The 02:59 CD Release Concerts: Lakeside Lounge - 9PM, 8/15/07

I wish I could say that this show topped them all, but the truth is, it's the last night when the guys are all playing together, and it's the Lakeside, which means two things: we're all expecting everybody to show up who said they were going to see one of the earlier shows and didn't (and if they don't show up, it's going to be disappointing); and because it's the Lakeside, you only get the one set and that's it, no encores, no extensions, no jamming till the hipsters come home. Plus Chris is having an asthma attack, so he's worried about having enough breath to wail like he usually does. Plus(how many pluses is this now?), after last night's show? I keep thinking of the theatre analogy as they tune up. If the 11th Street Bar show was a typically energized opening night, Lakeside is going to be a typically low-energy second night.


It's hard not to compare, but that's what we do. We measure this against that, judge those against these, see the present through the past, and expect something in the future based on what we did or didn't get, and how we did or didn't feel about it. This guy's new novel isn't as good as his last one, this woman's new CD is a step back, and don't get me started on Woody Allen's new movies versus his old movies, y'know the funny ones. It'd be a great world if we could take everything as it is, instead of measuring it against what it was or isn't, what it should be or could be. But that's what we do. And with my limited acting experience, I know that, as hard as it for an audience to let go of expectations and take something in without straining it through the colander of critical judgment, it's ten times harder for a performer to do it.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying that tonight's concert can't compare to last night's, and I wish I could stop trying to compare the two of them, which would make me enjoy this final hour for what it is. If I had only seen this one night out of the week's shows, would I be disappointed? Hell no. Am I disappointed now? No. it's not disappointment. I just wanted to have a repeat of last night, and my ex-actor brain is just smart enough to know that's one of the things you can never do as a performer. Trying to repeat something doesn't bring it to life. If anything it does exactly the opposite. I know this, in my alleged brain. I know this all too well. So why do I still want to see a repeat of last night's experience? Because that's what you do when you see something great. And these guys are really great.

Thanks for a great week of music, guys. And Matt? See you tomorrow at the Mercury.