Rock n Roll in the Real World

Hello Mr. Trachtenburg,

Thank you so much for the note!

I did indeed enjoy the show. That venue is a 2.5 hour drive for me so, you can imagine I don't make that trip for just any ole show. Your son's band is actually the second time I thought it worthy enough to make the trip. I was not disappointed!

I'm speaking the truth when I say, "That was one of the GREATEST show's I've ever seen." The opener guy was quirky and funny. Then the second act, name of Kimya Dawson was AWESOME!! I was incredibly impressed with her!! I bought both her CD's she had for sale. Does Jason plan out who will open for him? Because it just seemed to work out so great. All the acts were different, but all the acts got laughs. The first guy (I'm sorry I didn't get his name.) was just doing straight comedy. Then Kimya had more serious songs, but they still were loaded with cheeky comments and such (did I mention how impressed I was with her?).

The openers were just the perfect setup for the Trachtenburg Family. The venue is so perfect. It's so intimate and clean. Like a fancy living room in someone's house. Rachel was sitting at the Projector watching the opening acts.

There was some trouble with the high hat stand in the beginning. Little Rachel would stop mid song and say, "Dad!" and Dad would just stop and go fix it. She told her dad that some of her chimes were missing, that the "Christian Terrorists" had glasses "Just like yours." She said she wanted to play their 4 year anniversary show at the same place where they had their fist show. Dad said, "Why it was a dump." If that's not available she wants to play Sidewalk or Fez, or "Some place I like."

I got a t-shirt and Rachel signed it for me. I was looking for Jason after the show to talk with him a bit, because he had such a good sense of humor. When I was walking out the door, I spotted him over in the corner signing things. It was already midnight and since I had that 2.5 hour drive home and work the next day, I just took off.

If I had to offer some constructive criticism it would be...personal introspection. A tiny little bit of the show should be personnel to the artist. How do the slides expose feelings in the artist?

I can tell Jason has a special brain. To be able to look at the slides of the army nurses and think "Look at me". He said during the show, "When I looked at these slides, every one seemed to say 'Look at Me'" He saw a theme in the slides and used that as the subject of the song. That was a very, very clever song. I'm a self-proclaimed comedy-scientist and the "writing" of the comedy in "Look at Me" is brilliant.

In contrast, the comedy (and therefore the majority of the entertainment value of the piece) in "What will the Corporation do" is found in the slides themselves. He simply shows them and reads them. There wasn't as much "writing" in it.

I don't know what I'm getting at, and I'm writing myself, aren't I?. Sorry to let this turn into a novel.

Thanks again for the note! Your progeny are very talented!!

-love, Matt

PS. I think I'll post this on my weblog in it's entirety since I wanted to post my concert story on there anyway and this seems to hit all the major points. If you don't want your note on there, let me know and I'll remove it.

Thanks again, and I'll spread the word!!


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 14:56:07 EDT
From: MTracht------@---.com
To: mcox@pcs.cnu.edu
Subject: Re TFSP

I just stumbled onto your website. I hope you enjoyed seeing the
Trachtenburg Family in live performance. This was a show I wish I could have attended:
great venue, powerful opening acts and early in the tour when the performers
still aren't road-weary. That 83 Suburban is a heller to drive! It is a
reliable dinosaur.

I hope you also took the opportunity to visit with the band after the show.
They are probably the easiest band in the land to approach and talk to.

I also hope you enjoyed seeing the youngest professional rock musician
perform. She is something else and adds to the creativity her father has put into
the show and his music. Did she let go any ad libs? She usually can be
counted on to comment about something but we never know what. That lends the show
another unique aspect. Also, during the opening acts, she often turns up in
the audience to watch the show.

If you liked the show, do tell your friends. If you didn't like it, let the
band know because they work hard to build a show for you. You can contact
them directly at slideshowplayers@yahoo,com/ If you want to contact them to
praise them, the best thing you can do is sign the guest book at
www.slideshowplayers.com

Have a great day.

Milt Trachtenburg (of course I'm related. I'm Jason's dad and Rachel's
granddad)

<< Go Back to the Main Page