The Roches with a Holiday Twist: Concert Review
-
Artist:
-
Album:
THE ROCHES WITH A HOLIDAY TWISTDECEMBER 7, 2006, 8:00 PMROYCE HALL, UCLA CAMPUSI have been a fan of the Roches for 20 years, ever since hearing them in a friend's dorm room at college. I was hooked. I've got all of their early works, (on cassette) including the 1975 release from Maggie & Terre, Seductive Reasoning on LP (thanks, eBay). I remember when I saw the music video for Big Nuthin' on TV…was it on VH1? Somewhere in my archives on VHS is the Tiny Toons episode where they are portrayed by cartoon roaches that put on a huge concert in Porky's kitchen. I continue to watch the Amy Irving movie "Crossing Delancy" just to see Suzzy in her brief appearance and to hear the Roches soundtrack."
Finding others who shared my enthusiasm for them was always a challenge, especially on the West Coast, and when I saw them in Santa Monica back in 1988? 1990? I ended up dragging a co-worker from the library to the show. She was only marginally impressed. That's why I went alone this time. The Roches don't do many shows in California, and as a trio this is the first tour in a very long time. Who knows when they'll be back, so I had to go for it.Gads!! 90 MINUTES OF 405 TRAFFIC!!! I didn't even have a ticket. Took my chances at the box office, but was pulled out of line by a man whose date couldn't make it. He had very good seats, but accepted my $25 bucks anyway. Yay!Let me say that Royce Hall is gorgeous. I was reminded of the last time I was there to watch a rehearsal of the American Youth Symphony with Burt Lancaster narrating "Carnival of the Animals." I had friends the orchestra who invited me. I'd brought some 8x10s of Burt Lancaster to sign. While waiting around in the wings I ran into world famous cellist YoYo Ma who had just finished with a student. We chatted (I didn't know it was him at first.) He gave me a flower (wish I could remember where I put it; I used to have it pressed in a book.Anyway……
I had the good fortune of being seated in the balcony, front row, and center! Yay! In the few minutes before the show started I noticed Lucy Roche who around the age of 9, after my first Roches concert back in 1990, sold me a t-shirt in the lobby. I was pretty sure I spotted Christopher Guest in an aisle seat and the one next to him empty. SO…When the concert began, Maggie, Terre and Suzzy joined their three guitars and a piano which were already on stage. Maggie wore a red velvet button down blouse with black velvet slacks. I really love Maggie's hair, grown out and naturally mature. Terre wore a sleeveless brown satin-y jumper dress, and her hair is long, straight with bangs covering her forehead. She always looks to me like she means business! Suzzy with her long black hair was in a red sleeveless dress that poofed up in a balloon-y way around her knees, legs clad in black tights, and on her head she wore a purple 1970s Flatbush hat (just like Donny Osmond.)WE THREE KINGS: their gorgeous rendition from their Christmas album and segued to JINGLE BELLSWE: Cheers erupted when they began their theme song with "dee dee dees" that went on forever, building our anticipation. Maggie hardly moved a muscle, and in contrast, Suzzy can't seem to stand still, arms and legs moving as to interpret the words and music.QUITTING TIME: One of my favorites, with its interwoven harmonies and sublime unisons sounding as pure and clear as when they recorded it nearly 30 years ago. SUDDENLY IT'S CHRISTMAS: Special guest Loudon Wainwright III (father of Rufus and Martha Wainwright) was introduced tossing the funny and festive song phrases like "it's the longest holiday," "a retail eternity," and "it ain't over 'til it's over when you throw away the tree." I must find this song; reminds me of Robert Earl Keen's CHRISTMAS WITH THE FAMILY.WINTER WONDERLAND: I must confess I've been very lazy about getting the Christmas album, but if they recorded this song like they performed it last night I'm running out to get it now! With accents like they were from Brooklyn. "Gown away is the blue boyd…" Absolutely HilariousLONELY ROAD TO NOWHERE TONIGHT: This song is new to me. Suzzy tells the story of how this song came to be written. While waiting for a flight, Suzzy perused the airport bookstore and found a copy of bestseller "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," by Steve DeGarmo. Fave line: "I wish I had met Steve DeGarmo when I was younger…I would have tricked him into marrying me." Not sure of the title: HOW DID WE GET HERE? Suzzy told the story of when she threw her TV set out the window of her 40th story apartment, and nothing happened. But you still can't avoid watching TV in New York City because they're everywhere. One day she passed a store window with about 20 sets tuned to the news with the image of a dog floating down the street on a lampshade. Song writing material.ANYWAY: Suzzy spoke of the Harvard prayer project which resulted in the album titled "Zero Church." The words were mistakenly attributed to Mother Teresa, but it turned out they were written by a business man from Hawaii while he was at Harvard, who found out about the song after the album was recorded.ONE SEASON: The song is about relationships during that stage: after the honeymoon and before the hate sets in. This is on my list of top five favorites because of the poetry ("One season I was born, felled down like an acorn, I am the only tree, and everybody leaves"), the dissonance and the modulation. Makes me feel like I'm flying.SONG BY PARANOID LARRY: I don't know the title of this song but it's another one new to me that I must acquire. "I once complained because I had no shoes but then I met a man who had no feet…" and on and on and on. STAR OF WONDER: I love that this presented very few and not the same old holiday tunes one would expect from a Christmas concert. This was a very pretty song written by Terre.(It was at this point I saw Mr. Guest leave his seat. Jamie Lee never did show)
MR. SELLACK: Another favorite, with an excellent key change. "Let the other 40,000,307 people who want to be famous."HAMMOND SONG: This song is amazing. I wish I knew more about the stories behind the songs. Terre can still get her voice up there! They haven't had to lower the key for them at all, and I find that astonishing. I had been taking notes so far during the concert, and as I applauded the last song my pen flew out of my hand. I had no idea where it went. I hope it didn't go over the railing.WHO CARES: Another title I'm not sure of. Suzzy, at the piano, introduced this song with an analogy: have you ever seen a cat throw up, and then jump as if to say "who did that?" This song is like that. A 9-11 song.Suzzy and Maggie traded places and while raising the mic stand back to her level Suzzy turned to Maggie and said "My god, you're so short." Suzzy then related that, although we "aren't allowed" talk about the story of Christmas, it was always a big part of her life. As a child she'd act it out in the living room using the nativity figures. "Then the three kings come down from the couch," etc. YOU CAN'T COME IN: This song is from the point of view of the innkeeper in Bethlehem.INTERMISSIONWhen the lights came up I looked around for my pen. No sign of it. It's not looking too good for the people sitting below the balcony. I'd better go outside and hide until the second act starts.
During Intermission I wandered around and did some people watching. I'm at that age, now, where EVERYONE looks familiar but I can't remember anyone's name. In the refreshment area off the lobby I spotted the blonde actress Kari Matchett who played Dr. Mariel Underlay on "INVASION." I had to IMDB 'Invasion," but I got her name!GOOD KING WENCESLAS: Terre talked about her actor friend, George, picking her up for dinner and sitting with him and his 2 big dogs in 2 hours of traffic on Wilshire before arriving at his place in the hills with a corral of horses. Terre had expected dinner at a nice L.A. restaurant where everyone talked about the movies and their careers, so this became her favorite trip to Los Angeles. I don't' know what that has to do with the song, but it was a nice story.ARE THE CLOTHES DRY YET? What an unusual song. Another one with what I would guess is a very interesting back-story. ("sometimes; not all the time.")SOUND OF A TREE FALLINGHALLELUJAH CHORUS: Most in the audience knew what was coming when their pitch notes were played. Man, Terre's voice is clear as a bell, and a slight lyric change was made that I'm sure Handel would not mind had he been present tonight. ("and she shall reign forever and ever.") The finish was followed by cheers from the audience, after which Suzzy shrugged and said "oh, it was nothing'."IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER: Lucy Wainwright Roche joined the sisters to sing this pretty song. STOP PERFORMING: Another song I want to know more about. 
The show began winding down to the finish, so the crowd became more responsive in a preventative effort to keep them from leaving the stage. I think it was Suzzy who told the story of the time she went to see Yo Yo Ma in concert. The audience adored him after his first number, "but by the third hour I wanted to kill the guy."A PRAYER: a song from the Zero Church album, words written by a Vietnam veteran.Suzzy explained the family hierarchy: They only have enough money in the tour budget for two hotel rooms and Maggie sleeps in the car unless they sell enough CDs. "We hope we've inspired you to call up your brothers and sisters and ask them to start up a band with you and go on tour. Let us know how it goes."JESUS SHAVES: If this isn't a new song, where have I been? Another clever, poignant song.ENCORE: The Roches with guest vocalist Carmela ScalzoThe sisters put their guitars on their stands and took bows. The applause continued for a long time after the last song. We rose to our feet one by one, realizing that unless we did, Jesus Shaves might be the last song we'd hear tonight. Suzzy motioned to us to quiet down and stop exerting ourselves, and as again took their guitars she said "we don't exert ourselves; we're not gonna walk over there (the wings) and walk all the way back." Suzzy invited anyone who wanted up to the stage to sing the last song with them. I watched a handful of people from the orchestra level go up. When if finally registered that I should go too and there was no one there to stop me I picked up my giant shoulder bag and ran out the door, down the stairs and back into the theatre. No one seemed to be pointing the way to the stage door, so I reluctantly followed the much younger women ahead of me as they hopped up 4 feet onto the stage. With my back to the stage and hands placed, I looked right into the eyes of a man in the front row a few feet from me as he gave me a look that said "You can do it." Thankfully I made it in one try, as I was the last one up…about 20+ people joined the Roches to sing SILVER BELLS: the first verse went well, except that half of us were out of breath from running. By the second verse I had my wind, which is good because at least six people near me had no idea what the words were. I noticed the guy who sold me his extra ticket standing to Maggie's right. Behind Suzzy I saw actress Jane Lynch (Best In Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration) holding the jingle bells. It was fun.
Then the show was over. I didn't linger since it looked like the stage hands freaked out and the sing-along invitation had taken them by surprise. In the lobby I brought my Zero Church cd and waited in line to have it signed. Suzzy was the only one at the table when I got there, so this makes Suzzy the best one.As I wandered to the parking garage behind the theatre I saw Terre and Lucy loading up the SUV for their next gig in Santa Cruz. I'm sure they're tired so I don't blame them for not being at the signing table…it's a strange tradition, anyhow, but I do appreciate the sentiment. I'm very glad I decided to see this show after all. It's right that I was there, especially when their music is so much a part of my life. I also love how they have absolutely no reservations about sharing their faith as a matter of fact, with no apology or expectation, and also with the understanding that God also has a sense of humor. I hope they don't stay away from California too long.The Roches new CD, Moonswept, is expected to release in early 2007. Check out their profile at http://www.myspace.com/theroches, and also visit their website at www.roches.com!
Finding others who shared my enthusiasm for them was always a challenge, especially on the West Coast, and when I saw them in Santa Monica back in 1988? 1990? I ended up dragging a co-worker from the library to the show. She was only marginally impressed. That's why I went alone this time. The Roches don't do many shows in California, and as a trio this is the first tour in a very long time. Who knows when they'll be back, so I had to go for it.Gads!! 90 MINUTES OF 405 TRAFFIC!!! I didn't even have a ticket. Took my chances at the box office, but was pulled out of line by a man whose date couldn't make it. He had very good seats, but accepted my $25 bucks anyway. Yay!Let me say that Royce Hall is gorgeous. I was reminded of the last time I was there to watch a rehearsal of the American Youth Symphony with Burt Lancaster narrating "Carnival of the Animals." I had friends the orchestra who invited me. I'd brought some 8x10s of Burt Lancaster to sign. While waiting around in the wings I ran into world famous cellist YoYo Ma who had just finished with a student. We chatted (I didn't know it was him at first.) He gave me a flower (wish I could remember where I put it; I used to have it pressed in a book.Anyway……I had the good fortune of being seated in the balcony, front row, and center! Yay! In the few minutes before the show started I noticed Lucy Roche who around the age of 9, after my first Roches concert back in 1990, sold me a t-shirt in the lobby. I was pretty sure I spotted Christopher Guest in an aisle seat and the one next to him empty. SO…When the concert began, Maggie, Terre and Suzzy joined their three guitars and a piano which were already on stage. Maggie wore a red velvet button down blouse with black velvet slacks. I really love Maggie's hair, grown out and naturally mature. Terre wore a sleeveless brown satin-y jumper dress, and her hair is long, straight with bangs covering her forehead. She always looks to me like she means business! Suzzy with her long black hair was in a red sleeveless dress that poofed up in a balloon-y way around her knees, legs clad in black tights, and on her head she wore a purple 1970s Flatbush hat (just like Donny Osmond.)WE THREE KINGS: their gorgeous rendition from their Christmas album and segued to JINGLE BELLSWE: Cheers erupted when they began their theme song with "dee dee dees" that went on forever, building our anticipation. Maggie hardly moved a muscle, and in contrast, Suzzy can't seem to stand still, arms and legs moving as to interpret the words and music.QUITTING TIME: One of my favorites, with its interwoven harmonies and sublime unisons sounding as pure and clear as when they recorded it nearly 30 years ago. SUDDENLY IT'S CHRISTMAS: Special guest Loudon Wainwright III (father of Rufus and Martha Wainwright) was introduced tossing the funny and festive song phrases like "it's the longest holiday," "a retail eternity," and "it ain't over 'til it's over when you throw away the tree." I must find this song; reminds me of Robert Earl Keen's CHRISTMAS WITH THE FAMILY.WINTER WONDERLAND: I must confess I've been very lazy about getting the Christmas album, but if they recorded this song like they performed it last night I'm running out to get it now! With accents like they were from Brooklyn. "Gown away is the blue boyd…" Absolutely HilariousLONELY ROAD TO NOWHERE TONIGHT: This song is new to me. Suzzy tells the story of how this song came to be written. While waiting for a flight, Suzzy perused the airport bookstore and found a copy of bestseller "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," by Steve DeGarmo. Fave line: "I wish I had met Steve DeGarmo when I was younger…I would have tricked him into marrying me." Not sure of the title: HOW DID WE GET HERE? Suzzy told the story of when she threw her TV set out the window of her 40th story apartment, and nothing happened. But you still can't avoid watching TV in New York City because they're everywhere. One day she passed a store window with about 20 sets tuned to the news with the image of a dog floating down the street on a lampshade. Song writing material.ANYWAY: Suzzy spoke of the Harvard prayer project which resulted in the album titled "Zero Church." The words were mistakenly attributed to Mother Teresa, but it turned out they were written by a business man from Hawaii while he was at Harvard, who found out about the song after the album was recorded.ONE SEASON: The song is about relationships during that stage: after the honeymoon and before the hate sets in. This is on my list of top five favorites because of the poetry ("One season I was born, felled down like an acorn, I am the only tree, and everybody leaves"), the dissonance and the modulation. Makes me feel like I'm flying.SONG BY PARANOID LARRY: I don't know the title of this song but it's another one new to me that I must acquire. "I once complained because I had no shoes but then I met a man who had no feet…" and on and on and on. STAR OF WONDER: I love that this presented very few and not the same old holiday tunes one would expect from a Christmas concert. This was a very pretty song written by Terre.(It was at this point I saw Mr. Guest leave his seat. Jamie Lee never did show)MR. SELLACK: Another favorite, with an excellent key change. "Let the other 40,000,307 people who want to be famous."HAMMOND SONG: This song is amazing. I wish I knew more about the stories behind the songs. Terre can still get her voice up there! They haven't had to lower the key for them at all, and I find that astonishing. I had been taking notes so far during the concert, and as I applauded the last song my pen flew out of my hand. I had no idea where it went. I hope it didn't go over the railing.WHO CARES: Another title I'm not sure of. Suzzy, at the piano, introduced this song with an analogy: have you ever seen a cat throw up, and then jump as if to say "who did that?" This song is like that. A 9-11 song.Suzzy and Maggie traded places and while raising the mic stand back to her level Suzzy turned to Maggie and said "My god, you're so short." Suzzy then related that, although we "aren't allowed" talk about the story of Christmas, it was always a big part of her life. As a child she'd act it out in the living room using the nativity figures. "Then the three kings come down from the couch," etc. YOU CAN'T COME IN: This song is from the point of view of the innkeeper in Bethlehem.INTERMISSIONWhen the lights came up I looked around for my pen. No sign of it. It's not looking too good for the people sitting below the balcony. I'd better go outside and hide until the second act starts.During Intermission I wandered around and did some people watching. I'm at that age, now, where EVERYONE looks familiar but I can't remember anyone's name. In the refreshment area off the lobby I spotted the blonde actress Kari Matchett who played Dr. Mariel Underlay on "INVASION." I had to IMDB 'Invasion," but I got her name!GOOD KING WENCESLAS: Terre talked about her actor friend, George, picking her up for dinner and sitting with him and his 2 big dogs in 2 hours of traffic on Wilshire before arriving at his place in the hills with a corral of horses. Terre had expected dinner at a nice L.A. restaurant where everyone talked about the movies and their careers, so this became her favorite trip to Los Angeles. I don't' know what that has to do with the song, but it was a nice story.ARE THE CLOTHES DRY YET? What an unusual song. Another one with what I would guess is a very interesting back-story. ("sometimes; not all the time.")SOUND OF A TREE FALLINGHALLELUJAH CHORUS: Most in the audience knew what was coming when their pitch notes were played. Man, Terre's voice is clear as a bell, and a slight lyric change was made that I'm sure Handel would not mind had he been present tonight. ("and she shall reign forever and ever.") The finish was followed by cheers from the audience, after which Suzzy shrugged and said "oh, it was nothing'."IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER: Lucy Wainwright Roche joined the sisters to sing this pretty song. STOP PERFORMING: Another song I want to know more about. The show began winding down to the finish, so the crowd became more responsive in a preventative effort to keep them from leaving the stage. I think it was Suzzy who told the story of the time she went to see Yo Yo Ma in concert. The audience adored him after his first number, "but by the third hour I wanted to kill the guy."A PRAYER: a song from the Zero Church album, words written by a Vietnam veteran.Suzzy explained the family hierarchy: They only have enough money in the tour budget for two hotel rooms and Maggie sleeps in the car unless they sell enough CDs. "We hope we've inspired you to call up your brothers and sisters and ask them to start up a band with you and go on tour. Let us know how it goes."JESUS SHAVES: If this isn't a new song, where have I been? Another clever, poignant song.ENCORE: The Roches with guest vocalist Carmela ScalzoThe sisters put their guitars on their stands and took bows. The applause continued for a long time after the last song. We rose to our feet one by one, realizing that unless we did, Jesus Shaves might be the last song we'd hear tonight. Suzzy motioned to us to quiet down and stop exerting ourselves, and as again took their guitars she said "we don't exert ourselves; we're not gonna walk over there (the wings) and walk all the way back." Suzzy invited anyone who wanted up to the stage to sing the last song with them. I watched a handful of people from the orchestra level go up. When if finally registered that I should go too and there was no one there to stop me I picked up my giant shoulder bag and ran out the door, down the stairs and back into the theatre. No one seemed to be pointing the way to the stage door, so I reluctantly followed the much younger women ahead of me as they hopped up 4 feet onto the stage. With my back to the stage and hands placed, I looked right into the eyes of a man in the front row a few feet from me as he gave me a look that said "You can do it." Thankfully I made it in one try, as I was the last one up…about 20+ people joined the Roches to sing SILVER BELLS: the first verse went well, except that half of us were out of breath from running. By the second verse I had my wind, which is good because at least six people near me had no idea what the words were. I noticed the guy who sold me his extra ticket standing to Maggie's right. Behind Suzzy I saw actress Jane Lynch (Best In Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration) holding the jingle bells. It was fun.Then the show was over. I didn't linger since it looked like the stage hands freaked out and the sing-along invitation had taken them by surprise. In the lobby I brought my Zero Church cd and waited in line to have it signed. Suzzy was the only one at the table when I got there, so this makes Suzzy the best one.As I wandered to the parking garage behind the theatre I saw Terre and Lucy loading up the SUV for their next gig in Santa Cruz. I'm sure they're tired so I don't blame them for not being at the signing table…it's a strange tradition, anyhow, but I do appreciate the sentiment. I'm very glad I decided to see this show after all. It's right that I was there, especially when their music is so much a part of my life. I also love how they have absolutely no reservations about sharing their faith as a matter of fact, with no apology or expectation, and also with the understanding that God also has a sense of humor. I hope they don't stay away from California too long.The Roches new CD, Moonswept, is expected to release in early 2007. Check out their profile at http://www.myspace.com/theroches, and also visit their website at www.roches.com!
Comments (2)