(thanks to Allison Young for these awesome photos - check out themudlot for more of her work!)
This weekend Taryn and I went to Detroit to be filmed for Detroit's own version of the Take Away Shows, a video series that films musicians playing in unconventional locations around Detroit to showcase the city's nooks and crannies, as well as feature live music in an intimate and unique performance space.
Knowing little to nothing about what we'd be doing, we finally arrived after getting miserably lost among the one-way streets of Detroit (my sense of direction rivals that of an insect's). We met the incredibly nice Jared Groth and his crew at a restaurant and accepted the meatloaf off of his plate that he kindly offered us. With everyone in good spirits, we caravanned over to our shooting location.
Our shooting location turned out to be an ancient, dilapidated building which I later learned was once called the Lee Plaza Apartments. Looking up at the building from the street, I saw that the windows and walls were all busted, and debris and dust were freely falling to the ground from the empty and open rooms. This building had been abandoned for decades because apparently it's cheaper to just pay the taxes and let it rot than to pay the money it costs to tear it down and build something new.
Then we went up to the top of the building, which required the 12 of us going in a single-file line with all of our stuff up like 10 flights of stairs littered with rubble and debris, with a single flashlight. Pieces of ceiling would sporadically fall on our heads, and the railing of the staircase was unsteady at best.
But when we got to the top...
The whole afternoon was amazing and beautiful and unexpected. Thanks to Jared for organizing the whole thing, and a huge thank you to the whole camera/sound crew for being so hardworking and patient, for donating their time and love and energies to this project that nobody's getting paid a cent for. Hooray for art for art's sake.
I can't wait to see the final product! The video won't be put up on the website for another month or so, but when it does you'll be the first to know, myspacers.
stay warm everyone~
charlene
xoxo
Knowing little to nothing about what we'd be doing, we finally arrived after getting miserably lost among the one-way streets of Detroit (my sense of direction rivals that of an insect's). We met the incredibly nice Jared Groth and his crew at a restaurant and accepted the meatloaf off of his plate that he kindly offered us. With everyone in good spirits, we caravanned over to our shooting location.
Our shooting location turned out to be an ancient, dilapidated building which I later learned was once called the Lee Plaza Apartments. Looking up at the building from the street, I saw that the windows and walls were all busted, and debris and dust were freely falling to the ground from the empty and open rooms. This building had been abandoned for decades because apparently it's cheaper to just pay the taxes and let it rot than to pay the money it costs to tear it down and build something new.
Jared, Andy, Chris, and me.
Apparently, we weren't technically supposed to be moseying around on someone's property due to trespassing issues...but, whatever! How to get me, Taryn, and the 10 person camera crew into the building? By lifting each other up, one by one (along with tripods, film equipment, instruments) as we climbed through a side window that brought us to the first floor. I was wearing a skirt...not fun.
Apparently, we weren't technically supposed to be moseying around on someone's property due to trespassing issues...but, whatever! How to get me, Taryn, and the 10 person camera crew into the building? By lifting each other up, one by one (along with tripods, film equipment, instruments) as we climbed through a side window that brought us to the first floor. I was wearing a skirt...not fun.
We shot four songs in four separate locations. I thought this was the coolest room.
Everywhere we went, I wondered what it had been before. There were remnants of a chandelier on the ceiling, maybe it was some sort of ballroom, or a lobby/lounge area? It looked fancy.
The coolest part about this room (besides the smashed grand piano) was that at any given place you could look down and find some fossil from the past...a 1994 reader's digest, a Bible, balls of yarn, shoes.
aaahhh!!!
Andy playing navigator.
wow...
Gingerbread city.
Jared and I musing over the best place to stand without getting too freaked out by the open window.
Taryn tuning up.
Then we went even further up, to the roof. Pigeons everywhere!!
Needless to say, by the end of the 4-hour shoot every limb, hair and molecule on our bodies was frozen to the bone. We were all overwhelmed by exhaustion but nevertheless glowing from taping a great show (albeit with my quavering singing...brrr!) complete with audio of a lady at the gas station below that was yelling obscenities at an annoying customer. Thanks to Phreddy for bringing us delicious hot lattes and coffee afterward!!!
I can't wait to see the final product! The video won't be put up on the website for another month or so, but when it does you'll be the first to know, myspacers.
stay warm everyone~
charlene
xoxo
