A night at the Pabst

When I was in first grade, our elementary school principal, Mr. Fountain, grew a beard. He then announced a school fundraiser - for a penny minimum, each student could vote as many times as desired for or against Mr. Fountain keeping the beard. The side with the most cash at the end of the fundraiser was victorious, and the students voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Fountain to lose the facial hair. The following week, Mr. Fountain sat on the stage in the multipurpose room (which was also both our cafeteria and auditorium) and publicly shaved one half of his beard during first lunch period, and the other half during second lunch period. It was a huge hit.

The last time I visited the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, I was probably on a school field trip. Saturday night I was there again, but for a slightly different reason - to see Glenn Kotche and Nels Cline, "alone and together". I met Paul and Sam in time for a quick bite across the street at the Newsroom before sauntering into the theater and grabbing some front row seats on the left. It was a row of three - perfect.

Nels was up first, whisk tucked in a back pocket for easy access, and masterfully manipulated his guitar, pedals, and knobs into a swirl of sound for 45 minutes. I don't know how he does it. After a short break came Glenn, and I was amused and horrified to see that the fledgling mustache he'd been sporting a few weeks ago was still intact and looking more lustrous than ever. (Which isn't saying much, but you could actually see it from the crowd now.) He'd grown it partly to surprise his wife, but I wasn't sure why he still had it. Mustache or no, his set was tight and intense as always. Besides the songs he played opening for Jeff back in late winter, he also added On Fillmore's "Taisho" as a closer, which was rather delightful.

For the last set, Nels and Glenn came back onstage together. Nels announced that they would be playing a suite for us - "Karen Koltrane" by Sonic Youth, then some mysterious other stuff in the middle, winding up with a song of Nels' to close - the title of which escapes me, though it was familiar (and super awesome). Something about a heart.

After "Karen Koltrane," Nels settled into an abstract guitar riff while Glenn got up. He grabbed a red chair and a bag, set the chair next to Nels, and sat down. First he pulled out of the bag a couple of finger bells, which he placed on each hand. He then pulled out a bottle of water and two red plastic cups, which he placed on the stage side by side and filled. We were enormously intrigued. Was he going to somehow accompany Nels playing cups of water?

Glenn pulled out something else that was blocked slightly by Nels' monitor, and dipped it into one cup of water. He then whipped out a small round mirror, and (the crowd was starting to rumble with laughter) in an instant I understood. Holding up the mirror, Glenn used his shaving brush to lather his face up with shaving cream. And then he shaved. His mustache. Onstage at the historic Pabst Theater. While Nels Cline laid down a shaving groove on the guitar. And while Glenn himself chimed in on bells. It was one of the most surreal things I've ever witnessed during a concert. Also one of the most hilarious.

Cleanly shaven again at last, Glenn neatly rinsed off his brush, packed away his gear, and went back to the drum kit, where he proceeded to go to town for the end of ... "Shaving Jam #1" or whatever it was ... and then they finished up in awesome fashion with Nels' song.

And that, my friends, is a great way to spend a Saturday night. You know, come to think of it, I don't know that Nels doesn't always accompany Glenn on guitar as he shaves.