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For six years, La Blogothèque has changed the way people experience music. We film beautiful, rare and intimate sessions with your favorite artists, and the ones you are soon to fall in love with.
Inspired by a film that he saw, French filmmaker Vincent Moon (real name: Mathieu Saura) came up with La Blogothèque's Take Away Shows in 2006, a web series that would feature artists like Arcade Fire and St. Vincent improvising musical performances. The musicians would be filmed playing a song in a public area—a park, an abandoned house, roaming the streets of Paris—without all of the instruments and technology that they'd usually rely on. The result is an impressive and intimate glimpse into an artist's raw talents.
What makes Take Away Shows so interesting is that it's a very different approach to live music. Seeing your favorite artist on stage at a concert can be a powerful thing in itself, but to completely remove an artist from their comfort zone—their stage or venue built with perfect acoustical architecture in mind—gives the audience another reason to appreciate a musical act. Its innovative approach has received many accolades in the past six years for its 300+ videos. Here, we look at some of the best Take Away Shows, featuring Lykke Li, St. Vincent, Bon Iver, and more.
2. Efterklang - "Echo Wave"
Date uploaded: September 22, 2008
Efterklang very neatly summarizes why La Blogothèque's Take Away Shows are so unique and, perhaps, important for musicians. Artists are often trapped in their routine, thinking that without a certain piece of equipment, they wouldn't be able to achieve their sound. "Doing projects like this makes us realize that there's a 100 ways that we can approach our songs and our music," explains lead singer Casper Clausen, who then joins his band in the kitchen of a restaurant for a powerful rendition of "Echo Wave."
3. White Rabbit - "Percussion Gun"
Date uploaded: October 8, 2009
If you've heard the original, then you'll understand that White Rabbit's "Percussion Gun" isn't an easy song to play considering its overall wildness and frenetic drumming. So, taking this one out of the studio and away from a venue with good acoustics was a risky move to make. But the band held their own, playing the song in what appears to be the backyard of someone's home. Of course, the nuances from the original are lost, but this only goes to show that true performers are capable of adapting to unfavorable circumstances.
"After Rudie Fails we found a house that we really wanted to film in. Only two small problems: we didn’t have permission and we didn’t know who lived there. Fortunately, the guy who lived there was home and after the initial confusion rubbed off, the shirtless, surfer dude was more than happy to be our host."
4. Majical Cloudz - "Bugs Don't Buzz"
Date uploaded: May 30, 2013
One of the best things about Take Away Shows is that most of them are filmed in really public areas. It's fun to see the genuine surprise of the public, being caught in the middle of a performance. Majical Cloudz's Take Away Show had them perform in the Paris métro, though they didn't garner as many strange looks as you'd imagine, despite the fact that singer Devon Welsh was loudly belting out "Bugs Don't Buzz." The plus about performing in the métro, though, could easily be the fact that the little compartment made for a wonderful space for Welsh's vocals to shine.
5. Alabama Shakes - "Goin' To The Party"
Date uploaded: November 10, 2012
Filmed in the streets of Paris in the middle of winter, Alabama Shakes made a bit of time for La Blogothèque, for whom they performed "Goin' To The Party." Though their Take Away Show is one of the shorter clips, their brief performance is one that's honest and beautiful, with lead singer Brittany Howard's powerful vocals as its highlight.
6. Jessie Ware - "Running"
Date uploaded: November 16, 2012
Post-performing at Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris, Jessie Ware performed "Running" for her Take Away Show. Though the noisy, obtrusive sounds of traffic are present throughout the video, Ware's smooth vocals keep our attention as it gently pierces through the night. That's certainly commendable for someone who just got off the stage performing for thousands of people.
7. Willis Earl Beal
Date uploaded: October 19, 2012
Willis Earl Beal starts his Take Away Show asking existential questions which touch on the ideas of individuality, fame, and performance. It's more of an interview (an "unsolicited" one, according to Beal), but he eventually breaks off into song in this broken down space, guarded only by his soulful voice. No frills, no gimmicks; all you get is Beal's unrestrained emotions guided by his singing.
8. Alex Winston - "Choice Notes"
Date uploaded: April 2011
Produced in conjuction with Watch Your Steps, Alex Winston and her band are separated into girl/boy groups for their Take Away Show as they hang out by The Louvre. Surrounded by beautiful art and architecture, the men play their instruments as Winston and her back-up singers perform a wonderfully upbeat rendition of "Choice Notes," evidently enjoying themselves. It's the perfect example of musicians having fun, playing with the boundless creativity that music allows for.
9. Lianne La Havas - "No Room For Doubt"
Date uploaded: September 2011
One of the benefits of playing the guitar is that it's a completely mobile thing; you can take it with you to play anywhere you so please. Lianne La Havas takes advantage of this, and strolls around the streets of Paris while playing "No Room For Doubt," softly singing as she strums her guitar. Busy passersby, both locals and tourists, are perfectly juxtaposed against her slow, arresting lullaby.
10. Vampire Weekend - "Mansard Roof"
Date uploaded: April 23, 2008
Packed into the back of a large white van, Vampire Weekend performed "Mansard Roof," which appears on their self-titled debut, for La Blogothèque. Despite their limitations, they nonetheless are able to capture the playfulness of the song. It might be a strange place to perform, but Vampire Weekend pulled it off nicely.
11. Lykke Li & El Perro Del Mar - "Dance Dance Dance"
Date uploaded: August 13, 2008
While Alex Winston's Take Away Show was also upbeat and lively, nothing really beats Lykke Li's dance moves. Performing "Dance Dance Dance" with El Perro Del Mar, Lykke lets her free spirit take over, nicely encapsulating the mood of the song. Paired with a circle of instruments and backed by sunny, blue skies, it's one of the most infectious Take Away Shows to date.
12. Beirut - "Nantes"
Date uploaded: September 11, 2007
Beirut's music is perfect for the streets of Paris. Zachary Francis Condon has an intriguing old-time voice that you wouldn't expect from someone his age (he would have been around 22 years old when this was filmed). Instead of marching around the city, he orchestrates his mini-symphony, complete with a drummer who pounds on the tops of garbage cans, a unique pairing of a grand song humbled by the use of ordinary objects. There's a moment during his performance of "Nantes" when Zach laughs to himself in amazement as it all comes together, a nice little moment of surprise as he realizes the potential of live music.
13. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
Date uploaded: June 16, 2008
In the foyer of an apartment building, Bon Iver took on "For Emma, Forever Ago." The collective decided to not rely on any instruments, but instead, perform the emotional song simply with their voices. The result is a beautiful blend of harmonies, which worked surprisingly well in the building, and it's safe to say that the inhabitants seemed to be pleased with Bon Iver's performance.
Eventually, Bon Iver took it to the streets with a guitar, treating locals to an acoustic rendition of the same song. If you had any doubts about Justin Vernon's falsetto, this performance will lay them to rest.
14. Arcade Fire - "Neon Bible/Wake Up"
Date uploaded: March 24, 2007
Arcade Fire's Take Away Show is actually mildly funny. They're a fairly large collective, with seven players in the band, so what better place to perform their Take Away Show than in the closed confines of an elevator? To replicate some of the sounds heard in the "Neon Bible," a magazine is creatively shredded to the beat. It's a performance so intimate (both figuratively and literally) that you almost feel like you're in the elevator with them.
As a bonus, the band steps into the streets following their elevator performance, only to be warmly welcomed by an excited crowd. There, they perform the uplifting "Wake Up" with the help of some megaphones.
15. St. Vincent - "Marry Me"
Date uploaded: October 8, 2007
While so many Take Away Shows have placed musicians in very public spaces, St. Vincent got to share her music more privately. The chosen venue is that of a bedroom, and Annie Clark lays down and plays her guitar, softly singing "Marry Me." The intimate nature of the song goes perfectly with this imitation of what Annie's private moments are probably like; it's hard not to swoon as Annie seems to be singing this song just for you.
16. Phoenix - "Entertainment"
Date uploaded: August 29, 2013
This Take Away Show is potentially one of the most ambitious projects that La Blogothèque has taken on. Taking Phoenix to the Palace of Versailles to perform "Entertainment" and straying away from his usual filming style, Moon orchestrates some of the most breathtaking cinematography we've seen yet, featuring plenty of stunning aerial shots and glimpses of the legendary palace. Paired with Phoenix's upbeat single, this Take Away Show works so well on all levels, yielding a performance that really resonates with the audience.
