Psychedelic, dramatic, melancholy, beautiful: "The Elliott Smith Project," which plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Spiegeltent is many things. Uplifting isn't one of them.
The theatrical song cycle based on the singer/songwriter's posthumously released album, "From a Basement on the Hill," features two vocalists who utilize small cabaret tables and the stage of the round tent. The three musicians, who play guitar, ukulele, violin, bass and piano, are stationed in different booths that run the perimeter.
All the while a video artist moves through the audience (also seated at cabaret tables on the teak dance floor) and the performers, projecting the images she captures onto a screen.
"The Elliott Smith Project" will make you feel uneasy. It will disturb you. It will haunt you.
Tickets are $25.
Check out my story, which includes interviews with director Daniel Fish, in the upcoming issue of Enjoy!
(Bard College photo by Joanne Savio)
4 comments:
Yeah, the music was cool, but the lyrics and message were downright depressing. I didn't really know about Elliot Smith until I saw this show, and it's clear he was a talented songwriter, but sheesh, the guy was obsessed with suicide. Every song was about suicide. Call me a simpleton, but I like my art and music to be balanced with messages that remind me of why life can also be good. But hey, that's me.
(Just by the way), you sound like such a cool girl from your bio.
I also lived in city for years and moved up here to hudson valley some years ago (and know no better place)but hon, you liked it?
I tried, I did!
My girlfriend had it all planned, it was going to be what we did on my birthday, she would come from brooklyn, we would go see the Elliott show and I would be thrilled because I hadn't ever seen the wonderful boy while alive.
Then, the weirdest happened, I got a call from Bard to do a freelance bit of work for an opera at fischer center, meaning plan would be changed and I would miss it.
Then it dawned on me while passing speigltent one day "just ask to watch a few minutes of rehearsal!
The sweet hippi p.a. kids let me in and voila!
I could sense Elliott spinning in his grave.....
Two purposely whining singers pretty much reinacted that tired Saturday night Live skit with the straight laced teachers who sing in an octave to high for them with LOTS of vibrato.
I sat thinking, "maybe this is just for this song"but nope! they kept at it, pretending to be dry and ironic and accomplishing neither.
It is then that I walked out, tail between legs and no longer felt terrible for not being able to spend birthday seeing elliotts music reworked.
I hope I didn't sound too harsh, maybe I missed something, it is entirely possible I suppose, but as another friend of mine who did go, who actually knew Elliott said "what a waste of music and time".
I have heard that people who knew Elliott did not think the piece did him justice.
I thought the vocalists worked at some points during the show; others not as much.
But I was definitely impressed by the musicianship, especially the violinst. I enjoyed his experimentation with Elliott's music.
Thanks for reading!
Kathleen, you are right about the musicians, they really were good.
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