in love

so i've got my list of the best concerts i've ever seen. there was david wilcox in the rain at the philly folk fest. there was over the rhine at the chamelion club, from the balcony when i was underage. there was amy rigby at schubas when she played till 2am. there was the indigo girls on the 4th of july at taste of chicago.

and now there's a new one for the list.

i was in a gnarly mood last night. it seemed so late to be going out, i'd gotten nothing done all day. ch was at danny's b-day party at mi tierra, and when i called he said, "you're going?! i thought you weren't allowed to spend money on anything other than food!" -shut up you're not being encouraging. "well, we're almost done here, danny's got his sombrero, we'll probably be gone in 10 minutes." - well it will take me about 20 to get there. even on the northside i'm not close enough.

so i was pouty on the train, but i called laura and she cheered me up. then as i was walking down belmont i peeked in the window of mi tierra and they were still there, so i stpped in to say hi to them for a few minutes- they were really drunk. a called while i was there, and i called her back for the rest of the walk down belmont. connections with 3 friends- made me feel social enough to go to a concert by myself.

when i got to the doors, learned it was $17. damn. better be worth it. and it was. oh it was.

didn't like the opener very much. she was from south dakota. her music was fine, a bit bluesy, twangy for me. her nose was pointy and she reminded me of my set designer, who is pushy, cocky, and talks too much. so the poor opener could have sung anything and i would have been prejudiced against her.

after a brief wait, erin comes out... she's just adorable. she's maybe 5 feet tall, in her sparkly belt and orange tshirt. she's got product in her hair and it's all twisted up- goofy looking at first, but as it falls throughout the concert, it falls in such an endearing floppy way. her electric guitar is bigger than she is. and oh, she's a rocker.

she had her andy-stochansky-of-a-drummer with her, and it was that great sound when just two people make an entire rock band. he played drums and sung back up. she sang, played rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and bass, all at the same time. sometimes ch and i talk about musicians who just stand and sing and dont know what do do with their arms ("just give her a guitar necklace, just to entertain her!") then there are the mucisitans who focus so much on their playing, they get really into it. but erin's guitar is like an extention of her body. playing it is like anything else she does- walking, eating... just effortless. i remember in color guard, that's how you could tell those who were really good from those just learning. the so so ones manipulated their poles to make them do the right thing. the really good ones' poles were an extention of their body. they didn't have to look. they just were their flags. erin IS her guitar.

she's so small, she reminded me of a high schooler with a band in her garage. she has all her rock star moves- she pounds her fist in the air, she plays on her knees, she goes out past the lights for the solo on the apron. i hope we were a good rock crowd for her. i didn't think we were dancing or singing nearly enough. i was singing. i'm so glad i bought her new album. she played just about every track from it- i think every one but the one i wanted to hear, we are more. she played 2 brand new ones, and 5 the crowd knew and loved. i wish i knew and loved them, too. i am so charmed.

i was all alone, and had no one to say goodbye to, and since i was standing right out front, i left via the stage door. there were erin and neil loading up the van. i said, "thanks so much! it was fabulous!" and she gave me a generic harried smile and said "you're welcome" i was so glad i wasn't drunk and babbling.

she is fabulous. i am so crushing. i want to follow her to the ends of the earth, french braid her hair on the tour bus, tune her guitar and buy her beers.

and i can't even buy her albums, because i already spent $17 frivolous dollars that i don't have.

and i've just spent the last THREE HOURS finding free downloads of mp3s. how sick is that?
not that i can figure out how to save them. what's the deal with appearing 0:00 on itunes? that shit don't work for me.

i think i'm gonna send her cookies.