After a series of increasingly disappointing shows leading up to the demise of The Pinks as anything other than my backing band, it was great to finally put on the quality of show I think we should have been doing all along at my first show in six months; IPO Nashville. I could probably say that this was the best show I’ve ever done but I’m not sure anymore. There weren’t any mistakes, the energy was high and the X factor; my voice, was actually in fine shape. Only one of the songs in the set had been performed live before (except for a gig I did during the demo’ing of the songs a long while back, and it didn’t go well) and that one “old” song was still “Half Dead” from the new forthcoming record. The band delivered this set of all-2nd-album material like a true power trio.
I may have mentioned before that I wasn’t too keen on doing live shows anymore, that I didn’t care if I was playing live with a band or recording at home by myself but I think that was mostly the post-Dad’s-death depression malaise talking. On Friday night the fun and frankly the exhiliration of playing live returned. There are moments when you wonder “how did that just happen?” or when the people you’re playing with function as one unstoppable entity rather than three blokes trying to hack through a performance and I’d just forgotten that those good moments existed. Point being that live shows DO have a point, and it’s not just to get out and promote records; it’s to see what you’re made of. Some days you’re made of marshmallows but on other days you’re obsidian.
Plus, crazy facial hair. I grew out a beard starting I think halfway through January (pronounced ‘jan-wurry) with the ultimate plan of shaving it into an absurd design the day of the next gig. It was sort of like a cross between George and John’s facial hair during Sgt Pepper, but with an um… victorian twist. I forget what it’s called but the dim photos should be up soon for you to laugh at. And I do mean laugh. A lot of folks at the show were dumbfounded at whether they were supposed to freely laugh at me (specifically the ’stache) or not. The answer, as always, is yes. Plus I dressed all psychedelic. See, when you’re not on tour or something (readers will note that I’ve never done a proper tour anyway), what you wear is really not a big deal. When you’re sitting at home all day the day of a gig and the grandparents have taken on babysitting duties (free time?! what should I do?), you think about these things. A mod outfit with a touch of psychedlia did the trick. Plus, I don’t know if you guys know this but I do wear glasses, and I wore them to this gig. I’m legally blind so I’m wearing contacts about %40 of the time and glasses the other 60%.
This is a horrible rambling post wherein I discuss things that no musician in their right mind blogs but there you have it – a letter opener – and the few things I am able to discuss about the gig. After the show, Dave and Josh demanded that we play regularly again and couldn’t stop going on and on about how awesome we were. I probably should have experienced a similar euphoric dimentia-state but honestly we should have been playing shows of that caliber all along, so I feel like we’re playing catch-up. I want the WORST gigs to be as good as this one – THEN we’ll be something to talk about.
I do often go on… at length… about how tired of power-pop I am but this year’s IPO Nashville has such a wide variety of music that I’ve been inundated with as much heavy balls-out rock and roll as I have with the meticulously-crafted pop tunes. Oh and the great singers I’ve seen… I hate them all of course but in that good way. I was thrilled to see a few “indie” bands as well who broke the mold… I hate mold.
I have a feeling that this silly mustache is going to make its exit tomorrow morning so drop it like it’s hot, folks. I don’t know what that means but if Snoop says it, it must be the shizzle. As you can see, the mustache is making me say and do silly things – I shall be glad to be rid of it. However, like the Tick’s mustache, I think it gives me an air of feaux-dignity. It’s fun pretending to be eccentric.
Springtime is beginning to hit Nashville, folks. It’s good to feel the warmth of the sun on a day so pretty it’ll make you slap your mama. I’m ready for the flowers but not the pollen.
It is high time for me to head to get my traditional Sunday breakfast of Indian food. Paul of course sends his usual greeting of “bah bah bah BA BA BA!!!! Bpfffffffffffffffffth!” No he’s not walking yet. I’ll let you know. But he does think that I’ve tested your attention span quite enough with this post and we need to save that up for the hour-long record I’m about to thrust upon you. Beware. Be very ware.
