Filming for what would be released as 'Storefront Hitchcock' directed by Jonathan Demme.
Early show, 11:15 AM to 1:10 PM

I just got back from the set of the new robyn concert movie, directed by good ol' jonathan demme.

it was a blast: GREAT show with deni bonet and tim keegan, filmed in a store-front on w 14th st in manhattan, with curious passersby peeking in, confused.

he played almost all of Moss Elixir and Mossy Liquor, and a couple of oldies (e.g. glass hotel) as the stage set-up changed subtly after every couple of songs and the camera cranes swooped around gracefully, capturing every nuance of his performance.

were any of you there at the 12/10 11:00 am filming?

Unlike Tim, I thought Robyn's performance--including the patter--was great, especially considering the circumstances. (I'm glad l.j. thought so, too.) The way he divided the set up into distinct sections (solo acoustic, solo electric, robyn-and-deni, robyn-and-tim, etc.) made the show flow--2 hours can get tiresome no matter how much you love the performer, but i was mesmerized throughout.

Favorite fleeting moments: when the huge truck emblazoned "PORKY!!" rumbled by the window, during a sensitive ballad (can't recall which one); towards the end of the show, when lunch-time gawkers filled the window wondering what was going on--but r.h. quickly won them over; when deni bonet used the octave-splitter on her violin to create that amazing, low riff in "beautiful queen."

i saw them do that song at the sidewalk on saturday night, and was amazed at how much better it sounds live than on the album (although it's pretty damn good on the album, too!)

--paula
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11:15 am on; 1:10 pm off

Throughout the setting was quite minimal, but they did use a couple of candles, a bare light bulb, and a large plastic tomato with a light inside it at various points. For a few songs they used a checkerboard of colored gels on the window; as Robyn put it, "Gilbert and George are building a holy temple," which is exactly what it looked like.

It was freezing in the converted employment agency and I thought Robyn was a bit stiff at the beginning. I thought the "Message" wasn't as funny as the Beacon rendition, but still funny. I liked the "Beautiful Queen" with the addition of driving rhythm guitar by Captain Keegan.

I was hoping he might mix up his set list a bit more and pull out some other numbers than the ones heard on the past tour, but it was still enjoyable and the added excitement of being an extra in a Jonathan Demme film was groovy. They had a f*ckin' Luma-crane in that space, dude!

At the end Robyn turned around and acknowledged the curious onlookers in the window, and put the orange cone on his head.

TXC