Brendan Benson with special guests The Greenhornes
Brendan Benson is neither a singer-songwriter (though of course his music is impeccably constructed and observed) nor a simple pop musician (though every note he's ever played is catchy as all get-out), and even "cult artist" doesn't cut it anymore, given the way fans, critics and DJs in both the U.S. and U.K. embraced 2002's Lapalco. Three years later, you could even say THE ALTERNATIVE TO LOVE is long-awaited. And from the revved-up guitar chug of “Spit It Out” to the Wall of Sound swoon of “The Pledge” to the haunted piano tones of “Biggest Fan,” it doesn't disappoint, offering up a dozen shimmering examples of dynamic rock'n'roll that's both joyous and bittersweet –as you might expect from someone whose publishing company is called Glad Sad Music.
Benson flies solo in the studio so he can work whenever inspiration hits, with "collaborators" who are always on the same creative wavelength. "It's childish," he admits. "It's hard for me to hand the sticks over, or sit there and listen to someone else and not just say, 'do it like this.'" But that's the way the Michigan/Louisiana native has always recorded, going back to his teenage years overdubbing one track at a time on a regular home stereo. Those bedroom sessions, and some recording in L.A. with producer Ethan Johns and Jellyfish's Jason Falkner, eventually evolved into Benson's mythological debut One Mississippi.
When he's not doing his own stuff he's producing other bands (including V2 labelmates Blanche and the next record by Cincinnati garage-rockers the Greenhornes)." I could happily spend the rest of my days doing something with music," Benson says. "If I'm not working on music, anxiety sets in. Maybe it's not so healthy-to stay locked away in a studio–you've gotta live a life to write a song. But in Letters to a Young Poet, Rilke said if you were in jail, cut off from the world, with nothing but a view of the sky from a small window, you'd still have your memories to write about. I love that."
Special Guests: The Greenhornes
Having developed an iconic sound all their own, The Greenhornes - Craig Fox (vox/guitar), Patrick Keeler (drums), and Jack Lawrence (bass) - make music that is deeply rooted in the classic sounds of rock and rolls past. Since 1996, they have been recording together releasing three full-length records, 1999’s Gun for You (Prince), 2001’s The Greenhornes (Telstar), 2002’s Dual Mono (Telstar) and countless singles. In addition to writing and recording their own material, both Patrick and Jack created the rhythm section for Loretta Lynn’s critically acclaimed and Grammy Award winning Van Lear Rose. The band released an EP titled East Grand Blues via their own Prize Brigade/V2 label on August 2nd. The EP, previously available through iTunes, includes an exclusive unreleased track titled “Shine Like the Sun.”
Slaying crowds across the country with their high voltage live shows, The Greenhornes have performed with everyone from Brendan Benson, The Strokes, and The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s to Mooney Suzuki, The Datsuns and Guided By Voices. Don’t miss what Rolling Stone’s Summer Concert Guide dubs one of the “Hot Opening Acts” of the summer as The Greenhornes return to the road with The White Stripes for the first time since touring together in 2001!
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Floor, Loge & Bar Tickets: $16.00 in advance / $18.00 Day of Show (Includes all processing fees)
Ticket Holders: Full Dinner Service Available at Your Table for the Show!
Dinner Seating Begins at 6:00 PM for the 8:00 PM Show!
DISCOUNTED TICKETS AVAILABLE TO XPN MEMBERS! To get your discounted ticket either call the WCL box office or visit WCL in person. You must have your member number at the time of purchase to receive the discount.
Having developed an iconic sound all their own, 