Black Cab Sessions

The Black Cab Sessions is a concept where various musicians in London perform "one song, one take, in one cab."  It is quite fascinating to see the compromised positions of the musicians as well as the maneuvering of instruments to be able to fit into the small cabs.  Some band members get booted, others have mini amps or battery operated keyboards between their legs.  

Familiar artists that have performed in the crowded back seat of a cab: Bon Iver, My Morning Jacket, Sunset Rubdown, Death Cab For Cutie, Phosphorescent, Spoon, Okkervil River, The Kooks, Lightspeed Champion, Noah and the Whale and Laura Marling, Cold War Kids, The National, Elvis Perkins, St Vincent, Bill Callahan (Smog), and Daniel Johnston.  A few of the more known artists that had unique performances were My Morning Jacket, Elvis Perkins, and St Vincent.  Most artists were a little predictable because their sound was not too far from their album recordings.  

The Black Cab Sessions featured a couple of amazing stringed instrument players Charlie Siem and Jonny Byers.  The most talented musician of all to squeeze in the back of a cab was violinist Charlie Siem, who had to play on the ground because his bow was hitting the ceiling.  Cellist Jonny Byers of the Badke Quartet played Bach's gorgeous cello song "Cello Suite, Prelude (in G Major)."  Beat boxer, Killa Kela goes into his own rendition of Korgis' "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime."  Beck covered this song on the soundtrack of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  A few other random artists: the shim (she + him) Baby Dee, Seasick Steve performing a southern Mississippi song about "Chiggers," and Benjamin Zephaniah as the only poet.

Go to: Black Cab Sessions