speed of dark

The stage at L.A.'s El Rey Theater was decorated with strings of white lights, large nutcracker soldiers, and blue icicles for the occasion of Aimee Mann's sold out 2nd Annual Christmas Show on the last day of November. As we waited, there seemed to be some last-minute changes causing a delay, and when Aimee finally appeared she announced that she wasn't feeling well and that she was "high on Day-quil." It certainly wasn't noticeable during the show, however; she seemed to be comfortable and enjoying herself.

Indie Mom and I uncustomarily took different locations in the audience. She wanted to be in the front, and I wanted to be a little further back for a better camera perspective. I'm writing this account from the notes she took, which inexplicably differ a little from the setlist we photographed at the end of the show.

Aimee started off with a couple of Christmas songs before introducing the first guest for the variety show format. The guest list probably changes depending upon what city the performance is in. We were disappointed that Ben Gibbard and members of the Decemberists, who were advertised, did not appear; however, maybe they and others will play in the other cities on the tour.

At three intervals during the show, videos were shown on a screen at the back of the stage: short comedies of Aimee attempting to enlist celebrities to participate in the show. Among these were John Krasinski (The Office), Ben Stiller, and Will Ferrell--who at the end of their conversation dropped the bomb that he thought she was Jewell. Aimee also seemed to be poking fun at herself and her penchant for wearing tiny jackets and cartoon-character-sized ties.

Click small pictures for larger versions

1. Jacob Marley's Chain from Whatever
2. Merry Christmas

Perhaps Jackson Browne was the reason for some last-minute changes because he was not on the setlist. I was a huge fan of his in the 70's, and I'd seen him perform once over 30 years ago, so it was a thrill as well as a surprise to see him walk out on the stage. Although his hair is still dark, he looks a little grizzled around the chin but still very handsome, and his voice is strong and clear. The audience seemed as thrilled as I was as he sat down at the piano.


There was scattered applause in recognition of the opening notes of "The Rebel Jesus" then awed silence at the powerful message of the words. Then he came to the front of the stage and picked up a guitar to perform the Steve Earl cover, "Jerusalem."
3. Jackson Browne - The Rebel Jesus (info & lyrics here)
4. Jackson Brown - Jerusalem (lyrics)

Aimee returned along with comedian Paul F. Tompkins, and after some chitchat they performed the duet
5. Baby It's Cold Outside.
Then Aimee sang the pretty old standard,
6. I'll be home for Christmas
before introducing her next guest, longtime friend Grant Lee Phillips. We'd seen him with his old band Grant Lee Buffalo many years ago, and it was great to see him again, even though in the years between he seems to have turned into William Shatner. I mean that in a funny way; his hammy antics added to the fun. He does not seem to be scheduled into the rest of the Christmas show tour, and so the other audiences will truly miss out.

First he performed a solo of the tender "2000 Miles," written by Chrissie Hynde, which has deservedly become kind of a rock Christmas standard (photo below, left). Then he and Aimee did a highly dramatic reprise of the Grinch song they recorded for her 2006 CD One More Drifter In the Snow (below, right).


7. Grant Lee Phillips - 2000 Miles (Pretenders cover | lyrics)
8. Aimee and Grant Lee Phillips: You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch


Paul Thompkins returned and performed a hilarious monologue about why he doesn't smoke pot that had the audience rolling.

This was followed by another funny bit featuring Morgan Murphy (website) as the Hanukkah Fairy, a recurring role from the 1st Christmas Show. She said that there are no Hanukkah songs except for the dreydl song ("Try Googling!"), so she performed a Hanukkah rap before Aimee's next two numbers.

10. Morgan Murphy - Hanukkah Fairy Rap




11. Aimee Mann - Save Me from Magnolia movie soundtrack
12. Aimee Mann - Because it's Christmas Time (Buck Owens song? lyrics)

Cabaret/jazz singer Nellie McKay danced onto the stage on twinkle toes, then tuned her ukulele for a minute or two, apologizing, before playing her complaint that feminists are no fun, followed by "Christmas Dirge" and another song we haven't been able to identify. Can anyone fill in that blank?
13. Nellie McKay - Mother of Pearl (lyrics)
14. Nellie McKay - A Christmas Dirge
15. Nellie McKay - not sure what the song is, the lyrics I wrote down are "take me away somewhere they'll never ever find"

Another standout of the evening was the next guest, Amos Lee (below, left), whom I had not really paid attention to before. I've been correcting that since watching him play this John Prine cover so beautifully.
16. Amos Lee - Christmas in Prison (John Prine song | lyrics)



This left the audience so primed that when Aimee announced that the next guest was the legendary Willie Nelson, we totally fell for it. But "Willie" turned out to be Grant Lee again in a pigtail wig and fake beard (above, right). He crooned a thoroughly Nelsonized version of "Voices Carry" that was truly amazing but had everyone laughing.
17. "Willie Nelson" - Voices Carry

Aimee and her band returned to perform three more songs, which were just gorgeous. There was no sign of illness in her voice. She has always been very slender, but she appeared thinner than in her videos, which may have been the only visible sign of her having been sick. The band, by the way, is excellent, with Julian Coryell (below, left) on lead guitar and Paul Bryan (below, right) on bass and providing harmonies that complimented Aimee's voice perfectly. Her drummer and keyboardist(s), although just as important, were almost hidden among the decorations at the back of the stage. I also could not see the three-piece horn section at stage left from where I stood.


18. Calling On Mary from One More Drifter In the Snow
19. Way Back When from Whatever
20. Deathly from Bachelor #2

For the last number Aimee and all her guests returned to the stage, and after a scramble to find the lyric sheets, performed U2's stirring Christmas song while the Hanukkah Fairy ran around throwing confetti over their heads.


21. It's Christmas, Baby (Please Come Home) - U2 cover



All in all this is a well-planned holiday show with enough beautiful songs and comedy to satisfy even the most humbugged. There are likely to be surprise performers at every date, so I'm sure each show will have its own flavor and character. Check Aimee Mann's MySpace for future dates and venues, and get your ticket early!

There are some very nice Youtube videos of this show posted at Slowly Going Bald blog. I especially recommend the Grinch number--it's really cute.