Lou solo show in Hamburg/Germany

[FlyingCloud]

I’ve seen Lou Barlow yesterday in his solo show, and as a general impression, it was very intimate, and very entertainig
the crowd was cheering and respectful, and very versed in his music. Besides of the songs from his new album, Emoh, he played some Sebadoh songs, also some not broadly known songs (eg from the album Loobicore) and Natural One from Folk Implosion, further he played several requested songs.

he had two amplified acoustic guitars with him, one with 4 strings and one with 6 strings, a very small keyboard and two microphones, one of the mics skewed his voice, and he sang into them alternating.

between songs he told some amusing and/or interesting stories, like about a song which his mother has forced him to compose for his dad’s 60th bithday some years ago (at a time when he didn’t write songs at all), and how he finished the song 3 minutes before he had to perform it in front of the crowd of relatives. and how it is about his father’s favourite reply to everything: "not your goddarn business" (the leading line of the song) which was his father’s standard reply to all questions, even to "how are you?", and Lou said that it was meant to be funny, but wasn’t always understood like that. same thing also keeps happening to him (Lou) from time to time, "thanks dad".
a very touching song about him and his father, btw.

or he commented the song "Mary" from his new album, like that he was taking the perspective of someone else in this song, the perspective of the Jesus’ natural father. and that it wasn’t usual for him to take over anyone else’s perspective, because usually he was busy with his own view on things

I’m not good in working out setlists, and I’m not familiar with all of Lou’s stuff.
but after the Sebadoh song "Give up" from Bakesale, someone in the crowd added the last guitar chords, which Lou has left out, and Lou said, oh yeah, when he heard Black Sabbath’s Black Magic Woman on the radio, he realized that there are exactly the same chords like in Give Up, "how could that happen!?", what makes him leaving it out of that song now.

Or the story about his daughter’s name, Hannelore, which is a German girl’s name.
and of course in Germany, people must have been waiting to tell Lou that it’s a "grand aunt’s name" over here but hey, parents wouldn’t think of calling their girl like that nowadays, so it’s really full of charm to see someone had the idea and names come and go, in 5 or 10 years it will be up to date again.
well, the Hannelore she was called after has been a german actress who came over to New York, and who was losing her mind by and by.
Well, sweet name for a sweet girl, anyway

or about the great album "New Folk Implosion" from 2003, which has been hated by the press. I don’t understand why, really, it’s full of great songs. but journalists, particularly over here in germany, were eager to tell Lou how they didn’t like the album, and Lou talked about one german journalist who has been trying to be familiar with Lou in the past, emailing with Lou’s wife etc, and then pretended not to know Lou anymore, because he didn’t like the album. I still don’t understand why this album has been so underrated. he played "Pearl", which reminded me to listen to the album again.

unfortunately he didn’t have any copys of his new album left for sale, because he sold all of them in the previous shows. I have waited to buy the record at the show, because I was thinking he would have the most benefit from that. …well, now it’s on the top of my "to buy" list. and errrm, I’m not an autograph hunter really, but I couldn’t resist to have my ticket signed 🙂

he’s about to play some shows in Scandinavia, and after that he returns to Germany, then UK and Holland. whoever could catch a show, I can really recommend to go!

great quiet and intense show it was, …but I can’t wait to hear him scream "Bulbs of Passion"

[kracked873]

great review, awesome that he played "give up" acoustic.. never seen that, one of my favorite sebadoh songs.

[rambleon]

he’s playing just up the rd from me, if only i had the money

[Bucky Ramone]

"Flying Cloud" wrote:

I still don’t understand why this album has been so underrated. he played "Pearl", which reminded me to listen to the album again.

…great album, great song! Currently listening to a version of ‘Pearl’ that has appeared on a compilation of ‘Duyster Sessions’, especially recorded for one of the best radio shows that’s still around, Studio Brussel’s ‘Duyster’

Here’s the original session* and an interview** with Lou

* Pearl, Easy & Brand of skin (click on the bottom ‘Luister opnieuw!’ link)

** click on the upper ‘Luister opnieuw!’ link

[Annastefka]

"Flying Cloud" wrote:

Or the story about his daughter’s name, Hannelore, which is a German girl’s name. :

Nice review, thanks, and great to understand the origin of the baby’s name, I was thinking Hannalore, Loobicore, Charactors from Dungeon and Dragons? Imaginary currency found in a JRR Tolken novel? Secret childhood password forLou’s treehouse? I like the name mucho!!

[FlyingCloud]

I just found that there is a new fan forum on loobiecore:

loobie forum

[SG]

Black Magic Woman is`nt by Sabbath.It was originally by Fleetwood Mac and more famously done by Santana.
Thanks for the review FC

[FlyingCloud]

of course you’re right SG. he said Santana, it was me who mixed it up

[trensidoh]

Hey Flying Cloud,

I was there too ! I drove 3 hours from Recklinghausen to see Lou play… I couldn’t resist ! I’ve been a HUGE Lou fan for over a decade now and I usually follow him anywhere I can see him (planing to see the upcoming Cologne/Nijmegen/Utrecht shows as well…).

Just to correct something: the song with the "Santana Intro" wasn’t ‘Give Up’, it was ‘Together Or Alone’ (the last track on Sebadoh’s ‘Bakesale’ album)… just to point this out. No offense meant

Here’s the setlist – Lou played for 95 minutes. I recorded it on Minidisc, but the recording came out a bit hissy… I may or may not offer this for trade soon…

01. My Revival (new song)
02. The One (cover ? new song ?)
03. Holding Back The Year
04. Skull
05. Spoiled
06. Legendary
07. Brand New Love
08. Royalty
09. On The Face
10. Soul And Fire
11. Mary
12. Together Or Alone
13. Pearl
14. None Of You Goddam Bizness
15. Puzzle
16. "Don’t Expect" (new song, I don’t know the correct title)
17. Magnet’s Coil
18. Natural One
19. A Hit (Smog cover)
20. Soulmate
21. On Fire
22. Willing To Wait
23. Too Pure

If you get the chance go see him !

[FlyingCloud]

I knew I should better have left out all those song and band names
I mean, I know Bakesale by heart, but don’t ask me song names.
cool, you were there too! it’s a nice club, isn’t it.

thanks a lot for the set list!

[SG]

"Flying Cloud" wrote:

I mean, I know Bakesale by heart, but don’t ask me song names.

Tell me about it!I hardly ever look at song titles when I listen to an album these days.I just say track 4 was good

[Author]

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