Come Together: The Abbey Road Show

Provo Rooftop Concert Series
Friday, June 1st 8:00 p.m.
Provo Town Square Parking Terrace Rooftop



1969. It was a very good year. The year 1969 gave the world Sesame Street, Monty Python, the Apollo 11 moon landing—and me. And, more to the point here, the Beatles’ album Abbey Road.





Of course the Beatles split up while I was still a squalling infant, but thanks to their ubiquity and musical genius (and the tutelage of my sister’s high school boyfriend), I grew up to be a Beatles fan. Like, a really big Beatles fan.



















Like, I own all the Beatles albums, films, anthologies, and special editions of Rock Band. I’ve seen both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr live in concert. I’ve seen Julian Lennon in concert. I’ve seen any number of Beatles tribute bands in concert. I’ve even made the pilgrimage to Liverpool.


















Oh yes, and to Abbey Road itself—the now-famous street in London where the Beatles recorded at EMI studios.








Abbey Road has been ranked the 14th on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time list. Which is pretty good, especially considering it’s only the fourth or fifth best Beatles album of all time. And which is why, if you’re in the neighborhood, you won’t want to miss Downtown Provo’s free Rooftop Concert Series this Friday night.
























(Oh, hey! Do you know who else enjoyed free rooftop concerts?)

If you’re a Beatles fan, you already know that John, Paul, George, and Ringo never performed the Abbey Road songs together in concert; they had long since quit touring by 1969. All the more reason to hear their music performed live this weekend!

And even if you’re not really a Beatles fan, you still know the songs from Abbey Road: Come Together. Something. Octopus’s Garden. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. Here Comes the Sun. You’ll be singing along, trust me. (You might not be singing along throughout the less-familiar Side Two epic medley, but you’ll enjoy it. Trust me.)

To get you primed for the Abbey Road Show, here are some of my favorite insider tidbits about Abbey Road. Now you can be a Road-ie too:

- Abbey Road is a very busy street. If you go there and if you insist upon recreating the album cover photo in that famous zebra crossing, be prepared to cross quickly and get a few grumpy looks from passing motorists—not to mention interference from other tourists there ruining your shot. (“Zebra crossing” is what the British call crosswalks. You are not likely to spot any actual zebras in one.)

- Take a closer look at that album cover. Notice that Paul is the only Beatle crossing the street barefoot. This is allegedly one of the clues that contributed to the whole “Paul Is Dead” conspiracy theory. Also, do you see that man standing on the right-hand pavement, next to the black taxi? Turns out that guy was a passing American tourist who had no idea he was photographed until he saw the album cover. Well, that’s the official story, anyway; I think maybe he is the Angel of Death, stalking Paul.

- “Something,” one of two George Harrison classics on Abbey Road, so impressed Frank Sinatra that he hailed it as “the greatest love song ever written.” Sinatra may just be right about that.

- John Lennon hated “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” (written by Paul) and refused to participate in recording the song. I kind of don’t blame him.

- “Because” features producer George Martin on the harpsichord and George Harrison on the Moog synthesizer. Moog is a funny word.

- The translation of John’s chorus in “Sun King”? “Mundo paparazzi mi amore chicka ferdy parasol”? Yeah, it’s gibberish. A faux mix of Romance languages and Liverpuddlian nonsense.

- Nobody really has an explanation for “Octopus’s Garden.” Not even Ringo, and he wrote the blooming thing.

- “Her Majesty” is the shortest song in the Beatles repertoire at 23 seconds long. (Tip: Try singing it in the shower. Hair care experts recommend massaging your scalp for 30 to 60 seconds while shampooing. Sing “Her Majesty” through twice and you’re pretty much on the money. You’re welcome.)

- “The End” was, appropriately enough, the last song recorded collectively by all four Beatles. And in the end, the love you take / is equal to the love you make….

One more thing. If the Abbey Road Show only whets your appetite, there’s more where that came from. Southern soul band Booker T. & the MG’s recreated Abbey Road (with Moog!) as an R&B album, McLemore Avenue (1970)—McLemore Avenue being the street in Memphis where the legendary Stax recording studios were located.






P.S. I’ve made a pilgrimage there too.

Romance on the Rooftop

Provo Rooftop Concert Series: Meaghan Smith & Mindy Gledhill

I am—not so secretly—a vintage girl at heart. I love to look back at history through rose-colored glasses that give it a velvety patina of nostalgia. Things seemed simpler and more decent. That’s an illusion of course—as anything viewed through rose-colored glasses will be. My grandmother and grandfather would have pointed out that their survival in the 1930’s and 40’s was anything but simple.

I’ve been doing some reading, lately, about the plight of the British citizens during World War II. I’m embarrassed not to have known about the incredible deprivation and starvation these islanders faced. And I’m amazed at their resiliency and determination.

There’s a single phrase that has been popping up in design and décor a lot lately. “Keep Calm and Carry On.” You can find it on wall hangings, pillows, postcards, and even tissues. The phrase was initiated by the British Ministry of Information in 1939. Distinctive red posters were printed with the slogan in white block letters. They were meant for distribution across the British Isles to boost the morale of citizens during World War II. However, very few were actually distributed.






















In 2000, one of the original posters was found at Barter Books, a second-hand bookstore in Northumberland. The phrase has taken on new meaning in current world-wide recession, and the slogan is getting much more attention that it ever did originally.















Even though I know that earlier eras were also filled with the worry and strife of life, it inspires me to know that people who endured hardships greater than mine did more than just survive; they thrived. And that means I can too.






















All of that rambling has set the stage so that I can announce a new love: the music of Meaghan Smith! Her voice is as clear as a bell, and it has a sort of nostalgic poignancy. In her whimsical illustrated bio, Meaghan says she’s really into the music of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, and you can definitely hear that vintage sensibility in songs like “If You Asked Me” and “A Little Love.”






















“Here Comes Your Man” fulfills all kinds of lazy summer day fantasies for me. (Check out the video and you’ll see what I mean.)

Here’s the great news! Now you can see Meaghan Smith live—on a rooftop. And as the extra scoop of ice cream on top of the Sundae, appearing with Meaghan is another favorite of mine, Mindy Gledhill! Meaghan and Mindy will be appearing as part of Provo’s Free Rooftop Concert Series.

When: Friday, June 3, 2011 8:00 p.m.
Where: On the roof of the Provo Town Square parking terrace

The concert is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. You can arrive as early as 6:00 and visit the food and craft vendors in the marketplace direction below the venue (in the Provo Town Square Courtyard).

Meaghan recorded a special tune just for Provoans which you can listen to here.






















Vintage darlings.

It's Not the Destination, It's the Journey

I remember being a college student at BYU and living near the south end of campus. There was a bagel/sandwich place near the old location of El Azetca (you old Provoans know what I’m talking about) that featured local bands on weekends.

I remember going there Friday afternoon for a sandwich before my evening shift waiting tables. I saw Swim Herschel Swim. I went there on a first date with a guy who would be my boyfriend for a semester. We saw an amazing female singer who was trying to raise money for her mission. I was young, I was hip, I was broke…it was all part of being in the Provo alternative music scene.

I took that stroll down the 20-year corridor of memory last Friday night when I decided on a whim to go to Velour in Provo and see what the local college bands had to offer. I had been ironing shirts and watching a re-cap of the royal wedding. But I had an epiphany standing in front of the T.V. clasping my spray bottle. I was middle-aged, I was broke, but damn it…I was still hip. (Or at least hippy.)

I didn’t know where Velour was, but I vaguely remembered there being a club somewhere on Center Street. Well, it isn’t there. It’s on University Avenue. Nothing a little call to 411 and more couldn’t resolve.

Velour was small, hip, and non-alcoholic, much like me. I spotted my friends fairly easily and slid into a seat next to them. When had the bands gotten so young, I wondered. Did they let high school kids in here? The woman seated on the other side of me turned slightly, and we had one of those “don’t I know you?” moments. Sure enough, she and her husband and I had been in a singles ward together. She couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5 years older than I, if that.

“That’s my son,” she said proudly, pointing to the bassist on stage.

Her son?

I am old enough to have given birth to the musicians on stage! Or at least one of them.

I suddenly felt dirty for having noticed how cute the drummer was.

But the evening wasn’t ruined for me. Far from it. While I was no longer the young thing swaying on the dance floor, I felt that my 20-odd years gave me the privilege of anonymity. I sat back and people watched. And I enjoyed myself. And when my younger, hipper friends took off before I did, those extra 20 years had given me the self-assurance to stay seated, listen to the next set, and enjoy being a part of the scene.

So music lovers! If you’ve managed to stay with me thus far, I give you the act you all came to see: The 2011 Season of Downtown Provo’s Free Rooftop Concert Series! The season kicks of this Friday, May 6th at 8:00 p.m. with Fictionist and Paul Jacobsen and The Madison Arm. Concerts take place on the roof of the Provo Town Square parking terrace. Admission is free.

Fictionist is one of eight bands nationally competing to be the first unsigned band featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Paul Jacobsen and The Madison Arm has been featured at the Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour and Folks Fest among others. The concert is being brought to you by CJaneRun.com and Vivint.

I’ll be there. I hope you will be too. You can read more about the event here. Or visit their Facebook page here.

SPARK

SPARK
restaurant/lounge
86 N. University Ave.
Provo, UT
www.sparkrestaurantlounge.com


I’m a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Flats as opposed to stilettos. But I’ll let you in on a secret. I’ve got an array of red lipsticks at the back of a drawer. Sometimes I like to imagine that I’m an exotic orchid instead of a gerber daisy. In that spirit, I decided to take a break from second-hand booksellers and tea shops and visit SPARK restaurant lounge in Provo. Yes! Provo has a sleek and chic lounge with a delicious menu, hip vibe, and alcohol-free mixed drinks.

Friday at noon I put on a pair of dark wash jeans and silver flats—my attempts at glamour—and set off on my own. I’d actually tried to talk a few friends into going with me, but it turns out most people have something to do during the day. And if I waited to go somewhere until I could be accompanied…well, I’d never go anywhere at all.

I was surprised to find the place relatively empty. A waiter sat me in a corner, flat up against a wall, out of sight. Was it unseemly to show up for lunch on your own? She asked me if this seat was all right, and not wanting to be demanding, I assented. Note to self: when restaurant is filled with open, airy seats, be demanding! I have no one but myself to blame.

I ordered the Oxblood to drink: blood orange puree, Rockstar, and cucumber. Excellent! I had a basic chicken sandwich that was anything but basic. It came on a hot bun, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The chicken was marvelously flavored and the greens were covered with a lovely, sharp, fresh Parmesan. My sandwich came with a side of chilled strawberry soup. Heavenly!

The desserts looked fabulous, but I was too full to give them proper attention, so I made a note to go back another time. My only complaint was that the wait staff seemed a little bored and inattentive. True, it’s hard to stay motivated on a slow day (I “waitress-ed” my way through college), but that’s all the more reason to make the few guests present feel like royalty rather than an inconvenience. However, this observation is based on a one-time experience. I look forward to visiting SPARK again and putting them to the test.

To all of you college-age guys reading my blog (cue crickets), this is definitely a place to impress a date.