Kulture Klub
November 1, 2004
I’m in Stockholm, Sweden watching Sumo wrestling on the EuroSport channel. Also watching the last ditch efforts of the U.S. Presidential candidates on the eve of their big day and the accompanying media speculation. I suppose I should be out on the town this evening but I’m very happy to be writing this in bed right now, not expected anywhere.
We travelled overnight from Hamburg and rolled into town today around twelve noon. It was a beautiful day. I went for a walk for a few hours looking at people and buildings. I found a record shop and decided that if I could find the Keane and Scissor Sisters * CDs I wanted, I would invest a little extra time in the shop looking for some local music to bring back for my brother Michael. After the Glasgow show while my husband was with me at the start of this tour, we stayed overnight at the lovely home of his cousins’ Elaine & Neil. Elaine was playing Keane in the car and in the house and I must have asked her three times what we were listening to. Hugo was playing the Scissor Sisters CD in the production office before our Dublin show. I had never heard of either band but I made a mental note to look for their CD. Naturally ever since, I’ve been seeing and hearing them everywhere. The Scissor Sisters’ song “Mary” was actually in my dream two nights ago.
My brother and I share a love of music and a fondness for the absurd. The guy at the store let me sample my picks. They ranged from easy listening (American songs from the 1970s sung in Swedish by an aging male pinup), navelgazing singer songwritery songs by a young man photographed in soft focus playing guitar in a meadow and a studio-created dancepop album with some girls singing the choruses and a guy in a pencil moustache saying, “You touched my tra-la-la/My ding-ding-dong” every once in awhile. The store clerk was looking at me funny when he saw these CD selections so I said, Don’t worry. I really do have good taste," showing him the CDs in my Keep Pile. When he saw those CDs he said, “if you like those I have something else for you.” He opened a drawer and handed me a CD by a Danish band named Saybia. Erring on the side of good pop sensibility I bought that one for Michael. I might have to go back tomorrow for that “ding-ding-dong” one, though.
I then had a Japanese menu written in Swedish deciphered for me by a waiter from Lebanon who tried to get my phone number at a place called Sushi Coffee.
I’m going to bed now but have I mentioned that I have become throughly obsessed with crossword puzzles on this tour? Daily. Keeping the mind and eyes in focus. Also, currently reading: The Enchantment Of Lily Dahl by Siri Hustvedt.
Attention, Euro fans: thanks to Sarah’s generous spirit, you can find my solo CD and Luke’s solo CD alongside Sarah’s merchandise at the concerts.
xo KR
I’m in Stockholm, Sweden watching Sumo wrestling on the EuroSport channel. Also watching the last ditch efforts of the U.S. Presidential candidates on the eve of their big day and the accompanying media speculation. I suppose I should be out on the town this evening but I’m very happy to be writing this in bed right now, not expected anywhere.
We travelled overnight from Hamburg and rolled into town today around twelve noon. It was a beautiful day. I went for a walk for a few hours looking at people and buildings. I found a record shop and decided that if I could find the Keane and Scissor Sisters * CDs I wanted, I would invest a little extra time in the shop looking for some local music to bring back for my brother Michael. After the Glasgow show while my husband was with me at the start of this tour, we stayed overnight at the lovely home of his cousins’ Elaine & Neil. Elaine was playing Keane in the car and in the house and I must have asked her three times what we were listening to. Hugo was playing the Scissor Sisters CD in the production office before our Dublin show. I had never heard of either band but I made a mental note to look for their CD. Naturally ever since, I’ve been seeing and hearing them everywhere. The Scissor Sisters’ song “Mary” was actually in my dream two nights ago.
My brother and I share a love of music and a fondness for the absurd. The guy at the store let me sample my picks. They ranged from easy listening (American songs from the 1970s sung in Swedish by an aging male pinup), navelgazing singer songwritery songs by a young man photographed in soft focus playing guitar in a meadow and a studio-created dancepop album with some girls singing the choruses and a guy in a pencil moustache saying, “You touched my tra-la-la/My ding-ding-dong” every once in awhile. The store clerk was looking at me funny when he saw these CD selections so I said, Don’t worry. I really do have good taste," showing him the CDs in my Keep Pile. When he saw those CDs he said, “if you like those I have something else for you.” He opened a drawer and handed me a CD by a Danish band named Saybia. Erring on the side of good pop sensibility I bought that one for Michael. I might have to go back tomorrow for that “ding-ding-dong” one, though.
I then had a Japanese menu written in Swedish deciphered for me by a waiter from Lebanon who tried to get my phone number at a place called Sushi Coffee.
I’m going to bed now but have I mentioned that I have become throughly obsessed with crossword puzzles on this tour? Daily. Keeping the mind and eyes in focus. Also, currently reading: The Enchantment Of Lily Dahl by Siri Hustvedt.
Attention, Euro fans: thanks to Sarah’s generous spirit, you can find my solo CD and Luke’s solo CD alongside Sarah’s merchandise at the concerts.
xo KR
posted by Kathryn Rose (aka KR) at 7:05 p.m.
3 Comments:
I am a crossword nut too. I'm sure they're everywhere online, but I do them at the Houston Chronicle's website: www.chron.com. Click on Games on the left-hand side and go from there. They have a new one everyday and they keep the last two weeks. I have a feeling you'll understand the sick joy I get on a day when I haven't been able to do them for a couple of weeks and then I can do them ALL right there. Actually, these days I'm more obsessed with the word search that they have on the same site. They can hurt your eyes, but you're a musician -- what do you need your eyes for anyway. They also have jigsaw puzzles for when you want to use a different part of your noggin. I really like them because: (1) it makes me feel a little bit like a painter because I'm concentrating very closely on color; and (2) no need for my old method of solving jigsaw puzzles, which was just to cram the pieces together if they looked right -- this one snaps the interlocking pieces together when you get in the general vicinity.
Every Lurid Detail arrived yesterday from amazon.ca and I love it so far (all 12 minutes or whatever that I've been able to listen -- you don't even want to know how crazy work has been for the last week). I also received You Were Here by Sarah Harmer, whom I'd never heard of before but she sounded good, and I'm waiting for S/T by Jack Tripper (and now, of course, I finally know who Sean has reminded me of all these years. :) The fates may be beckoning me north. I did buy one non-Canadian CD recently (Get Away From Me by Nellie McKay -- that woman is what happens when you release a million years' worth of energy in about 15 seconds), but other than that, it's been a slow few years for the Americans and me. I may have to try Keane and Scissor Sisters -- what do they sound like?
Kathryn,
Been a long time reader of your blog and this will be my first comment (sorry it has nothing to do with the current post but I am always late!!). I *LOVED* your blog entry about looking at the concert through the cell phone camera because when I saw Sarah in MA the girl in front kept standing on her seat to take pictures with her phone but she was making hard for my wife and I to see the show. The night before that in Providence RI it not nearly as bad because other than the occasional flash the concert was uninterupted. I was wondering about the tour and if you could answer a burning question for me? Why does Sarah and the band do the same thing every night? You and Ashwin, when you sat at the foot of the piano, had the same seating arrangement. Even the talking between songs were identical. Is this something that all major tours have to do? Is it practice for the DVD release (which I already pre-ordered)? Or is this the first tour you have been on that does this? Thanks for the blog, it has been a great read!
Best,
Chuck
father_dagon@yahoo.com
Dear Kathryn,
My name is Steph and I live in Germany and I am a fan.
My e-mail: scmgap33(at)aol.com
I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and impressions in your tour dairy! Granted, you have no idea who I am and I must admit I had not heard of you before reading your dairy/blog. I have read all of your archives and it is exciting to read what you are sharing... well, as a singer/performer/blogger it doesn't hurt to be extroverted...
Yesterday a 15-year old dream came true - I was able to get a ticket to the concert in Munich on Nov 11. I have been on cloud 9 since I got the ticket and I am so excited!
Sitting here in front of the computer I feel I am somewhat part of the action and in 2 days I will see the concert - and curiously wait what you have to say about Munich. To me, I won't be seeing the "unknown" background singer; there will be a name, a face, a voice (singing as well as blogging)...
Best wishes and enjoy!
PS: please let the crew know... there are so many more songs than "Silence" that people in Europe know!!! I will be singing along with my shower-only voice - might not hit every tune but I know the words!!
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