The review Pure American Folk Music beyond impressed the usually jaded Hollywood crowd who gave a rapturous reception last night at a small VIP concert that Joel and Ethan Coen‘s hosted for their upcoming Oscar contender Inside Llewyn Davis at The Buffalo Club in Santa Monica. The American Film Institute is having the premiere of this much talked about flick–which stars Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan and Oliver Isaacs (Drive, Robin Hood) on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Joel and Ethan have collaborated for years with the legendary and respected music man T-Bone Burnett. The result was a night of earnest, pure, good old-fashioned folk music, to a very grateful VIP crowd. Producer Scott Rudin and CBS President Leslie Moonves hosted this lively event titled, ‘A Special Musical Evening Honoring T Bone Burnett and Joel and Ethan Coen.’ The mega talented performers included The Punch Brothers, Rhiannon Giddens, Milk Carton Kids, Willie Watson, Sean & Sara Watkins and the talented actor/musician Oscar Isaacs, who is one of the stars of the film. The play list is below.
The attendees were entranced, with no other than Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, Mary Kay Place, Thora Birch, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, Ed Helms, Christopher Lloyd, Steve Martin and his wife Anne Stringfield, Fred & Mary Willard, Josh Gad and his wife Ida, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Patricia Arquette, Marisa Tomei, Gina Gershon, Steve Levitan, Mary Kay Place, Stephen Gaghan, Marc Forster, Nastassja Kinski and John Goodman. All the celebrities stayed for the nearly 2 1/2 hour show and were bopping along with the normal folk. Steve Martin joined the band for a number playing his beloved banjo and funnily remarking, “I’m so honored to be accepting this award.”
Inside Llewyn Davis is being released on Dec. 6, and people were talking last night that it could be a sleeper surprise during awards season. Never count the Coen brothers out, people; those brothers seem to have a finger on the American cinematic pulse.
Roger Corman‘s Bucket of Blood, about a talentless beatnik artist, could serve as a kind of prequel to the Coen Brother’s Oscar contender:
Play List
SET 1
Welcome: T Bone Burnett
Punch Brothers
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Rye Whiskey
Willie Watson
On the Road Again (with Punch Brothers)
Hills of Mexico
Sean and Sara Watkins (with Paul Kowert on bass)
You’re the One I Love
You and Me
Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins
Scotch and Chocolate
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Milk Carton Kids
Hope of A Lifetime
Snake Eyes
Rhiannon Giddens (with Hubby Jenkins on Guitar, Paul Kowert on bass and Jay Bellerose on drums)
Waterboy
Mouth Music (with above plus Chris Thile on Mandolin, Chris Eldridge on guitar, Gabe Witcher on fiddle and Hubby Jenkins on bones)
Punch Brothers
The Auld Triangle
The Crow (featuring Steve Martin)
Oscar Isaac
Green Green Rocky Road
Dink’s Song (with Punch Brothers)
SET 2
Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins
Cuckoo
23rd of May
Milk Carton Kids
New York
Michigan
Oscar Isaac and Punch Brothers
Hang Me, Oh Hang Me
Oscar Isaac and The Milk Carton Kid
Switchable City
Rhiannon Giddens with Hubby Jenkins, Gabe Witcher and Paul Kowert
No Man’s Mama
Rhiannon Giddens & Lalenjah Harrington
(Gospel song – title unknown)
Willie Watson
Keep It Clean
Punch Brothers
Brakeman’s Blues
The Darkest Hour (with Sean and Sara Watkins)
Hop High (with Sean and Sara Watkins)
Willie & Ensemble
Midnight Special
ENCORE:
Oscar Isaac
Dink’s Song (solo)
You Ain’t Going Nowhere (with full ensemble)
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