Live music, small venue. Can’t beat that. I swear though that I almost fell on my face walking down the stairs into the speakeasy at Cafe du Nord on Wednesday night because it was so dark down there yet still sunny outside. Summer evenings get started late like the opening act. I’m an aging Gen-Xer, opting for nice yet inventive sounds in a laid back environment instead of the drunken din of a dive bar. Good thing they didn’t have two drink minimums at the bars I went to because I would’ve been ushered out long before the stage lights dimmed.
I’m here for the music. And this past week I hit the trifecta. It began on the 12th with Sara Lov at the Hotel Utah Saloon, continued with Laura Veirs at Cafe du Nord, and ended earlier this evening with Trespassers William at the Hemlock Tavern. Three of my favorite musicians with a talent for combining rich melodies with insightful lyrics. Great shows – not just from them but also from the supporting acts that rounded out each evening. Robert Gomez was great earlier tonight. Eric Anderson from Cataldo impressed me just a few days prior.
I had my BlackBerry on hand for each show, and I took this photo of Sara during her sound check:
Sara Lov at the Hotel Utah Saloon
She had joked about just doing a sound check onstage and then leaving right afterwards. Apparently the sound guy was being very precise and it took a while to get everything set up before her performance.
At Cafe du Nord, I edged my way right up to the foot of the stage because last time I got a crook in my neck from watching an entire show from the dining seats on the right hand side. Laura Veirs sang directly in front of me:
Laura Veirs at Cafe du Nord
She has a real knack for engaging the audience, sharing stories and getting everyone in the room to clap along with the music. And speaking of engaging, I finally mustered the courage to ask for a photo with Matt Brown and Anna-Lynne Williams of Trespassers William earlier this evening. A stranger took this shot:
Me with Trespassers William at the Hemlock Tavern
This was about the fourth time I’ve seen them live in the past three years. The fan geek thing was long overdue.
So eventually I’ll sleep tonight after a week of great live music. Old favorites mixed with soon to be released goodies. And when those new albums arrive I’ll be there. For the music.
