Holy... J.Tillman

So, a lot has happened since the last time I updated. Geebus. A LOT. Okay. I'm officially moving to Brooklyn and must admit, I am quite terrified, but also pleased with myself. I had a plan and I executed it... bitch. Sorry, that was uncalled for.
Throughout the entire process I deflected the negativity and realized my dream. Ugh, that sentence sounds like it was pulled out of some shitty self-help book. Apologies. Last night, however, is the true reason I'm writing this evening.


J. Tillman at the 9:30 Club

DC has a thing for nines it seems. Anyway, the 9:30 Club is this awesome venue down the street from dc9. The performance space is a lot bigger than dc9's, but certainly not overwhelmingly, obnoxiously big. I must say though, the outside of the 9:30 club looks like a penitentiary. Inside was actually a really decent space. There's an upstairs with seating kind of like bleachers, which I thought was really nice for people who just want to sit down and enjoy the entertainment (boring people). When you first walk in there's this huge space and a nicely sized stage. There were bars on either side of the large room and a cute little window to order food from. I noticed there were little 9:30 club cupcakes behind the food counter and read a flier posted near the window that explained they pass them out at a certain time. Of course, we were too late to get cute 9:30 Club cupcakes. Lame.

Again I went to another show knowing nothing about an artist and wound up falling in love. J.Tillman from Fleet Foxes played last night and him and the band were amazing. He's a percussionist for Fleet Foxes and you could totally tell by the music he played. There was a lot of emphasis on bass and drums. He even played a gong that was sitting inconspicuously at his feet. When he played it he got on his knees and just hammered into it, but with precision. The gong in no way drowned out the sound of the instruments but blended in with the melody miraculously. There was a lot of unconventional use of instruments, which reminded me of experimental theatre pieces I've seen. As the show went on, J.Tillman played a few solo songs as the rest of the band took swigs of Jameson and bantered playfully (but quietly) amongst each other, showing a sweet camaraderie that makes bands that much more humane and likable. His solo performances were some of my favorite. His voice is soft and filled with emotion. The way he drags out notes and his lyrics! Oh my gosh, his lyrics. That's what I really loved about the show. I have to post some lines from one of my favorite songs he sung (yes, I have favorites already) called Crosswinds:

We'll find each other where we promised
Where the tied is low for man and spirits
I put aside the yearning of my voice when I was young
We'll find each other where we promised.

The song is incredible recorded, but performed live it was just mind-blowing.
The steel guitar is one of my favorite instruments to watch people in a band play and there was a steel guitarist in his band! He was so serious when he was playing, intently sliding and plucking. He made me smile.
In this particular song, the bassist and J. Tillman pulled out recorders, the drummer started banging on the rim of his drums, the guitarist played chords then slapped the strings to make unnerving, sharp sounds, and the steel guitarist played frantically, clapping periodically. It was so much fun to witness. You couldn't help but be overtaken by the music and their wild energy.
At the end of the show my friend Karen and I were determined to talk to the man himself.

And we did! He was super nice and even took pictures with us. Here's the one of him and me:

He told us while we were taking pictures that he looks scary in them. haha! No comment.
Recap: The performance was spectacular and he was really down to earth. Yet another great night at an awesome show. Here's "Master's House" performed at Popcirkus:

Incredible. Check him out!

PS- It took everything in me to refrain from referring to J.Tillman as JT.

PPS- His beard is awesome.




I'm out.