So today's a Saturday (and Sunday) and it's snowing here, though nothing like it is on the East Coast. I sometimes think I would love to live in New York or some other big eastern city - and then I see them get an almost yearly blizzard and I rethink that. I still have a love for snow that I can never completely suppress, no doubt stemming for my love of Christmas as a child, but that was before I learned to drive and became intolerant of the cold. I really dislike being cold. When I was young I would be out all day and would sleep with a fan blowing on me. I guess it must have been all those hormones making me hot.
The Colts are now the only undefeated team in the NFL after the Saints lost tonight. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see them run the table and win the Super Bowl, but I just want them to win it either way. The only thing I hate about a team not losing is the constant references to the '72 Dolphins and interviews with a bunch of pathetic old men trying to relive past glories. Ugh, give it a rest already. Anyway, for what it's worth (nothing) the '07 Patriots and this years Colts team would smoke that Dolphins team.
So if you know me, you know how much I love music. I love to sit at home and listen to music on my 'puter - like I am right now. Of course I take it with me whenever I go out. I'm sure I don't love it any more than a lot of people, but I'm in my own little world when I have a favorite piece playing. I really like live music as well; I've been to a couple of good shows in the last couple of weeks. I wish I saw more of them, but, that's my own fault I guess.
Two or three weeks ago I went to a show in this ladies house ( I forget her name) that was posted on the Internets. It was a show with Kate Havnevik and Levi Weaver in the lady's basement. Apparently Levi had put up a note asking anyone that wanted to host a show here in town to speak up. Imagine my surprise when I came across this when just surfing around on a Thursday evening. The show was on a Friday so I knew I was doing that day. I was just as happy as a clam because I'm a fan of Kate's music. I figured the chances of her coming through Indy were pretty slim, so I just got used to it since scant few of my other favorite artists ever make it this way.
Of course I nearly screwed up because I thought it was going to be at this place called "The Rock House" or something like that, because it never occurred to me that there would be a show in someones house. I searched and found that bar and just assumed it was going to be there. Man would I have been pissed! Luckily I asked for more details and got the skinny on the whole thing. Of course I then assumed that it would be in a big backyard with a tent or something with lots of lights and a couple of hundred people or so in attendance. Well, it wasn't exactly the way I was picturing it to say the least. I do tend to aggrandize or amplify things in my mind when thinking about events and the like.
So here I am driving by this house where I thought it was supposed to be at, and I couldn't see a damn thing that said "concert" to me. I'm pretty sure there was a for sale sign in the yard, and the house wasn't exactly buzzing with excitement on the outside. Even though I thought I saw the door that I was told to enter, I didn't see an address and it just seemed so surreal and...weird. A concert in a house with a performer that had several songs played on Grey's Anatomy? Say what?? So anyway after parking on the street and thinking about it for a minute, I crept up to the house and tapped on the door with a little hesitation - ready to flee at a moments notice if someone got the drop on me with a shotgun or something. But no, sure enough, I was at the right place. However, instead of the hundreds I was expecting, I think maybe there were maybe fifteen of us or so - and free beer to match! After talking for a minute to everyone I went down to the basement and their they sat talking, Kate and Levi.
I've been around and talked to a good number of famous people and I don't really get nervous around them, but I admit, while I wasn't nervous, I was excited. They turned out to be great people too. I was already pretty sure Kate was a good person and she confirmed it. I didn't know Levi, but he's a nice guy as well and I liked his music. I got the chance to have good conversations with both about various subjects both before and after the show, and with the other guests as well. I would have liked to stay in contact with a couple of them, but oh well.
Concerning the itself, Kate had most of her gear stolen the day before at a show, so there was none of the usual backing tracks and such tracks that you would hear at one of her normal shows. I don't believe the host had speakers anyway, so I'm not sure it would have mattered. At any rate it was entirely acoustical with guitar; tambourine; harmonica (I think) and voice. They also accompanied each other on several songs. As it turned out, a basement is a great place to have an acoustic, non-amplified show.
Levi went first, and during one song he broke us up into three choruses to give him the sounds he would normally have during a show. He's sort of like Kate is when it comes to production. In other words it's not just him and his guitar. Ha ha, I can always say I sang in a chorus with Kate Havnevik for a Levi Weaver performance. Maybe some day that will impress the ladies! I still can't figure out why Kate isn't more well known, and Levi too for that matter. Go figure. So anyway, Levi gave us a helluva show with his music and his funny on stage shtick. I'd say he's got a bit of Dylan and Andy Kaufman in him.
They began their show well after 9 p.m., so Kate went on immediately after Levi finished was in fine voice. She said that she was only recently playing guitar again after playing classical guitar for many years, and you could tell she was still getting the hang of it again. She held a note a little long on one song to get the chord right. She forgot the words to one song for a couple of seconds and everyone, including Kate and Levi got a laugh out of that. But I thought she couldn't have been better. Not many people get to hear one of their favorites artists in such an intimate setting with just a guitar and their voice. But honestly, I just had a great time all around. Free beer and salsa dip (I took advantage of both), great music, and great conversation with good people.
I took home great memories, Kate's EP (signed), and some of her famous cookies that she likes to bake. (I kidded her about them and she actually had some with her. I should have taken a picture of them before I ate them - they were delicious!) And all it cost me was a $5 "ticket". I can't tell you how fortunate I felt for that night, not to mention feeling a little shell shocked. It was just such a weird unusual thing. I almost don't believe it happened. But below is the proof in the form of a few of the pictures I took. Life is strange sometimes...
I believe Kate has a few shots on her personal Facebook page as well. I'm sorry that I didn't get any shots of Levi solo. I didn't know anything about him before so it never occurred to me to get some solo shots of him. Sorry, I'm not posting the pic of me and Kate after the show. Things like that are only shown to close friends and family. :o) Besides, I'm nothing you want to see.
Anyway, the concert that I went to this last Thursday was The Dutchess and the Duke with Greg Ashley. It was at a place called "Locals Only" which is about 5 miles north of the center of Indy/ It's one of those neighborhood bars, but with a good sized stage. I got there a little early and it was pretty empty and I was already getting my drink on by the time friends arrived. Now I can't exactly give a full report of the music since I was drunker than shit and don't remember all of it; but even drunk I still know good music when I hear it. Greg Ashley started out playing instrumental songs on electric guitar, and then went acoustic playing the rest of his set. He seemed like a cool guy and played some low key songs while smoking a fag - that's always cool don't ya' know!
It was kind of a bad date for the The Dutchess and the Duke to be playing there as it was dollar beer night (which I took advantage of), the show was free, and the Colts were on the TV. Before I got plastered and while they were playing, I kind of noticed that people were just talking away and not really into the music that much. I was into it, but I was drunk too, so you know. As I remember it, people didn't stand up by the stage until at least halfway through the show. Come to think of it, there wasn't exactly loud cheering from the audience after each song. I think they played good, and I've been told it was a good show, but it seemed like they didn't hang around long or make a big deal after they finished the show. But I like their music and I had a great time. But check them out.
Here's a few of photos from the show. Pretty good for being drunk I would say. ;o)
I drank a little too much at the show and some good friends had to drive me and my car to another bar to sober me up a little bit with some fried foods, but all is well. You know, my life sucks in so many ways, but I don't ask for much from it. And the little that I do ask from it is usually provided by someone or something so that I never feel like I'm living a pointless life. People are okay.
See ya' later and thanks for reading.
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment