Weekend Update

The Decemberists were OK. Colin couldn't get the main crowd on their feet. They didn't play my favorite song. I felt quite cool being there with Ms. Niki Marks. NY is thinner and has better clothes and hair than Portland.

I got to eat some of Summer Welch's birthday cake and saw a lot of Buffy and the first Angel and Please Vote for Me and Bellflower with Henry. It reminded me of Metropolitian, which we saw too because both are about youth confusion.

I may feed my Ryan Goslin crush tonight and watch The Notebook.

I was thinking about the Irene I know in Conneticut, but never contacted her this summer, because Amanda bailed on Sarah Lawrence.

Made it to the Zoo

Eliza sort of stood me up, so I missed the opening act, but I made it to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the zoo tonight. They were excellent.

What I didn't see

Last night I tried to keep my Pickathon streak going but missed Michael Hurley at the Laurelthirst. I was hoping he was playing the late show. But he didn't, so my weekend was done.

That got me thinking about the music I missed this summer: Steely Dan, Jethro Tull, Yes, Katy Perry, REO Speedwagon, Willie Nelson. All of the Zoo concerts.

Here is one that I just read about. I have friends who are big Shin's fans. I'm not really.

Pickathon Plus

I saw Jackstraw (with a slightly altered line-up) and an extra special house concert by the Black Lilies (that I had to crash).

It was quite a magical show in a barn-like garage under a waxing moon which more than made up for the fact that they set opening for Mavis Staples was cut short. The girl organizing the show has known the singer Tricia since they were 15. She hopes to organize more shows in the future. I recognized a guy but we didn't know from where (I think a square dance) who was kind enough to take me on a couple of turns around the dance floor. Even though I usually dance alone, and I mess up the steps, it is most exhilarating to be swung around by a partner.

PICKATHON

My favorites from the Pickathon--The Black Lillies (who will be
playing soon in Seattle), Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three (who
are real up-and-coming crowd-pleasers) and Charlie Parr (an older guy
who is great, also heading up to Seattle before he heads back to
Minnesota). Bill Callahan too, but I haven't quite figured him out yet. Leonard Cohen meets John Cage live, but the songs on the CD are more mellow.

Elliott Brood, their favorite Canadian band The Sadies, and Eileen Jewell were runners up. Lightening Dust woke me from my sleep, Breathe Owl Breathe (the guy sounds just like Jonathan, but is a welcome updating of a classic) and my only banjos of the weekend in the duo Cahalen Morrison and Eli West.

But I heard many more bands that were all great just not my favorites.

Lewi Longmire and band replaced the Freak Mt. Ramblers. I saw their second set and Billy Kennedy and Tim Alcott's first.

Down in Eugene the people were into Daniel Lanois on the stereo.

I think I'm going to write some sad poetry and post it privately on livejournal.