As I highlighted in my Djan Djan post, Jeff has been a long time favorite of mine. After hearing him play 'Elvis is Dead' three years ago on the internet I fell in love with both his music and the Weissenborn style lap slide. I now thankfully own an entry level model and have been naively plucking away for own amusement for a year or so and always listening to Jeff's wonderfully disturbed folk for enlightenment. Nonetheless, I have never been able to see him live. Alas, as Japan's long-time guitar culture is alive and well, it comes as no surprise that the relatively commercially unknown Lang (even in Australia) is highly regarded as a fretboard aficionado in Japan. Deservedly, he held down a prime Friday night slot at Daikanyama's UNIT for people willing to dig deep. And many where. The packed house were recipients of truly profound musicianship from both Jeff and drummer Danny McKenna, for a tick over two hours. I was seriously in awe, and along with everyone else I didn't hold back on letting out a couple of howls when Jeff was in full flight.
After the show I got to meet both of them, and the two local Victorians where refreshed by my Australian accent. I had thanked them sincerely and chatted about my own living and studying status in Tokyo. After they singed my new CD's, one of which is a live recording from Melbourne, Jeff said "Seeya Ryan!" as I walked out of the room smiling from ear to ear. I also yanked a gig poster off the wall on the way out of which is highly taboo in Japan. So that's about as rebellious as I get. Below is a clip of him a few years back.
No comments:
Post a Comment