By Johanna Vanderspool (Review)
Blurred Culture Magazine Article

​LOS ANGELES, CA- On March 14th, 2018, I had the privilege of seeing Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Glen Hansard in an intimate performance; playing with the incomparable Los Angeles Philharmonic at the breathtaking Walt Disney Concert Hall.

I remember Mr. Hansard for his 2007 Oscar-nominated film, Once. He played a heart broken Irish street musician falling on hard times. When he meets his musical muse, played by pianist/songwriter Marketa Irglova, they comfort each other and create music that heals their wounds. Their performances were praise worthy but it was their songwriting that won them accolades (which included a 2007 Best Original Song Academy Award for “Falling Slowly”).

Personally, Once and its Grammy nominated score won my heart, as I too was going on a journey and leaving someone I loved behind. It ran in tandem to my own broken heart and the eagerness to find a connection in my new surroundings of Los Angeles. In 2008, I serendipitously met Mr. Hansard at a Grammy after-party, where we shared hello’s and he tried to drum up conversation about music. With great shyness that evening, I however, couldn’t find the beat to keep up his lively conversation and soon made my departure. Nearly a decade later, I fondly reflected on my own personal story as I watched him take center stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and showered the audience with an indescribable human warmth through his stirring, sensitive and poignant music.

Tonight, Glen confessed he was nervous and slightly intimidated to come on stage to play with the prolific conductor and Hollywood composer, David Campbell. He confessed that he expressed doubt that as to whether he was up to the task. With the impeccable LA Philharmonic as his backing band, would he be able to keep up? It’s evident he is self-effacing as he considers himself the same mischievous street urchin from many years ago, but as the evening demonstrated, Glen has matured and strengthened his already prolific musical repertoire and matched the orchestra’s dynamism note for note with confident gusto.

The evening had a dichotomy of two different performances. Hansard would first play an hour with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, then play the second hour with his band. It was spectacular to witness this contrast in musical style. At first it felt like I was behind the scenes of a recording session for a blockbuster feature film. Then, it felt like I was watching an informal gathering of friends playing casually in my living room. I couldn’t say which I enjoyed more.

Playing his acoustic guitar in front of the large 70 member orchestra, he started on familiar ground by singing “Grace Between The Pines”. He then sang “Lies” and “When Your Mind is Made Up”, the latter of which earned him a standing ovation as he bellowed out the emphatic hook of “when your minds made up” with emotional gravitas. The audience leapt to their feet and cheered “I love you” and “Thank you”, possessed by Hansard’s impassioned performance.

Meanwhile, David Campbell conducted elegantly and fluid; swaying his body with emotion to the melody as his baton guided the next beats to his musicians. When he asked Glen to join him for this grand performance, Glen was hesitant to “jam with an orchestra” but was eventually won over by the challenge. Together, they conquered the challenge, and created a certain kind of musical magic that could only be experienced in the present.

In addition to his musicality, it was Glen’s own demeanor which captured the audience’s attention. His sense of irony brings great humor to the performance and elicits laughter from the audience. While some musicians refrain from regaling personal stories during concerts, Hansard uses storytelling to creates a flow from one song to the next. His stories connect people directly to the music, shedding light on the emotions and experiences that each song contains. His stories and music is an open window into his soul … and Hansard has a lot of soul.

I was particularly fond of Glen’s fascination and love of words and wordplay. He mentioned that he loved words like “mercy” or phrases like “My little ruin” and “Love will find you,” because they personify love as a disaster, or a detective. He’s enamored with words and feels them deeply, both with introspection and humor. In other words—he’s got wit, which harmonizes well with his mostly reflective, woeful and melancholy songs.

When Glen ended his set with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he sang “This Gift”. The lyrics conveyed the message that “[life’s] a gift” and “don’t give up.” The performance shook the concert hall with emotional vibrato. The percussion and brass were forceful in its celebration of life, causing fans to erupt in wild abandonment, leaping to their feet again in affected solidarity.

After intermission, the stage was reset to display a piano, guitar, bass, laud, trumpet and drums. On the drum skins the phrase “Save a Soul Mission” was written which was perfectly suited for a singer who writes songs about saving souls.

Glen’s performance with the band continued to span the entire emotional gamut. From light, airy and hopeful (“Winning Streak”) to intense and bluesy (“My Little Ruin”) to tender and anguished (“Time Will Be The Healer”), every soul in the room was deeply entrenched in Glen’s world. The performance also hit upon some political issues as Glen covered Joe Henry’s (who joined Glen on stage) “Keep Us In Song” which was written as a reaction to Trump’s election and also called out Trump’s border wall adding several lines to a cover of Woodie Guthrie’s “Vigilante Man”.
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It was such a lovely evening of music, that I did not want the evening to end. But alas, all good things always do. As an encore, he invited a few friends from the audience to do an acoustic rendition of Pete Seeger’s “Passing Through”. Together, they beautifully harmonized with one another on the edge of the stage, singing into the audience. It was a perfect ending to an already brilliant and beautiful evening of gorgeous music, storytelling and heart.

Follow Glen Hansard on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By Johanna Vanderspool (Review and Photos)
Blurred Culture Magazine Article

SANTA MONICA, CA- The first time I heard of Valerie June was recently in June 2017 while I was visiting a friend in London. She rotated in his iTunes and I became addicted. The song was Workin’ Woman Blues off the album, “Pushin’ Against a Stone”. Her song is soulful and the lyrics “I been workin’ all my life,” and “Lord you know, I am ready for my sugar, my sugar daddy,” resonated deeply within me; not because I want a sugar daddy but because it feels like the plight of every woman to work as hard as we do. The trumpets soon followed, chanting like a chorus and plugging a steady groove. I played this song incessantly. So when I had the opportunity to see and review Valerie June live at Santa Monica’s Twilight Series on August 3rd, 2017, I volunteered immediately.

Concerts on the Santa Monica Pier are quite lovely. Crowds form on the beach to listen with their blankets, picnic baskets and BYO-everything. The audience on the dock have free range to beer and wine bars and various pier games. On the horizon is usually a breath-taking view of a sunset, as the ferris wheel spins and glows in neon colors. The Pacific Ocean cools everyone down, as fans scramble to the front barricade to grab a very cozy view of the musicians.

As a contributing writer, you’re often supposed to do research before you attend a concert or at least have enough knowledge of the musician(s) to create an appropriate review. However, I didn’t do much research this evening. I wanted to enjoy being a new fan and hoped I would learn a lot about Valerie from her music or on-stage persona. Wow, I certainly did…because going to a Valerie June concert means you’re inundated with personal, funny, spiritual and meaningful stories in between songs. As a southern African American gal from Memphis,Tennessee, who now lives in New York City, Valerie is a mix of genres in personality and in her music. Her melodies remind me of Appalachian bluegrass country (very Dolly Parton-esque), but with a twist of folk Bohemian rock with classical soul infused together. Her singing has a twang. She plays banjo, tambourine and acoustic guitar. Her hair is in dreads and falls all over her shoulders and arms. She wears bohemian chic dresses with silver and gold sequences. She’s girly with a giggle and giant smile, but has a no-nonsense attitude about her. She’s opinionated and has no qualms letting you know where she stands on matters of the heart. She tells you a funny quip about rural farm life then shares a new-agey quote about manifesting your dreams. Her music isn’t that much different.

Songs like Man Done Wrong, Love You Once Made, You Can’t Be Told, Twined and Twisted, Wanna Be On Your Mindand The Hour offer what’s at stake for her in love and loss. Her songs are often wistful, similar to sharing a story from long ago. There’s a twinge of sadness but also hope.

​While Valerie June’s pianist, guitarist, bassist and drummer were top notch, it was Valerie’s voice, lyrics and stories that held everyone’s attention. Vocally, she has a high register and sometimes it feels like her voice is crying. Yet at other times, she howls with dramatic effect to over-exaggerate the drama in a comedic way; especially when it comes to double meaning lyrics like “a memory faded to dust of a love you once made” and “no question why, you just slip slide on, you slip slide on by.” She seems to know the double edge sword of life. With love there is pain and…laughter.

Follow Valerie June on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By Johanna Vanderspool (Review)
Blurred Culture Magazine Article

HOLLYWOOD, CA- After 25 years on the music scene, most people know of three-time Grammy winner vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Brian Setzer and his Orchestra. They know his big swing revival rock throws people into 50’s dance and his resonating raspy voice is going to get you off your seat. His 19 piece band and jump blues 4×4 rock music is reminiscent of a time when you tied up your oxford shoes, snapped your suspenders, buttoned your vest and pomaded your hair into a greasy slick. His rockabilly music is paying homage to when girls wore poodle skirts, fire engine red lipstick, pony tails and embroidered blouses. If you’ve every seen Jerry Lee Lewis, or the film Great Balls of Fire, it’s an uproarious upbeat tempo…all with the purpose to get you into a frenzy.

Last week’s Hollywood Bowl performance was Brian Setzer’s 25th Anniversary Concert and of starting his orchestra. Setzer began his rise during the early 80’s with giant pompadour hair and long side burns. Songs like Stray Cat Strut and Rock This Town exploded onto the Top 40 charts. However, from what I remember it was the movies, La Bamba and Swingers, that brought him to the forefront of the Los Angeles music scene and kept him permanently cemented in pop culture.

Last Wednesday August 2nd, 2017- Brian Setzer was in traditional and explosive form. I imagine a rare moment would be if he sat quietly on the stage, told a story and played acoustic guitar solo, but that isn’t his kind of concert. Instead, his 19 member band jumped and danced while they played. Known as a “musician’s musician,” it is clear Brian has a natural and collaborative language with all the musicians and singers on stage. He also connected intimately with the 17,000 fans in attendance by giving them personal stories and instructions for certain songs. The brass section jiggled and swung their saxophones, trumpets and trambones left to right with great swagger. The pianist, Kevin McKendree, jammed standing up…sliding his hands across all 88 keys like fire was attached to his fingers. During the two-hour set, Brian and his jivin’ rugrats also created comedic and theatrical-like moments. His bassist, Johnny Hatton, dragged his large silver string instrument around like it was his “ball and chain.” Then, he jumped up and stood on top of it, while continuing to slap his bass. Kevin became a guitarist, so that Brian could jump atop of drummer, Noah Levys’, drums…all the while still playing guitar. In fact, many of Brian’s musicians were talented in playing several instruments. Listening to Brian’s Orchestra wasn’t just a pure audible glee but watching was equally an eye candy spectacle.

Coming to a concert like this, you must prepare. Many of the fans were dressed up in rockabilly outfits. First chance they got, they began to swing dance in the aisles and walkways of the Hollywood Bowl. It’s not something you see every day at this venue, especially when ushers are dedicated to keep everyone in check with their correct seat and section. In fact, it would have been wise to create a dance section for those whom wanted to swing!

My favorite songs of the night were: Stray Cat Strut, This Cat’s on a Hot Tin Roof, The Dirty Boogie and Jump, Jive an’ Wail (a Louis Prima cover). Encore was everyone’s favorite, Rock This Town. While he and his orchestra played spectacularly, I couldn’t believe Brian Setzer’s range hasn’t changed in 25 years. He played I Won’t Stand In Your Way and Slow Down Folsom Prison Blues with minor chords, as if his vocals could go up and down any scale with ease. What’s also surprising is how humble Brian is. He shared a story about his first gig with his 17 piece band and the 30 people in the audience. He didn’t know what was to come or if a resurrection of swing and rockabilly would be accepted. He just loved it and did it anyway. This dedication and passion is clearly exhibited by all the musicians and singers on stage.

As one of the “greatest living guitarists” today, Brian Setzer and His Orchestra revived rockabilly and swing by demonstrating exceptional musicianship. They were also rewarded with a standing ovation for ten minutes…deservingly so.

By Johanna Vanderspool (Review + Photos)
Blurred Culture Magazine Article

LOS ANGELES, CA- By definition, “invigorate” (v) means to give strength or energy to; it also means to re-energize, revitalize, animate, galvanize, rouse and exhilarate. By every measure of the word, KCRW’s Sound in Focus Outdoor Concert on Saturday July 29th, 2017 in Los Angeles did just that.

If you missed the soiree, you missed the musical bliss of nine time Latin Grammy award winner/pop singer Natalia LaFourcade and world-renowned acoustic Mexican guitarists, Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Natalia Lafourcade at KRCW/Annenberg Space for Photography’s “Sound In Focus” 7/29/17. Photo by Johanna Vanderspool (@JoJoVanders) for www.BlurredCulture.com. Edited by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13).If you’re not familiar with Natalia Lafourcade, get to your iTunes and start listening to her Latin pop rock ballads. Signed with Sony-BMG, she’s a petite Frida-like pixie powerhouse that competes with the likes of Pit Bull, Marc Anthony, Shakira and Ricky Martin. She’s commanded attention ever since her first Latin Grammy nomination in 2003 and is only increasing in acclaim. For a true delight, check out her most recent award-winning album, Hasta La Raíz.

Her Saturday early evening performance at The Annenberg Center for Photography was met with great anticipation. Fans crowded the stage, and proudly waved their Mexican flags, as she entered quite charmingly across the stage. It was if she was giving a performance inside her living room, rather than to several hundred screaming fans. Her smooth and sweet voice, with bossa nova instrumentation, carried through the green lawns and birch trees like a Baja coastal siesta. Equal to her uplifting songs about love, her girlish smile and crown braids makes an impact on your heart. You want to sway. And sway you do. You instantly fall into a relaxed and breezy vibe, where no harm in the world is done. Instead, you feel united with the people around you, as you chant wistful Spanish lyrics and transcend to a peaceful place. Natalia is beguiling and her music sheds away the stress of life.
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Follow Natalia Lafourcade on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

After that spiritual shedding, you need some “shredding” to remind you of the vitality and excitement of life.

​That’s where Rodrigo y Gabriela come in. Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero are a dynamic duo from Mexico. Though deeply influenced and passionate about heavy metal rock music, they’ve been slapping flamenco style infused rock guitar riffs for over 18 years. Having started their career in Ireland in 1999, they’ve made an impressive mark on the European music scene. Despite their Mexican origins, they then crossed over to the American market through their work with Hans Zimmer, other film scores and various collaborations with indie rock bands. With five studio albums, three live albums and an EP, they’re a Californian favorite; playing various venues across Los Angeles. Needless to say, fans are riveted by their sheer energetic force and magnetic guitar playing…of which range from traditional flamenco to repurposed rock songs in flamenco style. In fact, their music defies a true definition. Hit songs like Metallica’s Orion and Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name are transformed and mashed up in their acoustic jazz/rock/flamenco approach. Overall, their songs are complex and a myriad of genres that end up being kinetic masterpieces. Do yourself a favor and check out their latest album, 9 Dead Alive.

On Saturday night— due to a running injury, Gabriela was placed in a wheel chair, but she didn’t seem phased by this handicap. She played with zest and exuberance, like her life depended on strumming her guitar strings. Rodrigo bounced from left to right to center stage, jamming like a true rock superstar…all the while bringing invigorating beats and flamenco rock through the evening sky. As musical prodigies, their fingers fly. Their hands beat like drums. You wonder how many people are playing on stage with them, but you’ll never believe it’s just the two of them. While they’re playing, you experience their invested, vigorous and animated effervescence. It’s no wonder they were asked to play for President Barack Obama in 2010. Clearly, he knows good jams too.

Some people who don’t know Rodrigo y Gabriela might balk at their acoustic instrumental sets, but clearly they don’t realize guitars were mirrored from the human voice. When Rodrigo y Gabriela play their guitars…their guitars speak…volumes, with uplifting almost tribal melodies and beats. A voice couldn’t compete with the all-encompassing, all-enthralling vibrance of their music. Hearing them play is not just rumba, it’s a rumble of primordial ancestral musical roots. It’s as if their fingers are plucking your heart-strings, and this moves your entire body to dance, spin and skip. As I looked around at the entranced fans, every body was roused in motion dancing, laughing and generally in a dizzy of fun. That’s what you do at a Rodrigo y Gabriela concert. I wasn’t alone in my open-hearted dance fest. This is what makes them a super hit…they’re musicians who truly love the power of music. They play their hearts out and adore their fans.

After a Rodrigo y Gabriela concert, you feel alive, exhilarated and loved. Gracias KCRW, Natalia, Rodrigo y Gabriela…qué noche para la magia. In other words, thank you- what a night for magic!

Follow Rodrigo y Gabriela on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By Johanna Vanderspool (Review)
Blurred Culture Magazine Article

SANTA MONICA, CA- It’s rare to see a band larger than five members in Los Angeles. So, it’s an extravagance to see a 19 member jazz troupe…BUT to call Vaud and The Villains simply a jazz group is to diminish their over-the-top grandeur. For when you’re in their presence, you are simply taken to new heights and eclectic worlds. At once you’re transported by their music and vaudeville act; thrust into a seedy and raucous good time.

When I heard they were playing at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, I hurried to buy tickets. Two years ago, I had seen them for the first time at an intimate nightclub, Soho B, in Santa Barbara California. Their musicians and dancers filled the small area, making it possible for them to rub shoulders with exhilarated fans and music lovers. It was an immersive experience where everyone danced, screamed and vivaciously sang their hearts aloud, in tandem with the spirited multi-talented musicians.
Last Friday night at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, fans were engaged, but there was a visible restraint. The audience sat instead of stood, an unusual practice for generally enthusiastic fans. The Broad Stage prides itself for its sophistication, tidiness and excellent musicianship. The venue has comfortable and beautiful seating, with a traditional large theatrical stage. While Vaud and The Villains are certainly remarkable rock, gospel, blues, jazz musicians, they live more on the edge and require the participation of a rowdy crowd and feed off their exuberant energies.

You might be asking- who are Vaud and The Villains? It’s hard to pinpoint or define their music exactly. On one end, they’re a flamboyant cabaret infused New Orleans-esque big band jazz ensemble with 19 members, including five singers and four dancers. On the other end, they instill a Grand Ol’ Opry evangelical blues and gospel vibe…yet with sin and mischief at their very core. To look at them, one might guess some of the musicians are in the Steam Punk movement, while others do strip tease chorus girl acts and shop in the eccentric glove department at Macys. The dancers and lead singers are bejeweled with multi-colored hair, wearing lace gloves, bowler hats, old timey street punk vests and shoes…all which add a circus flair. Their stage is equally as colorful with long drapes lit with red, purple and green hues, as if they’re performing in front of the Big Top.

Watching them is a festival of colors and personalities, but it is the music that stands out as the leading attraction. The emcee, as I like to call him, is Vaud Overstreet (also known as Andy Comeau). He’s an Evangelical Southerner who leads the set with irreverent anecdotes and presents “The Leggy Dames” like a proprietor, pastor or a grand marshal. The Leggy Dames are burlesque cabaret girls that tease you in their form-fitting corsets with provocative and cheeky dancing. At times, it’s overwhelming to hear AND see the spectacle before you. Watching Vaud and The Villains is a sensory explosion.

The Villains include a brass section- complete with tuba, trombone, trumpet and baritone saxophonist. The trombonist, Kid Overstreet, was extraordinary, as he belted out unholy yet happy sounds that vibrated in your belly. He equally charmed and surprised the audience with his silky Frankie Valli voice. However, it was his exceptional talent of whistling that blew everyone away. Never have I heard such a dynamic, consistent and melodic range in whistling form. He was a whistling sensation!

Many of The Villains are multi-hyphenates, in such that a singer becomes a clarinetist who then plays the steel guitar. I can only imagine what the audition process is to become a member of the Vaud and The Villains. Phenomenal musician. Check. Astonishing magnetism. Check. Superhuman talent in all musical disciplines? Oh boy.

I was particularly engaged with the upright bassist, Low Down Kate, as it’s a rarity to see a female acoustic bass player. She killed it. Equally impressive was the fiddler, Mad Paddy (Jesse Olema), who played as if the Devil himself entranced him. He played with grit and finesse, screeching harmoniously the riffs up and down the scale.

Vaud and The Villains’ music set is like a gumbo soup, filled with everything imaginable. With lyrics like “We Shall Save You,” and “Out of My Mind Into Your Arms”, their songs speak of salvation. “The Boy in the Boat” and “Sistah Got It Bad” exudes desire and love. “Was I Drunk” brings it back to partying and drunken bar ranting. A gypsy riff turns into blues; then into ragtime Americana; then gives away to soulful and funky undertones, yet returning to Gospel. Vaud and The Villains enjoy crooning about sin, regret, redemption, love, heartbreak and then lets themselves go into disorderly sailor swooning. One minute you’re listening to an Irish jig then experiencing a Doo-Wop Chuck Berry homage. Someone unaccustomed to this medley type of music might be put off by Vaud and The Villains’ strange impulse to change keys and tempo. However, they’ve become extremely popular and perform at bigger venues every year. Their music is showcased in Showtime’s House of Lies and their current album, Original Salvation, is highly regarded. In other words, their gumbo soup is fulfilling and satiates that hunger for variety. Their music fuels a good energy; a boot in the arse to dance.

While Vaud and The Villains played their hearts out at The Broad Stage, it wasn’t unnoticed that the audience was subdued. It wasn’t until after intermission that Easy Simoneaux, one of the singers, demanded everyone out of their seats and gave the audience permission to dance, hoot and holler. It was like he removed the handcuffs and everyone broke free. Blue-haired old men and women suddenly sprang to life. Ushers boogied in the tidy aisles. It was as if suppressed fans finally received the okay to go out beyond curfew. Performing at 7:30PM perhaps isn’t ideal for a band whose main demographics are night crawlers, but Vaud and The Villains beckoned the crowd to join them in their boogie, jumping off the stage and rousing up the crowd. They ultimately guided the audience in how to break the rules and generated the unkempt fun that is typically associated with their ensemble.

​If you’re looking for a more finely tuned Gogol Bordello or Rebirth Brass Band, you’re going to want to check out Vaud and The Villains. They pack a lot of punch, sass and outright naughtiness in each of their sets. Musically, they’re gifted and soar in their ability to adapt and arrange songs and melodies that will have you singing in the car the day after. Vaud and The Villains are an unforgettable band…because they won’t let you forget them. Their captivating performers will grab you by the brass.

Follow Vaud & The Villains on Facebook and Twitter.

The title will likely change and there will be more re-writes with my Executive Producer...but this feature script is done (for today)! Let's get some financing, baby! #script #feature #femaledriven #dramedy #action #horror #historical #hollywood.

The episode I directed for LMN's My Crazy Sex- "Love Hurts" is airing. Check it out on cable or online. Wednesdays at 10/9C or My Crazy Sex Online! More of my episodes to come...!