Quickie Concert Alert: The Magnetic Fields with opener Laura Barrett

Alright, like i explained to the Missus the other night regarding something else entirely, tonight's just going to be a quickie. Of course, we were talking about a game of speed Yahtzee, you sick freaks, but now i mean the following post.

The Magnetic Fields are getting ready to drop a new CD, Realism, which is supposed to act as a counterpoint to their previous Distortion. Whereas the former was all about fuzzed out power jams, the latter deals in much softer palates. Of course, all of that really is tangential to today's topic. As most new releases are apt to promote, the band will be touring and hit D.C. on Feb. 4 (the day before my birthday for all you record A&R folks looking to bribe, er, wish me many happy returns of the day). You can stream the entire thing here.

Which brings me to the actual point of this post, which is to talk about the MF's opening acts. i caught the band the last time they blew through town (at the Birchmere a few years back) when they had one Mr. Darren Hanlon in the opening slot. i'd never heard of Hanlon prior to that show, but he's been a fave of mine ever since. The gentleman from Down Under is a kick ass lyricist, deftly blending humor into his heartfelt lyrics. As it is with some of my favorite performers, it was his in-between-song banter that really pushed his show up a few notches. When he related how he met a guy who claimed his grandfather had invented the kickstand and how that experience demanded he write a song about it, i damn near lost it.

This tour, the Fields have employed the services of Ms. Laura Barrett. Her weapon of choice is the kalimba (an African thumb-piano, literally translated as "little music"), and from the little bit of her i've heard, she's a pretty fierce competitor. Oh, and she's also a member of the Hidden Cameras. i still need to snag some tickets to this show myself, but assuming that happens, expect a report to see if she can achieve the same rarefied status as Hanlon. Because let's be honest, most people go into music so they can be listed prominently on a blogger's list of "fave bands/artists you've probably never heard of." i'm pretty sure that's what motivated the Beatles.

mp3: The Kickstand Song (Darren Hanlon from Hello Stranger)

mp3: Punk's Not Dead (Darren Hanlon from Hello Stranger)

mp3: Bluebird (Laura Barrett from Victory Garden)