Ms Newsom, Joanna

Joanna Newsom's harp

Joanna Newsom medium distance

wide view of stage

Joanna Newsom recently visited these shores for a brief tour which culminated with a performance at London’s Barbican Centre. I went along and jot down here for you some brief observations:

Image one: this slender young woman with immaculate posture, spine ramrod straight, shoulders unbowed and long shiny hair
Image two: Newsom sitting at the centre of the stage spinning out her fairy-tales like yarn, her spinning wheel a harp
Image three: Newsom in complete command of her delivery and those of her accompanists: ambitious, determined and singular
The almost breathlessness of her telling, the opacity – to many of us – of her words (as highlighted by my good friend Peter on this very blog), almost not stopping for breath as though menaced by that orchestra at her back
Image four: one woman flanked by three men, all seeming to have stepped straight out from some mid-sixties memory with their short hair, suits, open-necked shirts and serious demeanor
First half (two thirds) of the concert consisted of Newsom accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, except for the third song performed solo
The timpanist at the back of the stage looked openly bored throughout, slouching and chewing gum – echoing the LSO’s haughty attitude towards Ornette Coleman’s Skies Of America
It took a little while to warm to the performance, perhaps also for the performers themselves to warm up
One traditional Scottish ballad was performed and one new song. The latter was very enjoyable and promised much for the successor to Ys
The second half (third) was almost entirely solo and consisted of selections from The Milk-Eyed Mender
Her voice has matured, it’s less squeaky and although I don’t have a problem with her vocals on TMEM it was interesting to hear the difference
There was an interval, the audience was enthusiastic and received a single encore.
Added 22/12 (after Bruno’s comment): Just to be clear, it took a little while and I wasn’t spellbound, but I really enjoyed the concert!

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You’re currently reading “Ms Newsom, Joanna,” an entry on A Personal Miscellany

Published:: 20.01.07 / 3pm

Category:: music

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I’ve been writing this blog for quite a lot longer than three years and now I’m finally getting round to writing something in the About page. But what to write? Oh well, if you check the category listings you’ll see what I cover. It’s a ragtag assortment of bits and bobs, anything that catches my fancy really. Unsurprisingly, much of that is music. I much appreciate comments, but whether you feel like making them or not, I hope you find something of interest.

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themilkman 20.01.07 / 9pm

Seems like we’re bound to pass each other, like boats in the fog, without ever meet? I wonder.

From your comments here, it is difficult to tell whether you enjoyed the performance. I certainly did.

I was on the right-hand side of the stage, and my view of Joanna was almost entirely blocked by her guitarist, but it provided a fantastic view on her hand work.

It was the first time she performed with the LSO, but it seemed to flow well enough. I couldn’t see the bored timpanist at the back though, which is probably a good thing.

I agree with you on the new song. It sounded very traditional Irish to me, but the American friend who was with me suggested some Native American influences in the drums too, which I found very interesting.

It is unbelievable how her voice has changed in just a couple of years, and even more unbelievable how her spoken voice is similar to her singing voice. Very often, a voice sounds so different spoken and sung, but not in her case.

She was, we found, very modest throughout, which made her very enduring.

11V 22.01.07 / 10pm

Bruno – I did hang around at the righthand end of the bar for 15 mins before the show started! Two problems – I have no idea what you look like and it’s not possible to get a signal in the good old Barbican! I thought you might sort of recognise me from my last.fm pic. I did enjoy the concert and have amended my observations to reflect that. Yes that timpanist deserves a smack I think. I went out with a classical flautist for a few years and although she wasn’t guilt of being supercilious, quite a few of her colleagues were. Agreed – she came across really nicely, no trace of arrogance. Definitely a fairy story writer.

themilkman 22.01.07 / 11pm

I must admit that I made it to the bar a bit late, but still a bit before 8… Your Last.FM pic scares me (still) and I would hope you look somewhat helthier. I still feel there is something disturbing about it (this is not a criticism btw). It is a shame that concrete seem to prevent phone frequencies to get through, although it is at the same time probably welcome, at least in the auditorium.

I’m glad you enjoyed the concert. I had been looking forward to it for some time and I wasn’t disapointed. I suspect the fact that, as you said, it took a while was perhaps due to the fact that this was the first, and only performance with the LSO. There might have been more organic connections if she had done other performances with them, still, I don’t actually think it impaired the performance. At least not for me.

mapsadaisical 23.01.07 / 7am

Lovely photos Colin. I’m sooooooo jealous.

11V 24.01.07 / 6pm

Heh heh, sorry Bruno – I’m honestly not scary! If I see a better pic, I’ll change it. I asked my son whether he thought it looked like me and he said ‘no, it looks like a zombie’. I thought the orchestra did well, who knows how many rehearsals they had – probably just the one, given the cost of organising such things.

Mr Daisical, my son says poor you. I’m not certain I agree – after all, you were on holiday. I think, ultimately, I would have chosen the holiday too. But, yes I did enjoy it. Gabes (my son) says he’d choose the concert over a week’s holiday because he loves music so much – sure proof he’s flesh of my flesh.

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Ms Newsom, Joanna

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