I’m still reeling from how powerfully beautiful last night’s show was. Rob Burnett on violin added such a fantastic new dimension to songs that I’d never dreamed of it on, like “Drift” – and having Dan Zimmerman fill out the bottom-end bass on songs like “Valeri” and “Counting” – and of course Amy Law’s vocals on “Illinois is Overflowing” and “Letters from the Front”… Having a completely fleshed out sound like that, isn’t what I’d always like, actually – and really, I’m using the wrong words, implying that there’s something incomplete without those parts – but it was really satisfying for that show. That really made it special, and the audience that came out for us – I like the fact that I can wander around that room and touch and hug almost everyone in it, and it’s not the weird awkward hug of fan-creature requesting the Love of someone they don’t even know outside the music, it’s actually something mutual. People we know and are known to. What an incredible night.
A huge and official thank you to everyone who came out last night – Brian, I hope you got your necklace – Mom, it was very nice to see you and you look strangely awesome in orange – and to Mary, the no-longer virgin, I’m hoping it didn’t hurt TOO much. Jeff, for running sound, can’t be thanked enough. The New Deal Cafe is one of those venues that i’ve been playing literally for as LONG as I’ve been playing, and ALWAYS running sound has been an issue. Jeff is a godsend.
