Saw Jane Siberry Tuesday night, first time since 1990!

[rickawakeman]

Called by some "the Canadian Kate Bush", I pulled out a program from the last time my wife and I saw Jane here in town...in 1990 at the Iron Horse! We love Jane's idiosyncratic style and Tuesday night's show did not disappoint. Quirky, eccentric, funny, thought-provoking...and just wonderful;I was enthralled the entire evening ina relatively new venue in town (for us, anyway), The Parlor Room which seems to have capacity of about 100, the perfect intimate setting for Jane's show. I have not heard her last studio effort from 2016, apparently after she became a Christian artist, but have read good things. Fans?

[mozo-pg]

She was huge in Canada back in the day.

[Casey]

I found Jane by accident a couple of decades ago. She lost me when she went into her "Issa" phase.

[rickawakeman]

We'd also jumped ship during that period.

[wilcox660]

I believe I last saw Jane on her tour for Bound By The Beauty. I never lost interest, just never ran across gigs I was aware of! Fantastic writer!

[Dok]

Fans?

Yes! I have all of her stuff except for the first album I believe. I didn't know she had become a 'Christian artist'. She has always had a spiritual bent. So many great songs. I have to say that 'The Lobby' might be my favorite. Here an older Jane mimes to her younger recording. "This is my finest moment"

[alanterrill]

Fans?

I liked several of her earlier albums particularly The Walking and Bound by the Beauty but I didn't like Maria and haven't listened since. Curiously she did make an appearance in Shrewsbury UK, just down the road from me, last year and I was tempted, but when I saw it was just her and an acoustic guitar I didn't bother as I don't like to hear songs pared back like that, but maybe I missed out.

There is an unusual collaboration she once did with Fred Frith :

[mnprogger]

I've often wondered what she may have thought of Kevin Gilbert's cover of Taxi Ride.

[GuitarGeek]

Back in the early days, VH-1 used to play the videos for Map Of The World Part Two and One More Colour. Always thought those were great songs. I remember borrowing a couple of her earlier albums from the library at the time, as well as The Speckless Sky. Seemed like very quirky pop music, but I remember very little except those two songs.

I believe I read at one point she had all of her albums available for free download on her website, but for whatever reason, I never followed through on checking those out.

[everyday]

Saw her at her London debut at The ICA in the mid 80s and had the pleasure to meet her afterwards. Speckless Sky and The Walking are her best albums - Bound By The Beauty isn't bad either.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

I have always loved her records through The Walking. My favorite tune is The White Tent The Raft. The Speckless Sky is my favorite album. I first heard her in the dead of night whilst listening to Weasel on WHFS after they had moved out of D.C.

[TheH]

I think I have Speckless Sky and The Walking but haven't listen to those for ages

Seems I lost interest very soon back then, although I think I really liked The Walking..

[Polypet]

I love her. Her sincerity, humour and musicality shines through every single thing she does, including her newsletter. She can be *very* relaxed and mellow and almost new age flavoured but even that is generally at a very high level.

The Issa name change thing was a very personal thing for her to be so transparent and open about. But that is who she is. As a former Californian, i know people who have made life transitions in that way. To discover something more about themselves, life or whatever. It was a big step for a big star like her to basic become an ascetic and go through a spiritual awakening of whatever kind. And then * come back * in this new commercial world and survive to keep making music. It was pretty inspiring and ballsy.

Personally, i think the Issa things are some of the purest (and least "religious" per se) of all of her work. If you've heard her work going back to "Teenager", one knows how abstract and funny and cool and brilliant her writing and sentiments can be. As a fellow spiritual traveller but not religious at all, and a science fan, i can appreciate the non-Christian spiritual aspects of her work more. But as a former Catholic boy, i get that too. She leans more to a mystic sacred thing than the "Christ" thing so much. Although her last album had more of that bent. It's very pleasant but not a favourite, as it's hard to get past the more overt lyrics. Still... i wish her well and, excuse the phrase, God bless her and all of us, in these times. I'm glad to know she's still able to make a decent living making fine music and doing what she loves. I hope and trust all is well in her life. She's giving us so much beauty and pleasure over the years with her art and the way she carries herself in the musical world. An icon, for sure. As a Canadian it's triple true for me

Bound By The Beauty and my all time favourite, The Walking. Wow. But everything in her catalogue is worth exploring. The story sequences in the Issa trillogy are just fabulous. Very much more on an avant tip but worth the ride. Hilarious asides and references woven into a rather subtly formal fabric of a set. Moments of joy, beauty, humour, sadness and the usual poignant mystical thing only she can do... they really are worth the investment in time and several listens through. Album oriented, for sure. We listened with my grandkids and they really enjoyed it too, though there is some very adult (if still very funny and on point) things in also. I just love them.

The other latter things i've enjoyed are her more choral, folk and hymnal seasonal things. All very well done and perfect for those occasions.

Check it all out. She is not a legend without good reason

K

[Progbear]

I saw her twice, an excellent show both times. She’s very funny, talented and unique. Once was a solo show, the other had her accompanying herself on guitar with a piano accompanist and a backing singer. She did the entire 20 minutes of “Oh My My” at the trio show, where she wore this T-shirt that said “GET FAT!” and spent a chunk of the show trashing Reprise Records.

I like all her stuff up to and including Maria. I kind of fell off from her after that (I have Teenager but never really connected with it). The Walking is her masterpiece, but you really need to hear the original Duke Street version with the long, complete versions of “Ingrid (and the Footman)” and the title track. You’re missing out if all you have heard is the Reprise edit.

[moecurlythanu]

For 90s berries, I preferred Heidi Berry, but Jane wasn't bad either, the little I was exposed to.
A serious question, as I never heard her name pronounced...is it Sih-BERRY or Sibbery?

[lazland]

Yes! I have all of her stuff except for the first album I believe. I didn't know she had become a 'Christian artist'. She has always had a spiritual bent. So many great songs. I have to say that 'The Lobby' might be my favorite. Here an older Jane mimes to her younger recording. "This is my finest moment"

Not keen on the miming "video", but a gorgeous song which will prompt me to investigate her work more. Thanks for sharing.

[Dok]

For 90s berries, I preferred Heidi Berry, but Jane wasn't bad either, the little I was exposed to.
A serious question, as I never heard her name pronounced...is it Sih-BERRY or Sibbery?

[Dok]

Not keen on the miming "video", but a gorgeous song which will prompt me to investigate her work more. Thanks for sharing.

I know.. I debated about this one or another with just the album cover. The sound on the above isn't that great either.

[moecurlythanu]

Thanks, Dok. That's what I suspected.

[soundsweird]

I saw her twice in the late 80's-early 90's, and have most of her albums and a VHS of her videos. Been listening to her since I saw this thread pop up the other day. I like all the studio albums up through "Maria", including the self-titled first one which gets short shrift from most folks. I have that 4-CD live album from the late 90's, which has only about a CD's worth of stuff I like. I have the compilation "City" which has her appearances on other artists' albums (recommended). I have one of the Issa-era albums that's not bad. I have "Teenager", which is songs she wrote when she was a kid then recorded in the 90's, it's okay. I have a Canadian-press CD of "The Walking" (as well as the U.S. version), which has longer versions of the title song (long instrumental in the middle that was cut out on the other version) and an extended version of "Ingrid & the Footman". Also have "Day in the Life", a 30-minute collage EP which is okay.

[Dok]

Jane at Joe's Pub.jpg

[philsunset]

The Walking is her masterpiece, but you really need to hear the original Duke Street version with the long, complete versions of “Ingrid (and the Footman)” and the title track. You’re missing out if all you have heard is the Reprise edit.

I listened to the Duke Street version for the first time today. It's a much richer, fuller, better album.

[soundsweird]

I found that Duke Street version of The Walking in a dollar clearance bin at a Half-Price Books. What a great find!!

[Dok]

June 22, OTTAWA JAZZ FESTIVAL
with Peter Kiesewalter (piano), Whitney La Grange (violin), Julien
10:30 pm
Ontario Stage
Elgin Street side of Confederation Park Ottawa, ON
TICKETS

June 23, GUELPH, between Rockwood and Acton
Fundraiser against anti-earth Developers
James Gordon and I will be deferring our fees to help pay for legal ammunition. Come defer yours.

3pm AFTERNOON CONCERT (70min) AND TEA
1896 Glencairn Farm
TICKETS and more info $85
Or contact Linda Sword at 519-853-1896 lsword@crcrockwood.org