Amazing show last night! Joe is an acclaimed songwriter, painter and poet who uses stage performances to deliver his full spectrum of skills. We've seen him many times but never in such an intimate setting like the Dakota. The show begins with a 6x4 foot blank canvas which he paints on throughout the performance while his layered guitar samples are playing in the background. I've seen several artists use this technique (layered loops, delays and samples) but Joe takes it to a different level. It’s difficult to describe what transpires during his shows as it’s a mix of music, spoken word and a somewhat bizarre style of Picasso-esque inspired artistry, but by the time he's done one feels truly privileged for having experienced such a spectacle.
This will give you a taste for his music and art ...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izd5uVa4uF4&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izd5uVa4 ... re=related</a><!-- m -->
Scotty12 Wrote:The Dakota is a great venue. Going to something like this would be a cool different type of night out with my gf, any idea when he plays again?
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.josepharthur.com/tour/">http://www.josepharthur.com/tour/</a><!-- m -->
We're going to the Carnagie Hall show on Nov 11 and there are a couple of dates in Quebec City and Montreal in late Nov early Sept.
He usually comes to the Toronto area once or twice a year.
Joseph Arthur, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready & Matt Cameron - 9/4/11 PJ20
In the Sun:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC1yoJE7XWE&feature=youtube_gdata_player&noredirect=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC1yoJE7 ... redirect=1</a><!-- m -->
When The Fire Comes:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-mDVE4ZWeI&feature=youtube_gdata_player">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-mDVE4Z ... ata_player</a><!-- m -->
An interesting excerpt from the USA Today interview with Cameron Crowe:
USA Today:Have you been to any shows this year that affected you?
Cameron Crowe: Yes. I'd say Joseph Arthur at the Troubadour. He was great. I think the guy would be successful in any era, because he puts his heart out there. And even though it was a small club -- packed, but small -- maybe in another era he would be playing a much bigger place. But it didn't matter to him. He was giving it everything, and painting too, onstage. This guy is not wasting one element of the musical experience. He's giving his fans everything and just putting it out there with no second-guessing. That was probably the best show I've seen this year -- that and PJ in Toronto.Joe lives near me, and he always says he's going to take me to get a tattoo. He's covered in tattoos.
