| THE CHICKEN WIRE...by Big Red and others... Volume #13|Volume #12|Volume #11|Volume #10|Volume #9|Volume #8| Volume #7| Volume #6| Volume #5| Volume #4| Volume #3| Volume #2| Volume #1 |
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Volume #13, posted 6/30/06 June '06 by Big Red Moanin' Michelle Malone and The Low Down Georgia Revue take over the south! Rock n Roll-style! Gritty, loud, sassy, soulful and with a touch of pure honey added to the mix....Moanin' pulled out all her stops! Well, first of all, the show at Piedmont Park (Atlanta), was cancelled due to a mean wind gettin up under the stage and tearin it to pieces...Fortunately, it was in between acts so no one was hurt...( however, someone did get some minor injuries...i hope they're ok now!) We got the call just as we were pulling up to the Park in the Silver Bullet. We thought it was a joke!...It seemed so unlikely. But it was indeed true. So, we hung out at the hotel and got some much needed rest we didn't know how much we needed- until we were still for 5 seconds. The next day ( Saturday the 24th) we went deeper into our southern roots and made our way to The Hummingbird in Macon, GA... The last time we played there, Gregg Allman came to see Moanin'! He has the softest hands on the planet. It was an honor to meet him. We gave him a cd- that I am certain he listens to regularly! We piled into the awesome club, run by the sweetest fella and a HUGE fan of MM's- Victor....He just takes the best care of us. His entire staff does...Makes us feel right at home. Well....let me tell ya....I've probably said something like this before...but THIS was the BEST show I've EVER seen! I know, I know...you're probably thinking I'm just sayin that to make for a good story...but it's TRUE! The LDGR and Moanin' and well, me on the tambourine....just got the party started and didn't let up til we were completely liquefied! Moanin', dressed in her "supercape", with her electrics in tow...just rocked the pants off Macon!....(there was an article written to that affect in the Macon paper).... Here's the set list to prove it... Cry Me A River Battle Him Flagpole Camera Samsonite Moanin' Coat ( yes, she tore this one up!) and ( Jonny D played the fire outta his guitar!) Cypress Inn Black Motorcycle Boots ( LB1 dang!) Grace ( w/ a guitar solo that brought people right up close to the stage for better viewing...w/ amazement in their eyes!) Green Lafayette Rooster 44 Travelin n Unravellin True Black Bag Teen and and and.....they covered Pat Benatar's "Heart breaker"! can you say "power set'????? I don't even know how we got thru the nite!..........there's just not much more to say except THANK YOU to the LDGR for making Rock history...and incredible playing....Lee Kennedy on bass, LB1 on drums, Jonny D on lead guitar, Big Red on tambourine and Moanin' on fire!!!! Opening was Blue Mother Tupelo....oh my....y'all gotta check out this amazing music...our new fave....talented and sweet to boot! Raw guitar playing by Ricky and crafty and brilliant tambourine/piano playing by Michol..... Sweet Sunday Nite at the Crimson Moon Dahlonega, GA or "doll-lah-naygah" as the Blue Mother Tupelo's say....from now on to be referred to as the BMT's... This sweet music venue was filled to the rim with fans of Moanin's....she played a solo show with Q n A, shout outs, requests, and she gave you the feeling you were in her living room. It was almost a 2 hour show!...folks just sittin and listenin to her witty jokes, and silly stories...as if they were hanging on her every word...it was quite a giggly crowd. Full of smiles and sweetness. Just like we like em....Dana, the owner was as lovely as the nite. and the BMT's opened for us and certainly made more new fans... In the end, they came on stage for a hootenanny...."Kokomo".....man was it good! So all in all it was the kind of time you wanna have....the music was great, the people were as nice as can be, and we ate well, slept well, and played with the cutest puppy we ever saw. now....off to make more history and good memories for soul....thank you, as always for listening and buying good music! Be Good to your people! best, Big Red Back to Top Volume #12, posted 2/28/06 Feb 19, 2006 - Melting Point, Athens, GA by Amy Kay Not exactly sure what they were coming from or what they experienced at Eddie's on Saturday night, but gotta say that I'm thankful for what was left to us on Sunday at the intimate little venue called the Melting Point in the intimate little town of Athens, GA. There did seem to be some melting of sanity, harmony, and reality that occurred for all of us who were fortunate enough to be there as witnesses. What started out as a "hum, not sure what's going on here" show turned into a "heart-felt, give it all you got, lay it out there" experience that left the audience exhaling sighs of incredibility and amazement. To hear Michelle and Garrison singin' together was certainly to be in the presence of a chorus of angelic voices feeling redemption all over the place. Michelle soulfully sang Beyond the Mountain in a way that made all stop and Pause; Havasu rang out and reminded everyone of happier times with meaningful people and just how important those times really are; Where is the Love? (Is this the name of the song?) regardless what you call it, that experience touched heart and soul and took everyone on a ride forward or backward in emotional places where we've all found ourselves at some point. And, no lie!!, I woke up the next morning with Lafayette slidin' through my head before I even opened my eyes. That's some powerful music . . . Throughout the experience, Garrison interjected her works of art, infused with that beautiful youthful energy and truth with wisdom...Gardenia...Whoa! What a voice, what a song & Superhero took us all flying. It was great too hearing Garrison's Steve Earl inspired political song that Michelle followed up with what else!? Flagpole. Absolutely absolute!!! What an incredible experience, an intimate experience that spoke so loudly in so many different ways to those fortunate enough to be there. Looking forward to many more intimate experiences in Athens, that is until everyone catches on to exactly what they're missing. If you have a chance to see these two incredible women together, please take advantage of it. What you experience could very well be a soul-reaching, heart-feeling, possibly life-changing event. Just go...Amy Kay Back to Top Volume #11, posted 2/9/06 Jan 28, 2006 - Oskar Blues Lyons, CO by Fast Lane she's got a deep southern pocket with a 50 watt socket, she went to town on saturday and we all slept on sunday. when moanin' malone showed up at oskar blues on jan. 28th for a three set gig, she brought her purty silver jacket, her new band and her pretty faded red Supro guitar. new band you say? yep, new band...well there was johnny rad, who is becoming a familiar fixture...the new addition came with the presence of big red, the newly discovered morockin-roller fillin out the rhythm section. h-o-t-t. so there you got the back drop for the bluesiest, rockinist, rollinist malone show eva-h! yall, if i would have had my head on straight, i'd have taken 2 seconds to scribble down this set list because it was phenom-afreakin-enal. like i said before she played 3 sets...let me repeat, 3 SETS! the first one got us all warmed up, kinda like when you take the steak outta da fridge fo' ya put it on the grill...second set, she fired up dat grill, threw some salt on us steaks and reached fo' da lighter fluid...third set, she tossed around that grill like nobody's business. i'm pretty sure i walked outta that club with grill marks on my back...no foolin. talk about blasts from the past...battle him republican, sins of all my years and REDEMPTION DREAM! i know, can you believe it. teen lament, hollow day, grace, all the stompin ground favorites and snack n shack...yall, i think it was the first time that song's been played live. she even made up some little "extras" and threw 'em in there to mix it up. hound dog (the big mama thornton version), boom boom boom boom and that mavis staples cover that starts the show off right. then there was the new stuff...if you haven't seen her lately, you need to so you know what i'm talkin about...this new album is gonna be outtasight! so there you have it yall...da gist of da grit...now your mission, should you choose to accept it...get yourself to a malone show STAT! you're missin it, all this good music comin outta the rocker and you're missin it! see ya there...Fast Lane Back to Top Volume #10, 2/7/06 The True Confessions of a Battered Noisemaker.... O.K. admit it....I'm living the life of my dreams! It's exciting, thrilling, nerve-racking, fun beyond belief, organic and unpredictable, and most importantly......it keeps me fully present and aware of the present moment. (the latter being something I didn't expect) Specifically what I'm referring to is playing percussion with Michelle...on stage....in front of a crowd...supporting, backing and making racket that gives her songs a little bit extra sump'n-sump'n. I've got bruises on my hands and legs.....a swollen thumb.....and I am tired beyond belief! How DOES she do this all the time????!!! About 2 weeks ago, Moanin' asked me to play some hand percussion with she and Jonny Rad at her next gig....wow! really???!!!......"OK", I said....a real live dream come true!...as I have wanted to be a percussionist for some time now. Here was my chance!..... Jonny Rad brought his box-o-tricks to the gig in Lyons, CO....Oskar Blues, a super fun Blues joint..... I had a plethora of toys to shake, tap and bang on my hands and legs....and it was awesome! I sat in with them the entire night...as if I had been there always. I know Michelle's songs like I know my name, so that gave me the comfort level I needed. And she just trusted me to just do my thang! The next day, Moanin' and I were off to the percussion store to create my very own noisy box-o-tricks! I have the coolest tambourine, a rhythm egg, a crazy wicker shaker and the nuttiest collection of nuts that make the nuttiest sounds.... Since that first night in Lyons....I have played gigs in Portland, Eugene and Monroe, Oregon....each time getting more and more sure and willing to play my noise makers.... ( I even got asked to sign her CD's!) I am completely exhausted with joy and carefully mending my wounds...looking forward to more fun with Moanin'...(which will be at the Friend's School....a local elementary school in Boulder, CO) later this week. How did I get to be so fortunate??? Not only am I seeing the world through different eyes, but I am seeing Moanin' from a slightly different angle. Seeing her talent while sitting beside her...often forgetting I am performing and finding myself applauding and hootin' for her after each song! I just keep it up because she is brilliant and such a strong performer and truly gives her all in each song. I feel I get the best of both of her worlds... I am so looking forward to her new album...due out soon....it's fun and raucous and has the most beautiful heart-opening ballads to show off her voice and they just make you wanna cry. Y'all get ready...you're gonna love it too! Perhaps soon I will incorporate my tap shoes into my percussing.....hmmm....I can hear it on her break down in Travellin' n Unravelin', can't you? Until the next time.....I remain, Big Red - bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top Volume #9, 11/10/05 November 10, 2005 The Walnut Room - Denver, CO What does a kick ass roller derby team and an awesome rock-n-roll show have in common??? anybody?.....anybody? well.....(drum roll please, jonny rad).......... "Under The Hood" nite at The Walnut Room in Denver, CO last week! A very successful event honoring women in the arts held monthly. There was a singer/piano player,a spoken wordsmith, the roller derby team promo, a chick dj brawl and moanin' doin her thang....... And it was a full house of listeners, dancers, talkers and well, smokers....i'm a little bit spoiled in the ever beautiful Boulder, CO, where smoking gets you a federal offense... Moanin' started solo with her bootboard in tow....the opening song was a very interesting version of GRACE...then off to bluesland....MISS MISSIPPI. There was a request for WILD HORSES by our friend Loryn, who in fact was responsible for Moanin' playing the gig. And the journey just continued.......switchin guitars like some switch moods...and playing all our favorites... adding wigglin' hips, wit, and her wailin' voice to the mix. All the things we've been spoiled by. HIGHLIGHTS, you ask?.... - Breaking her G string on 2 HORNS , apparently due to some hotty jigglin across the dance floor! Now that's some crazy power! - Wild Horses, Teen Lament, Travelin & Unravellin and the "slay me" tune, SUPERBALL - Jonny Rad playing drums - the chick with the Rolling Stones related shirt that read "who the fuck is michelle malone" - and all the leftover chocolates from Halloween! Well....until the nexttime I am fortunate enough to get spanked by Moanin's music...i will be patiently waiting for the upcoming "BEST OF" cd- 20/20.....due out any minute....poised to reminisce about all those times I saw Drag The River, Band de Soleil, Moanin' solo, with LB.... all over the country....in clubs, living rooms, concert halls...street corners....the many hair styles, patchwork pants, leather pants and belly showin shirts......and t-shirts! It's all good.... Keep listening..... keep it going, keep her going! Big Red bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top Volume #8, 8/18/05 August 18, 2005 Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR This chicken may not be as eloquent as Big Red, but there sure is plenty to say about Michelle and LB1’s heart thumping, adrenaline pumping performance at “The Fir”, reputed to be the best listening room in the pacific NW. The enthusiastic and eclectic crowd quickly gathered at M’s feet, as she and Linda came on stage, preparing to dance the night away (which they did). M looked rested and relaxed in “sun-kissed” hair and a t-shirt touting the attributes of southern women and armed with one trusty guitar. It wasn’t long before we knew what kind of night it would be….like the Titanic…a night to remember! A guitar ripping version of “Flagpole” was appropriately the first offering given it’s birth was inspired by the many protests and that occur in Portland on a regular basis - - this info drew appreciative applause from the protesters in the audience! Next was the classic “Grace” with an amazing harmonica riff…poor lil instrument didn’t have a chance! The hot new song ”Miss Mississippi” (I think that is the title) rounded up this part of the show - - what a start! Michelle then asked the audience if there was something they wanted to hear (personally, this Chicken loves this as it brings a real intimacy to a performance). Well, the requests were so many that M had to write them down and in the end played as many as time would allow commenting her “parole officer wouldn’t let her play after dark.” This ended up being the “Folk Song” segment which included “Honeysuckle Lullaby”, “Avalon”, a rousing “Mexico A Go Go”, “Havasu Falls” (one of this chicken’s favorites) and…could it be…”Tanya Tucker”, with alternate ending “Keep your room key”…Love it! Claiming that some times a “girl just has got to get her rocks off”, M then stepped it up about 10 notches and started “slidin’” all over the place with (note: not sure of titles of new songs) Trouble (I can hear you callin my name), Traveling (trying to make the road my home), audience favorite “Lafayette”, “Winter Muscadine” (it’s sour!), and this chickens current favorite “Tighten Up” whose guitar riffs and intensity left me swooning and unsteady on my feet! But, now at full attack, Michelle was just getting ready to come in for the final kill - - going directly into “Traveling and Unraveling” and finishing with the brilliant Preacher’s Daughter with…what?..I can’t believe it…some “FUELED” thrown in! (If you haven’t already, listen to the long version on Bird on Fire – awesome! This chicken and her chick made a 7 hour road trip to this show and can state emphatically that Michelle has never looked, played or sounded better than she did this night. She graciously spent time with us afterwards which is another example of how special she is and why she has such a dedicated and loyal following. According to a write-up in the Oregonian, Michelle is a “Sheryl Crow-with-balls”. This chicken really doesn’t see the comparison. Michelle has and is so much more and proves it every time she plays. Oh, Michelle….please let it not be a year til the next time….If we could, we would…follow you everywhere. By Laura P. Back to Top Volume #7, 7/9/05 July 9, 2005 The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom – Macon, GA Dirty Slide & Ball Gowns… There was no meeting of the minds at The Hummingbird on Saturday night…all of that was left next door at Theatre Macon which wrapped up the debut performance of Oliver just before Moanin’ Malone and Linda Bolley were scheduled to go onstage. In twos and fours the social elite of Macon poured from the Theatre into the recently opened Hummingbird. A sea of sequins and understated silk ties quickly filled the tables and gathered shoulder to shoulder to have a few drinks and wind down for the evening – but Moanin’ and LB1 had something more in mind. Moanin’ and Linda meandered their way through the tightly packed house to the stage in front loaded with an arsenal of guitars. As the crowd glanced at the two women settling into position on stage they continued discussing business, family and weekend getaways to the latest hot spots. Without a word, the blur of voices and bar noise was saddled up and snapped by the whip of LB1’s tight intro into “2 Horns & 2 Wings.” Moanin’ quickly slid in with her raunchy rhythmic acoustic tirade and by the time she’d opened up the first line declaring that there’s a girl waiting in Georgia that’s equally evil and sweet she had the entire room admiring her horns and wrapped in her wings. They continued to stir up the eagerly buzzing crowd with more sweat-dripping slide and sweet-tickling southern soul from Stompin’ Ground – “LaFayette,” “Preacher’s Daughter” and “Flagpole” were shot out like flamethrowers and it wasn’t long until the ties were off and the beaded bags were flying. One gentleman was so caught up in the sweet release of gritty rock-n-soul he spent most of the show directly in front of the stage expressing his appreciation in a way that was perfectly described by Moanin’ when she dubbed him “the solid gold dancer.” Not only did Moanin’ switch up between several electric and acoustic guitars, she also pleased the die hard fans who’d driven in from Florida and Lower Alabama when she pulled out some old favorites from Homegrown, Beneath the Devil Moon, and Redemption Dream - “Teen Lament” was the best version that I’ve ever heard. We were also treated to some new songs that have yet to be included on a studio CD. “Traveling and Unraveling,” the brand new “Black Motorcycle Boots” and “Winter Muscadine” which amazes me every time I see LB1 keep that steady thump going while switching back and forth between her drum kit and the mandolin, never missing a beat. Each time I see them play I’m amazed at how much sound comes from only two people…and this night was no exception. It seemed there was absolutely nothing to lose on this night and Moanin’ was in rare form, even making her slide talk from over the top of the neck which I’d never seen her do before. Lunging at words, sneaking up on phrases and pounding the holy hell out of every possible high note, Moanin’ was having a ball and not holding back anything. By the time the ladies were wrapping up the evening the crowd was transformed, savoring every note that was hanging in the thick air and wildly calling for more. Moanin’ and LB1 slapped ‘em on the ass with a bended note and left ‘em needing a cigarette and wondering how it all happened. --Esty Tater Back to Top Volume #6, 6/25/05 Hey Ya'll, Here's another gal who wanted to write a review of the Eddie's Show, and It WAS her birthday...what could I say, but YES!!! Ladies and gentleman, please welcome OASTIE COATIE!!!! Atlanta's Pride Festival was the perfect shin dig to kick off Moanin' Malone's return "back home". I ventured plum from NashVegas to celebrate my BD, and I couldn't imagine missing this show for the world. It was a sultry southern night and the air hung thick like a blanket covering Eddie's Attic in downtown Decatur. The lights were low but the energy was high, bottles clackin' and glasses stackin' as we all watched the time fly by. A crowd full of anticipation; all eager and patiently a waitin', finally they arrive and the crowd in the Attic comes alive! Travelin's her life story as she sings with a passionate heat; that slide on her finger moves the gals to their feet. As the crowd goes to jumpin' everybodies pulses start thumpin'; we're all just puppet's on her string. When she commenced to suckin' and a blowin' on that old jaw harp and comin' down on her knees; the crowd was like putty in her hands, I'm here to tell you that little gal aims to please! There wasn't a dry seat in the house when that little gal hopped off the stage to wet her whistle; hope those travelers packed up another pair of step-ins for the second half of the show! The crowd kept squealin' like little greased hogs at the fair, and no one wanted her to go back to Boulder which she now calls home. Packin' it up and winding it down, the crowd begins to thin as I hang around. Another evening drawing to a close, she sips a Jack and Coke and share her stories of the road. Let me just tell ye, if this little gal should come by your way;you'd be a complete fool to not hang around and stay...she'll move you like no other with her words. To nip it all in the bud; this show was EXTRY GOOD!! You'll never go wrong with stoppin in to see Michelle Malone and LB1. These little gals should make any traveler see why it's better in the South! Hang on in there now like a hair in a biscuit until you see her again, meanwhile, check out her store and fill ye basket up! oastiecoatie@yahoo.com Back to Top Volume #5, 6/24/05 & 6/25/05 Hi folks, Moanin' here...just wanted ya'll to know that we're starting to have some guest chickens...er, uh, writers onda wire....come say Hi at a show and let me know if you're interested in guest writing on the wire sometime...and here's our good friend, Lane, to kick things off.....applause, applause, applause..... Friday, June 24, Atlanta pride, '05...It's big (250,000 people+), it's hot and it's all it's cracked up to be. Picture this...'bout sundown walkin into historical Piedmont Park (The Allmans and The doors played there in the 70's, i heard) full of people who are loud, proud and there for the music. Well its a good thing, cause they got it. I'm not talking 'bout people who are like "hmm, oh yeah, we're here to see, um, who are we here to see?" I'm talkin 'bout people waitin to see some of their own, people who got there at 1pm for an 8pm gen admission show. Moanin' Malone and the girls (of Indigo persuation) brought the park down! Havin' never seen MM in a venue of that size, I was blown away by that little bitty girl with her big ol' voice and rockin' guitar...and then there was LB1, Linda Bolley, who, after many a house concert, was glad to beat the hell out of her drums, I'm sure. She took kickin' that bass drum to a whole new level, chasin it all over that stage....and this is just Friday night... Saturday, June 25, 2005...I *finally* got to see Eddies Attic live and in person (did you know that Eddie Owen is making a triumphant return to run the Attic again?!!! http://www.eddiesattic.com/) Now as excited as I was about that, what went on inside of Eddie's Attic that night was almost too much for this little ol' colorado girl...2 shows...early show, lots of family in the house,literally all MM's in-laws were there...most brilliant mix of Malone ballads and upbeat Moanin' material I've ever heard, and I finally heard "Cypress Inn" live thanks to MM in-laws Dan and Debbie Dannheisser on accounta they made the treck from Sarasota and it's their fave MM song ... thought it couldn't get any better...well, i was w-r-o-n-g...Late show, holy hell...did i mention holy hell? Overwhelming, in fact...Teen Lament, My Green Thumb and oh my god, is she really playin, noooo, Counting Stars by request...I prolly coulda died right there and been perfectly okay with it...addin to the euphoria of the set list, Ms. Bolley pulled out her mandolin and threw down some Winter Muscadine...dang! I still can't get enough of her singin' with da pick in her mouth cause she's gotta play those drums too! Talk about multi-tasking...for someone who's dreamed of seein' a show in a venue that is home to her favorites, musically speakin', actually seeing my favorite made the experience too sweet for words...truly... The entire weekend, all in all, was amazing and rockin and rollin and i was kinda sad to leave it behind for the good ol' Rocky Mountains. As far as Atlanta goes, anyone lookin for a roommate? I think i kinda like da south. Lanewalsh@yahoo.com Back to Top Volume #4, 6/20/05 If I could put that "spankin" icon (here)....I would....cuz that's what happened last Saturday night... the people got SPANKED by Moanin' and LB at the Trilogy Lounge in Boulder, CO. It was definitely one of my top 3 shows. The club was full of half old fans and half new ones. We had the solid gold dancers down front keeping MM and LB feelin the love....and there were the fans who knew every word to some old songs ... singin 'em loud and proud....and lots and lots of hootin and hollerin... There was an article in The Daily Camera newspaper that came out the Thursday prior to the show that helped spread the word about the rocker....I think some of those readers had to come check her out.... y'all can go on line to the dailycamera.com and find the article for yourself....it's a good one. Michelle had a surprize for the crowd.....a new Boulder friend sang with her on a couple of songs....Bonnie Raitt's "Love Me Like A Man" and one of her new ones "Beyond the Mountain".....Jans Ingber sings and plays percussion with a Brazilian band, "Sambe Dende", a salsa band "La Candela", and fronts his own blues/r-n-b band "Jans Ingber and the Loving Truth"....the blending of harmonies made your knees weak....it was so amazing...quite a treat. I'm looking forward to more of that! I usually like to point out the highlight of the show...but I gotta say that the entire show was a highlight....Moanin' was relaxed and on her spot...Linda was sassy and brilliant on the drums....the crowd was awesome and the club was da bomb.... Need I say more?....well, I could....but there are some things better experienced and not shared, if ya know what i mean.... Thank you to all the fans who drove from other states to come to the show....thank you to the friends and fans who always support Moanin' and LB out here in the mountains.... and thank you to mother nature for finally deciding to warm up so Moanin' can put her sweater caps and fleece scarves away for the summer.... So until next week when i gotta tell you about all the Atlanta shows... get caught up on the wire....Big Red bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top Volume #3, 6/15/05 How's a girl supposed to write the wire when moanin's over here singing "You Gotta Be Me" in the vain of Robert Goulet???? I tell ya......she's quite a distraction and it's hard to get much work done when she's around....but at least it ain't boring. With as much as she's been playing lately, it hardly looks like she is taking time off...lucky us.!..so there's a few shows to share with ya. #1 May 28th.......somewhere in Colorado near Denver..... Lane turnin' 20-something.... Now Lane is one of our favorite people ever. She's so dang funny and sweet to us. And we appreciate her so much! Her folks made the most awesome BBQ I ever had! and Moanin''' and Linda were the Rockin' side dishes. The set was a blast! Moanin' left her harmonica holder at home so she had to tape them to her mic stand and reach over to play them. Hoping to play the appropriate one for the song she was singing....and then at one point I had to stand behind her to hold one up to her mouth.....I mean I always wanted to be in a band, but this isn't exactly what i meant. We bout laughed our heads off to the point where she could barely play... aaahhhhhhhh.....what fun! #2 May 29th..... Melissa's house warming party..... She bought a really cool loft in the north end of Boulder and Moanin' and Linda heated it up with an awesome set. There were tons of people there and the food was so yummy! Moanin's got this new old lavender ruffly tuxedo shirt that's she's been wearing. And if you squint just right, she looks a little like Elvis... she and Linda played most of the new songs and our usual favorites......my favorite, Miss Missippi, is still rolling round in my head at night while I sleep. Y'all heard it yet? #3 June 3rd ... The Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Inititive in Atlanta.. Shirley Adams, of Come Out Dancing, put on a benefit at Jungle in Atlanta where Moanin' and Linda headlined with the Jeannie Johnson Band opening. Lots of folks came out to support the cause. There were some crazy sound issues but Moanin', being the one to "rise above played her chicken wings off....At one point she came to the front of the stage and layed down while playing her guitar. We've probably all seen this at one time or another.... Lots of people danced to Brand New Dream, Avalon, and Preacher's Daughter. It was so sweet! #4 June 4th...Rebecca's Birthday....Atlanta... It was so exciting to ring the doorbell, have the birthday girl answer and be totally surprized to find Moanin' Michelle Malone at her doorstep! She was the surprize gift. Moanin' and Linda played in this beautiful home, with fabulous food, great friends and made lots of new fans. Even grandma was dancin' in her seat to Preacher's Daughter. And we musn't forget the "Malonettes"....keeping time with sways, and snaps in the back of the room. whew!...you tired yet??? #5 June 6th...Isle of Palms, Charleston... Moanin' opened for her good friend Kevin Kinney at the Wind Jammer on their usual Monday Rock Nite.....prior to the show, 96 Wave radio station was blasting her tunes, and talkin her up. DJs Suzy Boe and "The Critic" are apparantly big fans of her music. Moanin' played "Cry Me a River" for "The Critic" as it's one of his favs.... And in my opinion, "Teen Lament" tore the house down!~ There were air guitar specialists all about......dancing and wantin to lay on the monitors to get a little closer to the music....or Moanin"...... Well........I'm tired now...reliving all these rock shows make for a worn out Big Red. Here's hoping we'll see you on the road.....playing your own air guitar.....and sportin your very own tuexdo shirt that's been collecting dust..... here's to hot wings and icy cold vodka drinks to keep me sane in the summer......... get caught up in the wire........BR bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top Volume #2, 5/11/05 Howdy y'all......... It's time for a big Happy Birthday shout out to Moanin'! Born was a superstar.......known to many, heard by more than that....celebrated by a select few in the yard under the stars and wings of chickens... And if y'all ain't never been under the wing of a chicken....well, it's warm and comfy..... as long as the chicken ain't bent in the middle.... Have y'all ever had a shrimp boil? Or a skrimp burl? Well, we had one for the birthday girl in the yard complete with butcher paper that you can color on or spill on, write a song on or ball up in the end to make a fire in the chiminea...... As a commemoration of the birth of MM, we practiced the ancient custom of stick burning.....associatin' the stick with some old unfinished business ....like folks you wanted to holler at for doin' ya wrong or staying mad at your momma for somethin' she couldn't help, and so on.... we kept the fire going by burning old chairs and the wrappins off chocolate cupcakes. Sometimes sparks can come flyin' out of the top of a chiminea so using a splatter screen from the kitchen cupboard -normally used to keep the grease from gettin' on ya- works just fine to keep your hair from catchin' fire....... After some good food, sweets and friendship, the git-tar (guitar) came out and singin' commenced. With all the chicken talk goin on, an awesome song with the catchy name "Soul Chicken" was born. And if it makes it to a record, y'all are gonna smell the lilac trees and the burnt wrappers in it just like you were there at the time of it's making. I'm thinking the whole dang night should be turned into a musical starring James Brown, Lucille Ball, Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall, who, by the way, will walk out on you in every scene. Hmmmmm.......doncha wonder who will play the part of Moanin' Michelle Malone?..... I'm thinkin' I wanna play the part of the bent chicken.... Well, I was gonna tell y'all that if you need the recipe for the skrimp burl to contact me but ya can't....so just make it up.......alls you need to do it throw everything in the pot and burl it till it's good! And feel free to use that splatter screen idea for your fire pit. but once you done that, it's all ruined and don't work in the kitchen no more. Thought for the day....."the best things aren't things".... and remember to hug your chicken. 'get caught up on the chicken wire'........Big Red bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top Volume #1, 5/5/05 Just how many performances of Moanin's can you experience and still get an awesome rock show? um....endless amounts....just endless. April 28th and 29th in Indianapolis and there 'bouts... Absolute extremes with something like cello strings and chicken wire connecting the two. The first night at Butler U.....a performance of women artists in honor of women. In the lobby turned into performance space with the tallest ceilings ever....we walked into the Butler Symphony and Chorale rehearsing what we later found out was a "Williams" piece...Wagner-like...I thought I was in a movie soundtrack....StarWarsish....it was so grand. But I was underdressed..... We had been fetched from our hotel by, Emily, the woman in charge of the shindig and driven to the venue...she was lovely and funny and seemingly excited to have MM play her event. She had tried several years prior to see her play in a club but was kicked out due to her underage status....now was her chance to experience the rock. A dancer, some poetry, an acapella group later, Moanin' took the stage....well, first, her "tour fluffer", as I am now called, warmed up the audience by gettin' em to move closer to the stage with sweet southern speak....they laughed at me, it was funny, it worked....whatever it takes, I say.... and she and her boot board initiated us with Flagpole to get our hearts n feets a'beatin.... Dang! Sometimes I forget that anybody else is even around or what I'm supposed to be doing! Oh, um, ok, even writing about it i feel like I was there again....I lost my spot.... so...the set list goes.... Flagpole Miss Missippi (the groovy new one y'all are just gonna love!) Camera Cry Me A River Super Ball Avalon Honeysuckle Travelin Tighten Up Muscadine Lafayette Preacher's Daughter New fans were made, Moanin' rocked the hallway, a new song was broken and the women of Butler U were honored....all in a good night. Highlights?.....MissMissippi..yowzah!...and Super Ball completely filling the hall with her amazing voice. April 29th....North Salem, deep in the country. .........in the rain. A house concert, or rather a tarp concert, held by the sweetest lady carpenter Dawn....We were again picked up at our hotel by another new unknown friend...We hoisted ourselves in the big SUV and headed deep into who knows where. After a bit, we didn't much care because it was so pretty and felt like home. Farm houses, cows n chickens, small itty bitty towns with no traffic lights, and acres and acres of nuttin.... We were teased or warned, as Dawn put it, that due to the rain, she had constructed a "white trash" stage area....and kept sayin "y'all are gonna take one look at what I have built and wanna run the other way!"..... We turned the corner and there it was.......the biggest, bluest, tarp we ever saw! Connected to the side of the house she built with her own hands, out of old barnwood and tin, to the barn across the yard... It was awesome! Hay bales and 2x6's made the seating. And the tallest piece of lumber I've ever seen created the pitch of the tarp, which was held up by hay bales and the grace of god. After a tour of Dawn's sweet home, we were greeted by our Hospitality Hostess Susan...no lie...that's what she called herself! She was da bomb diggity! She brought us snacks and drinks and practically curtsied as she left the room...We had some of the best salsa ever that Dawn made...attatched to it was a slogan something like..."too hot to eat but too sweet to not".... And there was Casper the kitty and a one eyed dog named Missy to keep us company. They even had an opener....A well known in the area gospel/country singer/guitar player named Patty Porter and her fiddle player Ian Morrow...they were great. And so respectful and sweet... Folks were sitting on the hay bales and boards and the rain was sweet and the people were excited for Michelle. The set was similar to the night before but take away Super Ball and add Brand New Dream and Travellin and Unravellin as an encore. Just after Moanin' started her first song this ole boy came up to me and howled "dang! that girl's got a D-wight Yokam leg just a goin!"....He was just beside himself at the sight of M's leg resmebling the move his favorite music star that he apparently had just seen days before. The hired sound engineer was floored by her talents, wouldn't stop telling me how impressed he was, the crowd was hootin' n a hollerin' and dancin' and one kept saying how this was the greatest thing to ever happen to them....the appreciation these people expressed was from their heart....and lungs! A friend was made in Dawn for sure...we just kept thinking she was our people. And one of the coolest things about her is that she wants to develop her land to support bringing more music to the area...and that she love's the rock! To the women of Butler U and the fine hillbillies of North Salem, Indiana....much gratitude for taking such good care of us and sharing Moanin's music with their friends. Next time I go there, I want to pitch a tent by Dawn's lake, dance under her stars and sing John Denver songs with ole John the 80- somethin cowboy I met...Big Red bigchickenwire@aol.com Back to Top |