This is a song I wrote about 'brownness'
March 22, 2011 5:42 AM Subscribe
Fantastic performance. I especially love that for the first three minutes or so, the audience seems to have no goddamned idea what is happening.
Also, that backlighting makes for some downright hypnotic ’fro-swaying.
posted by sidesh0w at 6:00 AM on March 22, 2011
Also, that backlighting makes for some downright hypnotic ’fro-swaying.
posted by sidesh0w at 6:00 AM on March 22, 2011
A friend of mine is a huge Reggie Watts fan (and, in fact, lucked into some one-on-one time with him a few weeks ago); now I understand why. This is beyond fantastic.
I think what I like most about this sort of live music is that it's a performance and a process, which is different from watching a band play. It's a little like watching an open kitchen at a restaurant. You know there's something great coming, but it's also about how it gets there.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:03 AM on March 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
I think what I like most about this sort of live music is that it's a performance and a process, which is different from watching a band play. It's a little like watching an open kitchen at a restaurant. You know there's something great coming, but it's also about how it gets there.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:03 AM on March 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
Last time I saw him was about a year and a half ago, and I swear he played for...a...whole...three...hours.
Turns out he might have been filming for an HBO thing? So, I guess, be on the lookout.
posted by functionequalsform at 6:20 AM on March 22, 2011
Turns out he might have been filming for an HBO thing? So, I guess, be on the lookout.
posted by functionequalsform at 6:20 AM on March 22, 2011
Reggie Watts' output is the best music criticism ever made.
posted by meadowlark lime at 6:21 AM on March 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by meadowlark lime at 6:21 AM on March 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
That is really, really impressive. AND funny, which is a devastating combo. So, the green pedal is a line 6 delay/looper, what's the other one?
posted by dubold at 6:22 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by dubold at 6:22 AM on March 22, 2011
He's done Conan a couple of other times
Christmas
The Other One
Learning he was the opener when Conan was touring between shows really added to the punch in the nuts of not getting tickets.
posted by DigDoug at 6:25 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Christmas
The Other One
Learning he was the opener when Conan was touring between shows really added to the punch in the nuts of not getting tickets.
posted by DigDoug at 6:25 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've only ever heard Reggie (on CD and podcasts), it's great to see that he's such an amazing visual performer too! A perfect mix of art, music, and comedy.
posted by p3t3 at 6:32 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by p3t3 at 6:32 AM on March 22, 2011
That is really, really impressive. AND funny, which is a devastating combo.
He has to squeeze a lot into "Brown History Week."
posted by three blind mice at 6:37 AM on March 22, 2011
He has to squeeze a lot into "Brown History Week."
posted by three blind mice at 6:37 AM on March 22, 2011
Reggie Watts was the best thing about getting tickets to see Conan in Washington, D.C. Conan's performance was pretty much what I was expecting, but Reggie was amazing.
posted by emelenjr at 6:56 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by emelenjr at 6:56 AM on March 22, 2011
My fave was linked on MeFi a few years back.
posted by dobbs at 7:00 AM on March 22, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by dobbs at 7:00 AM on March 22, 2011 [5 favorites]
Well if you like him, check this out.
Meet Ernie Watts tomorrow 12 to 6
Location: 160 W. 48th St
Phone: 212.221.3693
posted by spicynuts at 7:17 AM on March 22, 2011
Meet Ernie Watts tomorrow 12 to 6
Location: 160 W. 48th St
Phone: 212.221.3693
posted by spicynuts at 7:17 AM on March 22, 2011
I'm surprised he doesn't fry the electronics with all that hair floating around.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 7:37 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by Old'n'Busted at 7:37 AM on March 22, 2011
what's the other one?
The other thing is an MPC. I can't tell which kind it is since it is facing away from camera in all the shots of it.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:40 AM on March 22, 2011
The other thing is an MPC. I can't tell which kind it is since it is facing away from camera in all the shots of it.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:40 AM on March 22, 2011
Really, really good.
posted by jet_manifesto at 7:40 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by jet_manifesto at 7:40 AM on March 22, 2011
That was good, but 100% less Cimmerian than one would expect. Well, apart from the battle cry.
posted by ersatz at 7:51 AM on March 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ersatz at 7:51 AM on March 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
Oh man, love this guy. Seen him on Conan a couple times and everytime he's stolen the show!
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 7:54 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 7:54 AM on March 22, 2011
Im pretty sure the other pedal hes using is an electro harmonix 2880
posted by ReWayne at 8:15 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ReWayne at 8:15 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think my stock just went down.
Having tried to concoct my own looper-based performances, I can confirm that this is not just a gimmick. It takes serious musicianship to pull this kind of thing off and the fact that Reggie Watts does it such wit and charm is frankly wonderful.
posted by jnrussell at 8:34 AM on March 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Having tried to concoct my own looper-based performances, I can confirm that this is not just a gimmick. It takes serious musicianship to pull this kind of thing off and the fact that Reggie Watts does it such wit and charm is frankly wonderful.
posted by jnrussell at 8:34 AM on March 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Yeah, it's an EH 2880 - Reggie Watts' soundcheck.
posted by hellbient at 8:38 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by hellbient at 8:38 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
That was fantastic. One thing I thought was funny: I don't know if it was the way he was dressed, or his hair or what, but Reggie appeared to be quite short. But when Conan came out (what is he, like 7 feet tall?), he wasn't much taller than Reggie.
posted by peep at 8:41 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by peep at 8:41 AM on March 22, 2011
I have met reggie and he is pretty big. Also he is the world's nicest guy probably.
This full video of his last Conan appearance is even better than the OP.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:53 AM on March 22, 2011
This full video of his last Conan appearance is even better than the OP.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:53 AM on March 22, 2011
Fuck Shit Stack (NSFW, as you might expect)
His Comedy Central special and accompanying CD are great.
posted by roll truck roll at 8:57 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
His Comedy Central special and accompanying CD are great.
posted by roll truck roll at 8:57 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is like fifty kinds of talented. Damn, I'd love to hang with this guy for an evening.
posted by kinnakeet at 9:45 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by kinnakeet at 9:45 AM on March 22, 2011
Cool :) I've never heard of Reggie Watts and seeing this post I figured he was a jazz musician (his name just sounds jazzy) and I figured I'd open the post and see lots of gushing oooooo jazzzz comments - and I don't like jazz one bit - but I clicked the link anyway and lo and behold it wasn't jazz, and it was in fact awesome. So um don't judge a post by it's um words - or something....
posted by zeoslap at 10:08 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by zeoslap at 10:08 AM on March 22, 2011
Caught Reggie's live show here in Budapest a couple of months ago... he's amazing live, even in front of an audience where not everybody can understand 100% of what he is saying in any of his ten accents and language shifts. Add to that an amazing voice, classical music training, and a sense of media that can spin your head around, and you have an absolutely original performer.
posted by zaelic at 10:20 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by zaelic at 10:20 AM on March 22, 2011
Wonderful!
posted by safetyfork at 10:54 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by safetyfork at 10:54 AM on March 22, 2011
Love the live solo musicians who do multi-track with loopers. Totally awesome.
posted by GuyZero at 10:58 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by GuyZero at 10:58 AM on March 22, 2011
I for one was extremely disappointed.
The post says that he makes some music on Conan and I was expecting him to actually make the music on Conan himself, perhaps by holding Conan aloft like a tuba, or by beating on Conan like a kettle drum.
That would have been totally awesomely cool. Instead all I got was a musical performance that was just awesome.
posted by twoleftfeet at 11:05 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
The post says that he makes some music on Conan and I was expecting him to actually make the music on Conan himself, perhaps by holding Conan aloft like a tuba, or by beating on Conan like a kettle drum.
That would have been totally awesomely cool. Instead all I got was a musical performance that was just awesome.
posted by twoleftfeet at 11:05 AM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Never quite "got" Watts - but love the fact that he hails from my town of Great Falls, Montana - he's a Bison alum!
posted by davidmsc at 11:44 AM on March 22, 2011
posted by davidmsc at 11:44 AM on March 22, 2011
Thirding that it's a Line 6 DL4 and Electro-Harmonix 2880.
What he's doing takes a fuck-shit-stack of skill and timing to pull off. He's using good gear but the margin of error when you're layering live loops like that is really tiny.
posted by anazgnos at 12:04 PM on March 22, 2011
What he's doing takes a fuck-shit-stack of skill and timing to pull off. He's using good gear but the margin of error when you're layering live loops like that is really tiny.
posted by anazgnos at 12:04 PM on March 22, 2011
dobbs is right, Out of Control is my fave as well.
posted by NationalKato at 1:51 PM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by NationalKato at 1:51 PM on March 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I liked him better before the English accent.
Guess it's a Black Atlantic thang.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:49 PM on March 22, 2011
Guess it's a Black Atlantic thang.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:49 PM on March 22, 2011
What a talent!
posted by scblackman at 5:33 PM on March 22, 2011
posted by scblackman at 5:33 PM on March 22, 2011
What the eff. Thank you for posting this. I love this man.
posted by joeyjoejoejr at 8:34 PM on March 22, 2011
posted by joeyjoejoejr at 8:34 PM on March 22, 2011
Reggie Watts is an amazing talent, and a damn snappy dresser besides.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:46 PM on March 22, 2011
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:46 PM on March 22, 2011
Every time I order a sandwich and it comes out on an oversize roll I'm tempted to sing lines from this song even though I know I'm just going to be looked at oddly.
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:51 PM on March 22, 2011
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:51 PM on March 22, 2011
huge fan of this wonderful creature. Thanks for sharing this :)
posted by spacediver at 12:13 AM on March 23, 2011
posted by spacediver at 12:13 AM on March 23, 2011
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