I'm the worst I've ever been, and I'm not sure why. I kept myself cooped up all weekend, and yet every time I would sit down to transcribe an interview or edit an article, I'd find something else to do. Like alphabetize my bookshelf. Or scrub my bathroom. Or watch 6 episodes in a row of Made. I think there's something wrong with me, that needs to be fixed asap.
But it had been a while since I let myself have a night out on the town, so I put the tape recorder (er, swiffer) down and made my way into the city on a Saturday night. First stop? Knitting Factory. It may be just me (or maybe not), but I really dislike this venue. Granted I've never seen a show on the main stage, but I've had the pleasure of experiencing the claustrophobia in the Old Office, and the odd layout of the tap bar. When Lana and I walked into the Tap Bar, it was packed to capacity and took forever to get a drink. I publicly stated my hate for the venue, but soon had a change of heart. When I got my cranberry/vodka, it was hard to detect the cranberry -- just the way I like it.
So A Brief Smile has the daunting task of topping their show at TISWAS in August. I just don't know if you can have a better show that that. But fortunately, I don't think they really keep that in mind. Saturday seemed to be a nice opportunity to showcase the new songs they have been working on, that (I hope) I will find in my hands soon enough. So while the set was mostly unfamiliar, it was still up to par, even by Knitting Factory standards. Ran into Mr. Seth Kallen who is now a fan -- one person converted every day. Lana wanted me to leave early to run over to Crash Mansion, but I just couldn't leave in the middle of a set. That's just rude.
It's always fun to see other people singing along to songs (mostly so I don't feel so alone). And A Brief Smile had some passionate ones at this show. They capped off the night with "And So It Begins," a song gets better every time. It's interesting, for me at least, to see the development in bands I really like. There are a handful of them that I have watched since I first met them over a year ago, for some reason or another to do with the magazine. Some people ask me why I have to go to see every show a band plays, even if it is only a matter of weeks apart. It's not just that I enjoy seeing the music played live, but it's incredible to see the progress and process develop. A Brief Smile may be the best example I know. I've been consistently impressed over the last year. I can only imagine where they will be in another year's time.
So after I made my goodbyes, I found myself back in the rain. I graciously found a cab and met Lana back at Crash Mansion. I only caught one song of M-Lab's set, but it was quite a finale. I caught these guys months ago at Pianos, and Lana has been singing their praises since. It's definitely cool to see a violin used in a way that actually adds to a band, instead of distracts. We had the pleasure of chatting with that violin player, Skye, after the show. At that point, I can't really remember what he said exactly, but I remember him being quite charming.
I miraculously put my drunken self on the subway and before I knew it I was passed out on my couch. Of course the next day I woke up very hungover and didn't get started on any work until about 5 PM. Today I have off from school and work. I'm bound to be productive. I hope?
I love this song:
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