↓ Jump To Navigation

Maddie Hannes writes

Just In Time For Christmas: Julian Koster's Singins Saws

Photo by: Optical Atlas

Some people foster holiday spirit with migraine-inducing shopping sprees, others will foster that spirit by candlelight with about 20 of their friends cramped together in an apartment to hear a trio of indie minstrels play carols with saws. On December 8 the Rogers Park home of a friend served as one of the Chicago stops for Julian Koster’s cross-country caroling trip. Formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel and currently of the Music Tapes, Koster and friends used some non-traditional instruments to play some traditional holiday carols, including selections from his album The Singing Saw at Christmastime, released last year on Merge Records. In the dim space, kitschy holiday props and Koster’s colorful bits of invented folklore accompanied the ghostly crooning of the singing saws. Everyone left feeling a little warmer, and I don’t think it was just the spiked hot cocoa that did it.

Please forgive the shoddy video quality — candles and Christmas lights make for a wonderful mood but rather unfortunate recording.

There’s More…

Posted on December 25, 2009 • Permalink • No Comments

Save to Delicious • Share on Facebook • Digg This! • Tweet This!

<
May 2012
 
SMTWTFS
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

View the full archives »

Article Categories

Active Child, Adam Yauch, Al Green, Alice Cooper, Andy Partridge, Angie Mead, Appearances, Architecture In Helsinki, Aretha Franklin, Art Brut, Artist Spotlight, Astrud Gilberto, Battles, Beauty Bar, Beck, Belle & Sebastian, Best Of 2009, Best Of 2010, Best Of 2011, Big Freedia, Bill Stevenson, Biz Markie, Blake Schwarzenbach, Bobby Conn, Bon Iver, Bottom Lounge, Braid, Brownsville Station, Buck Owens, Cadillac Palace, Cat Power, Chan Marshall, Charlie Christian, Chicago, Chicago Bands, Chicago Filmmakers, Chirp Night At The Whistler, Chirpradio, Chk Chk Chk, Chris Difford, Coach House Sounds, Colin Blunstone, Colin Newman, Comedy, Community, Concerts, Contests, Crocodiles, Curtis Mayfield, Cymbals Eat Guitars, D. Boon, Damon Albarn, Dan Smith, Dave Davies, David Bazan, David Vandervelde, David Wicik, David Yow, Death Cab For Cutie, Death Set, Debbie Harry, Deerhoof, Democracy Burlesque, Double Door, Doves, Dum Dum Girls, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, Eleanor Friedberger, Empty Bottle, Eric Burdon, Evan Dando, Evanston Space, Flavor Flav, Friendly Fires, Fundraiser, Future Islands, Gang Gang Dance, Gene Pitney, Geoff Barrow, George Clinton, George Harrison, Giveaways, Gold Panda, Graham Parker, Gram Parsons, Grrrl On Grrrl, Guy Picciotto, H.r., Harvey Pekar, Hideout, High Places, Hollows, Ian Curtis, Industry, Interview, Ipod, Ipod Shuffle, J. Mascis, James Williamson, Janet Weiss, Japandroids, Javelin, Jello Biafra, Joan Of Arc, Jodie Foster, Joe Lally, John Cale, John Deacon, John Waters, John Zorn, Judson Claiborne, Kate Pierson, Kathy Valentine, Kelley Deal, Kim Ann Foxman, Kim Deal, Kimya Dawson, Kmfdm, Kurt Vile, Ladyfest Midwest, Laura Szumowski, Lincoln Hall, Lionel Hampton, Lists, Ll Cool J, Local Community Radio Act, Local Music, Lonely Forest, Lou Reed, Lpfm, Lux Interior, Marc Bolan, Matt Kimmel, Maureen Tucker, Memory Tapes, Merle Haggard, Metro, Michael Lux & The Bad Sons, Midwestern Housewife, Mike Chapman, Mike Mills, Miki Berenyi, Movies, Mp3, Mp3 Shuffle, Music Box, Naked And Famous, Neil Finn, Neil Young, Neon Marshmellow Fest, News, Nicky Hopkins, Nina Hagen, Nostalgia, Off!, Off Book, On The Web, Otis Redding, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley, Paul Westerberg, Personal And The Pizzas, Person Of Interest, Phantogram, Phil Lynott, Podcast, Pop Culture, Portage Theater, Profiles, Pymalion Music Festival, Ray Charles, Reading List, Record Fair, Redgrave, Rediscovering Our Record Collection, Reggie Watts, Residencies, Reviews, Rhett Miller, Riv, Roberta Flack, Robert Wyatt, Ryan Adams, Schubas, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Seen And Heard, Serge Gainsbourg, Seth Feinn, Sharon Jones, Shuffle, Sleepy Sun, Sonny & The Sunsets, Spank Rock, Split Reel, St. Vincent, Stephen Howard, Stephen Morris, Steve Jones, Stevie Wonder, Subterranean, Suggs, Sxsw, Syd Barrett, T-Shirt, Theater, The Hold Steady, The Hood Internet, The Mayne Stage, The Mid, The Sandwitches, The War On Drugs, This Week, Thomas Dolby, Tim Kinsella, Tommy James, Trans Am, Tricky, Uic Pavilion, Vee Dee, Vic, Video, Vincent Price, Volunteering, Washed Out, Webcomics, Weekly Voyages, What Community Radio Means To Me, Whistler, Wilco, Will Oldham, Wire, Yuck, Zola Jesus, Zoo-Mouse-Key Press

The work of the Chicago Independent Radio Project is supported in part by a generous grant from the Crossroads Fund. More information at crossroadsfund.org.