Last night at Club Largo in Los Angeles I saw The Jill and Julia Show.
Wow! Such a great show!
It’s a real laid back, informal kind of performance. There’s a backing band- but they’re not featured on every song.
Jill Sobule plays songs, then allows for an extended simple musical “vamp” usually before the last verse. During the vamp Julia Sweeny tells a story inspired by the song- usually prepared in advance, but she doesn’t neccessarily tell the same story for a particular song at each show (there were a few points where Julia would tell a story then Jill would say “at the last show you told a different story for this song which made me think of . . .” then Jill would tell her own story.)
Julia Sweeny’s stories were all very funny and charming. Even though they were prepared, it still felt like storytelling rather than a comic monologue. And there were some times when Jill would ask the audience for a request of a song they hadn’t prepared, in which case Julia would have to, on the spot, come up with a story that fit the song.
I had never listened to Jill Sobule’s music before, I only went to the show because I know the drummer and guitar player she’s using right now and they told me I had to check it out. I really loved her songs. I had previously only been familiar with the “hit”*. Now, I’m a new Jill Sobule fan and want to run out and buy all her albums!
I don’t know if they have any plans to tour the show (they joked about being on their way to Broadway). But there will be future L.A. performances. Check it out if you can!!!
*Jill informed us that “I Kissed a Girl” was written about Kathie Lee Gifford but it was hard to tell whether or not she was serious.