VH1 Storytellers

[Trish]

Very grateful for the opportunity to attend the VH1 Storyteller’s taping yesterday. After 6 months of not seeing the band live, I needed this show like I need the air I breathe. It did not disappoint. Although the music alternated with Grace’s storytelling, the band played and performed each song as intensely as they do at a full concert. When they start off with Stop the Bus, you know they mean business. If I could have picked a song to lead off my long-awaited GPN fix, STB would have been it … perfect start to an unforgettable evening.

Loved all the new songs. The Lion, the Beat, the Beast is definitely the standout. Starts off with the entire band singing the “oh oh” part and, with both Matt and Michael on drums, the sound is hauntingly powerful. Then Grace, Scott, and Benny rip into the guitars and the song rocks as hard as anything I’ve ever heard the Nocs play. In contrast, Stars is a heartbreakingly beautiful song that got more than a few of us a little choked up. The Divide is another powerful one with a slightly eerie quality and great story about a road trip to go with it. Finally, proving that all things in this world are impermanent including my opinions, I have to say that Never Go Back is great live.

Since this was being recorded for a one hour t.v. show, I went in expecting only a few songs with a handful of stories mixed in … 90 minutes to 2 hours max. What we got instead was a 3 hour show that was probably a 50/50 mix of Grace talking and the band playing. I’m not going to spoil any of the stories by sharing them here … you’ll have to wait for the show to air. But I will say that Grace is a fun story teller and they are going to have to edit the heck out of the thing because her commentary can get pretty colorful! Made me blush more times than I can count, but that’s one of the many things I love about listening to her. She’s incredibly genuine, honest, smart, funny and loves to take people by surprise by saying things they’re not expecting. Looked gorgeous in a white pant suit with a flowing white jacket.

Can’t comment on this show without mentioning the fact that Michael Libramento is a wonderful fit for this band. Multi-instrumental, great vocals, appears to be one heck of a good drummer, and he just gets what GPN is all about. Really like him a lot.

This is going to be one amazing show when VH1 airs it. Was a once in a lifetime experience to be there. Definitely one of my favorite GPN experiences of the past few years (a.k.a. one of the best days of my life). Can’t wait to see what the final edit turns out like.

[JackieinCT]

Wow! Thanks Eric and Trish for your commentary. I love the white pants and jacket! Wish I could have been there, but just so happy and proud of all of them! This is so cool! And by the way, did I mention how jealous I am that you guys got to go. Eric, Trish's invite shoots down your NYC theory! Love you guys! Looking forward to getting some shows on my calendar very soon, and seeing you there!

[HeathO96001]

Great reviews Trish and Eric! I was also fortunate enough to go to last night's show and it was awesome!

[Doc Zinger]

Great reviews, atleast if we have to live vicariously we have someone who can deliver the goods!

[vdowling]

Extremely cool Eric! Thx! Just curious though; Any mention of Ms. Popper in either taping??

No mention of Cat at the GPN storytellers. Some discussion about what happened with T Bone though

[Jersey Guy]

Thanks for the reviews ,just enough of a tease to make the airing even more special to look forward to!

[rte100expat]

Very excited to see this show when it airs since we all know how much the format plays to the strengths of GPN.

Turns out for me that the best detail about the late audience ticket offering was the fact that it was impossible for me to attend. So, as much as I would have given anything or everything to be there, instead I was spared the angst of creating the "right" entry submission and then waiting for a response with guarded anticipation.

Going to celebrate the fact that a number of the good folks on these boards have reported making it into the taping, but really am sincerely hoping that more of those here who were ready and willing to drop everything and run to this special event were given the opportunity to do so - even if that does come off as a bit naive or Pollyanna-ish.

[eric]

Extremely cool Eric! Thx! Just curious though; Any mention of Ms. Popper in either taping??

not that i recall

[JackieinCT]

June 15th!!!!!!!! Just wanted to remind everyone to watch Storytellers on VH1. My son watches VH1, so maybe now he'll understand that the music mom listens to is cool! I don't know where he got his taste in (rap) music...not from me!

[jsmiz23]

Great pics up on VH1 today: http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-...-storytellers/

[Jules]

Tonight at 11! Make sure you tune in, the taping was unreal!

[melissa]

Tonight at 11! Make sure you tune in, the taping was unreal!

i can't wait. from what i heard, you guys had an incredible experience at that taping. i know we'll only get a small fraction of what you saw, but i'm also anxious to hear reviews about how you, eric, trish, and heath think it compares!

[gracefan]

STORYTELLERS BROADCAST

Interview: This is what I wanted to do
Paris>
Welcome and Story about Paris and sexuality>
Never Go Back
Story about Never Go Back, Nashville and Dan Auerbach's studio
Interview: Women's role in rock

<COMMERCIAL>

Interview: Pulling the plug on the record
Making the record was like pulling teeth, story about driving across the country
TLTBTB
Interview: That song that gets under the people's skin

<COMMERCIAL>

Interview: Being legally blind
The break-up
Apologies
Grieving and the ispiration for Stars
Stars
Interview: About Stars

<COMMERCIAL>

Interview: About NBTW
Life in the barn and making the NBTW record
NBTW I & II


Those who were at the taping: How does the broadcast compare to what you saw? How many more song did they play?

[rte100expat]

Very, very special stage presentation that night. consider my soul officially scratched after hearing some of the stories. Def. worth the wait.

[melissa]

I loved it! I was so engulfed, and I could have listened to the songs and stories for hours, really. How does that happen...a part two?? I'm glad the recording is sitting in my dvr.

Wow...I hope VH1 is getting some good feedback on their episode!

[Saygracenow]

That was so well done! Absolutely loved it! BTW- I'm buying a Toyota!

[JackieinCT]

All I know was I was exhausted after the trip to the Rolling Stone Magazine private party Thursday night in NYC (story and video will post this weekend), worked an event at 8 am and hiked at 5 pm yesterday (looking for listed species with experts), so I recorded the episode thinking I'd fall asleep. NO WAY!!! She totally had me with her stories, especially the Stars story - I watched it, then went to the recording and watched that story again, and I was crying like a baby both times. Her tears and words are so geniune. That emotion is why she is such a GREAT songwriter. We are all so lucky she found her inspiration!

It looks like they performed, but didn't put in the episode - Stop the Bus, Big White Gate, Medicine, The Divide and Ragged Company. (Eric - what does the "False Start" mean?) It would have be great to hear those stories - don't they have enough for Episode 2?

Why didn't I see any of our peeps in the audience? I was looking for you guys! They kept the camera on the same few people in the front row. Usually the peeps are the people in the front row!

[eric]

I actually caught some of this on the JetBlue airplane last night which was totally cool, then watched the whole thing this morning. I thought vh1 did a great job of capturing the magic of that evening and included all the best parts in the broadcast. Obviously they couldn't show it all since the show was 3 hours long. From what was left out I'll add that for ragged company she said at the show that there would be a version with Willie Nelson which U all know about at this point. Stop the bus we all know the story (it broke down), big white gate is also old news...written for Grace's grandmother. Medicine...basically music written by Scott & Matt at a time when Grace decided to forge ahead with the Nocs and put the solo/T-bone album on the "middle burner". I felt very lucky to be there live. It was intense. Especially after not seeing them for 7months, to come back to that...
The storytellers on tv is well supplemented by the recent Men's Health interview where some of the additional storytellers content is discussed.

[Xaphan]

I really liked the show. Grace was stunning in the white suit. I was so touched when she let her emotions go while describing "Stars". Not that it any of my business, but I am wondering just who the person in the song is? Is it a family member, a friend, a lover?

[br0kenbranch]

because I live in the entherlands I couldn't watch it, but I saw the vids on vh1.com (which btw also includes medicine) and I cried with every story Grace told! I even cried when she told the story about NEver GO back, but that was from laughing I could totally picure Grace plaing and walking and Dan rounding up the guys :P
The intro to TLTBTB always gets me, and I get teary eyed, I don't know why, it's just so beautiful :P

and then we get to apologies and then the waterworks came out..I have always loved that song, but now I listen to it very differently than before. I really see her and her boyfriend having that conversation and him saying it's crazy how love stays with me :P
man they should have made a music video for that song...it would have been epic!!
So by this point I was already a mess but then Grace starts talking about Stars. I kind of figured that the song was about grief, but this story just blew me away. While she was telling the story I kept thinking, "ow she is going to cry, oh no she's okay," she continues talking followed by a long pause, and I couldn't keep it in any longer I just let it all out, man that was such a beautiful and powerful story!
THe last video was NBTW but I could bring myself to watch it because I was such a mess, so I made a cup of tea for my mom and me, she asked me what was going on, and so I showed her the clip and then we cried together
then I quickly turned on NBTW and I'm glad I did because it worked really uplifting for me, I again got teary eyed, but that was because I was so damn proud of Grace. her voice, her stories, her songs, her journey everything is just amazing
I really do not understand it that there are people on this planet who don't love Grace!