![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
between_time_and_42So I said I would post about the Madison Cunningham concert, but I want to do so in a way that involves both the concert I just saw last week, and the concert I saw last year, which I will probably never forget because it was so wild. So I'm going to start this post with a few excerpts of my concert review from last year, and then get into reviewing the concert that happened this year. (This is SUPER long so I'm putting it below a cut.)
Retro Review:
...The concert itself... Oh boy. That’s where the fun really began. First of all, I actually socialized with people there, which is extremely rare for me, but I’m glad I did because the people around me were nice. And when I say “around me,” I realize I failed to specify where we were exactly... Right up next to the stage is the answer. As in, the stage was low to the ground, and there was no barrier, and I got into the venue relatively early, so I ended up standing inches away from Madison Cunningham’s microphone. I could have walked up onstage and started playing the keyboards they had set up if I’d wanted to. This proximity will become important later.
The supporting act for this tour is Madison’s labelmate (I think? I heard the merch table guy mention that) S.G. Goodman, whose song “Old Time Feeling” I had heard on local radio and liked, though I found it grew less exciting on repeated listens. No matter, I was still looking forward to seeing her. We all gave her a warm welcome when she came out and played three songs, but when she took a break after the third song, it became apparent that one specific woman was giving her an exceptionally warm welcome. “YOU’RE AMAZING! YOU SOUND SO GOOD! YOU’RE A QUEEN AND A HALF!” I’d heard the same woman talking very loudly behind me before the show started, and when S.G. Goodman came on she had said “Who’s that?” So while she sounded like she was a fan, I figured her compliments had more to do with whatever beverage she’d imbibed before the show.
Before S.G. Goodman could even speak, the woman behind me repeatedly yelled out “What’s your name?” and then the friendly guy beside me, apparently finding it amusing to egg her on, added “What’s your Spotify?” S.G., cool as this evening was after the sun went down, replied “Girl, you can google me, there’s a name on the poster.” (And then she did introduce herself, in case it sounds like she was being unnecessarily snarky.) Her attitude was very attractive to me (as was her general appearance- big poofy hair and round glasses that gave her a sort of 70′s throwback look). She made some dry cracks about being legally obligated to mention her name 7 times during a set, and then when the woman behind me still wouldn’t stop shouting effusive compliments, she said “This song is for you.” Unfortunately, that didn’t keep the woman from talking all throughout her set (and I guess the fact that her friend kept enabling her didn’t help). At certain points between songs, S.G. referenced the chatter, saying that “For all you chatters out there, now it’s my turn to tell a story,” and that people could buy her merch to make up for talking during her performance...
...SO. This woman then engaged me in conversation about Madison, and it became clear that she was a Very Big Fan. Who wouldn’t stop shouting her name and declaring that she loved her. Oh boy, this couldn’t end well! Not only was I afraid for the woman, who was stumbling around so much that I worried she would trip and fall onto the stage, but also I was afraid for Madison, since in her uninhibited state and with no physical barriers, the woman could try to jump onstage, and I was also concerned that Madison would then be put in an awkward position where she’d be forced to kick her out, but it wouldn’t be good for her reputation to be rude to a fan (even if that fan deserved it). I probably would have moved if I hadn’t had my Primo No. 1 Spot underneath Madison’s microphone. Eventually the stage started being broken down and re-set, and a woman came over to talk to the front row. “Are you Madison’s sister?” the drunk woman asked. The woman onstage responded no, she was Madison’s tour manager, and if she was going to be in the front row she would have to wear a mask. This was not mentioned anywhere in the info regarding the show, so I figured S.G. must have warned her about the crowd and she wanted to make sure everyone was safe by moving this person to the back. Of course the woman and her friend started to complain, but then the tour manager went backstage and brought out masks for them to wear. They continued to make a lot of noise, to the point where one person pulled them aside to ask if the drunk woman was okay and to tell them “don’t make it hard for [Madison].” All I could hope was that I wouldn’t watch a disaster unfold before my eyes.
Fortunately, the problem ended up being solved three songs into the set, although the solution was slightly uncomfortable to watch. During a break between songs, my fear that the woman would fall onstage nearly came true, with her friend grabbing her before she went down. This caused Madison to look down and ask “You okay, my friend?” in a way that has me convinced she’s taken some kind of PR class, because I don’t know how she and S.G. Goodman kept such cool heads in this situation. While the woman was getting herself sorted out, Madison’s keyboardist then decided the party was over. He leaned over his instrument and told the woman, with a stern expression, “It’s time.” Her friend got it immediately and led her away to the back, where they couldn’t bother Madison anymore. I still heard some of her random callouts the rest of the night, though, including when she yelled “I’M LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH YOU!” and Madison responded with a nervous chuckle and commented “I’m married!” (She is! Lucky dude.)...
... Before the show, I’d been musing with the guy next to me if someone would give us the setlist. Usually, the tour manager or whoever is on hand for stage break-down gives up the setlist to someone in the first row. But this time, after Madison’s band left the stage, someone nearby me said “I want the setlist” and climbed up onstage to get it… which led to another person grabbing the keyboardist’s setlist. Another person went to grab Madison’s pick, and only one other person actually flagged down the manager and asked for the setlist like a decent human being. One thing’s for sure- whoever books Madison’s next tour will NEED to make sure all the venues have barriers between the audience and the stage, because stuff like that can’t happen again.
This Year's Review:
A few months ago, my friend and I got tickets to see Madison Cunningham in concert. I’d already seen her four times- opening for Punch Brothers in 2018, as a guest on Live from Here in 2019, opening for Lake Street Dive later that year, and headlining in 2021. My friend had never seen her live. Perhaps because I’d seen her so many times already, I wasn’t overly hyped for the show, though I was still excited of course. I just wanted to have a nice day off with my friend, going to antique stores and sampling local wineries (her fancy) and record shopping (my fancy) before enjoying an evening of music. Then my contact at a local radio station (whose identity shall remain a secret, but they are beloved to me and even more so now) texted me. Madison was going to be doing a session at the station to promote the concert, playing a few songs and being interviewed. I instantly asked if my friend and I could come to the session, and my contact said that they’d ask, but it would probably be a no since they didn’t want to take a chance on two semi-invited guests, one of whom she didn’t know. However, they could easily let me in by myself, and my friend could meet me afterwards. I decided that wasn’t fair to my friend and I accepted the likelihood that I wasn’t going to meet Madison that day at the station.
Then… my friend came down with the flu.
Now, I love my friends. I’d do anything for them. But I also love my bands. And if I can’t be with my friends… I gotta be with my bands. So, to the radio station I went.
On the morning of the concert, I deliberated over whether I should bring my copy of Madison’s first album, Who Are You Now, for her to sign. She was there to do a job, after all- I didn’t want to be demanding anything of her. After voicing my concerns to my housemate, my housemate told me that most musicians are just happy to know they have fans out there, so they usually don’t mind meeting people like me. With that in mind, I went out to the station. I arrived shortly before Madison was scheduled to, where I met with my contact and the employee who would be conducting the interview. My contact told me that Madison was very nice and always willing to sign stuff at the merch table, so I had nothing to worry about. After I saw how small the studio was where the session would be taking place, I thought that I’d have to sit outside the room and watch on a monitor, but my contact told me that there was a stool in the corner of the studio that I could sit on once the door was closed. What!! I’d be sitting within ten feet of Madison Cunningham!! The thought was both awesome and terrifying.
I had my back to the door, and whenever someone walked in I did my best not to turn my head to see if it was Madison. Therefore, I didn’t see her entrance, but I knew she was there when the employee conducting the interview came forward with a smile and a greeting. She walked Madison into the studio, while I stood outside with my contact waiting for them to get set up. What I noticed most about Madison was 1. her face was already full of makeup, I'm guessing because she knew she'd be on camera, and 2. her voice was soft in an almost tired way, as if she was already feeling the effects of having to sing night after night (or maybe she was just conserving it by speaking quietly). While outside the studio, I heard the employee who was to conduct the interview telling Madison about me and how I’d come up just to meet her, which was a bit embarrassing for me but Madison took it in stride. After a quick soundcheck, they invited me into the room, and I sat down on the stool, only to be told to move it out of the way of the cameraman. As I was moving the stool, I caught Madison’s eye, and she said “Hello.” I said “Hello.” She said “What’s your name again?” and I told her, and she said “Nice to meet you.” I said likewise. And thus, we were introduced.
I’d expected Madison to do the session with her band, but she’d brought nothing but her acoustic guitar. Wow- I was going to hear her new songs in a way that I never had before! She opened with “All I’ve Ever Known,” a song which I couldn’t imagine being played on acoustic, but hearing it on acoustic really showed me how impressive it was that she was able to sing and play those parts at the same time. All I could think was that she must have been born to play guitar, because the instrument was so comfortable in her hands, and she navigated the trickiest-looking riffs with ease. She also played “Hospital,” which is another song that I couldn’t have imagined on acoustic but she made it work, and finished with “Life According to Raechel.” The latter brought tears to my eyes. The interview segments were very insightful, particularly when she talked about “Hospital” and how it had been written with a strict set of guidelines, which helped her by turning her fear of imperfection into a fear of not finishing the song. As a frequent participant in National Novel Writing Month, I could relate to that. I also learned that she and her band have a pre-show chant, which is “toast,” because they all really love toast and once they had some really great toast while on tour and they neve got over it.
At the end of the session, the employee who’d been conducting the interview thanked the cameraman, the sound guy, and me for being in the audience, so I got a live on-air shout-out, which was cool. Then, as Madison and the cameraman began to pack up equipment, she went to me and asked if I had my phone, so she could take a picture of me and Madison. I hadn’t been expecting that at all, but I wasn’t going to turn it down! I ran and got my record, and then approached Madison once she’d put her guitar away. I said that I was a big fan and had been so since I heard her perform “Beauty into Clichés” on Live from Here, and she seemed pleasantly taken aback- “Wow, that’s wild!” She then noticed I had my record and said “let me do the thing with the pen for you!” While she was signing the record, I said that I had seen her four times now, and tonight would be my fifth. She asked if all of those times had been local, and I explained where I had seen her each time. I mistakenly said that after I saw her open a few times, I then saw her “solo,” and she looked confused and said “You saw me solo last year?” before realizing that what I’d meant to say was “headlining.” That could have been an embarrassing moment for my normally anxious brain, but Madison was so cool about it that it slipped right past me. I then told her about my friend who had to miss the show because she had the flu, and Madison remarked “‘Tis the season” and mentioned that she and the band are just waiting to see which of them will be “the first to fall.” After that, once the small talk was over, Madison reminded me that the employee had suggested taking a picture of us, so I got out my phone and we posed for a few shots. When I saw the photos later, I couldn't believe how much taller she looked in comparison to me! I didn't notice it at all in the moment. I felt very comfortable around her and she seemed to feel comfortable in return.
After that moment of absolute loveliness, I went off to do the things I had planned to do that day, but sadly without my friend in tow. The record store I wanted to visit is not so great if you’re looking for something specific, but it's perfect for finding something you didn’t know existed that you’d like to take a chance on, and that’s exactly what I almost did. I was between a record by the Paley Brothers (Andy Paley collaborated with Brian Wilson, and this record was produced by Earle Mankey, and honestly the latter was enough to convince me I needed it) and Patrick Sky’s debut album (which has liner notes written by Dave Van Ronk, which again, was enough to convince me that I needed it), but then I found Joni Mitchell’s For the Roses and decided I didn’t need to take a chance that day. I’ve actually never heard For the Roses so I’m looking forward to that. I also went to a bookstore, where I ended up impulse-buying the official book of the movie True Stories (which is just the script side by side with stills and a few other vaguely related photos and articles, but come on- it’s David Byrne, I needed it!!), and an antique store, where I bought my sick friend a card and a sticker to send to her to cheer her up. Later on, I had a nice pizza dinner, and then… I went over to the venue to wait. But man, where were all the people waiting with me? Usually when doors open at 7:00, I expect to see people already in line by 6:00, but when I came over at 6:30 there were only two other people ahead of me. And those people said they hadn’t even listened to Madison Cunningham before, but were going by word of mouth.
When I got inside the theater, I had a Plan. Merch table, bathroom, front row, in that order. I went to the merch table and picked up Madison’s new record Revealer, plus another sticker for my friend, and then hit the bathroom. Then, I walked out on the floor… all by myself. What? Again, where were the people?? Most of the ones I saw in line were now at the bar, hanging out before the show. The last time I saw Madison, the floor got packed quickly, so I was surprised that this show seemed to be so sparsely attended. She definitely has hardcore fans in the area, as I found out last time… This time, however, they didn't even sell enough tickets to open the balcony. Maybe Madison had been moved to a bigger venue too soon... or maybe it was a Tuesday night.
I was hoping I might see some of the friendly fans I talked to at the last show, but the people who ended up near me weren’t even there for Madison. They had come solely to see the opening act, Bendigo Fletcher. Although they were a bit too much for me (I had to tell the woman standing right beside me not to touch me, and even when she didn’t touch me, she seemed to have no problem invading my personal space), I really liked their vibe- just two older folks who were super hardcore about their favorite band, to the point of dancing like mad throughout their set, and constantly yelling out song titles as requests. (Okay, that last part was actually annoying, but I give props to the band for being able to take it in good humor.) That being said, it was hilarious that they danced up such a storm because Bendigo Fletcher's music was soft and acoustic, for the most part. They played their entire new EP, some of which intrigued me enough to check it out when it comes out on Friday, but for the most part they just sounded like every other soft acoustic band I’ve ever heard before. Which honestly made the couple’s devotion to them even more endearing to me, because they clearly saw something special about them that I wasn’t picking up on. And for their devotion, they were rewarded at the end of the set when the lead singer came over and grabbed their hands! (Also, kudos to them for not leaving right after Bendigo Fletcher’s set and instead staying for the whole show, despite not having heard of Madison before.)
When Madison came out… oh boy. I was transfixed. She was an absolute vision in her black leather jumpsuit. I was also very happy to see my hero on the keys, whose name I’ve forgotten, but I’ve called him my hero ever since he told that drunk fan next to me to get back at the last Madison Cunningham show I saw. I don’t remember if her drummer was different, but she’d changed bassists since I last saw her, not that it mattered much because he still did a great job. They started the set with a short piece that I’d never heard before, a rather slow and hypnotic piece, before going right into what I’d been hoping they’d open up… “All I’ve Ever Known.” Good lord, that song is IMMENSE. I’m so obsessed with it. After that they did “Hospital,” the keyboard parts of which really impressed me, and then “Anywhere,” which was such a fun song to groove to. All of these songs were played at the last show of Madison’s that I saw, but I hadn’t heard any of them at that point. Now that the album is out, I was going wild in the front row, dancing right under her microphone.
One thing I realized from the last show is that Madison likes to keep us guessing, and she sure did when she announced that her next song would be one that she hadn’t released yet. What a treat! I don’t actually remember much of what it sounded like, but I sure remember being entranced by the pretty blue and purple lighting. After the song, someone asked Madison what it was called and she said it was called “Death By Suspicion," before going into an older song from her first album, “Pin It Down.” She then returned to the new album with “Sunshine Over the Counter,” “Collider Particles,” and best of all, “Your Hate Could Power a Train.” Oh my god, hearing that song was AMAZING. I was bouncing and headbanging the whole time, even though I never thought of it before as a bouncing and headbanging type of song. But I mean… just look up this song and listen to the intro, does that not sound SO COOL?? Then, as if it couldn’t get better, she played my no. 1 favorite song from the album, “In From Japan.” I thought she might save that one to close the main set, but I certainly wasn’t complaining about hearing it so soon.
After “In From Japan,” the woman next to me exclaimed in my ear, “Fun fun fun!” I agreed. Meanwhile, Madison’s band was leaving the stage. Alone onstage, Madison said she would play another new one, and performed “Inventing the Wheel” (“it’s not as pretentious as it sounds”). I thought it was a very strong piece of songwriting. And then… I knew what was coming, and she delivered it unto us all… “Life According to Raechel.” The first time I heard this song was at her live show, and I spent most of it being annoyed that the guy next to me was singing harmony the whole time. (I have very strong opinions about that… If the artist wanted a harmony part, they would have had someone onstage sing it, okay?) Then I listened to it twice after her record came out… and, being a song that Madison wrote about losing her grandmother during lockdown, it started to remind me of losing my grandmother during lockdown, and ever since then I’ve skipped it whenever the album gets to that song. But now I could finally enjoy it, both at her radio station performance earlier in the day, and at the show proper. Except… there was a guy near me WHO STARTED SINGING HARMONY!! I was so mad, and so relieved when he stopped after the first verse. Anyway, I highly recommend checking this song out (if the subject matter isn’t too much for you), because the lyrics are incredible. Afterwards, even when the band came back and did an upbeat number (the setlist says “Broken Harvest” but I honestly don’t remember them doing that one, so I think it was “Looking Alive” that they did), it took me a bit to shake off the mood that song put me into. But it was a good way to feel, somehow. Hard to explain.
“Looking Alive” led into “Our Rebellion,” which then led into a slow, hypnotic, wordless piece much like the intro to the concert… Except this time, the song turned into “Common Language,” to which I lost my mind because that’s my favorite from Madison’s first album and I had no idea if she would ever play it at a show I went to. I thought to myself “this is Blue rights!!” That was definitely my favorite performance of the night. I felt so lucky to have experienced it. Afterwards, the fan on my left shouted “That’s my favorite!” and I shouted “Mine too!”
“Common Language” closed the main set, and when Madison came back out for the encore, it was with only her keyboardist to accompany her. For the first time all night, she put down the guitar and focused solely on her vocals. And the resulting song, “Something to Believe In,” was AWESOME. I’ve been in awe of Madison’s guitar skills for a long time, but I never paid much attention to her talent as a vocalist. This performance, and also the many times throughout the show when she hit high notes I wasn't expecting, or wordlessly improvised, proved that her vocals are just as top-notch as her guitar playing. Finally, the show closed with “Trouble Found Me,” which I thought wasn’t a great choice for the closer because it leaves you wanting more (or at least, it left ME wanting more), but I’m glad I heard it. I’m shocked that she didn’t play “Beauty Into Clichés” at all, though… maybe she’s done with that song… and also, I still need to hear “Plain Letters” live. I heard it once but that was before it was released and I didn’t realize how good a song it was. Now I need to hear it with the full band! Also, I couldn't believe she didn't play "Who Are You Now" (which funnily enough, is not on Who Are You Now, but on Revealer), because I consider that one of her strongest songs from the new album. In fact, I think that was only one of two new songs that she didn't play. I guess, like "Plain Letters," she's going to tease us by withholding some of her best songs in concert...
How was I able to remember all these songs, you ask? Well… at the end of the show I considered asking for a setlist, but decided that I had already had my fair share of special Madison moments for the day. But the woman beside me, the Bendigo Fletcher fan, wouldn’t let me leave, insisting that I needed a setlist. So, she eventually asked for it, working up the courage that I lacked, and gave it to me. So I have a setlist now- my first ever setlist from a concert!
A setlist, a signed record, a brand new record, and a photo of myself with one of my favorite musicians… I have it all now. It was honestly such an amazing experience overall. Now, if the same thing ever happened for me with Chris Thile, I could die happy. But I'm so glad I had that experience with Madison, of course.
Retro Review:
...The concert itself... Oh boy. That’s where the fun really began. First of all, I actually socialized with people there, which is extremely rare for me, but I’m glad I did because the people around me were nice. And when I say “around me,” I realize I failed to specify where we were exactly... Right up next to the stage is the answer. As in, the stage was low to the ground, and there was no barrier, and I got into the venue relatively early, so I ended up standing inches away from Madison Cunningham’s microphone. I could have walked up onstage and started playing the keyboards they had set up if I’d wanted to. This proximity will become important later.
The supporting act for this tour is Madison’s labelmate (I think? I heard the merch table guy mention that) S.G. Goodman, whose song “Old Time Feeling” I had heard on local radio and liked, though I found it grew less exciting on repeated listens. No matter, I was still looking forward to seeing her. We all gave her a warm welcome when she came out and played three songs, but when she took a break after the third song, it became apparent that one specific woman was giving her an exceptionally warm welcome. “YOU’RE AMAZING! YOU SOUND SO GOOD! YOU’RE A QUEEN AND A HALF!” I’d heard the same woman talking very loudly behind me before the show started, and when S.G. Goodman came on she had said “Who’s that?” So while she sounded like she was a fan, I figured her compliments had more to do with whatever beverage she’d imbibed before the show.
Before S.G. Goodman could even speak, the woman behind me repeatedly yelled out “What’s your name?” and then the friendly guy beside me, apparently finding it amusing to egg her on, added “What’s your Spotify?” S.G., cool as this evening was after the sun went down, replied “Girl, you can google me, there’s a name on the poster.” (And then she did introduce herself, in case it sounds like she was being unnecessarily snarky.) Her attitude was very attractive to me (as was her general appearance- big poofy hair and round glasses that gave her a sort of 70′s throwback look). She made some dry cracks about being legally obligated to mention her name 7 times during a set, and then when the woman behind me still wouldn’t stop shouting effusive compliments, she said “This song is for you.” Unfortunately, that didn’t keep the woman from talking all throughout her set (and I guess the fact that her friend kept enabling her didn’t help). At certain points between songs, S.G. referenced the chatter, saying that “For all you chatters out there, now it’s my turn to tell a story,” and that people could buy her merch to make up for talking during her performance...
...SO. This woman then engaged me in conversation about Madison, and it became clear that she was a Very Big Fan. Who wouldn’t stop shouting her name and declaring that she loved her. Oh boy, this couldn’t end well! Not only was I afraid for the woman, who was stumbling around so much that I worried she would trip and fall onto the stage, but also I was afraid for Madison, since in her uninhibited state and with no physical barriers, the woman could try to jump onstage, and I was also concerned that Madison would then be put in an awkward position where she’d be forced to kick her out, but it wouldn’t be good for her reputation to be rude to a fan (even if that fan deserved it). I probably would have moved if I hadn’t had my Primo No. 1 Spot underneath Madison’s microphone. Eventually the stage started being broken down and re-set, and a woman came over to talk to the front row. “Are you Madison’s sister?” the drunk woman asked. The woman onstage responded no, she was Madison’s tour manager, and if she was going to be in the front row she would have to wear a mask. This was not mentioned anywhere in the info regarding the show, so I figured S.G. must have warned her about the crowd and she wanted to make sure everyone was safe by moving this person to the back. Of course the woman and her friend started to complain, but then the tour manager went backstage and brought out masks for them to wear. They continued to make a lot of noise, to the point where one person pulled them aside to ask if the drunk woman was okay and to tell them “don’t make it hard for [Madison].” All I could hope was that I wouldn’t watch a disaster unfold before my eyes.
Fortunately, the problem ended up being solved three songs into the set, although the solution was slightly uncomfortable to watch. During a break between songs, my fear that the woman would fall onstage nearly came true, with her friend grabbing her before she went down. This caused Madison to look down and ask “You okay, my friend?” in a way that has me convinced she’s taken some kind of PR class, because I don’t know how she and S.G. Goodman kept such cool heads in this situation. While the woman was getting herself sorted out, Madison’s keyboardist then decided the party was over. He leaned over his instrument and told the woman, with a stern expression, “It’s time.” Her friend got it immediately and led her away to the back, where they couldn’t bother Madison anymore. I still heard some of her random callouts the rest of the night, though, including when she yelled “I’M LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH YOU!” and Madison responded with a nervous chuckle and commented “I’m married!” (She is! Lucky dude.)...
... Before the show, I’d been musing with the guy next to me if someone would give us the setlist. Usually, the tour manager or whoever is on hand for stage break-down gives up the setlist to someone in the first row. But this time, after Madison’s band left the stage, someone nearby me said “I want the setlist” and climbed up onstage to get it… which led to another person grabbing the keyboardist’s setlist. Another person went to grab Madison’s pick, and only one other person actually flagged down the manager and asked for the setlist like a decent human being. One thing’s for sure- whoever books Madison’s next tour will NEED to make sure all the venues have barriers between the audience and the stage, because stuff like that can’t happen again.
This Year's Review:
A few months ago, my friend and I got tickets to see Madison Cunningham in concert. I’d already seen her four times- opening for Punch Brothers in 2018, as a guest on Live from Here in 2019, opening for Lake Street Dive later that year, and headlining in 2021. My friend had never seen her live. Perhaps because I’d seen her so many times already, I wasn’t overly hyped for the show, though I was still excited of course. I just wanted to have a nice day off with my friend, going to antique stores and sampling local wineries (her fancy) and record shopping (my fancy) before enjoying an evening of music. Then my contact at a local radio station (whose identity shall remain a secret, but they are beloved to me and even more so now) texted me. Madison was going to be doing a session at the station to promote the concert, playing a few songs and being interviewed. I instantly asked if my friend and I could come to the session, and my contact said that they’d ask, but it would probably be a no since they didn’t want to take a chance on two semi-invited guests, one of whom she didn’t know. However, they could easily let me in by myself, and my friend could meet me afterwards. I decided that wasn’t fair to my friend and I accepted the likelihood that I wasn’t going to meet Madison that day at the station.
Then… my friend came down with the flu.
Now, I love my friends. I’d do anything for them. But I also love my bands. And if I can’t be with my friends… I gotta be with my bands. So, to the radio station I went.
On the morning of the concert, I deliberated over whether I should bring my copy of Madison’s first album, Who Are You Now, for her to sign. She was there to do a job, after all- I didn’t want to be demanding anything of her. After voicing my concerns to my housemate, my housemate told me that most musicians are just happy to know they have fans out there, so they usually don’t mind meeting people like me. With that in mind, I went out to the station. I arrived shortly before Madison was scheduled to, where I met with my contact and the employee who would be conducting the interview. My contact told me that Madison was very nice and always willing to sign stuff at the merch table, so I had nothing to worry about. After I saw how small the studio was where the session would be taking place, I thought that I’d have to sit outside the room and watch on a monitor, but my contact told me that there was a stool in the corner of the studio that I could sit on once the door was closed. What!! I’d be sitting within ten feet of Madison Cunningham!! The thought was both awesome and terrifying.
I had my back to the door, and whenever someone walked in I did my best not to turn my head to see if it was Madison. Therefore, I didn’t see her entrance, but I knew she was there when the employee conducting the interview came forward with a smile and a greeting. She walked Madison into the studio, while I stood outside with my contact waiting for them to get set up. What I noticed most about Madison was 1. her face was already full of makeup, I'm guessing because she knew she'd be on camera, and 2. her voice was soft in an almost tired way, as if she was already feeling the effects of having to sing night after night (or maybe she was just conserving it by speaking quietly). While outside the studio, I heard the employee who was to conduct the interview telling Madison about me and how I’d come up just to meet her, which was a bit embarrassing for me but Madison took it in stride. After a quick soundcheck, they invited me into the room, and I sat down on the stool, only to be told to move it out of the way of the cameraman. As I was moving the stool, I caught Madison’s eye, and she said “Hello.” I said “Hello.” She said “What’s your name again?” and I told her, and she said “Nice to meet you.” I said likewise. And thus, we were introduced.
I’d expected Madison to do the session with her band, but she’d brought nothing but her acoustic guitar. Wow- I was going to hear her new songs in a way that I never had before! She opened with “All I’ve Ever Known,” a song which I couldn’t imagine being played on acoustic, but hearing it on acoustic really showed me how impressive it was that she was able to sing and play those parts at the same time. All I could think was that she must have been born to play guitar, because the instrument was so comfortable in her hands, and she navigated the trickiest-looking riffs with ease. She also played “Hospital,” which is another song that I couldn’t have imagined on acoustic but she made it work, and finished with “Life According to Raechel.” The latter brought tears to my eyes. The interview segments were very insightful, particularly when she talked about “Hospital” and how it had been written with a strict set of guidelines, which helped her by turning her fear of imperfection into a fear of not finishing the song. As a frequent participant in National Novel Writing Month, I could relate to that. I also learned that she and her band have a pre-show chant, which is “toast,” because they all really love toast and once they had some really great toast while on tour and they neve got over it.
At the end of the session, the employee who’d been conducting the interview thanked the cameraman, the sound guy, and me for being in the audience, so I got a live on-air shout-out, which was cool. Then, as Madison and the cameraman began to pack up equipment, she went to me and asked if I had my phone, so she could take a picture of me and Madison. I hadn’t been expecting that at all, but I wasn’t going to turn it down! I ran and got my record, and then approached Madison once she’d put her guitar away. I said that I was a big fan and had been so since I heard her perform “Beauty into Clichés” on Live from Here, and she seemed pleasantly taken aback- “Wow, that’s wild!” She then noticed I had my record and said “let me do the thing with the pen for you!” While she was signing the record, I said that I had seen her four times now, and tonight would be my fifth. She asked if all of those times had been local, and I explained where I had seen her each time. I mistakenly said that after I saw her open a few times, I then saw her “solo,” and she looked confused and said “You saw me solo last year?” before realizing that what I’d meant to say was “headlining.” That could have been an embarrassing moment for my normally anxious brain, but Madison was so cool about it that it slipped right past me. I then told her about my friend who had to miss the show because she had the flu, and Madison remarked “‘Tis the season” and mentioned that she and the band are just waiting to see which of them will be “the first to fall.” After that, once the small talk was over, Madison reminded me that the employee had suggested taking a picture of us, so I got out my phone and we posed for a few shots. When I saw the photos later, I couldn't believe how much taller she looked in comparison to me! I didn't notice it at all in the moment. I felt very comfortable around her and she seemed to feel comfortable in return.
After that moment of absolute loveliness, I went off to do the things I had planned to do that day, but sadly without my friend in tow. The record store I wanted to visit is not so great if you’re looking for something specific, but it's perfect for finding something you didn’t know existed that you’d like to take a chance on, and that’s exactly what I almost did. I was between a record by the Paley Brothers (Andy Paley collaborated with Brian Wilson, and this record was produced by Earle Mankey, and honestly the latter was enough to convince me I needed it) and Patrick Sky’s debut album (which has liner notes written by Dave Van Ronk, which again, was enough to convince me that I needed it), but then I found Joni Mitchell’s For the Roses and decided I didn’t need to take a chance that day. I’ve actually never heard For the Roses so I’m looking forward to that. I also went to a bookstore, where I ended up impulse-buying the official book of the movie True Stories (which is just the script side by side with stills and a few other vaguely related photos and articles, but come on- it’s David Byrne, I needed it!!), and an antique store, where I bought my sick friend a card and a sticker to send to her to cheer her up. Later on, I had a nice pizza dinner, and then… I went over to the venue to wait. But man, where were all the people waiting with me? Usually when doors open at 7:00, I expect to see people already in line by 6:00, but when I came over at 6:30 there were only two other people ahead of me. And those people said they hadn’t even listened to Madison Cunningham before, but were going by word of mouth.
When I got inside the theater, I had a Plan. Merch table, bathroom, front row, in that order. I went to the merch table and picked up Madison’s new record Revealer, plus another sticker for my friend, and then hit the bathroom. Then, I walked out on the floor… all by myself. What? Again, where were the people?? Most of the ones I saw in line were now at the bar, hanging out before the show. The last time I saw Madison, the floor got packed quickly, so I was surprised that this show seemed to be so sparsely attended. She definitely has hardcore fans in the area, as I found out last time… This time, however, they didn't even sell enough tickets to open the balcony. Maybe Madison had been moved to a bigger venue too soon... or maybe it was a Tuesday night.
I was hoping I might see some of the friendly fans I talked to at the last show, but the people who ended up near me weren’t even there for Madison. They had come solely to see the opening act, Bendigo Fletcher. Although they were a bit too much for me (I had to tell the woman standing right beside me not to touch me, and even when she didn’t touch me, she seemed to have no problem invading my personal space), I really liked their vibe- just two older folks who were super hardcore about their favorite band, to the point of dancing like mad throughout their set, and constantly yelling out song titles as requests. (Okay, that last part was actually annoying, but I give props to the band for being able to take it in good humor.) That being said, it was hilarious that they danced up such a storm because Bendigo Fletcher's music was soft and acoustic, for the most part. They played their entire new EP, some of which intrigued me enough to check it out when it comes out on Friday, but for the most part they just sounded like every other soft acoustic band I’ve ever heard before. Which honestly made the couple’s devotion to them even more endearing to me, because they clearly saw something special about them that I wasn’t picking up on. And for their devotion, they were rewarded at the end of the set when the lead singer came over and grabbed their hands! (Also, kudos to them for not leaving right after Bendigo Fletcher’s set and instead staying for the whole show, despite not having heard of Madison before.)
When Madison came out… oh boy. I was transfixed. She was an absolute vision in her black leather jumpsuit. I was also very happy to see my hero on the keys, whose name I’ve forgotten, but I’ve called him my hero ever since he told that drunk fan next to me to get back at the last Madison Cunningham show I saw. I don’t remember if her drummer was different, but she’d changed bassists since I last saw her, not that it mattered much because he still did a great job. They started the set with a short piece that I’d never heard before, a rather slow and hypnotic piece, before going right into what I’d been hoping they’d open up… “All I’ve Ever Known.” Good lord, that song is IMMENSE. I’m so obsessed with it. After that they did “Hospital,” the keyboard parts of which really impressed me, and then “Anywhere,” which was such a fun song to groove to. All of these songs were played at the last show of Madison’s that I saw, but I hadn’t heard any of them at that point. Now that the album is out, I was going wild in the front row, dancing right under her microphone.
One thing I realized from the last show is that Madison likes to keep us guessing, and she sure did when she announced that her next song would be one that she hadn’t released yet. What a treat! I don’t actually remember much of what it sounded like, but I sure remember being entranced by the pretty blue and purple lighting. After the song, someone asked Madison what it was called and she said it was called “Death By Suspicion," before going into an older song from her first album, “Pin It Down.” She then returned to the new album with “Sunshine Over the Counter,” “Collider Particles,” and best of all, “Your Hate Could Power a Train.” Oh my god, hearing that song was AMAZING. I was bouncing and headbanging the whole time, even though I never thought of it before as a bouncing and headbanging type of song. But I mean… just look up this song and listen to the intro, does that not sound SO COOL?? Then, as if it couldn’t get better, she played my no. 1 favorite song from the album, “In From Japan.” I thought she might save that one to close the main set, but I certainly wasn’t complaining about hearing it so soon.
After “In From Japan,” the woman next to me exclaimed in my ear, “Fun fun fun!” I agreed. Meanwhile, Madison’s band was leaving the stage. Alone onstage, Madison said she would play another new one, and performed “Inventing the Wheel” (“it’s not as pretentious as it sounds”). I thought it was a very strong piece of songwriting. And then… I knew what was coming, and she delivered it unto us all… “Life According to Raechel.” The first time I heard this song was at her live show, and I spent most of it being annoyed that the guy next to me was singing harmony the whole time. (I have very strong opinions about that… If the artist wanted a harmony part, they would have had someone onstage sing it, okay?) Then I listened to it twice after her record came out… and, being a song that Madison wrote about losing her grandmother during lockdown, it started to remind me of losing my grandmother during lockdown, and ever since then I’ve skipped it whenever the album gets to that song. But now I could finally enjoy it, both at her radio station performance earlier in the day, and at the show proper. Except… there was a guy near me WHO STARTED SINGING HARMONY!! I was so mad, and so relieved when he stopped after the first verse. Anyway, I highly recommend checking this song out (if the subject matter isn’t too much for you), because the lyrics are incredible. Afterwards, even when the band came back and did an upbeat number (the setlist says “Broken Harvest” but I honestly don’t remember them doing that one, so I think it was “Looking Alive” that they did), it took me a bit to shake off the mood that song put me into. But it was a good way to feel, somehow. Hard to explain.
“Looking Alive” led into “Our Rebellion,” which then led into a slow, hypnotic, wordless piece much like the intro to the concert… Except this time, the song turned into “Common Language,” to which I lost my mind because that’s my favorite from Madison’s first album and I had no idea if she would ever play it at a show I went to. I thought to myself “this is Blue rights!!” That was definitely my favorite performance of the night. I felt so lucky to have experienced it. Afterwards, the fan on my left shouted “That’s my favorite!” and I shouted “Mine too!”
“Common Language” closed the main set, and when Madison came back out for the encore, it was with only her keyboardist to accompany her. For the first time all night, she put down the guitar and focused solely on her vocals. And the resulting song, “Something to Believe In,” was AWESOME. I’ve been in awe of Madison’s guitar skills for a long time, but I never paid much attention to her talent as a vocalist. This performance, and also the many times throughout the show when she hit high notes I wasn't expecting, or wordlessly improvised, proved that her vocals are just as top-notch as her guitar playing. Finally, the show closed with “Trouble Found Me,” which I thought wasn’t a great choice for the closer because it leaves you wanting more (or at least, it left ME wanting more), but I’m glad I heard it. I’m shocked that she didn’t play “Beauty Into Clichés” at all, though… maybe she’s done with that song… and also, I still need to hear “Plain Letters” live. I heard it once but that was before it was released and I didn’t realize how good a song it was. Now I need to hear it with the full band! Also, I couldn't believe she didn't play "Who Are You Now" (which funnily enough, is not on Who Are You Now, but on Revealer), because I consider that one of her strongest songs from the new album. In fact, I think that was only one of two new songs that she didn't play. I guess, like "Plain Letters," she's going to tease us by withholding some of her best songs in concert...
How was I able to remember all these songs, you ask? Well… at the end of the show I considered asking for a setlist, but decided that I had already had my fair share of special Madison moments for the day. But the woman beside me, the Bendigo Fletcher fan, wouldn’t let me leave, insisting that I needed a setlist. So, she eventually asked for it, working up the courage that I lacked, and gave it to me. So I have a setlist now- my first ever setlist from a concert!
A setlist, a signed record, a brand new record, and a photo of myself with one of my favorite musicians… I have it all now. It was honestly such an amazing experience overall. Now, if the same thing ever happened for me with Chris Thile, I could die happy. But I'm so glad I had that experience with Madison, of course.
