Neko Case sings to "Reserved but adamant Bristol" at the Carling Academy

We had a really nice day yesterday going up to Bristol. The drive was quite scenic, though long and winding. Experienced something new: a roadside traffic census. About an hour outside Bristol, a couple of police officers diverted us into a lay-by where several people in flourescent yellow vests with clipboards were waiting. One of them came up to our window to ask where we where coming from, where we were going and how often we made the journey. Then they sent us on our way.

Anyway, we got a little lost trying to find IKEA, but eventually, we got there around 4:30. We went straight to the restaurant to have some Swedish meatballs with boiled potatoes and lingonberry preserves. Very tasty! There was even a Swedish family sitting near us. Then we headed into the vast, consumer haven that is IKEA for a one-hour breeze-through excursion. We picked up quite a few things that we needed (such as a laundry basket for £2.49) and a couple of things that we didn't (such as a nice garlic press for £3.99), plus some Kalle's caviar, lingonberry preserves, cloudberry preserves, Abbas pickled herring, and authentic Swedish Fish gummy candy. Our friend Ieuan came away with quite a haul, too; his first trip to IKEA.

Then we loaded our Scandinavian goods into the trunk and headed for Bristol Academy, getting more lost than when we tried to find IKEA. Eventually, we triangulated the venue's position and found a parking garage next to it. Neko's gig was in the upstairs portion of the Academy, in a quite small, narrow room with a bar on one side and a 15'x15' stage tucked into one end. We were a bit taken aback by how small it was, but excited to be able to see her in such an "intimate" venue. We grabbed a bit of floor-space at the very front and waited for the gig to start.

The opening act had been cancelled, so the members of Neko's band came out to play a few songs as an opener (without Neko). I didn't get all of their names because people were cheering and I couldn't hear when they were announced, but her usual stalwarts Kelly Hogan (backing vocals) and Jon Rauhaus (pedal-steel and banjo) were up there with a lead guitarist, double-bass player, and a drummer. After their mini-set, there was a bit of an intermission after which they all came out and played for about an hour and a half. A great mix of songs from all of her albums, but most of them from her new one Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. They opened with "A Widow's Toast" sung a-cappella, Neko and Kelly's voices locked in perfect harmony. I didn't write down the set list, but I've dredged my memory and I think I have been able to recall at least most of the songs, though not in the correct order:

-A Widow's Toast
-Set Out Running
-Margaret vs. Pauline
-If You Knew
-Hold On, Hold On
-The Tigers Have Spoken
-Maybe Sparrow
-I Wish I Was the Moon
-Dirty Knife
-Favorite
-Furnace Room Lullabye
-Buckets of Rain (a Bob Dylan cover)
-Deep Red Bells
-South Tacoma Way
-That Teenage Feeling
-Twist the Knife

They sounded fantastic, though performance-wise, they seemed a bit detached. I suppose they were still jet-lagged since they flew over from the US on the 31st and, in Neko's words, they were "coming down with our obligatory British colds." There were signs around the club stating "This evening's artist has requested that guests refrain from smoking during the performance." Thankfully, this made it a much more comfortable atmosphere (for the non-smokers, anyway). She thanked everyone for being kind enough to refrain from smoking.

Neko commented a couple of times about being miffed that she had missed Halloween, instead being on an airplane "smelling poopie-diaper". Nevertheless, her singing was just as goose-bump making as always. K and I agree that the gig at The Zoo in Portland was better as a whole than this one. Our favorite songs from the night...

K: "I Wish I Was The Moon"
R: "Deep Red Bells" and "Furnace Room Lullabye"

I wonder how the Wednesday night show in London was in comparison. Unfortunately, there was a 9:45 curfew at this gig, so though they wanted to play longer, they had to stop. We thought it might have been a residential noise-oridinance thing, but it turns out it is because they turn the Academy into a dance club after 10pm. A bit disappointing to have the show cut short because of that, but I got over it when I had a chance to meet Neko. She announced that she would head back to the merchandise counter to help sell some CDs and invited fans to come over to say "Hello."

At first I decided I wouldn't and we started to leave the club, but at the door, I had a change of heart and darted back up there. It was one of those decisions where you know you'll always regret it if you make the wrong decision. Hell, there's a chance to meet Neko Case! Time to get over the shyness and just do it!

K and Ieuan hung back while I joined the queue to talk to her. Because I didn't have enough cash to buy a CD or a t-shirt my excuse to talk to her was to ask her to sign my ticket stub. Oop... my turn:

R: Hi! Great set! I really love your music!

Neko: Thanks!

[awkward silence]

R: I saw you in Portland in 2003. At The Zoo.

Neko: Ooh! That was a great day. I had just gotten my new guitar! [smiling and hugging herself]

R: Oh, really? I loved that venue. Cool with the giraffe's in the background.

Neko: I felt sorry for the elephants, though. They were going a bit crazy.

R: Were they? Well, I'm sure your music had a calming effect on them!

Neko: Well, I hope so!

[another awkward silence]

Neko: [pointing at the ticket stub I was holding] Did you want me to sign that?

R: Oh, yes please!

[I hand it to her, she signs it, and hands it back, smiling.]

R: Thanks for coming to England!

[I step away and let the next person have a turn.]

On the ticket stub, in black marker: "Love, Neko". Walking away with K and Ieuan, I describe how much of a dork I was and lamented that I should have thought of something more clever to say. Well, better to kick myself for being a dork than to kick myself for not having the nerve to even try to meet her!

Anyway, we left the Academy and tried to navigate out of Bristol, getting a bit lost again. Eventually, we got back on the appropriate A-road and made good time back to Bournemouth. Home by 12:30.

I fell asleep thinking of all kinds of other witty things I could have said.











Click here for Neko's diary of the UK tour.