¤ milky moon ¤

I have just got back from my first ever Joanna Newsom concert! Here is the set list from Glasgow, Scotland, on 20 September 2010:

1. The book of right-on
2. Have one on me
3. Easy
4. Cosmia
5. Soft as chalk
6. Kingfisher
7. Inflammatory writ
8. Ribbon bows
9. Good Intentions Paving Company
10. Sawdust and diamonds
11 (encore). Baby Birch

Being very much an Ys, tracks 1, 3 and 5 kind of person, I am quite overwhelmed! Only ‘Emily’ was missing …

I’d never seen (nor particularly heard) Roy Harper before, either, and enjoyed his set too. Between songs, he criticised the Pope (who was on a state visit to the UK just last week), which mostly went down well with the audience. It was a pity I could hardly make out the words of his songs, though.

I wonder who else from the form was at the concert tonight. (Jordan, I know you were there!) What did you think of it?

That is a great setlist. Sawdust & Diamonds and Ribbon Bows, lucky you! She didn't play either of those when I saw her in August, I hope that she does when I see her in Phoenix. Yay for your first Joanna show, I hope you are able to see her many more times in the future

Yes, ‘Sawdust and diamonds’ was a surprise for everyone, I think. The band had just left the stage after their final song before the encore, Joanna remained at the harp, and she announced that she was going to try playing a song which she had not played live for a long time … and it turned out to be my absolute favourite! (I’m sure she must have rehearsed it many times, despite the announcement.)

I think it’s excellent that the set list varies from concert to concert – on a purely technical note, it testifies to the professionalism and skill of Joanna and her band, as they are able to confidently play so many songs – but it’s also great for the audiences, especially when we all watch forums like this so we think we know what to expect. It’s good to be surprised sometimes!

As I had taken my DSLR along, hoping to get a crafty shot or two, I was disappointed to see a sign on the way into the concert hall saying ‘STRICTLY NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR RECORDING’. However, at least this meant we were not irritated by people taking photographs the whole time as, I think, happened at the Manchester concert. In any case, although we were in the second row from the front, we were slightly to the left of the centre, so we only really saw Ms Newsom through the harp strings.

Another thing about the Glasgow concert that surprised me was the fact that there was a huge number of empty seats. The good seats – the front stalls etc. – were sold out, but the upper area was only maybe half full. I think this may have been due to the pricing policy, as the most expensive seats cost £25, but the cheapest ones were £22.50. I was lucky enough to find out about the concert a couple of days after it was announced, thanks to this forum, so I got excellent tickets for £25, but I can understand that somebody who found out a lot later would consider it not worth spending £22.50 on seats high up at the back. I don’t know if the pricing structure was devised by the venue or by the promoter, but it does seem rather illogical. They could have charged those of us at the front a lot more – we would gladly have paid it! – while allowing people into the upper circle for maybe £10–£15.

All in all, my first ever Joanna Newsom concert was a wonderful experience, which exceeded my expectations – and I’m normally quite critical, rather than just being a devoted fan. And the reason why this was my first concert is that I only really ‘discovered’ Joanna Newsom in 2008, so I had missed the previous Glasgow concert by a year or two, and it wasn’t convenient for me to get to any of the other British ones recently.

You got Sawdust & Diamonds!!! Damn you all!

I need to stop looking at other UK setlists. Considering I've seen her three times this year I've been pretty short-done-by.

i want sawdust and diamonds.

It was a perfect Sawdust & Diamonds too. Followed by the best Baby Birch I've ever heard. Joanna looked a lot healthier than in Birmingham but Neal seemed to have caught the bags under-the-eyes off her.

Amazing heckler at the end of Roy Harper's set. He stood up to do his customary goodbye speech and said he'd maybe see us again on one more occasion. Some wag at the back shouted out "Aye, at Christmas!" Roy misheard him, but the audience got the Santa gag. Aw.

I was there! I was in the front row directly over the stage at the side. It was great. Think I preferred the setlist at Brussels, though. She did play all my favourites.

and here is that Sawdust & Diamonds

Did anyone notice during Sawdust And Diamonds that there was a rattling kind of noise coming from right of stage as you looked at it. It was as if the drum kit was rattling. I thought I heard it in one of the earlier songs as well. I was wondering if anyone knows what it was.
Overall a great show, but there were one or two occaisions she was vocally struggling against the percussion.

I went to see her on Monday too. I was absoloutely blown away. This was the first time i have seen her perform live and it was just amazing!

while I don't mind the guitar and it's sharp contrast at times through the song, there was definitely something off in the house mix compared to quite a few other versions of the song- the high end tones or frequency of the guitar washes out or overrides Joanna's vocals is a couple spots- which generally doesn't happen

Have a listen