Just Sayin' Hi :) (Alcest)

Hi Elizabeth,

I am home from Pearl's, just checking in because I saw your post (Chris Cornell) and I see what you are saying. At least I think I do. You are saying, "it's just work, it's just my job", etc. If that is what you meant by that post, I understand, and it's what I already thought before I wrote any of the stuff in the last couple blogs. I know that you and Johan have a working musical relationship.

Sigh.......

In analysing the situation, which is always good for me to do, I think that it all goes back to 2013/14 and Johan's relentlessness on the "like" button. (said with a smile and good humor). I think that's what got my radar up, lol, because you had (and have) been working with a lot of different musicians, many of them guys, but back then, it was "likelikelikelikelikelikelikelikelike" from Johan, like he had a speed dial on the "like" button, as fast as he could post it. And I guess that's what got me thinking, "Hmmmmmmm"........

Anyway, it's just something I have to process. It would've helped a little bit had you posted something on those two weekends you were gone, and maybe you did, I don't know. The news feed is sketchy sometimes. But I didn't see anything, until I saw your picture on Monday morning, of the hands playing the synth. And then I thought, "oh boy, Johan again"........well, I've already written enough about all of that. I will take your word for it, that it's just a working relationship. I was still gonna write anyway, so no worries.  :)

I am looking forward to the Alcest show tonight. I will take the subway to Downtown L.A., as always. I think The Regent is just a few blocks from the Pershing Square station. I should be back at Pearl's by Midnight or 12:30, and I will write more then. For now, I will be around til about 3:30, then a couple errands, then back to Pearl's at 4:30.

Have a great afternoon!

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

1:40am : Hey, Elizabeth - I am back from the show. Got back about 15 minutes ago. It was later than I thought because there was an extra band, and also they didn't start the concert until 8:45. It said 8pm on the ticket. Anyhow, the first band came on, and they had a girl singer, and they were playing some really dark, twisted music, so I thought they were Emma Ruth Rundle (Emma & band). I didn't know anything about her, so I watched the whole set and I thought, wow, she's pretty good. Really spooky music, like from a David Lynch movie. But then the band finished, and the stage crew were setting up for the next act, and twenty minutes later out comes a lone female singer, holding a guitar. I had been expecting Alcest to come on next, but now this really was Emma Ruth Rundle. Boy, she's pretty intense, eh? Very emotional music, nervous or even tormented perhaps. She was good, though, and somebody said it was her birthday. Neige came out to play guitar on one of her songs.

After she finished, there was an overly long set-up time for Alcest. It wasn't their fault; the venue just wanted to sell more drinks. It's tough for me at general admission shows, if I have to stand in place for several hours, cause my feet and legs really start to hurt. It would have been a piece of cake years ago, but not nowdays. :)

I was up close, though, about five feet from the stage, and Alcest finally came on at 10:45pm. Man, what a set. One song I was surprised to hear was (and I had to Google the spelling) "Sur L'Ocean Coleur de Fer". The live version they pulled off, mesmerising with twin chiming guitars and slow blending harmonies, really shows more than anything how far those guys have come as a live band, and I really think it's all that touring that has done it, just hundreds of shows in the last four years, since they became an international act. Zero especially, has become an MVP, right on the money with powerful tenor vocals and guitar accompaniment. Now it's this huge double vocal sound with him and Neige, high notes riding above the guitar parts.

They played 90 minutes, their longest set so far in the three times I have seen them. This time being their first headline show (at least since I've been seeing them starting in October 2011). The theater was pretty full, several hundred people.

When it ended, I walked quickly back to the subway station. It was only three blocks away. I would've liked to hang out, but it was already much later than I thought it'd be. But, once I got on the subway, it only took me 50 minutes total to make it back to Pearl's from Downtown L.A. Not too shabby. :)

So, all in all a great show and a nice evening. I hope you had a nice evening, too.

I see your Eva Cassidy post just now, and I know she is your favorite singer.  :)

It was super loud tonight, and I am half-deaf but happy. I will get to sleep pretty soon here, and then I will see you in the morning.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)