Produced, Directed, and Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
Camera Operation by Todd Bell and Kenneth Thomas.
Shot at The Vanguard, Los Angeles, 22 August 2006.
Before Evangelista, there was Carla Bozulich. Well, Carla Bozulich and Evangelista were always one and the same, it seems, as her musical output became known as Evangelista after this tour for her first album. Plus, Evangelista was the title of the first album, and it is the name of this song. Whew – make sense?
This is an ideal first Cutting Room Floor clip from a Constellation artist. Carla Bozulich/Evangelista was opening for The Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band (another Constellation band that underwent name changes), and she was joined by members of The Silver Mt Zion for this performance. What’s excellent about that is the fact that The Silver Mt Zion made up most of her band on her first studio album, so seeing these 2 acts play together was an audible treat.
And what a song! Carla’s voice really shines on this recording, as it clearly demonstrates why her performances are viscerally beautiful experiences. Her voice ranges from shrieks to gasps to desperate wails, leading an orchestra of musicians toying with the idea of drowning the song in a sea of chaos, only to come to the surface after holding the audience in a state of tension for the entirety of 8 minutes.
For those in the Bay Area, you can see what I’m talking about by joining me at the Berkeley Art Museum on 19 August. Evangelista performs at 7pm, and they’ll be playing songs from their upcoming album, In Animal Tongue. They do not play live too often, so even if you’re busy that night, cancel your plans and come to this!
