8:28 am  •  18 May 2012

nowthissound:

A Good Read, a Good Listen, and a Good Drink: Daniel Knox

7:58 pm  •  15 May 2012  •  4 notes

End of The Tour

It was amazing opening for Rasputina for all these shows. I’ve been a fan of Melora’s songs for years and had seen her live many times but there’s something really unique about getting to hear a band night after night in different spaces and in different order. She’s a great storyteller and her songs are infused with so much history and detail. It’s been like getting to watch a movie you love over and over, learning something new each time.

Our show in Detroit was at the Magic Stick. We were late and I had to pull a set together from a wad of papers in my backpack, but I’ve been able to turn those kind of shows around. There was a certain kind of satisfaction in getting half the audience to sit on the floor like kindergarteners.

I was nervous for the Chicago show because I felt compelled to present my hometown audience with fresh material, namely “Blue Car” and “White Oaks Mall” (from Black & Whites).  This involved me playing along with the original tracks from a recording and of course, during soundcheck, I realized I’d placed the wrong tracks on the device. I got in Jason’s car, sped home, talked to my obstinate computer, kicked a few things around, got back in the car, sped to the Double Door, parked it in the street, and ran on stage. 

My loyal friend and bandmate Chris Hefner joined me for a few songs on musical saw and a whole lot of you were there to greet me in the audience. All my concerns about playing older material fell away when I noticed people were singing along.  It was weird to be passing through Chicago and sleeping at my house like it were a motel.

Our next show was in Cleveland at the Beachland Ballroom. Hours before the show I’d stopped at a gas station and lost my pants button into the urinal. I showed up late for soundcheck as concerned about this as I was that night’s set. My sister happened to be in Cleveland and this was actually the first time she’d heard me sing. I was also glad to meet April Fecca of Now This Sound Is Brave who has been very kind to me on her blog. Luckily my pants stayed on through the whole affair.

I must admit, I did not care for Morgantown, WV. The streets are full of bullies with thick necks and big shirts. The audience was warm and I even liked the club, but everywhere else in town I was stared at like a space alien.  At the end of the night, after a minor dispute over our guarantee, we were paid with a stack of one dollar bills, but paid none the less.  It may be a while before we return to Morgantown.

Baltimore fascinated me as we were driving in. It seemed to have all the run down beauty of St. Louis without any of it’s troubled emptiness. People seemed to like it there. The promoter stuck an unfortunate band at the top of the bill - two goth guys who stunk up the stage. By the time I got up there to clean up the pile of shit they’d left, people were annoyed. I already arrive at these shows at a disadvantage playing a keyboard. I suppose it’s fair for people to sort of scratch their heads and expect showtunes or worse. I opened with Armageddonsong and tried to explain that if they’d give me a chance we would go someplace interesting together. Baltimore gave me that chance and we arrived. All of us but one jackass who I had the pleasure of shaming in front of his friends.

The last show of the tour was in Brooklyn at The Knitting Factory, a superb room and a great audience and a great last note with Rasputina and their crew.  The following evening, we had tickets to see one of my favorite pieces of music, Gavin Bryars’ “The Sinking Of The Titanic” performed at Le Poisson Rouge for the Titanic’s centenary. I was thrilled to see Clarice Jensen, who performed in our preview of Black & Whites last January, playing cello. The rendition was outstanding.  A great way to celebrate the end of the tour.

We had two stops on the way back.  First, Delaware Water Gap, PA to see good friend and label-head Lou Rogai and play the piano at the legendary Deerhead Inn. Then, an overnight stay in Hamilton, NY where I spent time speaking with music and theater students at Colgate Universtiy after giving a concert. We were then treated to a great meal and conversation with head of Colgate’s theater department Adrian Giurgea and his wife, Simona.

Now I’m back at home, practicing, writing new material, and getting ready for some big announcements. Thanks to everyone who came out to the shows, hosted us, kept us company, fed us, and took the time to listen to my songs. And thanks to Jason Toth for doing most of the driving and keeping the show on the road.

More soon.

- Daniel

1:16 pm  •  25 April 2012  •  3 notes

A Day Walking in Toronto

11:32 am  •  11 April 2012

April 2012 Tour w/ Rasputina

It’s always daunting to strip things down and return to just me and the piano. Even though it’s how I do all my writing, it’s not how I’m used to being on stage anymore. And after a two month stay at the Watermill Center, I had basically been purged of the songs that make up my act. My initial concept for this tour was to rethink the bulk of this material and record it on tape so I could play along as way of looking back while moving forward.  But I resisted and kept working on new material (To Make You Stay / Blue Car) instead and put this plan on hold until the last minute. As it turns out, I’m glad I did.

Jason and I loaded into the car, staying first in the terrifically creepy town of Herkimer. I’d brought my old keyboard and a 4-track along but I knew I wasn’t going to be fashioning a brand new set on this first night. Just getting the hang of things.

When the first show came in Burlington, I was nervous for the first time in years, shuffling my setlist, passing it to Jason and then shuffling it all again. But when I walked out and sat down I asked a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately: “If I could do whatever I wanted to do right now, what would it be?” And the answer was to find something new in these songs I hadn’t found yet.  The Burlington audience made that easy for me. We learned the songs together and looked for things between the cracks I wasn’t going to find by re-recording anything.

By the time we made it to Buffalo I had shaped up my set and acquired a pizza-box music stand well suited to my usual ramshakle milk-crate ensemble. I worked with the 4-track in the hotel room each night and spun off in new directions or slightly evolved what was already there. Either way, it ended up a different show each night.

Crossing the border into Toronto I was annoyed to be reminded of an incident from 2000 by the border patrol.  I’d stolen a pack of razorblades when I was 19 and spent the night barefoot in jail. But the fellow just said “Looks like you had some trouble back on 2000?” and I had to search my memory for all the stupid and terrible things I’d done to be able to land on that particular one, but that kind of nostalgia was put to good use.

Lee’s Palace was a very special show for me. It’s always a good sign when the sound engineer seems to enjoy his job. Everyone at the club was patient and kind. With just seconds left to showtime I realized I had to take a piss and filled an empty Starbucks cup in the green room before I ran on stage. I don’t know if this stupid act was what did it, but something connected and Toronto ended up being my best show yet. Girls in the front row were dancing. People were warm and friendly throughout.  I spent a lot of time talking both from the stage and behind the merch counter.  On my way out the door a nice young man presented me with a crystal as a way of showing his thanks. No one has ever given me a gift like that after a performance.  I only wish I’d gotten his name so I could give him something in return.

Tomorrow is Detriot where I plan to try a few new things. Some new words, a little new music. Or I could throw it all out and do something else. I feel like that’s possible now.

But I’m most excited to return to Chicago and play what I hope will be a very different kind of show in the city where I have played the most. These solo shows all end up being a sort of conversation, and I can’t think of a more interesting conversation to have than with the dysfunctionally affectionate old friend I have in Chicago.

Double Door, Tuesday April 10, 9pm

2:13 am  •  9 April 2012  •  3 notes

10:59 am  •  5 April 2012  •  2 notes

Krymov Lab | Dido & Aeneas | December 17th, 2011

I shot and edited this video of Russian theater group Krymov Lab during my residency at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center. Their rehearsal and performance of Purcell’s opera “Dido & Aeneas” was a highlight of my time there, and I am glad to have this as a reminder of a group I admire and am proud to be able to call my friends.

11:54 am  •  14 March 2012  •  1 note

DANIEL KNOX (SOLO) TOUR W/ RASPUTINA

11:16 am  •  6 February 2012  •  1 note

These last two months at The Watermill Center and in New York have been without question the best time of my life. I have had the freedom to explore my creative process without boundaries. I have created a new work alongside and in tribute to my friend and favorite artist John Atwood (John Atwood Photography). I was able to realize and develop this work with a team of brilliant musicians both familiar and new, all of whom found new ways to impress me each day. I want to thank evryone who gave and sacrificed to help support me and bring “Black & Whites” to life. I can’t wait to bring us all together and stage it again.

- Daniel

(above photo courtesy of Photo District News)

2:47 pm  •  30 January 2012  •  1 note

  Here’s my last set of photos from the Black & Whites trip.  A bittersweet ending, as we were all so thrilled to be there and to have such a wonderful thing come to a culmination was a bit sad, but worlds more than that it was tremendously exciting.  The show went beautifully, John’s photos looked their best and we in Daniel’s band poured everything we had into our performances.  It was truly a night to remember.  High hopes for another staging of John Atwood: Black & Whites soon, so do keep an ear to the tracks.

  Til then, thanks for looking.  It’s been a pleasure contributing photos to DK’s blog, and the whole trip itself was certainly one of the most galvanizing experiences of my life.  Bottomless gratitude to everyone who was along for the ride, both literally and in spirit.

  Warmest,

 -Chris Hefner

6:26 pm  •  28 January 2012