Music Collabs and Live Shows

[ThatGirl]

I lose the power of speech temporarily from some of these.

I adore acoustic performances and collabs between friends. Some bands have become standard collaborators and it gets old quickly (Coldplay anyone? I love coldplay but). Nearly all hiphop and rap artists sample music but that's a formula for the craft and I enjoy it as another Flavor of music.

When friends come together because they admire each other's talent, it's always apparent in the performance. The Live performance cannot be underrated and with much of today's popular music being digitally mastered, using  your "tools" can become less common.

My kids have started punching their concert cards furiously, and been lucky enough to see a few  shows I would have given a limb to see when I was their age. No idea how lucky they are, so I keep a memory box for them. I'm Sharing just a FEW unique collaborations here.  I tried recording once at a live show but danced instead.  I'm perplexed at how many people can be seen looking down at phones, texting and facebooking their lives AS they live them even at a Live show. How can you FEEL anything?  You're not really there, not even LOOKING. I need to see smell feel and taste it.

Life's soundtrack is essential or I might forget how to breathe, personally.

Happy Weekend, Yo!

I come back to this Fiona And Elvis Costello one often because she just MADE this song A whole different track than the original. Not better, just completely different. FIERCE, angry passionate, desparate. Shes got a knack for that.

And One for the Shiggles alone:

[SydTheSkeptic]

GREAT collection!

[ThatGirl]

Indeed Syd. Thanks. Even these led me to some more amazing compilations, and when I get the time, Chig now found an incredible CD by Slash and Company...which I have to check out. These collabs may sound kitchy at first, but when certain people with an established style come together, its just majik!  I dont particularly like the IDEA OF big award shows, but the Grammy's have been consistent in putting together performances like this which have had "blow your hair back" power too. maybe end of week, I go a searchin again!

[NatureJunkie]

One of my favorite concerts ever: David Crosby appearing at a little Santa Cruz auditorium in the late 70's that seated 400 people. It was supposed to be a solo acoustic show. But then he brought out his "good friend" Graham Nash to play a couple songs. Then they were joined by Neil Young. Then Bonnie Raitt, who "just happens to be in town," they said. And hey, Ramblin' Jack Elliott just happens to be backstage, so won't you all welcome him? And oh by the way, our friend Carole King is here, did we mention that?

Okay, I know I'm showing my age with that roster. But I was aware that I was seeing a mini-Woodstock, one-night only, and only a few people, not hundreds of thousands, got to see it. Collabs, indeed! How can music get any better when a few friends gather to play, whether it's onstage or in your backyard at a spaghetti potluck?

P.S. My Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds acoustic live CD is one of my all-time favorites. I met someone who attended one of the concerts. "You don't know how lucky you were!" I told her. She said she was too drunk to even remember it. You're not really there, not even LOOKING. Amen.

[ThatGirl]

@NatureJunkie - HA! I adore the Tim Reynolds/Dave tracks. I don't have the CD, but the concert recorded in HD. That was a spectacular pairing and I listen to their acoustic versions of the DMB songs more often than the studio edits. I wholeheartedly Agree on how small venues can bring many wonderful unique performance surprises...in fact, we sometimes aim for those shows alot and get lucky EVERY time!Thanks for checking out the blog, I sometimes think ...'why am I telling people these things they already know', but sometimes the share seems right to do.