ELLNORA GUITAR FESTIVAL Champaign-Urbana, Illinois Sept. 6-10 2011

lueders
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:29 pm

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to get down to the Krannert Center (on The University of Illinois Campus) for their annual ELLNORA, Guitar festival. Prior to this year, I had no idea the range of artists associated with the festival.

Where else can you see grammy winners Daniel Lanois, (player, & producer U2, Dylan Neil Young), Adrian Belew(King Crimson, Talking Heads, Bowie, Zappa, NIN) rocking out in the lobby? FOR FREE!!!

For a mere five dollars, apiece... Krista and I sat in the second row for two performances that I couldn't get out of my head if I wanted to... In the first, performance I saw BUSTER KEATON's silent film: COPS put to music by Lee Ranaldo (of Sonic Youth fame).In short it was avant-garde & bizarre as hell! His guitar was hung from the rafters by electrical cable and was frequently spun 360 degrees through out the performance. His pallet ranged from an assortment of foot pedals to, various mallets, a violin bow. He used the bow in a similar fashion to Jimmie Page...but much more sporadically and he had an overall more random attack.
At times the performance was jarring and even ear piercing. But it was more than just an experiment into artful white noise.
He created a convincing sonic backdrop for the classic motion picture...

In the second performance I saw Marc Ribot. He was perhaps best known (at least to me) with his genius minimalistic work with Elvis Costello & Tom Waits. Mr. Ribot came to the stage armed with only an ancient acoustic Gibson. (rumored to be a '36)...to reinterpret CHARLIE CHAPLAN'S : THE KID. Ribot simply played straight into the mic. The intensity was all in his fingers & flat pick...in which he switched back & forth with great regularity. I thought he did a wonderful job of accenting the highs and lows of the silent drama as it rolled...without getting too sugary/sentimental and keeping the proceeding interesting & unpredictable. If I was looking to sum up his one-of-a- kind performance I would say: Artful ambient. minimal, ragtimey, gypsy space jazz with surprising miscellaneous overtones. All and all the best performance I ever saw that I can't remember...and for someone writing a film score that is probably as good a compliment as you can get...I would guess.

Although, I am kinda bummed that both Taj Mahal and Carolina Chocolate Drops...as well as... Richard Thompson and My Brightest Diamond were sold out. I am quite excited about getting to see Robert Randolph & the Family, Luther Dickinson, & Andrew Belew later today & tonight....

2011 Schedule
TU SEP 6
5pm

Pre-Festival Local Heroes Night
Lobby, FREE
WE SEP 7
7:30PM

Circo and "e" for Orchestra
The Art Theater, $5-$7
TH SEP 8
6pm

Opening Night Party
Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely
Daniel Lanois' Black Dub
Vieux Farka Touré
Russ Barenberg Trio
Lobby, Amphitheatre, West Terrace, $5
FR SEP 9
Noon

Steve Dawson and Special Guests
Lobby, FREE
2pm

Guitar Workout: How to Stay Injury Free
Carle Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Foellinger Great Hall, FREE
3pm

Keynote Address by Adrian Belew
Foellinger Great Hall, FREE
4pm

Luther Dickinson and Alvin Youngblood Hart
Lobby, FREE
5pm

Chris Thile and Michael Daves
Lobby, FREE
6:30pm

Cops with live music by Lee Ranaldo
The Kid with live music by Marc Ribot
Colwell Playhouse, $5-$10
8pm

The Sheryl Bailey 3
Lobby, FREE
9pm

Taj Mahal Trio with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Alvin Youngblood Hart
Tryon Festival Theatre, $10-$45
10pm

Sonic Garden: Redhooker
Amphitheatre, FREE
10:30pm

Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos
Lobby, FREE
SA SEP 10
10am

Beijing Guitar Duo
Lobby, FREE
11am

Marija Temo
Lobby, FREE
Noon

Book Reading by Luther Dickinson
ELLNORA Studio Store, FREE
Noon

Dan Zanes and Friends with special guest the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra
Tryon Festival Theatre, $5-$12
1pm

Homebrew Ukulele Union with Robeson Elementary School Students
Stage 5, FREE
1:30pm

Bill Frisell with film by Bill Morrison: The Great Flood
Colwell Playhouse, $10-$30
3pm

Sharon Isbin
Foellinger Great Hall, $10-$34
4:30pm

Calexico
Tryon Festival Theatre, $10-$30
5:45pm

Rory Block and Cindy Cashdollar
Lobby, FREE
7pm

Richard Thompson and My Brightest Diamond
Colwell Playhouse, $10-$45
8:30pm

Adrian Belew: Painting with Guitar
Amphitheatre, FREE
10pm

Robert Randolph and the Family Band with guest Luther Dickinson
Tryon Festival Theatre, $10-$25
10pm

Sonic Garden: Noveller
Amphitheatre, FREE
11:30pm

Kevin Breit's Folkalarm
Lobby, FREE


Lavallee
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:40 pm

Thanks Cori, that really seams like fun. I am always amazed by the variety of music style.

Marc


tovo
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 4:17 pm

That's quite an eclectic lineup Cori! Glad you had the opportunity and that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the description.


tovo
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 4:18 pm

Gosh sounds absolutely fantastic Cori!

Personally I always love to watch live-music, so I can imagine that you've had/are having a great time over there. Have to admit, I don't know any of those names, haha, gosh I live under a rock or something! :laugh:

Have fun Cori!

Ness


millponddave
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 8:43 pm

Sounds like a great time. thanks for sharing.

Dave


cosmicmechanic
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:17 pm

Cori, I'm not familiar with many of these artists' names, so I started plugging them into YouTube search ... pretty interesting, a crazy event !

Thanks for the info.

Pierre


ncsurfer
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Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:05 pm

I would love to go to this! I used to live in this area years ago and sometimes miss it. I see Tommy Emmanuel will be in Champaign next week, are you going?


lueders
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Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:22 pm

I hadn't heard about Tommy E. coming to "Cham-bana" but I sure would like to!!! (Wish I wasn't so darn busy with school right now.) Thanks for the heads up ncsurfer!!!

Cori


Chasplaya
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Sat Sep 17, 2011 11:04 pm

Amazing line up, I would have gone to see Rory Block great blues player does Robert Johnson very well, then Richard Thompson wow.


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