I feel fine

Happy New Year! I spent Monday night with Jon Brion and friends (mine and his) at the Harris Theater in Chicago. The show was fun, although the lines at the open bar were such that some of us only managed to get through for drinks once. Apparently other people in the crowd were more successful, judging from the general drunken chatter and embarrassing behavior from many of those around us. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the show. Jon was engaging, and requested multiple crowd singalongs. We were happy to give it our best - "Bohemian Rhapsody" was belted out with gusto, but I think we were most successful with the closer of "God Only Knows." Britt Daniel showing up to play a few songs at the start of the evening was a very nice surprise - unexpected because Spoon was headlining a New Years show of their own at Metro. The Autumn Defense was also on board to play a short opening set, and John and Pat played with Jon on a few songs - including "I Feel Fine" with Britt and a drummer Jon had just met. My favorite portion of the night came later on, when Jon, the Autumn Defense, and yet another drummer from the crowd settled in to play "Cortez the Killer" and a Springsteen song of Jon's devising, both based on crowd requests. We were also treated to some of Jon's own material, of course. Add in festivities at Hotel SnS beforehand (good job stirring the risotto, Paul) and some snow angels afterward, and it was a worthy start to 2008.

Sentimental Lady

Maudie and some yucky wet snow arrived in town late Thursday afternoon. We had a chance to walk around downtown a bit and see the capitol and State Street (I kept telling her how beautiful everything is when it's not early March) and then we met up with Amy and Kevin for dinner at Cafe Montmartre. We live in the same city; I can't believe we don't see each other more than we do. I guess that makes it more of an "event" when it does happen. John and Pat had their stuff strewn all around the Sidecar, and were setting up merch. We decided we didn't need Autumn Defense tote bags. While we were finishing dinner, the AD did their soundcheck. It was full of covers (and "Written in the Snow") - I remember Pat singing a portion of "In My Life," for example.

A little later, Nicky found us and told us that a table had opened up in the main room right next to theirs. We happily migrated, and had great seats with a fine view of the little stage for most of the night. There were two openers that night, which I hadn't expected - foolishly assuming that "Ferraby Lionheart and the Singleman Affair" was one whimsical band. As it turned out, not so much. The Singleman Affair started things off around 9:45. They were pretty good, although the films projected on the background screen during their set were kind of distracting. Especially the films that actually included the band members. Ferraby Lionheart came next. (Side note - I really hope that's his actual name.) He wasn't bad, though his songs seemed a bit generic. Unfortunately, in true Momo fashion, by that point I think there were about ten people in the room paying attention to him at all.

The Autumn Defense had their full band assembled, and were loud enough to drown out most talking and bottle clinking. I have yet to actually listen to their new record, but I recognized some of the songs from seeing them played live in the past year or so. The band definitely added a lot, I thought. We also heard some "oldies" like "Tuesday Morning," "The World Will Soon Turn Our Way," "Bluebirds Fall" from their split EP with Hem, and of course "Written in the Snow." I still want them to play "Wellspring" again someday, but somehow I don't think that's going to happen. They ended with a quality Fleetwood Mac cover, "Sentimental Lady."

I've been somewhat negative about the ambiance at Cafe Montmartre in the past, but on Thursday I thought everything worked out well. There were a decent number of people there (at least before 12:00 or so), but it wasn't super crowded - there was room to breathe, and plenty of open sightlines. And due to the aforementioned band, any talking was more or less drowned out. Hey, one for three so far. It's not bad for a batting average.

Play our songs, and nothing's wrong

Monday night, Jeff Tweedy at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, opening set by the Autumn Defense, front row center seats, fantastic setlist and performance.

That was the newspaper version, if you only have time to read a blurb. So, yes, Monday night I headed to Milwaukee with Anya after work to see Jeff Tweedy. In my short period of reacquaintance with the Pabst it has already become one of my favorite places to see a show, so I was pumped. We got in about ten minutes before the Autumn Defense's opening set and went straight to our seats (after buying drinks) which is probably why I failed to notice the special autographed posters that were for sale. Ah well. I'm the last person who needs more concert posters at this point, but I still feel a little bit like I fell down on the job.

The Autumn Defense sounded very nice playing acoustically. They commented on how nice the Pabst is, like everyone I've seen play there thus far. Their set was relatively brief. One particular line of one of their new songs still makes me cringe a little, but the harmonies were lovely, and there was a giant Steinway piano onstage. Pat was definitely happy to be playing that on a few songs, including one of my favorites, "Written in the Snow".

There was a break just long enough for Anya to make a "whiskey and soda" trip to the bar, and then Jeff took the stage. Since this was the second night of a sort of two-night ultra-mini solo tour ... after a weekend off ... I had no idea what to expect. But whatever I expected, Jeff surpassed those expectations. First of all, he was in fine banter form, joking with the crowd. The well-meaning inquiry of a fan led to the coining of a new catchphrase to replace "How ya doin?" ("How's your foot?") Jeff joked about his crouching tiger-like defense skills, put a particularly loud "WOOOHOOOO"er in his place ("that makes me feel really good in a lot of ways? But it also makes me want to hurt you"), had fun with a couple of particularly vocal women up front, and discussed Halloween costumes (Jeff and Susan decided against being Amish this year).

And oh yeah. He played some songs. Some songs I'd never heard before ("Lullaby for Rafters and Beams," a new song), some songs I will never get tired of hearing ("Someday Soon", "Laminated Cat"), some delightfully rare tunes ("Box Full of Letters," "Screen Door," "We've Been Had,") and at least one song that, had I been standing up, may have caused me to fall over in shock. I honestly thought Jeff was gearing up to play "The Thanks I Get." And then he opened his mouth and began, "There's a dreamer in my dreams..." and I probably made some sort of high-pitched squeaking noise. Wow.

Other highlights included an incredibly moving rendition of "Sunken Treasure", a relatively unusual solo "Jesus, Etc.", and some unexpected piano accompaniment to "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart". The Steinway was wheeled offstage after the Autumn Defense's set, but if obviously didn't go far. At some point in the song Jeff stopped playing his guitar, and a few notes of piano rang out from behind the curtain before they stopped as well. Jeff joked about the place being haunted, but the ghost, appearing at the side of the stage a few moments later, looked a whole lot like Pat.

So. A really fun show. Very glad I went. And I may start a petition to bring every musician and band I like to the Pabst.