Storm Large: 15 to Watch in 2015
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Monday, December 29, 2014
Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor
Fact is, we’ve been watching (Susan) Storm Large for years now.
The punk rock/cabaret author/actor/artist is has been one to watch ever since she blew into Portland over a decade ago.
But the coming year (and years) could be a bit different for Ms. Large. She has long outlived her reality star fifteen minutes of fame (courtesy her time with Tommy Lee on the tv show, Rockstar: Supernova). She continues to be one of two incredible co-chanteuses who sing the songs of Pink Martini all over the world.
And earlier this year, Storm released a new album with a new band of the same name, La Bonheur, and continues to travel to sold-out gigs across the country. Large is a very busy person.
But this year could prove to be busier than ever before. That’s because Large is working on several new projects that will once again shoot her, like a supernova, into the stratosphere. Storm will soon make her debut with The New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall (where she will be part of a tribute to Frank Sinatra), The Cincinnati Symphony, The Houston Symphony and The RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin amongst others. Storm is also busy creating a new musical with The Public Theater in New York City.
GoLocalPDX had a chance to speak to Large earlier this year, after the release of her album. Here’s a few choice questions and answers from that interview.
GoLocalPDX: How did you choose the songs for the album?
Storm Large: I just picked some of my favorite songs of love, longing, and loss, most of which I'd been performing forever.
How has it been performing these songs live?
So amazing. I love my band...personally and professionally, just the best guys around.
You cover the work of musical icons, such as Lou Reed on "Satellite of Love." Was there any fear on your part approaching what you would sing from his song book?
Totally. Especially Lou Reed because he was canonized long before he died. YOU DON'T TOUCH LOU. Nobody is cool enough. But, I've never ever been even a teeny bit cool. So I did Lou. I love that song so hard...he was such an epic poet, with a sharp and cynical voice, more often than not. But Satellite has so much gorgeous hope beaming out of it, sonically for me. Even though he says the “satellite of love” is gone, and the poem has some bleak barbs in it....the big churchy ruckus at the end makes me feel like love could never be gone completely.
Is being from Portland have any influence on your work?
Only on my ability to DO my work. Portland is an affordable place and supremely supportive of its artists.
What has been the response to the album on the road?
People are loving it. But my niece, when she heard there were no swear (words) on the album, cautioned me that it may not make any money because of it.
Do people expect the Storm that once played the stages of clubs like Dante's or are they expecting the Storm they see when you perform with Pink Martini?
They get what I give them and are mostly satisfied with whatever goofy mood I'm in. I'm sure there are folks who still wish I was in a band with Tommy Lee. But they'll get over it eventually.
You seem to be carving out a whole new genre in music: rock and roll cabaret. Is that a fair assessment of your music, or do you think it is something else?
That's fairly close, yes but I am by no means carving it out. There have been heaps of comediennes, story-tellers, minstrels and drag queens kicking down those doors for ages. I gratefully follow them.
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Here's a list of 15 people in Portland to keep your eye on for 2015:
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Storm Large
Fact is, we’ve been watching (Susan) Storm Large for years now.
The punk rock/cabaret author/actor/artist is has been one to watch ever since she blew into Portland over a decade ago.
But the coming year (and years) could be a bit different for Ms. Large. She has long outlived her reality star fifteen minutes of fame (courtesy her time with Tommy Lee on the tv show, Rockstar: Supernova). She continues to be one of two incredible co-chanteuses who sing the songs of Pink Martini all over the world.
Read More
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