First of all yes, it is weird to say “the” El Rey.
It was a nice clear, cool night for a show. We arrived early and grabbed something to eat at India’s Tandoori, which had great food and great service. The only downside was that I was facing the window and I when I looked out I saw an old Chinese woman at the bus stop pissing on the sidewalk. That’s a meal killer. Especially when your meal looks like… well you know, Indian food and all..
Off to the show, there was a brief wait in line, and on the way in it seemed like the El Rey staff were throwing non sequiturs to us, “have a good night, if you’re hungry..” what? The El Rey is a nice big open space, standing room only or sit at a table in the balcony if you know someone or if you’ve been in line since the morning. The room was noticeably warm, and that would start coming into play about mid-set.
The stage was decorated in Christmas lights, with two Christmas trees. The lights went down and Aimee’s band played the March from the Nutcracker. Immediately afterwards, Aimee Mann joined her band onstage and played a couple songs from her Christmas album.
Two songs into the set, Aimee introduces her first guest, Jackson Browne. Jackson Browne then held the crowd hostage with two slow moving Jesus songs that made the heat in the room even more noticeable. Maybe Aimee threw him on first to get it over with, but this guest appearance didn’t seem to fit.
Aimee came back on stage after Jackson’s two song set and played some more music. During the rest of the show she showed a very funny film about how she found the true meaning of Christmas, which followed Aimee while she approached celebrities like John Krasinski, Patton Oswalt, Ben Stiller, and Will Ferrell and asked them to be in her film. The co-star of the film, and really co-host of the show was Paul F. Tompkins, who was also very entertaining, something you wouldn’t expect from a Best Week Ever correspondent.
The standout guest appearances were Grant Lee Philips and Nellie McKay. Grant Lee came out all bouncy and happy and definitely made the audience take a big step back from his enthusiasm.. but he won the crowd back quickly with he and Aimee’s duet of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and his impression of Willie Nelson singing Til Tuesday’s “Voice Carry.”
Nellie McKay began her three song set with an ironic Ukulele-driven song about feminists having no sense of humor. She then performed “Christmas Dirge” which is a song that pleads with someone not to cut down another Christmas tree. She closed her set with a sequencer accompanied Christmas song in which she was accompanied by a stuffed animal Rudolph.
Other appearances included a Amos Lee performing a soulful rendition of a John Prine song, and LA comedienne Morgan Murphy who rapped the history of Hanukkah as the drunken Hanukkah Fairy. Aimee played a few non-Christmas songs, mosty notably “Save Me,” and ended the show by inviting everyone out to perform “Baby Please Come Home” which was carried by Grant Lee, Paul, Aimee, and Nellie.
It was a great show and I will definitely be attending the 3rd annual Aimee Mann Christmas Show, but one thing should be noted. The El Rey needs to step up the air conditioning in that place. TWO people passed out right next to me. Like, boom, hit the floor. That’s not a good sign.
