Aimee Mann at Grand Ballroom, New York City (14 December 2007)
I had my chance to see her live this past summer. We were in Cleveland when she played at Warsaw in Brooklyn; that is the show I would have loved to see. The next night she played at Planting Fields Arboretum in Long Island. I could have gone, but there were too many factors that made me decide against it. The concert was on a Sunday night, and we had drove 8 hours from Cleveland that day, arriving home a few hours before the concert. I still had the rental car but was too exhausted to drive any more. And Aya didn’t feel like going, and even if she did, we didn’t have a babysitter. On top of that, she was only the opening act for a guy I’d never heard of, so who knows how many songs she would have played.
When I let that opportunity slip away, I desperately hoped it wouldn’t be my last chance. See, when I really like a musician or group, I get obsessed with the idea of seeing their live performance, and can’t rest until I do. (I was that way with A Tribe Called Quest, Radiohead, Manu Chao, Gogol Bordello, Radio Birdman and many others. Check, check, check, check and check. Saw them all.) I started checking Aimee’s website nearly every day for months until she announced plans for her second annual Christmas tour. This was not exactly what I was hoping for (since I knew it wasn’t going to be a regular concert), but it would have to do since my time here was running out. I bought tickets back in October on the first day of sale. I think my eagerness actually paid off as we ended up with third row floor seats, which were the same price as all the other seats.
The Christmas tour grew out of her Christmas album released last year; it was mainly moody covers of Christmas classics plus a terrific original, “Calling on Mary.” I had bought it for Aya as a Mother’s Day gift because she loves Christmas music. At first, she didn’t like it because she thought it was depressing, and Christmas songs should be happy. It was like “have yourself a suicidal Christmas.” I argued that it was just her interpretation. Why should every version of a song sound the same anyway? She found humor in it, and repeatedly played it for friends in derision. At the same time, she insisted I had a crush on Aimee, when, in fact, I just love her as a musician.
So, the show last night at the Grand Ballroom on 34th Street in Manhattan took on the format of a Christmas-themed variety show. Aimee played several songs-mostly Christmas covers-but also a few non-holiday tunes. There were also a few special musical guests, all of them fairly enjoyable: Ben Lee, Josh Ritter and Nellie Mckay. There was also a comedian, some skits and a film of sorts. It was incredibly entertaining and never dull. Despite a cold which she admitted caused her voice to crack, Aimee was tremendous. She lived up to the hype, and my only complaint was that she only performed 12 songs and only a scant few of my favorites. I will certainly go out of my way to see her play live as much as possible, and Aya, who admittedly is prone to hyper bole, called it the best concert she’s ever attended. (You may recall she said the same thing about Gogol Bordello back in July and about Radiohead in 2001.) She pronounced herself a convert to Aimeedom and now claims to love her versions of the Christmas songs after hearing them so beautifully sung live.
A few random thoughts on this event:
It’s kind of strange for me to stay seated at a concert, other than a classical or jazz performance. Nearly all of the concerts I’ve attended in my life have been ones where most people stand for the entire show. At this one, people stood briefly during the finale and encore but were otherwise seated.
The guy seated next to Aya was wearing a Slayer shirt. He was probably in his late 40s or early 50s. I was going to mention to him that we were probably the only Slayer fans there, but he had a look on his face that made me reconsider this kind of comment.
I picked up a copy of a beautifully illustrated lyrics booklet for what I consider her best album to date, “The Forgotten Arm.” They gave them out to the people in the first two rows. Since the seats in front of me were vacant, I pinched one. Aya told me to put it back, but I somewhat guiltily hid it under my seat. When a couple claimed those seats, they looked for the booklets. I thought about giving it back, but then someone gave them two. Problem solved. Guilt evaporated.
Aya spotted actress Laura Linney (“Nanny Diaries,” “Squid and the Whale,” and countless others.) Seems like a lot of actors like Aimee. She has a smallish, but quite devoted following.
The audience was mostly white, but the age range was broader than most concerts: from teens to seniors.
I will terribly miss shows like this not living in NYC any more. One great thing about this city if you’re a music fan is that every touring musician comes through New York. Not too many come to the Philippines, so I may have to occasionally go to Japan or Hong Kong to get my live music fix. Not that I’ve really seen too many shows since Ana’s birth, because I haven’t.
In case you’re interested in reading any further, below is the list of songs that Aimee played last night in order:
Nutcracker Suite (intro)
Jacob Marley’s Chain
Calling on Mary
It’s Cold Outside
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Save Me
Christmas Song
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas
(Not sure what this song was called as I never heard it before-possibly off her upcoming album, possibly called “Things Change”
Deathly
Finale (medley)
