The Black Cab Sessions is a series of one-song performances by musicians and poets recorded in the back of a black cab and filmed for an internet audience. A black cab is a type of hackney carriage (taxicab) common to Britain. The sessions are recorded while the black cab that serves as the studio travels through city streets, usually in London, England. Most of the performances feature rock bands, ranging from popular acts such as
Death Cab for CutieDeath Cab for Cutie is a Grammy-nominated American indie rock band, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Benjamin Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr...
,
The KooksThe Kooks are an English indie pop band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2004. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred and Max Rafferty the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 with the departure of Rafferty...
and
My Morning JacketMy Morning Jacket is a Grammy-nominated American rock band.The band comprises Jim James , Tom "Two-Tone Tommy" Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky,...
to lesser known acts such as the Cave Singers.
The Black Cab Sessions is a series of one-song performances by musicians and poets recorded in the back of a black cab and filmed for an internet audience. A black cab is a type of hackney carriage (taxicab) common to Britain. The sessions are recorded while the black cab that serves as the studio travels through city streets, usually in London, England. Most of the performances feature rock bands, ranging from popular acts such as
Death Cab for CutieDeath Cab for Cutie is a Grammy-nominated American indie rock band, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Benjamin Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr...
,
The KooksThe Kooks are an English indie pop band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2004. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred and Max Rafferty the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 with the departure of Rafferty...
and
My Morning JacketMy Morning Jacket is a Grammy-nominated American rock band.The band comprises Jim James , Tom "Two-Tone Tommy" Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky,...
to lesser known acts such as the Cave Singers. Other performances stray from the rock music scene, featuring poetry and
beatboxingBeatboxing is a form of vocal percussion which primarily involves the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, voice, and more. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
, for example.
The motto of the Black Cab Sessions is "one song, one take, one cab." These intimate performances embody the lo-fi ethos of the
indie rockIndie rock is a genre of rock music that originated in the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1980s. The term is often used to describe the means of production and distribution of independent underground music, as well as the style of music that was first associated with this means of...
scene and have have gained a cult following of viewers both on their own website and on
YouTubeYouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google...
.
Format
The Black Cab Sessions video clips begin with a screen showing the name of the artist and date the session was recorded. This is followed by a shot of the cab driver, who has just been informed that his cab will play host to the sessions, introducing the artist. The artists then give their performance.
During the performances, the artists often have to react to the unusual venue. For example, during the New Pornographers session, the two musicians can be seen bouncing up and down in their seats as the cab hits speed bumps. The performances are also shaped by the limited space afforded by the back of a black cab. Many of the bands that play are only represented by part of the band, for example. In at least one instance, when singer/harpist
Joanna NewsomJoanna Newsom is an American harpist, pianist, and singer-songwriter from Nevada City, California.- Career :Newsom was first taught to play the Celtic harp by a local teacher in Nevada City...
was invited to perform, the fact that her harp would not fit in the cab kept her from contributing at all.
Production
The Black Cab Sessions were conceived by Jono Stevens and produced as a partnership between Hidden Fruit (Gen Stevens and Chris Pattinson) and Just So Films (Jonny Madderson and Will Evans).
One of the producers reports that about 10 percent of the cab drivers approached by the producers turns them down, thinking that the idea is weird, but that those who do participate enjoy it.
Filming of the Black Cab Sessions began in May, 2007 and is ongoing.
Artists
The following artists have performed in the Black Cab Sessions:
- Baby Dee
Baby Dee is an American performance artist, Harpist and accordionist, and Singer-songwriter. She is a musician from Cleveland, Ohio who has worked with Antony and the Johnsons, the Sex Pistols, and many other artists on the New York City scene....
- Beach House
- Bon Iver
Bon Iver is the name of American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernons current band and most notable music project to date. The band now also consists of Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. The name, Bon Iver, is a corruption of the French "bon hiver"...
- The Brightlights
The Brightlights are a four-piece British indie rock band from Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire. They released their debut single, "Inspired By", on 5 November 2007...
- Johnny Byers
- Bill Callahan
Bill Callahan may refer to:*Bill Callahan , American football coach*Bill Callahan , American singer-songwriter*Bill Callahan , former producer and writer for Scrubs...
- Stricken City
- Cold War Kids
Cold War Kids are an American indie rock band from Fullerton, California. Band members are Nathan Willett , Jonnie Russell , Matt Maust , and Matt Aveiro .-History:...
- Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is a Grammy-nominated American indie rock band, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Benjamin Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr...
- Emmy the Great
Emma-Lee Moss , known by her stage name Emmy the Great, is a London-based singer-songwriter. Moss was born in Hong Kong, and emigrated with her family to London at the age of 12.-Musical career:...
- Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo is a London-based indie pop band formed in 2006 by the Swedish musician Simon Balthazar. They make extensive use of instruments such as the trumpet, violin and mandolin as well as more commonplace instruments such as guitars and drums....
- The Felice Brothers
The Felice Brothers are a folk rock/country rock band from Upstate New York founded in 2006.-History:The Felice Brothers got their start as a band playing in the New York City subway, but their musical experience started much earlier. The sons of a carpenter, they would play together on Sundays at...
- Fireworks Night
- Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes is a five-piece Seattle-based band signed to Sub Pop and Bella Union. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes. Both Sun Giant and their eponymous debut album received much critical praise and...
- Johnny Flynn
Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit are an English folk rock band signed to Lost Highway. They are fronted by Johnny Flynn , an actor, poet and songwriter who cites W.B. Yeats and Shakespeare among his influences. He is a member of the 'Propeller' theatre troupe, acting in several plays including Twelfth...
- Stephen Fretwell
Stephen Fretwell is an English singer-songwriter.Stephen attended St. Augustine Webster Primary School in Scunthorpe and St...
- The Futureheads
The Futureheads are a four-piece English post-punk revival band from Sunderland. Their name comes from the title of the The Flaming Lips album, Hit to Death in the Future Head.-Early days:...
- Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, comprising Daniel Rossen , Ed Droste , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
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Micah P Henson
Hot Club de Paris Hot Club de Paris are an English band from Liverpool. They are signed to the London-based Moshi Moshi Records and released their debut album Drop It 'Til It Pops in October 2006. The band released their second album Live at Dead Lake in June 2008.- History:...
Daniel JohnstonDaniel Dale Johnston is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. Johnston was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He currently lives in Waller, Texas....
Damien JuradoDamien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Over the years he has released albums on many labels; today, his primary label is Secretly Canadian.-Music career:...
Nic Dawson Kelly
Killa Kella
The KooksThe Kooks are an English indie pop band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2004. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred and Max Rafferty the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 with the departure of Rafferty...
Langhorne SlimLanghorne Slim is a folk singer, born Sean Scolnick on August 20, 1980. Originally hailing from Langhorne, Pennsylvania, he attended High School at The Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, part of the SUNY system.He began to...
Jens LekmanJens Martin Lekman is a Swedish indie pop musician residing in Melbourne, Australia. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings; the lyrics are often witty, romantic, and melancholic...
Jeffrey LewisJeffrey Lewis is an American anti-folk singer/songwriter and comic book artist.-Early life:Lewis attended State University of New York at Purchase and graduated in 1997 with a degree in Literature...
Lykke LiLi Lykke Timotej Zachrisson , better known by her stage name Lykke Li , is a Swedish indie singer. She released her debut album, Youth Novels, in 2008.- Early Life and Youth Novels :...
Lightspeed ChampionLightspeed Champion is the stage name of British composer, songwriter and author Devonte Hynes, born 23 December 1985 who is currently signed to Domino Records. Incorporating elements from a variety of musical genres, Lightspeed Champion marks a significant departure in sound from Hynes' previous...
Laura MarlingLaura Beatrice Marling , is a folk-pop, singer-songwriter from Hampshire, England.Marling has toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK and beyond including Adam Green and Jamie T, who invited her on tour with him in 2006 after he attended her second-ever gig.She performed at the...
Eugene McGuinnessEugene Michael McGuinness is a British singer-songwriter currently living in London and is of Irish heritage.-Music career:...
The MulesThe Mules are a musical group in the electrobilly style operating out of London, England. Its members are Ed Seed , James Lesslie , Tim Burke , Duncan Brown and Jenny Lau ....
My Morning JacketMy Morning Jacket is a Grammy-nominated American rock band.The band comprises Jim James , Tom "Two-Tone Tommy" Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky,...
The NationalThe National are a Brooklyn-based indie rock band formed in 1999 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger in a distinctive, deep baritone. The rest of the band is composed of two pairs of brothers: Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Scott and Bryan Devendorf...
The New PornographersThe New Pornographers is a Canadian/American indie rock supergroup formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Their music is often described as power pop, with some critics likening their sound to that of Cheap Trick.-Overview:...
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Noah and the Whale Noah and the Whale are an British Indie folk band from Twickenham, London, England formed in 2006.- History :The band consists of Charlie Fink , Doug Fink , Tom Hobden , and Urby Whale , and after a few singles, released their debut album, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down in August 2008...
Okkervil RiverOkkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. They self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first...
Amanda PalmerAmanda MacKinnon Palmer is a performer most noted for being the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the "Brechtian punk cabaret" duo The Dresden Dolls.-Biography:Palmer grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts...
Elvis PerkinsElvis Perkins is an American folk-rock recording artist, who came to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, Ash Wednesday, in 2007...
Pete and the Pirates
PhosphorescentPhosphorescent is Matthew Houck, a one-man indie folk/alt country band that is often compared to Iron and Wine, Will Oldham, and Neil Young. Phosphorescent currently resides in Brooklyn, New York and is signed to independent label Dead Oceans.-Overview:Before recording under the name...
The RaveonettesThe Raveonettes are a Danish rock duo, consisting of Sune Rose Wagner on guitar, instruments, and vocals, and Sharin Foo on bass, guitar and vocals...
Scout NiblettEmma Louise Niblett , better known by the stage name Scout Niblett, is an English singer and songwriter. Her music is frequently minimal in style, many of her songs consisting merely of vocals accompanied by either drums or guitar, which she mostly plays herself. She is known for her intimate live...
Seasick SteveSteven Gene Wold, commonly known as Seasick Steve, is an American bluesman, although he prefers to be called "a song and dance man". He plays guitars , and sings, usually about his early life living rough and doing casual work.-Early life:Wold was born in Oakland, California. When he was four...
Charlie Siem
SpoonSpoon is an American indie rock band from Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Britt Daniel ; Jim Eno ; Rob Pope and Eric Harvey .-History:...
St Vincent
Freddie StevensonFreddie Stevenson is a singer-songwriter from Edinburgh.- Early life :Stevenson is the eldest of three children born to Scottish artist and potter Charles Stevenson and children's television writer and producer Jocelyn Stevenson, co-creator of the popular programme Fraggle Rock...
Sunset RubdownSunset Rubdown is an art rock band from Montreal, Canada. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg, in early 2005...
Luke Toms
Vincent Vincent and the VillainsVincent Vincent and the Villains were an English rock 'n' roll group. They were signed to EMI.-History:Vincent Vincent grew up in Hatch End, an area in the London Borough of Harrow. He later moved to East London's Bethnal Green and after leaving Art College decided to start a band...
Brian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the rock group The Beach Boys...
Benjamin ZephaniahBenjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is a British Rastafarian writer and dub poet. He is a well-known figure in contemporary English literature, and was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008.Zephaniah has said that his mission is to fight the dead image of poetry in...
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External links