a place for everything

i've long fallen into the trap of seeing less than half the shows i used to go to, usually reserving my concert time only for bands i know i absolutely adore. this weekend i had a bit of an epiphany as i realized that throughout that time i've denied myself the joy that is showing up at a venue where you're not all too familiar with the bands and are pleasently surprised by one if not all of them. friday night i had no plans and so i took up a friends offer to visit her shop, Chielle, for a fairly small, intimate show with a trio of bands. i walked away with that long lost feeling of coming away unexpectedly, joyfully entertained.

between sets from the always entertaining local Bad Weather California and the duo Susarrus Station was Amy Annelle, who has performed solo as well as under the name the Places. a lot of people saw Amy last year when she opened up a few dates for Colin Meloy of the Decemberists and Laura Veirs. an odd matching as she's not as whimsical as those two, but being as she'd been living in portland for some time it wasn't too surprising. she's recorded albums for Hush and Absolutely Kosher Records and shown up in numerous places including on albums from Okkervil River and Swords Project. in fact it's pretty amazing how under the radar Annelle has been given the number of projects she has appeared on, though it has been five years since the release of her own solo album. her solo music, while minimal (i.e. mostly her and acoustic guitar), is given depth by her often unsettling vocals and deliberate lyrics. as is to be expected it's very much more personal than the more immediately accessible pop of the Places.

i have a pair of tunes from her for you today. and remember, the moral of the story...drag yourself out to more shows for which you have no expectations.

Amy Annelle "A Place for Everything"
the Places "Ode to the Exhausted"