Juliana Hatfield Three at The Roxy, Hollywood, California :: Live Music Review

Juliana Hatfield Three
21st Anniversary of Become What You Are
March 16, 2015
The Roxy, Hollywood, California

The first time I ever saw Juliana Hatfield play live it was at The Roxy. It was Summertime, in 1995, late June if I remember correctly. The place was packed with people and Hell-fire hot inside, all of us clustered close, fanning ourselves with bar napkins and melting together into the music. Juliana was dripping in sweat, but still kept playing song after song, putting forth a show that has since always had a place on my best live music moments ever. She talked a little between songs, mostly about the heat, and also briefly mentioning the show she’d had a guest spot on, My So-Called Life. “Jordan Catalano” was there himself that night, Jared and his brother (who was also on the show, and later a part of Leto’s band, 30 Seconds to Mars). I was there with a group of friends from my record store job. It was all such a quintessential “90’s” moment in time, I was even wearing a baby doll dress.

Twenty years later and here I was at The Roxy to see Juliana again, this time with “The Three“, and my twenty-three year old daughter in tow. She was a year old when Become What You Are was released, an album I played obsessively for most of that year, and others to follow. It is an album I still listen to, in its entirety, often. There was a moment for me, as we stood there waiting between the opening band’s set, and Juliana’s, where I found myself stunned at the passage of time.

Twenty years had gone by and I honestly didn’t feel that different. Looking around I saw a wide mix of people, all varying in age and style, but amongst them there was definitely a group of people in my age genre, or whatever you want to call it, who could have very well been there, with me, back in 1995. I stood there still feeling like I was in my twenties, singing-a-long to the track-by-track performance of Become What You Are, not feeling much different from when I first held that CD in my hand. I’m not one for “where did the time go?” woeful exclamations, but I am quite cognizant of how our bodies seem to age, but not so much our hearts and minds. I still feel songs like Little Pieces and For the Birds and Feelin’ Massachusetts, they are still relevant to me, they still hit me, sometimes even deeper than in the nineties.

Supermodel/My Sister (live at The Roxy, March 16, 2015) :: Juliana Hatfield Three

 When Juliana came out, guitar nearly as big as she strapped on, and started to sing Supermodel, I got instant goose bumps. It felt as if I was in my apartment, back when I first played the album, and the song had started, except here I was, with the band a few feet from me, and the songs sounding better, more raw in spots, more mature in other spots. I was struck by how damn good the band sounded, and what an incredible guitarist Juliana. I don’t remember her being so amazing with a guitar when I saw her before, in 1995, but then again, it’s been years, hasn’t it?

The next song started up, track two, My Sister, and I found myself hearing the song with a new perspective. I did not grow up with my sisters. I did not know I even had sisters until I was in my late twenties, and the three of us were near grown. I always loved the song, but never felt the song personally. But here I am now, with two daughters who often do not get along, the youngest who I know feels the complexities and contradictions of sisterhood that this song deals with. I really found myself feeling the song from my youngest daughter’s perspective, and wondered what she would think of it if she heard it.

When This is the Sound started up the crowd starting to come to life, dancing, throwing their hands in the air, spinning around, and swaying in that ever so nineties way. There is nothing like being in a crowd at a concert, to be in proximity to music in that way, to be breathing the music in and to feel the crowd breathing it in, too. The movement, the pulse, the shared experience, it is one of the best things in life. I loved feeling all of us moving together.

Also, I half expected her to say “bridge” after the “all washed up” line, like on the album.

The album continued, each song expected, but beyond expectation. I still cannot get over Juliana’s guitar work, and the sound of the three of them together. I love that Juliana’s voice cracked sometimes, that it seemed so real and in the moment, that the songs never once felt dated, or nostalgic, or tired. They sounded better to me than when they were new.

Feelin’ Massachusetts was my favorite moment of the night. It has always been my favorite song on the album, but last night it became more than that to me. The lyrics felt so much like things I am feeling right now in my life. Some of the lines brought the sting of tears to my eyes, and both hurt and felt freeing to hear, and sing to. I do “just want to feel alive again”.

I felt both excitement and a sudden sadness when the last song began. That said, sing-screaming along to the line “I’ve got no idols” felt so cathartic. That surge in the crowd hit again, the bouncing and spinning, everyone singing it together, with Juliana. It was powerful, the combining of voices, the variety of people, from different walks and ways, coming together for the music. We may all have no idols per se, except for maybe the music, and for many of us there that night, Juliana’s Three.

The show did not end there though. They did two encores, singing many songs during the two, my favorites being I’m Shy, What a Life and If I Could – the latter especially, which hit on a very personal level, too.

All in all the show was just what I wanted it to be, what I hoped it to be, and much more. Juliana is an amazing musician and performer. I enjoyed the moments she spoke about songs and the album, about being at The Roxy before, and I loved when she asked for an encore with no cameras/phones. Although I was guilty of taking pictures, after she asked for that I started to think about how much I preferred when no one had a phone out at shows, and that the only thing ever held up in the air were arms and lighters. Do we really have to see so much of things through a phone screen? I may just leave my phone in the car at the next concert I attend.

What an album! What a band! What a show! I am so glad I went.

I wish I’d saved all my wristbands from all the shows I’ve been to. Here’s last nights.

I Got No Idols (live at The Roxy, March 16, 2015)