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Full disclosure: Aside from a handful of films that, for better or worse, left a huge impression of life in a world-renown metropolis, your Austin Music Minute host’s central connections to New York City were mainly Tama Janowitz and Fran Lebowitz, the former through her brilliantly odd detachment, the latter with humor on wry-overdrive. Occasionally, Spalding Gray would wander in for added adventure at 100 miles per hour and tales to get lost in for hours. Then, along came Suzanne Vega, with experiences captured in a unique voice through music, whether at 59th Street and Central Park South (think “Frank and Ava”), the Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, or seeing Lou Reed perform when she was a student at Barnard College.
Damn.
Vega recorded her tenth LP, An Evening of New York Songs and Stories, in the spring of last year, a live album with an intimacy that makes you feel as though you’re right there in the same room with her, as she performs a combination of her more well-known hits and fantastic rare favorites from an extensive discography. And it wouldn’t be complete without a few New York City memories.
The pandemic has postponed Vega’s tour in support of the album until next year, but you have a chance to see Vega in a special livestream performance at 8 p.m. (Central) tomorrow night, Wednesday October 7, coming to you from the Blue Note Jazz Club. Your virtual ticket gets you a link to the show.
