Susi French Connection – Paul Melancon

15 June, 2009

Susi French Connection @ Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta, GA), 13-Jun 2009

w/ Herman Put Down The Gun

Well, the show was a blast, like always. It’s always pretty relaxing playing something other than my stuff, even more relaxing when all I have to do is sing. I sang on Styx’s “Lady” and ELO’s “Don’t Bring Me Down.” “Lady” is a song that I can only sing a couple of times before I can’t hit the high notes any more, so with two sets and two songs in each I was a little nervous I might not make it through (the first time we did “Lady” my voice was completely shot on the second set). But somehow it all went smoothly, apart from botching the words to a verse in the ELO song in the first set. I will admit, too, that in the late set, when I came up onstage the crowd kinda… well, they really cheered loudly. I was caught off guard, to be honest. Anyway, I can’t thank the band enough for continuing to have me at these shows.

The opener for the late show was Sonia Tetlow‘s band. I told them repeatedly after the show that I was totally amazed by them, god knows if they believed me. I realized that I’ve known Sonia for about 10 years or so; Radiant City played a show with her at Dottie’s (a now-gone club in Atlanta that I could not possibly describe, let’s just say at one show we found a bullet on the floor, at another I helped break up a drunken fight in the parking lot). I’ve been on other bills with her over the years.

Local bands are a short-lived species for the most part. It’s rare enough for one to last more than a couple of years and rarer still when you get to actually watch them grow as artists. Sonia’s show Saturday was just incredible, her music has really evolved over time. I don’t mean for that to sound condescending, but if you heard her the first time I did, and then Saturday night, you’d never know it was the same person. I don’t just mean talent, her sound has really matured, it’s much more melodic and nuanced. The change is really noticable, even between now and the show we played last year. I remember seeing the same change in the Gentle Readers, after they’d been doing shows as Susi French Connection for about a year or so. Sonia, on the other hand, spent the last year or so playing with Cowboy Mouth. I think in both cases the extracurricular bands are a big part of why their sound made such a sudden leap forward.

Anyway, it was a good night all around, helpful to me for trying to recall why I liked doing it before.

1 May, 2009

Paul @ Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA), 30-Apr 2009

500 Songs For Kids Benefit

The 500 Songs For Kids benefit is a 10 day long affair where each band (500 of ’em) plays one song. This is the third year? I think that’s right. I’ve played them all and I can only recall three at the moment. You don’t choose the song, you just submit for the show and then they let you know which song you’ll be doing. The shows themselves are fun just to watch, if only because if one band happens to suck, well, it’s only one song.

This year our song was Styx’s “Lady,” something I’ve sung before with seventies-cover-band-extraordinaire the Susi French Connection, so I asked them to back me for this show. Not a big stretch since half the band is most of the most recent version of the Arts and Sciences, and we had Chris along on drums.

Everything was looking good, except… before we went on someone stole our keyboard. I want to stress that it’s not the organizers’ fault and they were great about the whole thing. There’s a pretty strong suspect and when I left they were checking video from the club to verify the whole thing (guess you didn’t know there were cameras at the front and back, huh?). But, seriously, it takes a REALLY classless person to not just steal equipment from a local band (well known, as we all are, to be rolling in discretionary cash), but to do it at a benefit show. You’re a true credit to the species.

Anyway, I want to stress one more time, the organizers were great about the whole thing and I still completely support the show and the cause, and if you’re looking for something to do in the next ten days, take a trip to Smith’s Olde Bar for a great night.

Oh, and yes, we still played and we rocked the high-cheese.

A more upbeat post coming soon.

Update: An arrest was made and the keyboard recovered.

12 January, 2003

10, 11 Jan: Atlanta

10 Jan – Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta, GA)
performing a song with Susi French Connection
11 Jan – Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta, GA)
w/ Eden; Annaray; Alastor

Still sick and a little preoccupied for these shows, I can’t really give a very detailed account. Friday’s show with Susi French Connection was fun, it always is. Not just for the chance to sing on an AM radio hit from the seventies, but just because the shows are fun to watch. The crowd this time was big, Eddie’s was packed. They seemed a little subdued at first but really seemed to warm up as the night progressed, which is good. There’s not much point doing these songs if the crowd doesn’t enjoy it. My song was pretty much in the middle of the set, a rendition of “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” by Elton John. Singing while not having an instrument to hold is always awkward to me. Usually when I get up to do backing vocals for people the whole point to me is to not be the focus, so I slip up to the mic when the part is there and back away when it’s not. Usually my hands are behind my back, I’m just trying not to draw attention to myself. But for these shows I’m doing the lead vocal. Last year I think I sang with my hands in my pocket, so this year I decided to make an effort, even if I felt foolish. So I grabbed the mic seventies rock star style and tried to EMOTE. The crowd seemed to enjoy it.

Saturday was an odd night, I had other things on my mind. Also, it was the first time I’d seen Mickey (drummer for my old band) since the split. I’ve played show with Alastor, the band she’s with now, since then, but they were both acoustic. So it was also the first time I’ve seen Alastor electric in a couple of years. They have really progressed and it was good to see. Mickey also looks happy, the same thing I noticed watching Jeff’s band play last year. We went on last, very late, and played to about 20 people, half of whom were band members from the other bands. But even so, we played a great show. I was very animated, for some reason, but it’s a good thing. Maybe it was just being on a larger stage with the band again. I did the seventies rock star thing during “Fine” and felt good about it. Who knew? Anyway, Mickey came up after the set for the first time and we hugged and gushed about each other’s current abilities. It was a good thing and a good bit of closure, I suppose.

I’ll tell you something else, though… my band? They kick ass. nyah, nyah, nyah.

I’m in a rush to get out the door.