Last Friday Janis and my buddy Buzzard went to the Danny Michel concert at the Myer Horowitz Theatre here in Edmonton. This was my fifth time seeing Danny in concert. We missed the opening act local artist Erin Kay as we were out having a few beers before the show. I heard she was quite good, it's too bad we missed her set.
As for Danny Michel, once again he put on a very fun and entertaining show, playing for about an hour and a half. Danny played solo, no back up band. Danny mixed up the set with material from most of his career, playing some oldies like "Tennessee Tobacco" from his 2006 album Valhalla, "Feather, Fur & Fin" from his 2008 album by the same title. Also played were "Wish Willy" and "Who's Gonna Miss You?" from the album Sunset Sea. And of course between almost every song Danny has a story to tell, and these stories most times are fuckin' hilarious. I have heard most of these stories a few times already, but he tells them with such enthusiasm you can't help but be engaged and laugh your ass off. One of the stories he told on this night was one I had never heard before, a story about meeting Paul Simon backstage at a show in Toronto. Another great story full of laughs, if you should ever get the chance, ask Danny about his Paul Simon apple tree. he had the audience in stitches at times with the stories. But it's not the stories that your there for, it's the music, and Danny does an awesome job on those as well.
The subjects of Danny's songs are so full of adventures he has been on, including his latest big adventure on the Russian icebreaker ship Khlebnikov. Danny was invited on this 18 day adventure by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield as it went through the Arctic Ocean. Danny was the music guest among as already said astronaut Chris Hadfield, scientists, filmographer and photographers. The album Khlebnizov is very Russian music influenced as you would imagine after recording this album on the ship. He then brought the recording to a studio and added orchestral arrangements to make a very cool album. Danny did a couple of songs from the album including the song "24,000 Horses". And because the venue had a huge screen behind him on stage, Danny showed some really cool film footage from the adventure. Also on stage with Danny this time was a grand piano in which he did a few songs on, something I had never seen him play before, that was cool.
Danny also did some songs from the recording he did in Belize with The Garifuna Collective, a very Graceland like album called Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me. Songs from that album he did were "What Colour Are You?" and "Sad and Beautiful World".
All and all this was a really great show by Danny Michel, I love how Danny just comes across as a very genuine man and really seems like someone that wants to make the world a better place. Kudos to you Danny Michel! Good times!!!
Danny Michel at the Myer Horowitz Theatre.
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