LB at Writer's Guild Theater
 

Saw Lindsey at Judd Apatow's fundraiser tonight. Here are pictures. I didn't want to use my flash, so they aren't very good. As I was walking to my seat, I passed Lindsey and Kristin sitting in the audience. All night long, I fought the urge to crain my neck and look around at him, to see how he was reacting to the music and comedians on stage, especially when Randy Newman sang "I Love L. A." It reminded me of the video and that reminded me of both Lindsey and Christine (tear).

The Ryan Adams band was the first musical act to perform and Adams was very good. Competitive streak emerging however, I hoped he wouldn't be as good as Lindsey. When Ryan asked his wife to come up on stage and sing with him I thought, "Darn it! Kristin needs to go up there and perform with Lindsey, too. If she can't sing, she can at least go up and design a chair or something."

Ryan made jokes about having to cut his 30 minute guitar and harmonica solos in the interest of time. And then he mimed how good his guitar solo would have been and the inspired, tortured faces he would have made while playing. I had to laugh, because it reminded me of the faces Lindsey really does make during a solo. I laughed again when Garry Shandling took the stage and mocked Ryan's singing wife saying, "I'd like to ask my girlfriend Laura to come up on stage. I didn't know she sang. How awkward."

Lindsey was the final act. Judd said that he asked Lindsey to be in the show first and that he built the rest of it around LB. Clearly, Judd is a sagacious man, who should be honored for his strong taste and judgment always. He said that some music has always been in your life. It's the fabric you've grown up with and that's how it is for him and Fleetwood Mac. He remembers how great it was seeing them for the first time on the Tusk tour. Then, what a privilege it was to actually go to Sony with Adam Sandler and see Fleetwood Mac rehearse last year. He said he got that same thrill last week when he saw them rehearse again. He added that he always listens to Lindsey's music while writing his scripts. Hey Judd, why don't you put Lindsey's music in your scripts? Fiona Apple was in the audience and he just told Fiona that he had a song of hers in his next movie. I don't know why Lindsey's not all over that soundtrack.

Lindsey comes out and he looks thinner. His boots are more scuffed. His forehead more prominent. He's wearing a pinstripe black suit coat, but the rest of his uniform is the same. He starts with a spirited, intense version of Shut Us Down. It's not my favorite song, but it's been so long since I've heard it and Lindsey's vocals are so fierce, that I'm infused with joy. He stops to talk for a moment. He says he doesn't really know Judd, but he's found out that they live "dangerously close" to one another, so he intends to get to know Judd better and, in fact, the guy probably won't be able to get rid of him. He recalls that time a year and a half ago when Judd and Adam Sandler came to see FM rehearse, after shooting their movie Funny People.

Lindsey follows SUD with Trouble, which the audience recognizes immediately. Then, he begins an unfamiliar intro, before starting to play the familiar chords of NGBA, which also gets an instant round of applause from the opening notes. People stand as it ends, the first standing ovation of the night. He finishes with Big Love, saying it's about change in 2 senses. First, it was an ensemble number from some album called Tango in the Night which he thinks must have been written in, uh, 1987. I feel like running up to the stage and saying, "Listen, you. Stop trying to be cute! You know darn well when you wrote that song." Anyway, he continues that he converted the song into a solo piece. But it's also about change in a much more important way, because when he wrote it, he was guarded, looking out for love in defensive mode, trying to avoid it. That's not true anymore and all that remains is an echo of the guarded man he used to be. It's a song that was once about alienation and now it's about change.

After the song is over, he quickly leaves the stage. I was glad to see him in such fine form and can't wait for the new album and (hopefully) tour in 2011.

Michele
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Lindsey at Writer's Guild Theater
 

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Ryan Adam's music equipment was all across the stage. He had 3 musicians with him. Lindsey's guitars were stashed in a corner to the right and I just stared at them periodically all evening thinking that the guitarists on this board would have known exactly which 4 songs he was going to play, just by looking at his guitars.

Michele

Michele, check your PMs please :)

Thank you for the fine review and the pictures. Through your descriptive words I felt like I was there. I was glad he threw in one song that the majority wouldn't know.

Amazing write-up. Michelle, I hope you have all of your Mac reportage saved someplace ;)

Also... I think Judd Apatow is a genuinely (to use Lindsey's word) dangerous person, but this story reminds me that the GREAT Adam Sandler DID include Monday Morning AND (solo version) Sentimental Lady in the wonderful Grown Ups.

Great review Michelle! Sounds like it was a great show, but now I wonder why Judd doesn'nt use Bucky's tunes more in movies...

Thanks for posting such a great review and pics! Obviously I love Lindsey. Also love Ryan and would've loved to be there. Probably would've spent the $500 if I hadn't had to pay airfare on top of that.

Yes, I was surprised by that too. I would have guessed Time Precious Time before Shut Us Down.

Because of the small size of the stage and the fact it was so cluttered, Lindsey couldn't move. It was strange to see him so stationary. I wanted everyone else there to get a taste of the boundless energy we all know so well.

Remember after the tennis pictures we wondered if Lindsey was gaining weight? He definitely is not or maybe he went on a crash diet after those pictures came out. I don't know . . . but he is thinner than he was last time I saw the Unleashed tour.

His exposed forehead seemed to reach a point. I don't know how he lost so much hair in just one year. He had the front part combed up, almost a bit spiky by the hairline.

Oh, I've been informed that Ryan's wife was Mandy Moore. Duh! Oh my goodness. I just thought she was some tall, brunette woman. I know her from talk shows too. Ryan was a very funny, self-deprecating guy and his songs sounded really good. I need to check his material out more.

Michele

I need a website or something for archival purposes!

Michele

I know and you have to consider that he would only get to do a limited number of songs. So, it wasn't worth a trip and the ticket price. But 2011, it seems like the Macsters will be draining all of our wallets. Wonder if I have any frequent flyer miles to cash in.

Michele

I think the "weight gain" in those tennis pics was the way his shirt was laying and it gave that illusion. As for now, he's definitely not Tusk thin, but how did he seem to lose more weight?

As for the forehead, I have no vlue why he did it, but he could've lost some hair very rapidly. Take a look at Mick between the Japan show and the Tusk doc: about 2 years and he lost a ton of hair.

Yes, what is up with that. If his work is good enough for Elizabethtown, it's good enough for Judd!

That reminds me of Lindsey saying he had seen the SNL skit on the internet, during his Mark and Brian show. That was hilarious. He said that he thought Bill Hader had him down. I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, but at least Hader had the red shirt!

Michele

or play a tambourine!

Kristin needs to go up there and perform with Lindsey, too. If she can't sing, she can at least go up and design a chair or something."