Alright, another attempt at getting this thread back onto the pure awesome-ness that is Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova…
I’ll second Dustin on their movie Once. That was the best movie I saw last year and one of the best musical movies I’ve ever seen. Passionate, beautiful, and, in its own subdued way, packs an emotional punch. Check out what a few critics thought about it:
:medal www.metacritic.com :medal
But it’s really all about the music… As a live performer, Glen can get thousands of people singing along with his magical warmth. I saw them play in Denver last fall and I left feeling like we were all good friends. I think everyone in the audience felt the same way…
Glen and Marketa just performed live on the Tonight Show a couple nights ago. Their intensity (stick with this one for at least the first 3 minutes) gives me serious goosebumps… [Brian’s edit: NBC pulled the clip off youtube. Dangit. But here are a couple other clips: When Your Mind’s Made Up (from Once)
If there is some musical justice, in a couple weeks Glen & Marketa will win the Oscar for best original song. The news just came out yesterday that they will indeed be performing live on the Academy Awards. So it’s not out of the question. That’ll be the great under-dog musical story of the year…
Glen and Marketa just won the Academy Award for best song. :thumbsup
Such a touching, genuinely emotional moment… Glen’s closing words: “Make art! Make art!” I love it. And especially when John Stewart let Marketa come back out onto the stage after the break for her to deliver her inspirational message: “This is proof that no matter how far out your dreams are, it is possible… This song was written out of hope - And hope, at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are.” Best moment of the entire show.
Rent Once next time you’re at your local DVD shop. Emotion and music, magically intertwined. I can’t recommend it enough.
I did catch them win their award :woohoo :woohoo and saw Merketa initially try to make her acceptance speech but there was no sound…You’re right Gipper, it was very classy of Jon Stewart to bring her back onstage.
Outside of my favorite directors winning big it was one of the best moments of this years Oscars.
Definitely try and catch them whilst you can.Seemingly shows in Europe sell in minutes now due to the undeniably helping hand of an Oscar but as everyone says-the music does the erm talking! Swell Season are also at Bonnaroo though they would be better suited to a small intimate theatre (or some stunning foothills up high somewhere where the atmosphere is just exquisite…hint hint!)
I too am flattered to be able to see THE FRAMES ONLY gig of the year and its at T’ride!!!
I cant speak enough how great and passionate this band are live.
For my early years of gig going I had a Top 3 of
The Sawdoctors Barrowlands Glasgow December 1988
Eric Clapton at the Albert Hall 1990
Prince Birmingham International Arena The Batman Tour 1986
Then on Feb 2 2004 I saw Damien Rice for the first time live at Vicar St Dublin and never looked back. All other concerts whilst spectacular just didnt “connect” the way the emotion and excitement and sheer passion of his gigs did. I saw The Frames the same year and enjoyed it. I continued to see DR on many occasions enjoying his “marriage” of voice with the delightful Lisa Hannigan(soon to be a solo star) and then I saw The Frames again and realised this guy Glen Hansard really does “connect” with his audience. But almost instinctively you all feel you are connecting. As mentioned his range is phenomenal. So too is his intimate song writing shown perfectly in this beautiful film but is prevelant on many Frames songs like Star Star,What happens when the heart just stops,Red Chord and the haunting but beautiful Fitzcarraldo.
I have since been privelaged to have seen Led Zeppelin last December somehow scoring face value tickets in the lottery (hard to believe but true) and will have to put that performance in the “Once in a lifetime” category that even if they were to reform for a World tour-I have no need to see them again as I saw what I wanted to see and in a great intimate(for Zep) setting!
I revert to the beginning of my thread to say hand on heart, that The Frames are top of my fave gigs ever of current bands I can and will go and see and whilst I have 4 great days of music at B’roo to also look forward to, I am counting down the days to T’ride,gatecrashing Run a Muck and try stopping me smile when Glen and Co take to the stage!..
“Thanks for giving us the best job in the world” Glen Hansard-The Frames
I saw them tonight. It was a nice small venue in Missoula, MT (The Wilma for anyone that’s familiar with the town). It was a beautiful set, they connected wonderfully with the audience. It was obvious that they cared about the crowd, the encore lasted a good 30 minutes (and contained one of the best versions of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” that I’ve ever heard). Glen Hansard is a wonderful entertainer as well as a wonderful musician. Between the introductions to songs and the stories he’d tell between them, I really felt connected to the whole group and him especially. This is definitely a set that you don’t want to miss this year.
I think if you can rent the film(hell buy it!) prior to seeing them then the songs will have that much more meaning(not that they dont) It will all click in to place and you will see what a bond the two have!
I loved their performance too.