Kevin Bronson on November 26th, 2008

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[M83 keyboardist-singer Morgan Kibby continues her diary as the band’s tour with School of Seven Bells wends its way toward Saturday’s date at the Music Box @ Fonda. Additionally, it was announced Tuesday that M83 will join the Killers on tour for 14 dates in January and early February. Details after the diary. Previous diaries here.]

Chapter 18: Awoke in Vancouver today with my head in the clouds … yet again. But this time, every object, street, house, fence and tree was covered in a romantic dusting of snow reflecting the milky sunlight. I haven’t been able to get to the mountains in many years, so I decided to take off and slip and slide with the natives across unsalted pavements. Beautiful! And then … soundcheck, show, eat, shower, sleep. Nothing new.

I have to digress for a moment and say something I have wanted to and sometimes tried to (and then deleted) in past posts: What am I doing?”  I have struggled writing these journals, wondering if I should wax poetic, get personal, take pictures of every meal. … The implied self-indulgence and lack of rules in tour blogging is a bit hilarious and baffling to me. So in an effort to avoid a humdrum post of what we ate, where we played, and how cold our tootsies were, I’d like to share a musical collaboration with you that I’ve been listening to religiously for two years when I need to escape.

Sometimes for me, listening to a piece of music or reading a novel creates such a visual, I have to wonder if it is the talent of the author that creates an alternate universe for their readers/listeners, or if it is some strange convergence of mood, scenery, smell, time and talent that transports us.”  The collaboration “Steal Away” by Charlie Haden and Hank Jones was something that came into my life about two years ago, and has since guided me through countless solo moments. I find myself listening to it right this moment as we push forward through the Canadian snow.

“Steal Away”, for me, spills a story in each note that is played. You can literally feel the history flooding from these two men’s fingers, in their melodies and in the subtle breaths and humming that is beautifully and unintentionally caught on tape. Listening to Haden and Jones play spirituals is like listening to dear old friends who no longer feel the highs and lows of life, but can simply look back on love and God and remember. It is performances like theirs that reminds me how much is possible with music, and I can only say that a musician should be so lucky to write music that breathes life no matter the decade, the ear or the milieu it finds itself in.”  Needless to say, this collaboration has touched me deeply.”  I hope if you take the time to listen, it will touch you as well.”  These men really have a gift.

So, in a nutshell, “Steal Away” is my thought of the day.”  And as (School of Seven Bells’) Ally, Ben and Claudia say: Treat yoself!

â—Š â—Š â—Š

The M83 newswire: After December’s tour with Kings of Leon in the U.K., M83 supports the Killers on a 14-date tour that begins in Denver. Included is a show Jan. 25 in Madison Square Garden. (But Denver is as far west as the tour comes).

The new dates:
January
17” ”  ” ” ”  ” Denver, CO” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ”  Magness Arena – Ritchie Center
19” ”  ” ” ”  ” Minneapolis, MN” ”  ” ” ”  ” Northrop Auditorium
20” ”  ” ” ”  ” Chicago, IL” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ” ”  UIC Pavilion
22” ”  ” ” ”  ” Detroit, MI” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ” ” ”  EMU Convocation Center
23” ”  ” ” ”  ” Toronto, ONT” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ”  Air Canada Centre
25” ”  ” ” ”  ” New York, NY” ”  ” ” ”  ”  ” ”  Madison Square Garden
26” ”  ” ” ”  ” Boston, MA” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ”  Agganis Arena
28” ”  ” ” ”  ” Washington, DC” ”  ” ” ” ”  George Mason University Patriot Center
29” ”  ” ” ” ”  Myrtle Beach, SC” ”  ” ”  House of Blues
30” ”  ” ” ” ”  Atlanta, GA” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ”  Atlanta Civic Center
31” ” ” ” ”  ”  Nashville, TN” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ”  Grand Ole Opry House
February
2” ”  ” ” ”  ” Houston, TX” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” Verizon Wireless Theater
3” ”  ” ” ”  ” Austin, TX” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ”  Frank Erwin Center
4” ”  ” ” ”  ” Dallas, TX” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ”  ” ” ” ”  Nokia Theatre