Ami Saraiya

The two most recent times that I've seen her, I believe both have been at Schubas. Once was with Tele Novella.  Natalie from Agent Ribbons comes back to Chicago with her new band and Ami opened for them. I believe that was a weekday, Monday or Tuesday. It was a great fit for me because I see them as evoking different parts of the same world. Its one thing when your mind naturally closes the distance with what seems similar. Its a good surprise to catch, when you actually see them share a stage. This other time I went from Ami's show to one at Hideout to see Lycanthea. A Saturday I believe. That was a great night to be able to see those two shows that could have conflicted. Its just been eating away to start and then to finish this post. I don't like going on without having this written down. I already wrote about Lycanthea. At least for me its significant to document...hmmm, period. I think I've seen Ami at Hungry Brain the now or soon to be closed venue on Belmont. With each live show I find a new element to like about the music I do have of her. This almost random surge in productive writing, I've harnessed to explore the memory of seeing Ami. And its a compulsion by now. I can't let these two shows go like that. Two! And I know there were those I missed and that kills, but I made it to these and they make you review the recorded work especially if she talks about them. On stage she would play and explain a little something about Familiar or Archaeologist. They are on two different CDs for those that still use them. Archaeologist is the latest. Up, Down &Charmed....no, I did not hear it but its always one that circulates often in the soundtrack in my head and it being in the latest I think I can stick it in here. It starts with a nice and slow drunken swing, you wake to this foggy steam punk period, or at least nostalgic over...something.  It has sweetness with Nick Cave pre-rock coolness. Romantic but not sappy or too sweet, but enough to see things through a nostalgic black and white filter.  Colder Meaner Is tense as all hell. You are barely held until finally let go by the violin. That leaves you wide open and ready for Tangleweed to finish you. Its like her music evokes for me a period just before rock but well into jazz. Memphis Train for some reason reminds me of The Color Purple. Her primary instrument is the accordion but its not the only instrument I've seen her use. Her music brings to mind Pezzettino, Eliza Rickman, Jill Tracy, Nicki Jaine. I fear that I can only describe her music in the crudest of ways. But thats the company I can put her in. They all evoke that same period atmosphere....well at least for me. And I'm glad this is what comes from Chicago. It also stands out well among local peers.  The night I saw Lycanthea I saw Ami before but I don't recall taking many pictures at all as just being there to see it feels different from documenting, taking pictures. I relaxed.

I recall only one other band member on stage with her. Just before she begins to sing she says a few things about the song. That always gets me to listen again and her music stays in the now of my mental background because I saw her live on stage.There is something about an accordion that makes you see an altered take on modernity.....my mind brings to me vague takes of older musical styles. That's more me, imposing a costume on the music. Its not something deliberately coming out of her the way a goth band wear their identity.  I have to recall that I've seen her in some tiny, cool venues like the Brain.  I really treasure that memory now because now its about preserving where you saw it, the venue. So I post pictures from those moments. Hmmm, well these pictures I couldn't tell now. I just was happy to find these to post.
Zig