important by being on a stage.

Yeah, Giant Sant/Howe Gelb puts on great shows. Some of the best I've seen, imo. I saw him do that in Seattle...ya know, rotating band members, and people coming up from the audience and playing random stuff. A lot of it was improvised. A lot of fun. A lot of fun. I've always been more impressed with the live performance than the recordings.

[norton]

here here!
is howe gelb a genius or what?

caught Howe on the last giant sand tour and was blown away!

he came out into the audience before stepping on stage, wearing no shoes and started chatting up my lady about her cowboy boots.... and kept the banter up a bit on stage too.

so now she really digs the giant sand ... and months later, still speaks fondly of her "new best friend...handsome howe gelb" .....

damn those boots!