So much wine

A solid night of music at the Vic on Wednesday (after working, of course. Oof.) I'd never seen the Handsome Family before, despite a few narrow misses in Madison, so it felt like a small victory. Rennie Sparks is especially hilarious, which adds to any live performance. And Joanna Newsom was something of a revelation. I'd heard a few tracks from last year's album, and found it hard to get past her voice. It seemed so affected. But last night, from the moment she belted out her first song facing the audience, sans microphone and musical accompaniment, I was enthralled. First of all, watching anyone play the harp live and in person is kind of a rare treat. Secondly, her voice was captivating in a live setting. It didn't come across as affected ... if anything it seemed the polar opposite. Purely herself. The songs had a timeless quality I enjoyed - I felt like I could have been watching her sing and play them 200 years ago (or 200 years from now, in keeping with the Wired future theme) and they would translate the same way.

Besides the music, there was the adventure of getting up to the balcony with no house lights on when we arrived and were not yet accustomed to the dark. (They didn't turn on any house lights until the very end of the show.) And the prosthetic hand and the game of mind ball. Earlier there was wholesale thrifting with SnS (Bag Plaza is an excellent store), and afterward there was a late-night dinner at the Golden Nug. Also, we are apparently set for Louisville. Good times.