OVERACHIEVER Steve Almond and Ryan Walsh grill Marissa Nadler. |
"I thought you would be more æthereal in person," a French fan once told Boston dream-folk songwriter Marissa Nadler at a show in Belgium. It was her first-ever tour, and Nadler was opening for Ariel Pink. "I brought this chocolate bar for you, but now I don't want to give it to you," the fan continued.The story was relayed Sunday night at Toad in Porter Square, the first night of "This Has Been a Disaster — Thanks for Having Us," a new monthly discussion series where musicians share their worst music-industry stories. Hosted by Ryan Walsh of Hallelujah the Hills and author Steve Almond, the inaugural installment featured Nadler plus local musician Steve Mayone and Phoenix contributor Matt Parish of Ho-Ag, followed by a set from Mr. Sister.
"I seem to be cursed, kind of," Nadler told the audience of about 45, later explaining the time she told off a crowd at T.T. the Bear's for talking through her whole set. She also recalled the unpleasant aftermath of being dropped by a label that named an imprint after one of her songs ("Mexican Summer"), and a show where she sort-of maybe drank too much. "I heard if you're sick on tour, you should drink whiskey," she explained. "And I'm an overachiever."
Parish later told about DIY touring and punk-house shows gone wrong. Mayone recalled the time when a tour driver abandoned his band at a gig in the South, taking off with the van overnight. All that didn't sound so bad compared to the time his band the Humans were strapped for a place to crash in DC and ended up sleeping on the stage of the bar where they had played hours earlier.
The tales of war stories from the road continue when "This Has Been a Disaster" returns to Toad on June 26.
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