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Suzanne Vega Setlist
Duncan Sheik Setlist
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Folk storytellers Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik are currently tour, stopping by the Cedar Cultural Center last Sunday, November 15th.
Vega and Sheik previously collaborated in a play called "Carson McCullers Talks About Love," which was about the life of the writer Carson McCullers (known for her debut novel The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and The Member of the Wedding). Vega must still love it, that she decided to dedicated a three-song section to the writer in the middle of her set (but we'll get to that later).
Kicking off the co-headlining show was Duncan Sheik, with the help of drummer Doug Yowell and keyboardist Jason Hart.
Judging from the banters, Sheik must have had a wonderful, amazing time, in 2009, touring with Vega throughout Europe... resulting in memorable songs "Circling" and inspiring "Birmingham".
For "I Don't Do Sadness", Sheik is joined on stage by Vega and Gerry "Spooky Ghost" Leonard. The song sounded fuller and upbeat, thanks to Leonard's guitar-embellishment... and it definitely did not sound anything like Sheik's self-confessed "self-indulgent singer/songwriter songs".
The majority of his set featured some songs from his latest Legerdemain (Kobalt Music), including "Selling Out", "Avalanche", "Photograph", and that UK-inspiring "Birmingham" song.
Sheik ended his set with a song he wrote for American Psycho The Musical called "This is Not an Exit". The London production of American Psycho received mostly positive reviews from critics, thanks to some inventive original Sheik songs and some cover songs. According to Sheik, the play will hit Broadway this March 2016, so American fans can finally enjoy American Psycho on the stage.
Storyteller Suzanne Vega played the Cedar in May 2014. For that tour, she was promoting her latest Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pantacles (Amanuensis Productions), so it made sense that the majority of her set was from that record. For this current tour with Sheik, she decided to do a New York themed show (billed as "Songs from New York City - From Bleecker Street to Broadway").
Vega, with Gerry Leonard, started her set with "Marlene on the Wall", a song about a poster of Marlene Dietrich that hanged on Vega's room. All of Vega's songs had meaning to her, but half the fun is coming up with your own stories.
Also, as we previously mentioned, a block was dedicated to "Carson McCullers Talks About Love", which Vega previously played the part of McCullers (complete with e-cigarette used as a prop for "Harper Lee"). The latter song is more about her jealousy on Lee's successful To Kill A Mockingbird
Near the end of the set, Vega played my personal favorite song from Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pantacles, "I Never Wear White". Apparently, I wasn't the only one that loved the song, as there were a few hoots and hollers from the audience for this song. Of course, no Vega is complete without with one of her hit song "Luka", which served as set finale.
The encore was a lot of fun. Duncan Sheik and his band joined Vega and Leonard on stage to play Sheik's biggest hit "Barely Breathing". Sheik handled the lead vocals, while Vega provided some backup singing. Sheik did not leave the stage, instead, the band played out to Vega's "Tom's Diner" - the DNA Remix version! I don't know how Leonard and company did it, but they somehow reproduced the DNA version.
Off topic, but Vega had one of the best tour merchandise: a Tom's Diner mug. This is a heavy ceramic white mug, slightly curved, and feels great in the hand. It featured the fictional Tom's Diner logo. As you know, I visited the real Tom's Restaurant (which the song is based on) in New York in 2001.
Vega/Sheik's remaining tour dates:
Vega and Sheik previously collaborated in a play called "Carson McCullers Talks About Love," which was about the life of the writer Carson McCullers (known for her debut novel The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and The Member of the Wedding). Vega must still love it, that she decided to dedicated a three-song section to the writer in the middle of her set (but we'll get to that later).
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Duncan Sheik
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Judging from the banters, Sheik must have had a wonderful, amazing time, in 2009, touring with Vega throughout Europe... resulting in memorable songs "Circling" and inspiring "Birmingham".
For "I Don't Do Sadness", Sheik is joined on stage by Vega and Gerry "Spooky Ghost" Leonard. The song sounded fuller and upbeat, thanks to Leonard's guitar-embellishment... and it definitely did not sound anything like Sheik's self-confessed "self-indulgent singer/songwriter songs".
Sheik's Setlist
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Sheik ended his set with a song he wrote for American Psycho The Musical called "This is Not an Exit". The London production of American Psycho received mostly positive reviews from critics, thanks to some inventive original Sheik songs and some cover songs. According to Sheik, the play will hit Broadway this March 2016, so American fans can finally enjoy American Psycho on the stage.
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Suzanne Vega and Gerry Leonard
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Vega, with Gerry Leonard, started her set with "Marlene on the Wall", a song about a poster of Marlene Dietrich that hanged on Vega's room. All of Vega's songs had meaning to her, but half the fun is coming up with your own stories.
Also, as we previously mentioned, a block was dedicated to "Carson McCullers Talks About Love", which Vega previously played the part of McCullers (complete with e-cigarette used as a prop for "Harper Lee"). The latter song is more about her jealousy on Lee's successful To Kill A Mockingbird
Near the end of the set, Vega played my personal favorite song from Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pantacles, "I Never Wear White". Apparently, I wasn't the only one that loved the song, as there were a few hoots and hollers from the audience for this song. Of course, no Vega is complete without with one of her hit song "Luka", which served as set finale.
The encore was a lot of fun. Duncan Sheik and his band joined Vega and Leonard on stage to play Sheik's biggest hit "Barely Breathing". Sheik handled the lead vocals, while Vega provided some backup singing. Sheik did not leave the stage, instead, the band played out to Vega's "Tom's Diner" - the DNA Remix version! I don't know how Leonard and company did it, but they somehow reproduced the DNA version.
Tom's Diner Mug
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Vega/Sheik's remaining tour dates:
11/19 Vienna, VA Barns at Wolf Trap
11/20 Richmond, VA Modlin Center
11/22 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall
11/20 Richmond, VA Modlin Center
11/22 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall
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Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (15 Nov 2015) |
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