Webley Surprise

[cos]

I was not expecting to see Jason Webley perform a song on stage tonight.

Last time I saw him was a year and a week ago, the day after his 11/11/11 tour finale, but he did not perform that day. He'd started his indefinite hiatus after the 11/11/11 show the evening before. That previous night, I stood at a railing at night on the Seattle waterfront and watched him send his clothes (including hat!) up in a ballon, then swim off to a waiting sailboat. Wondering how long it would be 'til I'd see him perform again.

This evening, I went to a book launch event and reading by Anthony Martignetti, co-hosted by Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman - the two people I was standing at that railing with a year ago. Just before intermission, Jason Webley appeared and did a duet of Icarus with Amanda.

Once again I don't know how long it'll be 'til I see him perform again, but this was an excellent surprise.

Comments

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Wow! How was the rest of the event? I've been following AP and Gaiman for awhile but have only seen them in person once.

Also, saw your (much) earlier post about Sleep No More - was it back in Boston? I had the same experience you did - the second time I went, I was expecting to see a lot of the same, and instead I ended up on a floor I hadn't seen in a room I hadn't seen with a character I hadn't met. I ended up seeing it twice as an audience member, once as a roving usher and once as a stationary usher, and I saw different things each time. It was phenomenal every time.

[cos]

> Wow! How was the rest of the event?

Amanda's intro was captivating, she painted a rich picture of her friendship with this guy growing up. Neil Gaiman read a chapter from a book he's working on now, or maybe almost finished, I'm not sure. As with any reading of his, it was lovely. Anthony read two stories from his book, and I have mixed feelings about the first one, but the second I think was excellent. He's a good storyteller in text, I think, but not necessarily a good reader. Amanda did a few songs on ukelele too.

> I've been following AP and Gaiman for awhile but have only seen them in person once.

I've known Amanda for over a decade, but only vaguely knew Anthony in passing. Jason Webley, I got into through some friends around 7 years ago (either before he knew Amanda, or at least before I knew they knew each other), and he's been one of my favorite live performers. Have you ever seen him? If not, find an hour or two and watch some of this - it's my recording of the Boston show of the worldwide tour he did in 2010/2011 before that Seattle finale and his hiatus.

I really miss a lot of the art/music/performance activity Amanda used to instigate before the Dresden Dolls took off and took over her life, and now I also miss the Dresden Dolls; she's still an excellent live performer but I don't enjoy her current band as much. But before the Dolls' fame, much of what Amanda created or catalyzed was other stuff, not just gigs where she performed music on stage. Theater and street theater and parties and events involving a very wide variety. So, I'm drawn to the fewer occasions these days when she puts on or co-organizes or is involved in some event or performance other than her band's gigs.

Re: Sleep No More - I failed to see it in Boston. All remaining shows were sold out by the time I tried to get tickets. I've seen it twice in NYC so far, and intend to go again. Were both of your times seeing it in Boston? Have you been to the NYC space?

[drwex]

Interesting. I hadn't realized it was such an occasion.

[frolain.livejournal.com]

Awesome, but I'm even more sad I had conflicting plans. Did you get a recording?

[cos]

I did not, but there was a somewhat official-looking video camera so I suspect the event organizers got a video of the whole thing. I don't know if it was Amanda and Neil, or the town of Lexington, but someone has a video. I'll remember to ask about it at some point.