Sorry for not posting today - took the day off to recover from the concert I went to Thurs. night - and, before it's asked, I didn't have a single drink, but I can't forget it - I've realized that, if not for the longhair that pushed in front of me, right before the main band went on, it would've been the best concert I've ever seen. I could've been hit by a car last night, or had a heart attack for whatever reason today, and died completely satisfied with my unsatisfying life - It was just that good.

However, I realize, as I drink more beer, that information about the event is needed, so I'll spell out a few details right now, while admonishing any L.A. Obners who opted not to attend this concert:

Date: Feb. 10th, 2005
Location: The Echo (Upstairs)
The Band: The Mountain Goats

For a one-off show on a two-show tour, Mrs. Darnielle and Hughes were rested, ready, and in peak form. It started off normally enough, with just the two of them playing a few songs off the new album. Then they played a song off of the new album, "Just Dancing" (sic.), which got everyone going crazy dancing - with just a bass and an acoustic guitar, no less. But that was just the beginning - I wouldn't only waste anyone's precious Obner time on a mere concert where the band "previews" new songs, no matter how good they were.

From there, John Darnielle and Peter Hughes (guit/voc and bass, for the uninitiated) began to play A LOT of old songs, ones they'd never played together before (meaning that they hadn't been played, period, in 5 years or so). This included the two songs John wrote for a friend who committed suicide off of "Coroner's Gambit" - "The Shadow Song" (which, by the way, is amazing) and "Blue Jays and Cardinals", which they/he had NEVER performed live before. A few more songs followed before Franklin Bruno (late of Nothing Painted Blue, and John's partner in The Extra Glenns) came up on stage to play guitar with them...

(an important side note to put in here: John Darnielle (a.k.a. The Mountain Goats) has always played A) solo, B) with a bassist. Period. I believe he did a few shows in the early 90's where there were 2 additional backup singers, and an occasion or 2 where he's had a backup vocalist/artist friend with him, but that's it. There was an Extra Glenns show or 3 played in San Francisco a while back, but that was still a Duo)...

So, The Three piece summarily rip through two new songs - one from the album coming out in April, the other a "B-Side" (to which John commented, "So you mean I'm the only one of us who doesn't remember this song off of the top of my head" as, earlier in the night, they were playing songs that hadn't been played in FOREVER, and Peter was having a bit of trouble keeping up).

So, once those two songs were over, John introduced another surprise: a drummer! For the next two songs (and, summarily, the last two before the encore) were, in essence, a Full Band Show - Palmcorder Yanja and See America Right. This was mind-blowing enough, but the encore held more surprises...

John and Peter came back out, still accompanied by Franklin. John put down his guitar, and declared "This is a song that Franklin wrote, but I love to sing it, so we're going to do it now". They then proceeded to play a Nothing Painted Blue cover (I believe the song is "houseguest") with Franklin on Guitar, Peter on bass, and John Darnielle vamping it up on only vocals...

Then, John puts on his guitar, and tells the audience, "I have a good friend here. Her name is Rachel, and she was the original bassist for The Mountain Goats. We haven't played together since 1995, but I'd like to invite her up to sing with us on this one." Applause forced Rachel up on stage, and together, the four closed with "Going To Georgia".

The Echo lights went off, and people continued clapping. They played whatever "leave the building" CD, and the audience was still clapping. The DJ/Sound Guy had to ask people to leave, telling them the show was over, twice before people stopped clapping and really started to leave.

Basically, to sum things up, one of my favorite all-time bands played, and at least 4 things I never thought I'd ever see occurred at the concert, along with brand new songs, and an energetic, just-starting-a-mini-tour band performing them. Just thought I'd share the show with all of you, now that it's had time to settle in (and once the wheels got greased enough, so to speak). If they tour the West Coast for the next album in April, if I play my cards right, you NW folks can see/meet me as I follow them up the coast. I just knew I was saving up all this vacation time for something...

I debated about going to that show, but already had tickets to see The Zutons. A decision I don't regret, but am definitely glad YOU had a great time!

I had just about the best time...

Zutons over Mountain Goats? Balsphemy!
(or at least it is to me)...

My 2005 perscription to Aural: Less Beer Commercial Bands, More Darnielle






(and, please, don't take offence - though, I must confess, there were at least a few more insane/devoted than I in attendance... but just a few )

No worries, Kyle, I take no offense. Morrissey was in my life last night ... my school girl crush was more than satisfied.

You should've gone back to The Echo tonight for yet another "secret" Beck performance.

If I weren't "preforming" downstage, I would've caught him last Friday - and, if I'd gotten advance warning, I would've caught him tonight...

Damned lose-lipped (but not to me) Scientologists, spilling secrets all over town...
I don't wanna/can't afford to donate 10%+ of my profits to anyone bbesides myself... Thereforek, both L. Ron and John Smith are outta luck with this Obner poster....



P.S. Aural, I hope you're not still at work - from what I understand they've been reaming (if not killing) you over there lately...

Nah, baby, I'm safely sequestered at home. No late night work hours -- transitioned all my clients save one. I'm catching up on all the other stuff I've neglected...like my life!

Same here - only my respite only lasts through Monday...and the main "client" I'm intrested in, and has set aside one day a week (out of the past 5, not including tomorrow), is a MAJOR EX of someone I know (3+years, at least - neither of them will let me get an exact "aging" on the situation)...

Plus, tomorrow is the first "friend from school" tagalong, and my female roller derby tix fell through - I've gotta come up with something semi-impressive, plus I had to come up with a non-"I Really Like You" Mountain Goats comp for her to listen to tomorrow. Therefore, the heavy drinking...

Basically, I'm screwed. And that's my night so far...

Sooo, you're trying to impress her with Mountain Goats? Good ploy, but I'm assuming you'd like something else to support your point of "I'd like to be closer than just a friend", yes? Hmmm...let's think of something good.

I'm gonna think and research something quickly. Be right back...

Is it supposed to rain tomorrow? How about a trip to the Getty with a nice bottle of wine and some munchies to accompany a stroll through the museum? Too obvious?

How about going to see "Motorcycle Diaries" at the Sunset Laemmle?

I give what is asked of me - companionship, sympathy, mix CDs, nothing else...
I even tried to make this mix CD "non-demoninational", just in-case...

I'm not going to lose a pretty cool one-day-a-week-female-friend over slight "we-could-be-more, even-if-you're-only-a-rebound" imagery - and, since I'm a guy, I could be reading into the latter...though she lives/goes to school near Magic Mountain, and she drives 45 min.+ in L.A. just to see me...

Let it be said, though, that when they were together, I was ecluded from a "who-you're allowed-to-marry-if-I-die" list by my male friend, because it was "too plausable", for whatever reason....

I'm smart enough not to make a "grand gesture" (sic) at this point, as I'm sure I'd just be concidered some kind of rebound if things didn't work out....(but I still enjoy her company (as a person, if that had to be spelled out - the attraction isn't even 65% physical - and, yes, I changed that figure 5+ times)

Right now, I could be fine and/or live with myself 60 years if she stayed in my life as a friend,,, but I could also see myself being content with her being something more... Tomorroiw is the semi-crucial "friends date" (if this has any chance of developing), so wish me luck and an early pass-out-point...[/i]

Bon chance, mon ami! Bon chance!

And coming from a girl, though, I hate to put false illusions in that currently beer-soaked head of yours, but...when a girl drives 45+ minutes to see a guy, it kinda says something.

I'd back this up. Word for word.

You're both reading my mind...

If I were only Superhero material (and not so sidekick-ish), I'd act on it...

Still, I'm moderately content with life right now, and I'm not up for "casting the first stone", if you understand what I'm saying...

I swear to GOD, I won't say anything on the "meet-a-friend" tomorrow, but I can't make any promises for two weeks from now (which would be just about a 3 mo. anniversary, if she weren't just feeling me out - which I have a nagging suspicion she is)...

Three months since she broke up with her ex? Or three months since you two been hanging out as pals?

3+ months since pals...

and, not-so-coincidentally, a little over 3 months since her and her ex officially ended the "I know we broke up a while ago, but the hanging-out-as-friends thing" for GBV in Chicago, but I'm not sure when the "let's be friends" thing began. I think they broke up Novemberish (at the latest), but the last time I know they hung out platonically was New Year's Eve but, since I'm not up for prying/rehashing, I'm leaving that alone for now...

I'm not about to endanger a relationship by acting bold/stupid, and by asking specifics from either one of them..The only thing is that, due to some things last weekend, I am SURE that both of them know what's going on (even if I don't), and that even my roommates refer to her as "X's eX", as opposed to "Postmersh's friend", which is always a bad thing from all angles, especially since they see/talk to "X" a lot more than I seem to these days...

mmm hmm, i back this up too. this is usually the case for me... so if i drive that much to see some motherfucker, then it DOES mean something.

Thank you for the reinforcements of my slightly skewed beliefs... MMountain Area to Westchester is quite a trek...

And, for the record, I hope it does/did mean something. And, for the record, I will never do more than little for her to make her think it is "more than something", or force her to determine whether it is truly worth it to come out here - not for uncomfortableness, but mostly for my own general state of mind and utterly fragile psyche....

Westchester?? I used to live there! I miss it too.

none of this is any of my business, but i'm just sayin'.

3 1/2 hours? Wow...DEFINITELY says a lot!

i like shrimper

Yeah, it's a two hour round trip for me to go to the mall, so for me personally, I guess the time is extended as so, but it's all relative.

Didn't this thread used to be about the awesome Mountain Goats show?

Just asking...

Sooo, going to the mall to see the boy at the record store means something, eh?

My bird needs food. If the record store happens to be on the way, I may stop in. For, ya know, CDs that I can't afford right now.