Stereogum Meets Sufjan
I've wanted to see Laura Veirs live since Carbon Glacier. Now that the indie folk artist is touring, with a new band, in support of the even better Year Of Meteors, I wasn't gonna miss out.
Mercury Lounge 10:30: "Fire Snakes," "Cool Water," "Galaxies" ... all beautiful. But I was distracted. "Sufjan Stevens is standing right next to you," Amrit told me. And we spent a good portion of Laura's set in fanboy mode, staring at the back of Suf's head.
I happened to be wearing this.
Sufjan headed for the exit during Laura's last song, but I had to say something. I had brought a Stereogum t-shirt for Amrit, but Amrit didn't release the best album of 2005. So I gave it to Mr. Stevens instead. "My favorite color," said Sufjan. I don't think he wanted his photo with the tee on the Internet, so we won't post it. And we've disguised him in this one.
I kept apologizing for bothering him. What would you say if you ran into your favorite artist at a show?
Posted at 5:03 PM
Tags: Laura Veirs
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your definitely luckier than me.
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cool
http://ultra8201.blogspot.com
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Wow... awesome.
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You shoulda given the S-Gum shirt to Laura Veirs; she wore that same red-striped shirt at the show in Phoenix.
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Judging from that top picture, I'd say Laura Veirs must be a Terminator. A cute, pig-tailed Terminator.
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That's pretty cool. I remember meeting her after the Colin Meloy show in January. She's cute.
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lol... i'm wearing the same shirt today! but alas, no sufjan head to stare at anywhere near me....
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ooo, lucky. i wouldve missed the entire show just from staring at suf. maybe i should wear my U2 shirt to my next concert and hope Bono shows up.
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Well i like what you did with the picture, and again, thanks for the shirt.
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Sufjan was at Danielson on Saturday night also.
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I gave up trying to fix Laura's red eye; whenever I mess with that, the result screams "PHOTOSHOP!"
As a graphic designer, what would you say is the best method to remove red eye? I'm using Photoshop CS2.
And I'm hoping to buy a new camera before Bonnaroo, so any advice is appreciated.
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you shouldn't have apologized so much, if you love his music... you can tell him... a musician always likes to hear that. but after that... just treat him (or anyone you respect but don't know) like a normal person, not a god.
cheers
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I talked to Dan Bejar after his Destroyer set in Chicago when he sat behind the merch table, and made a drunken ass of myself - twice (hoping he could relate). First I told him that I downloaded all his songs from the internet with the intent to buy, which I've been doing, and then asked why "Thief" was so difficult to get and admitted to requesting "Canadian Lover" during the show (because it was the song he opened with in StL when Destroyer opened for the NPs) only later did I learn that he doesn't play songs from that album anymore, which would account for his casual, "Oh, I can't play that one." I then mumbled about how I enjoyed the Ezra Pound references in "3000 Flowers" gave him the rock horns and stumbled away, only to return 10 minutes later and tell him how much his music means to me and my girlfriend and how there's this long boring story that ties us together and to the music which he probably didn't want to hear or me to tell (which there really is, but c'mon, who gives a shit besides me and her). And so I tried to say my sincerest thanks; my embarassed girlfriend did buy a kick-ass t-shirt, and brother Dan was quite gracious (both times) and suffered me more than courtesy should allow.
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Austin city limits festival line up leaked here
http://ultra8201.blogspot.com
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Hah, if i saw sufjan id go into a fanboyish mode too! id probably hug him. then take a picture with him. after being frightend he'd probably run away also, BUT not before an autograph. (especially if i was wearing and Illinoise Shirt!)
WAY cool story.
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I'd be pretty damn star struck too if I was standing next to Sufjan during a whole show...It'd be pretty damn awesome. You're lucky Scott.
Here's a red eye reduction tutorial:
http://www.creativepro.com/story/howto/23970.html
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i'd be apologetic like i have been a few times. when i met malkmus at gbv hoot night in 2005 at sxsw, i saw him and just walked up to him quick and said "i don't mean to bother you, but i just wanted to say hi quick and that i'm a big fan." and he was nice and shook my hand and said hi and thanks and i moved back to hanging with gbv.
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sounds like you blew it, gum. as a famous person myself, i loathe being chatted up by the fans when im just trying to blend in. you should have just bought him a drink or a nod and a smile.
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sufjan is so hot and so gay FYI, he was about to come out before he became born again, this is not rumor!
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i felt the exact same way when i met ben gibbard, went into girlie fan mode, and made a total fool of myself
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i was at the Casbah watching Grandaddy when i ducked in to the restroom. i noticed a guy at the urinal with lanky black hair tucked under a wooly hat, leather wristband, converse. and i thought, 'sheesh, another god damn Elliott lookalike.'
it was not a minute later that he was up onstage with the band. i was gobsmacked. easily one of the top musicians i could have hoped to meet and yet, had i recognized him, i would have likely pissed myself.
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Red eye reduction: I use Picasa. It does a reasonable job of it. It's quick and easy, you drag a little square around the eye and it does the rest.
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I literally bumped into Eddie Argos before their show in Philly in early April. I turned into some stuttering girl at an NSync show. I utterly several unintelligible words. Pretty sure Eddie didn't understand any of them. Then I stood around as he hung out at the merch table, deciding if I wanted to try and get a picture with him. No picture. I have zero balls.
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C'mon, isn't the obvious reaction "Hey, Suj-fan! Weren't we in a band together once?"
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i agree on Picasa. Looks good, as easy as it gets and for managing photos/importing.
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when I saw Sufjan in Champaign my friends and I were eating dinner at the little restaurant next to the theater when Sufjan and the band walked in to eat. They sat down right across from us and of course I was reading a local entertainment publication with a huge picture of him on the front. Smoooooth.
I got to stare at him the whole time we were eating though, so that was cool. Now I really wish I would have said something.
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I met sufjan at an americans uk and islands show. he's a bro. cool to meet.
met ben dcfc like amillion times. last time at the private mates of state seth cohen show where he open.
they are all nice ppl. and they make good music. and some ppl pitchfork no no make good music too.
they live in austin.
and potland
and they are good. and nice.
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anyone seen the "fuck stereogum" shirt on the best week ever shop on vh1's site?
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Yeah, but...how was the Laura Veirs show?
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most of these "famous" indie rockers we discuss really aren't that famous at all - and are "shy" and "conscientious" and "well-meaning" as an archetype. if you aren't a drunken fool about it (sorry dude), having a wee chat with them will be a pleasant interaction that everyone can feel lovely about. forever.
note that this doesn't have to apply to everyone - secret machines (dicks) and that kind of 2 kool 4 skool thing.
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i'd say, frank beard, yer the drummer for zz top, yet you don't have a beard. what gives?
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if i would have met sufjan i would have punched him in the stomech for being such a heart throb, then told him to talk like godzukie!!!
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I would love to meet Sufjan Stevens. I've been listening to the Avalanche a bit now and its not as great as Seven Swans, but still an excellent album. the Multiple Personality Disorder Version of Chicago is absolutely excellent.
http://www.musictimes.com.au
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holy crap. youre lucky... i'd go totally speechless (or go in fangirl mode) if i met sufjan... oh man.
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i ran into ben gibbard at a john vanderslice show and froze up and didnt say anything. i just introduced myself stood there awkwardly and walked away.
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I've met (and spoken to) many rockers in my day, and for the most part, they are all nice, interesting people.
S. Malkmus-before his show, came out to watch the openers and was just hanging out. I walked up to him and had a nice chat about portland.
Ira and Georgia (Yo La Tengo)-before a show, just hanging around outside. Spoke with them for a half hour.
Bob Mould-Kind of stand-off-ish, but had nice things to say about touring/keeping it indie.
Frank Black (prior to Pixies reunion)-we talked about UFO's.
Elliot Smith-Way back when, he opened for Mary Lou Lord, and we spoke during her whole set at the bar about Bob Dylan, Portland, Heatmiser and the various bands we liked. That was cool.
The point is, go talk to these people, they aren't going to have security toss you, and if they don't want to talk, they'll let you know.
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Sufjan is not overwhelmed with fans like, say , Madonna or - heh heh - Paris Hilton, so I am sure he can handle the price of fame and success.
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I've met a few of my rock heroes, some more famous than others, but the coolest, most approachable and sincere is Mike Watt.
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I saw Ron Jeremy at Heathrow. I was going to ask him to have sex with me on camera but I thought better of it.
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He lives in my neighborhood. Whenever I see him I(quietly and inside) freak a tiny bit out. A little embarassing, dude.
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One time I saw Sister Sister on the beach in hawaii. One of them said hi but I don't know if it was Tia or Tamera. TOTALLY THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
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^^^^^ Amazing story Bethany, Thanks for sharing!
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At the Minus 5 show at SXSW at the Continental, I looked up to find myself six inches from Neko Case. The weird thing is that I had just been talking to the guy next to me about how great her new disc is and how insanely hot she is.
I didn't say anything; I was a bit drunk, and figured I'd make a total gushing ass of myself. (Did get Peter Buck's autograph later, though.)
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Scott: "You remember that time when you played the Bowery for like seven nights straight and they all had different themes, and all the bloggers tried to see all of them because they're all such big fans, and they all posted about you for a week straight?"
Sufjan: "Yeah."
Scott: "...That was cool."
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who's sufjan stevens?
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I met him in Hamburg, where he was playing this tiny club, and we had been the only ones standing at the front singing and clapping, so we kinda had to talk to him afterwards. He was really friendly and open till I asked what the next state might be (idiot) and he became pretty quiet and said he couldn't talk about it, and didn't really like being asked. It would have been really awkward if my girlfriend hadn't said, really loudly, "Well, it's your own fault!", and we all started laughing. Good times.
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I once saw the lead singer for 3 Doors Down at an Orange Julius. I gave him a spare flag I happened to be carrying, and was planning on giving to my friend later that night. But my friend didn't make the most sucessful modern rock radio single of 2001, did he? It was my little way of saying he made me proud to be an American. He purchased a medium orange juice and paid in change.
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Anyone who gets the chance to meet the great Sufjan is a luck man by far. I would have gone into fanboy mode immediately.
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Laura's bass player looks like Aaron Lazar in grandpa pants.
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Got my shirt yesterday, thanks! I met Sufjan and Katrina in Madison a few years back. I'll be honest and say I was more intersted in Katrina. She was knitting a scarf.
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Poo Poodle:
Agree on the Watt thing, he loves talking to the fans. I was at a firehose gig in NYC (some friends of mine were opening) and spent a long time with Watt in the "green room". Really good guy.
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Could we say a bit more about the Veirs show? What's the big deal with her?
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you guys are such dorks. ha!
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Yikes. Can I offer some free red-eye reduction Photoshop skills for you?
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sufjan ate dinner at my friend's restaurant in Park Slope. he has gap teeth. notice how he keeps his mouth closed in every single promo shot. it's not a sexy pout ladies...
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Scott, you run the Stereogum blog. Sufjan was probably just as honored (if not more) to meet you.
Don't fear your blogosphere fame; embrace it!
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Laura was wearing the same shirt in Pheonix? She was also wearing the same shirt in SF last friday when she was opening for John Vanderslice. I hope that girl is cleaning the thing at least. In SF she didn't have her full band with her so she used a sampling pedal a lot. It was pretty fantastic.
I'd probably still go into fan-boy mode around Sufjan but I've gotten better around rockers. A few years back I met Jonathan Ford (Pedro the Lion, Unwed Sailor, Seldom) and got totally embarrassed and clammed up. It was pretty bad.
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I seriously would've popped a boner had I met Sufjan, gap teeth and all.
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That's amazing! I'm not a huge Sufjan fan, so I probably wouldn't even have recognized him. But the thought of running into one of my favourite artists at a show... wow. And I'm missing Laura Veirs tonight, so I'm pretty jealous about that.
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Is that Karl Blau playing bass for Laura Veirs?
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When I got tickets to a Radiohead after party during their Thief tour, I made Jonny Greenwood blush by telling him that I had a man-crush on him. Thom and I chatted for about 10 or so. (He's super freaking nice. Don't believe the hype.)
When I saw Keith Richards, I simply asked him for a fist pound. That made him laugh.
Um...the lead singer of Apollo Sunshine and I chainsmoked half a pack of (my) American Spirits after a charity show I booked them for.
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i love sufjan...look at how cute his hair falls under his cap.
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colin meloy hit me in the head with his guitar at a show last year. he had to stop playing and was freaking out. all i could think to say was, "no, no, i'm ok. really." THAT was embarassing.
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yeah its karl and he does look a little like aaron. but then again, no one seems to know who he is even though he's been affiliated with K records since, well, forever. that's sad. he's a fucking great artist.
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yes, buddha, that was karl blau playing bass (and guitar too).
here's the set from laura's show, in case anyone was wondering:
Cool Water / Rialto / Parisian Dream / Magnetized / Lonely Angel Dust / Fire Snakes / Galaxies / Shadow Blues / Spelunking / Where Gravity Is Dead / Up The River / Lost At Seaflower Cove / Ether Sings / Snow Camping / Secret Someones // Encore: Black-Eyed Susan / Lake Swimming
pretty tasty performance if you ask me!
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dude. i met michael stipe not once, but twice in the same day, back in 1991. both times, i was completely struck dumb, with nothing of any consequence to say whatsoever. stupid brain.
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scott, that's too funny. i was standing there thinking "i wonder if scott's here?" and lo and behold, you were. also, i can't believe sufjan was standing to the left of me all night and i didnt even realise it. but yknow, who cares. i love him but i was there to see laura and she was phenomenal. im still reeling from that show.
oh man, i wish i could watch her for like a million more nights. when i first walked in the door she was doing her own merch. how cute.
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Tre Cool was standing by while checking out the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in SF at the Warfield. Started talking to the guy next to him about what a good concert it was. Stuck around for a couple of songs.
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I think that t-shirt as business card is a hot new trend that you're starting. Really, though, I feel like the bravest part about this was talking to Sufjan while wearing his shirt. Getting past the unintentional "that guy"ness of it all must have been a monumental challenge. Lesser (or less self-aware) mortals would have melted into a puddle of awkwardness.
Maybe this was alleviated once Sufjan was wearing your shirt. Because two dudes chatting each other up while wearing the other guy's t-shirt is much less asymmetrically weird.
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sufjan is so hot and so gay FYI, he was about to come out before he became born again, this is not rumor!
proof? ok thanks.
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^^^ Why don't you stay out of his personal life. Sufjan Stevens writes beautiful music and thats all that matters
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Remember the band Fishbone?
I met the front man - the one with the mowhawk - at one of the Lollapolooza shows way back in the day, the one with Primus,Tool,Front 242, Dinosaur Jr. and a few others...
Anyway, he offered me a beer and I was like 14.
I did not take it.
Good times.
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Hey, in the first photo Laura's eyes match her shirt!
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Akaward question, but how tall is Sufjan Stevens? I've read he's 5'6" or 5'7", but he looks so tall in pictures and videos.
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Akaward question, but how tall is Sufjan Stevens? I've read he's 5'6" or 5'7", but he looks so tall in pictures and videos.
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i've heard he's 5 foot 8.
I AM SO JEALOUS.
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I heard he was 5'10" - 6" Stereogum, how tall was he?
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haha how great is that ??!!! I managed to have a long chat with laura actually in France and it was awesome she was really like "oh my God, do you really like me ? Do you really want a picture and a sign ? " she doesn't feel like a star in any more and indeed, she's more than that cause isn't a star only ephemere ? Anyway, I knew Laura and Sufjan were actually liking each other a lot.. Haven't u seen laura wearing sufjan's t-shirt already ? Cuz she did ! Anyway, they're both nice. Having them two in a single night must have felt awesome, indeed, wow !
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Do you mean they like each other as musicians or like boyfriend and girlfriend?
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