Saturday, March 7, 2009

WHEN IS THE JUKEBOX NOT A JUKEBOX (But Is Still Kind of a Jukebox?)

Monday, March 2nd was a different kind of performance for me. I was asked to fill in for an indisposed featured performer at the Alchemy Reading & Performance Series - www.alchemy-prague.com

My task was to perform for 30 minutes and the rest of the night would be open mic for Prague's myriad talents. I decided that I really wanted to perform again a set I did a number of years ago that was non-HJ-related. I chose to sing five songs in five languages. Being that there would be leftover time and I still wanted to plug my show I thought I'd do an audience-constructed medley to cap the performance.

Here's what I sang (bear in mind I rarely select my own songs to sing so this was really fun for me):

ESPAÑOL – Jarabe de Palo – Romeo y Julieta
ENGLISH – Blues Traveler – Runaround
DEUTSCH – Herbert Grönemeyer – Der Weg
ČESKÝ - Aneta Langerová - Voda živá
ITALIANO – Andrea Bocelli – Con Te Partirò

Before I began I gave my songbook to the befuddled masses and instructed them to make me a medley while I was singing the above. They fantastically complied and here's what they came up with:

Medley:

Modern English - I Melt With You
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
They Might Be Giants - Istanbul
Sound of Music - The Lonely Goatherd
O-Zone - Dragostea din tei
Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
Kraftwerk - The Model
George Michael - Faith
Madonna - La Isla Bonita
Frank Sinatra - New York, New York
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
Billy Ocean - Loverboy
Dan Hartman - I can Dream About You
Bon Jovi - Runaway
Denis Leary - Asshole
Eric Carmen - Hungry Eyes
Journey - Open Arms
Metallica - Fade to Black
Das Rheingold - Weiche, Wotan
Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter
Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 (Jenny)
A-ha - Take on Me
Weird Al Yankovic - Amish Paradise
They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your Soul
Irene Cara - Fame
Indigo Girls - Romeo and Juliet
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
Salt-N-Pepa - Push It
Erasure - Bizarre Love Triangle
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
Black Sabbath - Iron Man
Limahl - The Neverending Story
Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me
Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Porgy and Bess - Summertime
Alicia Keys - Fallin'

I had a fabulous time and was really happy to meet such friendly and enthusiastic people who came to an event expecting something totally different but more than went with the flow. Truly a great night for me.

Many thanks to Ken Nash, Selena Orkwis and Mike Cella for their interest and hospitality.

:-)

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