On the road with Urbana’s Morgan Orion
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Last night, after completing an exam concerning the writings of George Berkeley and David Hume at the very last minute, I got in my car, and left Champaign to the tunes of "If I Were a Carpenter." Thus began my tour journey with Morgan Orion.
I was to meet him in St. Louis. He had been touring for a week already, throughout the Midwest-St. Louis was something of a transition stop, between the Midwest tour and the impending tour of the South.
As it turned out, nobody showed up to the St. Louis show. Instead, St. Louis' Rollercoaster Club (who was hosting us) spent the evening jamming with Morgan and C-U local Peninsula.
I was too late to encounter the jam session or Peninsula (who returned to Champaign that night), but I arrived in time to enjoy ridiculing some generic sound samples and sculpting some Play-Doh.
Today, we awoke to a note left by Rollercoaster Club's roommate, Jake.
He ended up returning from the movie before we left, but not before Morgan whipped out his guitar.
Before we left St. Louis, we walked across the street and over a hill, and picnicked on the banks of the Mississippi river.
Driving to Nashville, we found ourselves later than we expected. We also got a CD stuck in the car's player. So the drive was not as pleasant as it could have been. But when we finally did get to Nashville, the show was still fairly well-populated, and we were well-received in spite of our 2 hour tardiness.
The performance was in a basement, and as Morgan was about to start his set, the rumble and whistle of a train came from above. That set the mood for the set; Morgan played several songs dealing with travel, and some of his slower songs in general.
After Morgan were Nashville's Pineapple Explode, who were played on BBC radio that night. Their set, and especially lead singer/host extraordinaire Steven, reminded Morgan and I of Andrew Bird.
There was a great variety of instruments lying around the basement, so after the show was over, several audience members and performers coalesced into a jam band. Eventually, this died down amid departures and tales of horrid shows-gone-awry.
Bedtime it was. We got our own futon!
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Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
That article almost looks like something out of The Onion
Thanks! I’m looking forward to writing even more….
Yay! Love this! Welcome to the family!
that last photo’s a doozie, Chris. good work.
that city center house show was one of those life-affirming things.
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“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?
hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.
Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.
Excellent. I am glad sometimes American dreams are encouraged, rather than stifled.
Swap the dog for a fire pit and it sounds like you’re writing about my back yard. Very nice.
funny, as your summer begins, another Summer ends.
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represent, Matt.