Black Cab Sessions
I spent a long time browsing through the short films of the Black Cab Sessions last night, and it made me so happy that I thought I would share them with you too. You’ve probably already seen them, but I live under a rock – it’s cosy under here but I do miss a lot of good stuff.
The Black Cab Sessions is a simple concept. Put a band and a small film crew in the back seat of a London cab and film a totally unplugged version of one of their songs as they spin around the streets of London (or New York, or the Welsh countryside etc). They’re all so full of atmosphere. I love it love it love it. So far I love Badly Drawn Boy, Lykke Li (oh so good), Dawn Landes (with a fabulously bearded Ray playing percussion on a notebook), Fleet Foxes and Martha Wainwright … so far. I have many more to see.
And omg… it’s the Brian Wilson, and his four band members (and the film crew) in the back of the cab. That’s a full cab. and guaranteed to make you smile.
Let me know if you find a stand-out one.
** photos from The Black Cab Sessions blog **
Responses
29th May 2009 at 10:48 am
Love love love the black cab sessions. The one with Death Cab For Cutie is my favorite. No sunlight is a great song, and the story he tells at the end cracks me up.
29th May 2009 at 12:52 pm
I think my rock is way bigger than yours. I have no idea these things are going on. I will try and watch a few of them when our internet connection with the outside actually speeds ups a bit and I can watch them without interruption.Thanks for the heads up.
29th May 2009 at 1:27 pm
Great! Thanks for sharing. Love the Lykke Li one too – and Amanda Palmer.
29th May 2009 at 3:46 pm
Oh my goodness, indeed! I love-love Badly Drawn Boy and Lykke Li. I can see a lot of time wasting on this site.
29th May 2009 at 4:27 pm
OMG! My oldest friend, Jenna Conrad, is in one of the sessions. She is the back-up singer to Damien Jurado. I knew that they were in England on tour but had no idea that they had done this. Very cool.
29th May 2009 at 4:31 pm
Ohh and I particularly like that track. Pretty welsh countryside as I alluded to in my post.
29th May 2009 at 7:52 pm
I live under a rock. Loved the Richard Thompson one!
30th May 2009 at 12:32 am
I just cruised the most viewed, and how can you resist the cuteness of “Death Cab for Cuties” filmed by the Black Cab Sessions. Wonderful.
30th May 2009 at 12:59 am
Just discovered these myself — and have been enjoying like crazy. DH has been having a love affair with Lykke Li… and I didn’t get it 100% until I saw her black cab session.
Funny that.
30th May 2009 at 3:28 am
Great stuff… thanks so much for sharing. If you haven’t seen it, the My Morning Jacket one is amazing.
30th May 2009 at 4:01 am
Ah they’re great and so addictive, I put them on when I’m working…not much work gets done! Doves, Maximo Park, Lykke Li and VV Brown are my faves, I love the Cabbies introducing them and the intimate claustrophobic feel to the filming.
30th May 2009 at 5:48 am
Oh oh oh! Emmy the Great Emmy the Great! I love her so.
Also Jay Jay Pistolet is good (although you have to be in the mood for sweetness).
And Jeffrey Lewis. Mmmm.
30th May 2009 at 4:26 pm
Well I’ve been under the rock beside you Claire. I love them though, so fun! I loved the BDB one too – we saw him at SBush Empire when we were living in London, I think it was around 2001/2002. Thanks for sharing something I would otherwise never have come across.
31st May 2009 at 9:35 am
I’ve never heard of that either. I’m going to go watch right now!
31st May 2009 at 8:51 pm
I want to be Martha Wainright.
8th June 2009 at 11:26 am
Must be living (unsurprisingly) under a large boulder here because they are new-to-me. Off to catch up with the rest of the world…
15th June 2009 at 9:31 am
Wow I loooove this site thanks for the direction.
17th June 2009 at 9:21 pm
Thankyou so much for this tip! My brother is living in Melbourne but being a London boy through and through he will love me forever for this gem!
Can’t beleive I had never heard of it – I spend enough time in a black cab! thanks again x x x
19th June 2009 at 10:50 pm
emmy the great how i love thee!!!
29th May 2009 at 10:45 am
Luke Toms, oh my goodness.
Clearly my cave is deeper than yours, ’cause I’d never heard of this either. How fun! Thanks!