Denise and I got to see Anais Mitchell Wednesday night. We won tickets on the NHPR Folk Show. Oh yes, and Bill Morrissey, Cheryl Wheeler and Brooks Williams were there too. The Folk Show’s host, Kate McNally, a singer-songwriter herself, glowed as she introduced each of the performers, who had become her personal friends during live in-studio performances and interviews. They took turns playing songs, and the playlist seemed to be completely spontaneous.
Anais started out with a song I hadn’t consciously heard before, from her unfinished folk-opera Hadestown in which King Hades is building a wall (reminiscent of the Palestine or Mexican Border walls) around Hadestown to keep out the enemy, which is identified as “Poverty”.
Bill M. made a reference to Iraqis (Iranians?) shouting “Death to America” at virtually every opportunity (say, when Paris Hilton’s jail term is announced, or the local soccer team wins); he said that actually “Death to America” is Arabic for “Let’s Party!”. The joke was as close as you can get to borderline racist, but Bill’s indescribable deadpan delivery made it all right. From that point on, the other performers and members of the audience took to shouting “Death to America” spontaneously from time to time.
One of the high points of the show was when Cheryl Wheeler asked Kate if she rally could sing any song she wanted, and Kate assured her she could. Cheryl still looked a little uncertain, so she asked the audience, “How many of you would say you’re strong supporters of George W. Bush? Raise your hands.” From where i sat, I could see no raised hands, and I assume that this was also true for the folks sitting in the balcony. She looked reassured and launched into a song to the tune of “Louie, Louie” whose chorus went “Dubya, Dubya, oh baby, time for you to go,,” Everyone joined in on that chorus.
Next Brooks did a traditional American song. Anais followed, saying she’d do a traditional song too, but because of what Bill had just talked about, she’d do an Arabic song. Her rendition of the song (about a rooster) was incredible!
Cheryl and Bill did some of their greatest hits, in Cheryl’s case, one of those that brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. Kate remarked that she was thankful to have a CD player in her car, so she could replay that song over and over without having to rewind a cassette or wear out the grooves of an LP.
I had not consciously listened to Brooks Williams before, but his guitar playing was superb. He talked of working with the late John Cunningham, a legendary Scottish musician and drinker, who coincidentally had also worked with Bill Morrissey. Many Cunningham jokes circulated among the performers throughout the evening. I understand that Bill has sworn off drinking; his delivery is as good as ever, so it seems the drinking was not really a necessary crutch after all, but he described in a vary funny way how he and Cunningham had arrived one time on a free-booze flight to Rome and been taken immediately to a banquet where drinking heavily was de rigeur . Johnny had given a Gaelic-language toast, and everybody repeated it dutifully. He told Bill later that the words of the toast were actually “I pissed in my pants”, which he had.
At intermission, I had the great privilege of talking briefly with Anais at the edge of the stage. She was surrounded by a coterie of young Quakers, some of whom had travelled all the way from Boston to see her. She had apparently been involved with Young Friends peripherally at some point. As Quakers, Denise and I sort of sidled up to the group and listened in. I asked Anais about the Arabic song; she said she had lived in Egypt for 6 months and the song had been a pop hit (but actually a traditional song) and was played on the radio all the time, so she just picked it up.
Bill and Cheryl both sang songs about turning 50 and growing old. As sixty-year-olds, of course, Denise and I could relate. It turns out that Cheryl is younger than we are, even though her hair is grey and our hheads of hair have somehow kept some of their color.
In the concessions stand at the theater door, in addition to her two CDs, Anais was selling t-shirts that were “guaranteed used” with two small but special silk-screen logos front and back..
I really want to congratulate Kate and everyone else involved on putting on a really moving and delightful show. The hall was more than half full, which I understand is good for a Wednesday night, so I hope there will be another Folk Show Folk Show next year.