Launch party a hit!
The party at the Red Devil Lounge in SF last night was great. I was very happy to see 100 of my friends up in the balcony and scattered through the crowd. It was a much looser show than I have been doing: there was no video (not enough space really, and Johnny is in Texas) and no trenchcoat. I was joined onstage by Greg Camp, guitarist and songwriter from Smash Mouth and a Pacific coastside neighbour. He played some sweet atmospherics and cool funk on ‘Budapest By Blimp’ and ‘Europa.’
Then I introduced Jazz Mafia, a 3-piece brass section headed by the amazing Adam Theis on trombone. We zipped through some of my brassier songs, most of which I’ve always done with sampled brass and not the real thing. it was a joy to hear them played on the actual instruments, and Adam has done a fine job of transcribing and arranging them. We played ‘Hyperactive’, ‘May The Cube Be With You’, ‘Airhead’, ‘Science’, and ‘Hot Sauce.’ The section parts were interspersed with some fine solos. I think I’d like to do more work with these guys! The combination of electronic grooves and live brass is very sexy. I’ve doen some party gigs this year where I felt my Sole Inhabitant set was just too dark for the assembled revellers. I’m playing one such party on New Years’ Eve in Orange County, and I’m hoping to bring horns down for that. I’d like to dig a bit deeper in my catalog and do things like ‘I Scare Myself’, ‘Key To Her Ferrari’ and ‘Sieve’, all of which featured brass in some form.
It’s quite weird for me to turn around and see someone on stage with me. I probably should have been giving them better cues, but after 40 solo shows I’m so used to it just being me and my machines up there! Although, as someone blurted out last night, my daughter Harper played three shows with me. But she’s family, that doesn’t count 
Jon Luini, who does my podcasts, was there with a camera last night and sent me these stills. Hopefully he’ll include a few clips from last night’s party in a future episode.
Pics: ©Jon Luini
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:24 pm
That looks like so much fun, dude. Really looking forward to Austin. As a keyboard player I have wondered how hard it is to keep track of all the different equipment that you’re starting/stopping/triggering. I would think it would be a bit overwhelming.
November 22nd, 2006 at 11:26 pm
Ooooh, electronics and live brass? I’m gettin’ shivers just
thinkin’ about it! Please, Mr. Luini, do include some launch footage
in a podcast–don’t leave us HANGIN’!
Actual instruments have a depth that ersatz ones rarely have,
When I first read the “Forty Live” credits, I thought,
although you’ve done some great work with electronic versions,
Thomas. I remember a photo on your previous website of you
noodling around on an electronic wind instrument, a.k.a. an
EWI–and Brian Salter played one very well on your “Forty Live”
CD.
“In a shed by the ocean??!” Now I’m going, “Oh, THAT shed! Le
Funky one! ”
I love it when musicians combine disparate elements into cutting-
edge, unsettling new collaborations. Reminds me of when The Grid combined [canned] banjo and dance music in their song “Swamp Thing”–at the time, I was into the Kingston Trio AND
dance music, and I thought, “Whoa!”
Please do coax Jazz Mafia up onstage once in a while, and thrill
your fans–and keep on pushin’ that envelope!
Congratulations on your fabdiferous launch party!!
Peace and diverse music collections,
Kara!
November 23rd, 2006 at 1:53 am
I was going to ask about “Sieve”: trombones on stage and not playing that song is a minor tragedy.
The “Submarines” podcast video is awesome. One of the very best Dolby songs.
It would be great to see you on tour with a small brass section and perhaps a guitarist. And bring along an accordion player for “Goodbye.”
I hope people around the country start buying the new CD and DVD.
Michael H.
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:26 am
“Hopefully he’ll include a few clips from last night’s party in a future episode.” – Here Here
Sounds like it was a brilliant night, I wish I could’ve been there.
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:19 am
What an incredible night that was, Thomas!! Greg and the Jazz Mafia really added an extra dimension to the show which made it the best of the 4 I’ve seen this year. How can I ever thank you for making a fantasy I’ve had for 23 years come true when you dedicated “Europa” to me?!!! My head has some major bruises from bumping along the ceiling for the past few days! Though I bought the CD and DVD, I haven’t watched or listened just yet because I’m still enjoying the recent memories. Thanks again!
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:32 am
Horns = goooood. (Says the woman who downloaded a bunch of Herb Alpert classics on iTunes last night.) Sounds like you had a blast at Red Devil, Thomas. Glad you got to shed the trench and just kick back with a good groove and a lot of friends around.
Happy Thanksgiving, Thomas – see you in a month! (What does one do with a winter coat at a warehouse club in the dead of December???)
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
I would love to hear Sieve–that’s one of my favorites–next week?
I posted a few photos from the show in the forum.
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:26 pm
Begging the captain’s pardon, however were it ever my good fortune to attend a party with Thomas Dolby as entertainment, “dark” would not be a problem; in fact, a half-hour extended version of “Dissidents” would be requested, in hopes of revellers power-moping on the dance floor. But that’s Le Joie de Dolby right there: range! Excellent report.
November 25th, 2006 at 9:48 am
“power moping”??!! hee hee hee!!!!
Thomas, is that a private party you’re doing in O.C.? For whom if you don’t mind my asking? Just when I move out of Orange County….
Monya
November 25th, 2006 at 11:07 am
Must agree with those above… LIVE brass as an addition to your performance is a GREAT idea!! Maybe on some future tour, that (along with other band members) could be a true staple. I always loved the extended mix of “airhead” that had the horn section at the end… fantastic!
Beech
November 26th, 2006 at 7:34 am
I too like to vote for the ‘darker’ side of your music. Music that makes you think and feel is usually more ‘dark’ or somber for me. Love to hear “Airwaves’ added to you set list this late Autumn/ early Winter tour.
Having written this, after you have performed the dark songs so many times in naught six, I can well imagine you wanting to change the set list to keep your sanity. Perhaps a ‘sunny’ song tour- with your next, new CD
– will be in the works for 07?
Finally, I’ve been reading on the F.E.S. Forum of interest in your more difficult to obtain songs (such as Urban Tribal) and out-of-print videos. Perhaps a future release of these would be of interest to hard-core fans either via the web site (mp3 downloads, podcasts of pristine versions) or perhaps a DVD/CD sale?
Thanks Tom for all that you do, especially touring again and releasing the ‘S.I.’ DVD/CD, the web site (esp. the podcasts and blogs). The fellow fans on the the Forum are really great bunch of people too.
Michael
Denver, CO
November 27th, 2006 at 3:51 am
Having been lucky enough to see Thomas with the Lost Toy People when “Aliens” was released (the UK warm-up gig at Northampton Roadmenders) and then a little later for “Astronauts” tour in London, it is great to see him performing with other musicians on stage, especially a brass section.
I’ve been a fan ever since I picked up a 12″ of “Wanderlust” by Fallout Club. I was fortunate to meet Thomas very briefly in San Francisco back in the dotcom days of the late 90′s, when I worked at ResRocket/Rocket Network (online music collaboration). I did a short demo of the software and my boss (Will Henshall) jokingly accused me of playing the bassline to “Science” in the demo!
Thanks for the new album Thomas and hope to hear more from you soon. Wish the BT/Dolby tour was heading to Europe – a dream gig!
Cheers,
Alex
November 27th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Dear Old Faithful,
Just a note about The Sole Inhabitant. I downloaded it from iTMS on Thursday and psent the next two days listening to “Leipzig” and “Submarines”. I’m sort of bad for repetitive listening. On Saturday, I listen all the way through, all from my iPod Nano. I must say, I was very intrigued by the new rendition of “The Flat Earth”. The samples from Dr. King were evocative, enigmatic, and how shall I say it…haunting. I almost felt a sense of Deja Vu or Je Ne Sais Quoi. Clever. I’ll regard this with some degree of wonder for all time to come. Perhaps a Thank You is order if such a thing is to be permitted. If not, then ponder the broken mud flap from the Cadillac. I scanned it before I let it go and have used in Mail Art since then.
I’ve played “Leipzig” over and over. I just love the changes in it, the way the instrumentation rises and subsides. I recall an interview you did with “Keyboard” magazine or perhaps “Electronic Musician” in 1985 or so. The one comment that has stuck with me all this time was, “Tradtional changes bore me.”
My daughter is notifying it is time to go for City Honor Orchestra rehearsals. I think she has first cello.
Johnny Jane
November 27th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Hey there Johnny–in terms of repetitive listening, I think we’re
I find that one can hear something new with
all guilty of that.
just about every listening, and Thomas’ music is so painstakingly
crafted that one cannot get tired of it–even he himself never got
tired of it! No reason you should, Thomas–there are NO fillers in
your music!!
I confess myself to be iPodless {gasp!}, but you know that the
SI CD is going to be living in my CD player for a while, whenever
it arrives, which will be quick, being as CD Baby is almost
inhumanly fast! The CDs turn up in a person’s mailbox practically before they order them…it’s a little spoooooooky….
Peace and parrot squawkings {I gotta go feed the little punkin},
Kara!
November 28th, 2006 at 11:26 am
i’ve been reviewing the footage from the show and there is definitely some nice stuff in there that should be appearing in something special we’re cooking up for bonus podcast :}
–jon luini
November 28th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Woohoo, Jon! So glad to hear it! And you’re quite the handsome guy, if you don’t mind me saying so!
November 28th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Down girl! Hee hee!
{I don’t think he minds.} 
And thanks a ton, Jon! Much appreciated!!
Can hardly wait to
see that fabulous footage and hear that fabulous music!!
Peace and podcasts,
Kooky Kara!
November 29th, 2006 at 7:42 am
Oh my god I think I just realized who that is in the picture and now Im really embarrassed. Mr. Dolby I want you to know that I really wasnt trying to be rude with my question about the guy in the picture. When I said it didnt matter I meant that my question didn’t matter not the man in the photo. I was approaching it from the assumption that it was one of your friends, and thusly none of my business who he was. However now I see that taken out of context it seems like I was being a jerk! Sorry about that. I really didnt know at first! : (
January 9th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
A logical continuation of Dolby’s musical evolution… [dirtydatsun]
Thomas Dolby’s (TMDR) Sole Inhabitant project is a brilliant reinvention & rejuvenation of the never-ending evolution of Dolby’s musical influence. Dynamic & powerful performances abound on both the CD & DVD, which closely examines (often self-analyzing) his MO on both composing & performing. An illuminating & (often informally) entertaining offering from a TRUE original! For ALL fans of music, not just TMDR’s! Five Stars!