The Downpour
What $5 on a Tuesday gets you in LA.
This week I went to the Downpour LA – a night of poetry, storytelling and music through the secret door at Bar Covell off Hollywood Boulevard. On the spoken word portion of the bill for the evening was Kyla ‘Tucaya’ Garcia, Jazmine Becerra Green, Lucy Stone and Sam Bianchini. Odes to the angler fish, rallying cries for liberation, traveling nuns, an abortion with a happy ending…the words and worlds of the women who spoke brought me elsewhere and delivered a reminder of why we write.
Rounding out the evening was one of my favorite singer/songwriters Lou Roy, who debuted an entire new set of songs, along with a Willie Nelson cover and the closing track “Dream” from her debut album Pure Chaos.
I got to see Lou perform many of the songs off Pure Chaos at the Roomba Cafe in Columbus last year when she was on the road with Rett Madison. As Lou belted the bridge of “If We Were Strangers” I had a hilarious and sort of horrifying realization: I’d mistaken a lyric and now had a tattoo based on that mistaken lyric. During the bridge I found out that the first lyric is “we love a good pink lip” not “we love a good anklet.” I have a silly little tattoo on my right shoulder featuring flowers spurting out of a pair of legs…one of which is wearing an anklet, a nod to this Lou Roy song that spoke to me so searingly at a time when I was convinced literally not knowing someone would make them love me and finding that sooo romantic.
After that show I was chatting with Lou at the merch table and told her my mistake. We laughed and she assured me the intent of the lyric was to reference all those silly little things that make us feel good. Pink lip, anklet, who cares!
In addition to Lou’s enchanting brand of songwriting, her voice rings clear as a bell–I would listen to her sing “The Wheels On The Bus” if that was her MO. One of the new songs she sang at the Downpour included a sweet hometown song, “LA Girl”, which I need to have at my disposal immediately for obvious reasons. Accompanied by Ethan Sherman on steel guitar, the arrangements were perfect and for just $5 for the whole evening…yes I think I am an LA girl!
Also accompanying Lou on vocals was Brandon Woodward, who definitely sounded great but reminded me so much of Coach Ben from Yellowjackets it was hard to notice much else, and Ren Martinez. After the show I was so busy chatting the latter up about the very good pair of Levi’s they had on that I didn’t even think to ask if they made their own music—which upon further investigation I can confirm she does and it is also very good! Ren only has a few singles out, one of which just came out yesterday. ““Honey”” is an “ode to the friend of a friend who is introducing himself to you yet again, even though you’ve already met him four times” and “A nod to Sheryl Crow in 2002, who is about 17% responsible for my personality.” Relatable.
‘Echo Park Prince Charming’ may be specific to LA, but I am all too familiar with this particular breed of man which Martinez describes with an almost traumatizing accuracy. Country pop production by Brian Robert Jones (Paramore, MUNA) and (more) steel pedal guitar makes ““Honey”” an immediate yes for me.
Lately I’ve been in an uncomfortable holding pattern and it’s felt like I wouldn’t ever have the moments of discovery or connection that fill up so many of the visions of this city I have in my head. This sweet evening at the Downpour was definitely an antidote to the stagnant feeling and a welcome reprieve to the constant self-conscious alarm going off in my head. I’m already looking forward to next month's lineup ❣️
While we’re here I might as well share the new playlist I’ve been working on just for the Gaggle! Updated just this morning with fresh picks :) Enjoy and happeee Fridayyy