Winter wonderland

This week on Tuesday and Wednesday, I marked my fifth year of spending more than 24 hours at Piper's Alley in Chicago for the Letters to Santa Benefit at Second City e.t.c. There's not a lot I can say about the experience that I haven't said in previous years. I saw a bunch of wonderful performers from literally one or two feet away on a tiny stage. I took part in a few onstage dance parties with the cast of comedians, a game of freeze tag, and two field trips out into the snow. I went on numerous coffee/tea runs. I endured the customary five or ten minutes of soul crushing stress during the big live charity auction for a private concert, which luckily ended on a positive note yet again. I ate little cups of Jell-o from my snack bag at 3:00 a.m. while Kim and Kelley Deal interviewed Steve Albini. I watched Sooz knit a fantastic striped scarf for her new stuffed penguin. All, still, for $10. All told, with the auctions (including, for the second straight year, the chance to peg Joe Canale in the balls with a football) over $80,000 was raised in that 24-hour period. I can't wait to hear about the families who are helped this year. We had a solid 24-hour group this year, with Sooz, Paul, Sam, and Leah in for the long haul with me. I hope we can add even more people in 2008. It's fun, you guys! Sure, there are times when you briefly want to die, but you totally bounce back!

Pics:
Janet Bean and Sally Timms

Jeff Tweedy

Joe Canale narrowly avoids a football to the groin

Kelley and Kim Deal interview Steve Albini

The charming and talented Sofia Mia visits before school

Kelly Hogan and Robbie Fulks

The Blisters

Alexander von Humboldt the Irish penguin in the spotlight with TJ and Pete

If you wanna make the world a better place

So, I attended the fifth annual (my fourth annual) Letters to Santa charity event at Second City, etc. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you can, you should go. Based on my experience, any length of time you attend is rewarding - but to get maximum appreciation, stay for the full 24 hours. This year, Paul and Sam were my 24-hour companions. The event becomes greater than the sum of its parts - the cast is hilarious, the musical acts are amazing, the auctions are exciting (and hilarious), and knowing that you're helping real people through a super charity is incredibly rewarding. But it's the little things that make me do it year after year. For example, here's a somewhat accurate timeline. If we consider the beginning of the event time 00:00 ...

00:30: I'm already crying as one of the previous gift recipients shares what Letters to Santa has meant to her, before and after the death of her son

03:25: I find out I'll once again be attending the party of the year in my friends' basement, as the charity becomes $52,000 wealthier

04:30: Sally Timms asks who had claimed earlier that their mom didn't know what a blowjob was ... because she just got one from her backstage

05:45: Robbie Fulks and the actors lead everyone through a rollicking medley of "Man in the Mirror," "Dancing Queen," "Hollaback Girl," and "We Will Rock You," as Robbie's drummer marches around beating a giant parade drum with an umbrella

06:20: Joe Canale's boss straddles him and shaves off half his mustache onstage - having won an auction that will force him to remain Officer Halfstache for an entire week. Shortly thereafter, he stands framed in a doorway while more auction winners (fellow cast members) try to nail him in the balls with a football

08:30: Heather takes the stage to slap her boyfriend Steve Albini full in the face for charity

11:00: TJ directs the audience members as we create a percussion symphony using random implements from backstage

12:00: Andy hands out granola bars


13:30: Four-year-old Sofia Mia arrives for her annual visit and plays many roles, including kitty, snake, and Cinderella

14:40: The Detholz finish their set with a rocking version of "Frosty the Snowman"


17:00: The actors decide everyone should march upstairs to use the bathrooms while humming and whistling the march from "Bridge on the River Kwai" the whole time. Devil in a Woodpile says, surprisingly, this is not the gayest opening act they've ever had

19:20: Jason Molina performs some songs about wolves to an audience of about ten, plus cast members


22:15: While the Blisters rock, one of the actresses removes her bra and throws it onto the drum kit. At the end of the performance, Spencer throws it back in disgust

23:50: The 24-hour people are ordered onstage as Pete wraps things up, and in an odd reversal I find myself looking down at Jeff Tweedy in the audience

23:59:30: We bust a move to Usher

24:00: Cheering! Hugging!

See you next year?

My 10 favorite shows of 2005

It turns out I saw exactly forty shows in 2005. I apologize to the thirty that aren't included on this list ... well, I apologize to most of them.

Something funny happened when I looked back over an entire year of music-related memories. It turns out that some of the shows I thought were really awesome right after they happened just don’t stick out in my memory anymore. And some shows that I initially thought were simply “good,” I found myself coming back to and thinking “you know, that was actually pretty freaking sweet.” Of course, some shows I was exactly right about all along.

To cut off further ramblings, here’s my list:

1. 1/29/05 Jeff Tweedy, SnS Basement – This predated my blog, but hot damn. It wasn’t just the best show (weekend, actually) of 2005, it may have been the best one ever.
2. 6/29/05 Wilco, Albright-Knox Art Gallery – I think this was the best Wilco show I saw all year, and I saw a lot of Wilco shows. And the setting couldn’t be beat.
3. 10/20/05 Decemberists, Orpheum – A little sloppy, but as fun and unusual a show as you could hope for. How often does one get to take home a piece of smashed mandolin?
4. 10/26/05 Rhett Miller, High Noon Saloon – Rhett and Madison are an excellent combination.
5. 12/7/05 Jason Molina, Robbie Fulks; Second City – Laid-back, intimate, and super. Robbie covered “Dancing Queen” and “Billie Jean,” and he meant them.
6. 5/9/05 U2, United Center– It may not have done for me what it did four years ago, but a U2 show is still a pretty grand experience – especially from the front row of the “ellipse” in front of The Edge. (Pictures)
7. 5/7/05 Wilco, Vic – the show where everything went wrong onstage created some of my fondest concert memories of the year.
8. 5/23/05 Glenn Kotche, Pick-Staiger Auditorium – I know he was just the opener, but this was the first time I heard and saw up close a lot of Glenn’s upcoming material, and I loved it. I even put one of the songs on a mix CD for a friend’s birthday.
9. 1/19/05 Colin Meloy, Schuba's – the first time I’d seen Colin solo, at one of my favorite places. He was charming, and the songs were lovely.
10. 7/17/05 Wrens, Andrew Bird, Decemberists; Union Park – It was about 100 degrees outside, and dusty, and gross, but this was a really fun trio of performances from a super-appreciative bunch of musicians. (Pictures)

That’s it! I can’t do an honorable mention list, because it would be far too long.

The air is rife with nutmeg

I just got home from the Second City benefit. I can't stress enough - if you live in or near Chicago, you should be attending this event. All of the money goes to a great charity, and for $10 - TEN DOLLARS - I was treated to near-constant improv comedy by some incredibly funny and talented Second City actors and actresses, saw great performances by musicians such as (but not limited to) Jeff Tweedy, Tim Kinsella, the Blisters, Jason Molina, and Robbie Fulks in an incredibly relaxed and intimate setting, saw three of my friends win raffle prizes, danced onstage to "Dirty Old Town" sometime early in the morning, and helped to raise over $50,000 for needy families. This was my third year, and I anticipate many more. Special shout out to my 24-hour partners in crime: Gina, Paul, Leah, and Rosie. And honorable mention to Lou, Sam, Sooz, and Laura, who put in some quality hours both days as well.

Oh, and we also WON AN AUCTION! Three different groups won, actually. There were a ton of happy people at Second City Tuesday night. Bottom line is, in a few months, we get to throw a huge party for a bunch of our friends. There will be live musical entertainment by various folks. And there will be snacks, there will be. There will be snacks.