05.21.12 Henry Wolfe @ Mercury Lounge

這次我第四次聽Henry Wolfe唱歌。


第一次聽到他的聲音是因為"Julie and Julia" (美味關係)，當時看完這部電影，我深深的被裡頭一首叫做"Stop The Train"的電影配樂吸引。那首歌不管是旋律、歌詞還是那個男歌手的歌聲我都很喜歡。買了OST後才知道唱這首歌的人叫做Henry Wolfe，對當時的我來說是個從來沒有聽過的新名字。

                                                 Henry Wolfe - Stop the Train

                                         

後來我在youtube上找了他的好多作品來聽，越聽越喜歡，他的創作完全就是我的菜，我也找到了我最喜歡的"All Things Good"


                                            Henry Wolfe - All Things Good

之後只要他有從LA來NY表演，我幾乎都會報到 (印象深刻的是他去年發片首唱結束後，我在排隊等簽名的隊伍裡還遇到了我很喜愛的一個樂團的主唱April Smith！) 我從他還沒發專輯到去年發行了個人的首張專輯就開始聽他的live，他的每一次的表演都比前一次更進步。

首張專輯<Linda Vista>的主打歌"Someone Else"很值得一聽。

                                               Henry Wolfe - Someone Else

(我想Henry Wolfe天生就是要當個表演者的，很久之後我才知道，原來他是演員Meryl Streep和藝術家Don Gummer的兒子，難怪這麼有藝術細胞。他還有兩個長得非常美麗的妹妹，兩個人現在都在當演員，真是才華洋溢的一家人！)

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Henry Wolfe @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

一把吉他和一支口琴，Henry Wolfe表演的標準配備，像極了Neil Young。

他每次在台上找口琴的模樣總是讓我想起曾經看過一段Neil Young在台上唱Heart of Gold前慌張找口琴的影片，有點糗，哈。我相信Neil Young的音樂對他的影響一定很大，從他在自己的首張專輯裡cover了"For The Turnstiles"以及表演當晚唱了"Crime in The City"就可以知道他有多麼喜愛Uncle Neil。音樂很美好，因為它的影響力是跨世代的，一代一代的傳下來，總是有人會被感動。

Henry Wolfe @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

當天的表演是full band的編制，開場曲是首張專輯的同名歌曲"Linda Vista"，專輯裡唯一的一首純音樂演奏曲，是一首很輕鬆但充滿神祕感的歌曲，我覺得它很適合晚上聽。

第二首緊接著來的就是"Stop The Train"，我聽得如癡如醉，真的很喜歡這首歌！

再來是一首新歌"Rose Parade" (名字聽起來好夢幻)，Mercury Lounge的表演是首唱，我覺得相當好聽，又是一首註有HW商標的歌曲。

一個半小時左右的表演，還有三首歌一定要提，第一首就是前面提過他翻唱的"Crime in The City"，其實我很驚訝他會挑這首歌來唱，和原唱完全不一樣的味道，也是非常好聽的一個版本，許多在台下的觀眾都跳起舞來了呢。第二首歌是專輯裡我很喜歡的"Open The Door"，是一首聽的很舒服，感覺很有故事性的歌曲。我第一次聽到live的時候就很喜歡了，已經很習慣每次聽live都會聽到它，因為它每次都會出現在歌單上面。最後一首則是"Someone Else"，專輯主打歌，這首歌絕對要聽現場版才可以感受到它的美和俏皮之處，我喜歡看他跟樂手們玩這首歌玩得很開心的樣子。

好可惜這次沒有排"All Things Good"進歌單，不然我已經相當完美的晚上會更加完美。

Henry Wolfe @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

Henry Wolfe不太會說話，但是他一開口唱歌就可以征服所有人。他的歌聲常常像呢喃，很輕、很柔，很好聽。他的表演很好看，口琴和吉他都是他的武器。在他的表演裡可以嚐到被音樂完全包圍的滋味。

這幾年下來東西岸的巡迴讓他有了一大批忠心的聽眾，Mercury Lounge的空間並不大，但當天的表演卻擠滿了人，大家都是特地來看Henry Wolfe。喔對了，我也在入場的時候見到了那個大明星(聽他兒子表演四次，見到她三次！)。

一年後再聽Henry Wolfe的現場，當年第一次聽到"Stop the Train"的感動依舊還在。"Linda Vista"已經發行一年多了，希望第二張專輯可以快點問世。



Set List:

Linda Vista
Stop The Train
Rose Parade
Open The Door
Be on Time
Crime in The City
Birdseeds
Third Act
Someone Else
Go Ask Eve

 Henry Wolfe @Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

Henry Wolfe官網: http://www.henrywolfe.com/

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My fourth Henry Wolfe show in NY, still amazing!

The only two things that Henry Wolfe needs in order to rule the stage is just one guitar and one harmonica.They are his basic equipment and his best friends; they are what makes his music so unique, so Henry Wolfe. (Every time he checks to make sure he has the right harmonica in hand always reminds me of a footage I saw of Neil Young trying to find but couldn't find the correct harmonica before playing "Heart of Gold" one time, haha)
 
The root of his music is personal liberation, and each of his song is like a story. I enjoyed the music and the stories. In the one and an half hour show,  I heard some old tunes, and some new. He opened up the night with "Linda Vista," a beautiful piece of music from his first LP <Linda Vista>. (I find this song very mysterious for somehow). I was very pleased to hear "Stop the Train" and "Open The Door," two of my favorite songs from the first album. And I was very surprised to hear "Crime in The City," what a great pick for the night! Quite different, but just as good as the original. He ended the night with "Go Ask Eve," I was kind of sad that "All Things Good" didn't make it to the set list this time.

He is not very good at public speaking, but when it comes to singing in the public, he is unbeatable. In Henry Wolfe's live shows, you understand how it feels like to be surrounded by music thoroughly. So enjoyable, and so much fun.

Beautiful music, beautiful night. I cannot wait to see his performance again in the near future.

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To Mr. Henry Wolfe (if you ever read this post haha)

Good to have you back in NY! Great show that night, I had a blast!  

I have been a big fan of yours, really love your music.The last time I saw you was at Joe's Pub, when Linda Vista just came out, and April Smith was in line, too. (I still remembered that show where you and April's band played together, fun time)

I just started the blog, so there is really nothing fancy, but I do want people and artists to know that I'm putting effort to introduce great talents and great music to the Chinese speaking world, and of course you are on the "must to be introduced" list (consider overseas tours in the future maybe? haha). 

I enjoyed the new song, and cannot wait for the second album. Hope to see you play again soon, and hopefully next time when I say hi to you, you will recognize me with "the Taiwanese girl that writes the blog."

All the best! 

-Mia