Goodnight Oslo

Just back from an overnighter to Seattle for Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 touring in support of their newest Goodnight Oslo. New (to us) venue, The Triple Door, Robyn's played there at least once before.   Very posh and pretty club but very odd to be seated and eating dinner - drinks and assorted starters in our case - while at a rock and roll show.  This was at its most bizarre moments during the Young Fresh Fellows very energetic and engaging opener. They have a new album coming out on July 7th and played a lot of new songs from it - along with some old favorites. Alas, they did not play my favorite "Rock and Roll Pest Control".



They DID play it at the last Fellows show I was at (this one! but that's not my vid) at The Tractor Tavern in Ballard. There was no dancing at The Triple Door.  So NOT the case at The Tractor!

I'm surprised that this is fuzzy in my memory already as it was only last night, but Robyn's set opened with "What You Is", which also opens the album, containing the brilliant line:  "It doesn't matter what you was it's what you is and what you is is what you are..."  If that isn't the best lyric in rock yet this year, I don't know what is.  They also did "Saturday Groovers" (the 'poppiest' track on the cd - radio ready  - if only he got more radio play) "Up to Our Nex".  "Hurry for the Sky" (that one IS my favorite track on the cd).  I think they did "Intricate Thing" - cool, intricate, guitar interplay between Robyn and Peter Buck on that one.  The song is about relationships - on a musical as well as a lyrical level.

Peter's been quoted as saying when he plays with Robyn that it is "...as if he is an extra set of hands and guitar, an extension of Robyn" (paraphrased a bit there) and that is really true.  Listening to the cd you might think you're hearing Peter, but Robyn takes as many leads and solos as Peter does and is every bit as good a guitar player.  Together these two are brilliant. The way they play off of each other is simply wonderful.  It's not competitive at all.  Rather it is collaborative and playful.  They weave a web of pure sonic bliss with their shimmering arpeggiated chords.  Robyn had more pedal effects at this outing than I've ever seen him utilize before.   His melodic lines are visual to me.  You can almost see those beautiful lines whirling around them as they play.  

A couple from their last outing Ole Tarantula:  "The Authority Box" (containing 2006's best line in rock:  "F*ck me baby, I'm a trolleybus!")  and "NY Doll" about the late Arthur Kane.  Some older gems:  "Jewels for Sophia" and another personal favorite of mine "Madonna of the Wasps".  Love the meandering,  psychedelic/discordant guitar intro before Bill Rieflin's drums build into Robyn's vocal. They do this song every time out and I, for one, will never tire of it.

A couple acoustic ones began the encore:  "Ghost Ship" and "The Wreck of the Arthur Lee". The Venus 3 - and Sean Nelson - rejoined Robyn on stage for a few more and they closed out with the title track "Goodnight Oslo".   

A very satisfying night of great new music from the very talented Mr. Hitchcock!