enter tonight.
connor is playing 7 sold out nights at town hall. which is an amazing venue. full of light and bright music and simple sincerity. somehow the trend seems to be i only get to see bands i like with an all access pass
in any case. when i arrived. conor was writing the set list in the back. his girlfriend was familiar. at the end of the night on the subway home after lee kept mentioning 'maria, connor's girlfriend' i was like waaaa wait a minute. she looked familiar and she is in a band i know.and then it came. yep. she is half of azure ray. half of the song 'displaced'. half of a moment of heaven. thank you for that.
gillian welch was beautiful. just a gorgeous laid back woman of interest and song.
to see her set first row center on the balcony was another blessing. to go backstage and fill up on wine was another ;).
and then bright eyes came. all 12 of them. visuals included an etch a sketch, bouncing balls in a pyrex dish, and blowing red bubbles in a glass. connor looked just like jack white which was kinda freaky. no more emo kid with hair in his face. he's 27 and all grown up. he's compared to dylan and it's not hard to imagine why. he sings in a voice carved in emotion and youth. in experience and innocence. he brings the soul to light in a way few performers can. sharing an experience while delving headlong into it. his band of strings, drums, horns and woodwinds almost overwhelmed him at times...but then would shake up the sound just enough to keep you wondering what would fall next. it was absolutely fucking beautiful.
now let's have another moment. now. honestly i've never been a fan of riloy kiley. sorry. but literally one week ago i was taking the long subway ride home and somehow happened upon jenny lewis and the watson twins. this song came on and it brought me to tears. it brought me a moment : melt your heart. so this evening, before the show started i think i hear conor say 'yeah melt your heart'. oh he must be covering jenny lewis, cool, i think. i get out to my seat and lee says awe i think i saw jenny lewis backstage, you can meet her later. whu? oh...okay universe, i see. you wanna play?
sure enough. halfway through the set she comes out and they sing 'melt your heart'. what the fuck are the odds of that??? okay god. i'm listening. thank you thank you thank you . this is a beautiful night. a ridiculous how. and a reminder that all that i need is appearing and all that i need to know is in my hands. everything i need to make my dreams come true is not to be found but to be experienced. because it is happening now.
show is almost over. it's time for the encore. by this point i realize i need to catch up on the material because there are some amazingly beautiful songs i do not know but now are floating through me...don't be so amazing, it pains me....and more songs on war and the rapture...:)
i get to stand on the stage for the encore. i get to stand on stage next to the drum kit and sound man while i hear conor oberst sing 'lua'. 'i know that it is freezing but i think we have to walk. i keep waving at the taxies they keep turning their lights off...i know you have a heavy heart. i can feel it when we kiss. and many men stronger than me have thrown their back out trying to lift it...' i just. that was it. it was awesome. to look out at this crowd of thousands and be a part of such a night. and know...that...this is real....thank you
backstage. more wine. and no i was not hallucinating. i did see ben gibbard earlier backstage. so i introduced myself. i really should have thrown myself down on the ground and kissed his feet, thanking him for writing 'transatlanticism' and saving my life for about 1.5 years but...next time.
lee? you rule.
the walk out was the best part...hahahhahahaha
what a fucking night.
what a fucking show.
thank you thank you thank you.
and i am on my way. inspired. tuned in. alive.
xoxo.kg.
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