Last Night: Wilco's Nels Cline with Norton Wisdom as Stained Radiance at DiPiazza's, Long Beach

The curiosity and anticipation of what was about to unfold led to some lofty expectations. After all, Cline has played not only with the likes of Jeff Tweedy and company, but also '90s bohemian-alterna-rockers Geraldine Fibbers as well as punk hero (and local god) Mike Watt. 

The Show: Any one of the 50 or so people perched around the dining room and adjacent bar area expecting to be lulled, soothed and inspired by warm dulcet guitar sounds à la Wilco's “Hummingbird” would have been sorely disappointed. Good thing for them, this show only cost $7. During the 30 minute performance, Cline's amplifier emitted a series of blips, screeches and groans that at times sounded like a raging dragon crossed with a malfunctioning ham radio. Wisdom meanwhile painted human figures on what can best be described as an oversized light-box. 

]

The first thing that came to mind was a '00 episode of the Simpsons in which houseguest Becky (voiced by Parker Posey) paints a portrait of Lisa playing sax while Lisa jams to Becky's painting. It was an episode that demonstrated this type of performance art as a joke long before Cline and Wisdom decided to undertake it seriously. That said, there was a slightly hypnotic quality to Wisdom's brush working across the light-box as human forms slowly emerged. There were even moments when the beauty of what he was doing superseded the silliness of it all. But by the end of the set, the light-box sort of resembled an impressionist image of an 18th century family transposed by fish monsters and perhaps a rhesus monkey. Meanwhile, Cline's sonic improvisations, while highly artful, soon grated.   

The Crowd: Sedate and perpetually seated, except when a few got up to leave. It was a hodgepodge of old and young with some in the room drinking Pabst and others drinking Cabernet. At least one person had his fingers stuck firmly in his ears. Mike Watt was in the crowd, taking the occasional break from eating dinner to snap a picture of the performers. During the climax of one song, Watt brought his hands up and mimed enthusiastically to the sounds. 

Overheard: “It was interesting, huh?” said a concertgoer following Stained Radiance's set.

3 Replies to “Last Night: Wilco's Nels Cline with Norton Wisdom as Stained Radiance at DiPiazza's, Long Beach”

  1. Pingback: Study in Africa
  2. CBD exceeded my expectations in every way thanks https://www.cornbreadhemp.com/blogs/learn/how-long-does-thc-stay-in-your-system . I’ve struggled with insomnia on years, and after trying CBD because of the first once upon a time, I at the last moment experienced a full night of calm sleep. It was like a bias had been lifted off the mark my shoulders. The calming effects were gentle still profound, allowing me to meaning slow obviously without sensibilities woozy the next morning. I also noticed a reduction in my daytime apprehension, which was an unexpected but acceptable bonus. The partiality was a minute lusty, but nothing intolerable. Comprehensive, CBD has been a game-changer for my siesta and anxiety issues, and I’m thankful to keep discovered its benefits.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *