Buiding up to the Finale...

So imagine my surprise when I get back from jukeboxing it up at the Gingerman and there's Rhett Miller at my table. How did I know it was Rhett? Well, the guy says, as I sit myself down "Hey Samorama, I'm Rhett." Paul really made this one the most FUN yet as we got out of the cab and Ken immediately starts yakkin' away, but somehow thinks he's talking to a guy named, uh, Daniel. Paul is of course too nice to correct him. Somehow Rhett got me right though. Oh, the show? Tons of fun, the new songs sounded good (I am holding out for the vinyl, for reals!) and the classics (Barrier Reef! Er... Rollerskate Skinny, um, help me out here)... anyhoot, so far the most FUN I have had this week (Jamie still holds best in show). Wow, three more nights left!

Tuesday - Wednesday

Tuesday: The show at Martyrs was a sit-down-spectacular good time. The first openers were good, Jeff Parker trio was fantastic, and Nels Cline Singers made a lot of really great noise. Sadly, I didn't try to get a picture. It would have been all blurry. They even played something off my favorite Nels album which isn't a Singers albums: the Inkling.

Wednesday: Holy Cow, Jamie Lidell was AMAZING! It's going to be hard for any show to top it. The Abbey was packed with a sold out sweaty hot dancing crowd. He was great solo at Pitchfork fest a few years ago, but he had a band (including a sax player!) and the new songs were so totally rad live! Seriously, he is so GOOD. The album is great, but live, holy shit!! Besides Lollapalooza, I'm sure he'll be somewhere much bigger next time he comes.

Old 97s tonight! I still haven't heard the new album...

Saturday-Monday

Saturday: Started out at "Do Division" with Meg and Bob, mostly heard and sort of saw Mucca Pazza. Meg is fortunate enough to live in the middle of the fest, so we saved a lot of dough on beer. Bob and I made our way over to Metro, with a brief pitstop at the Gingerman, and got in right as the Breeders were starting, and we mainly heard them. They played the hits, the new weird stuff, it all sounded good. One more brief pitstop at Gingerman and then I made my way to Quenchers to catch the tail end of the Boogie Band, aka Baby Alright. Adam, LeRoy, myself and Wassup! magazine and who knows who else all crammed in the photobooth for posterity.

Sunday: Did Division with Sooz and Paul. We caught the opening set from Tullymonster, and there was totally a kid with a pet rooster. After lunch and hanging in Meg's hospitality suite we did make our way out for 1900s, Gil Mantera's Party Dream and Ted Leo and Pharmacists. I know it was a $5 street fest, but man the sound was terrible.

Monday: I actually went to possibly my least favorite venue (Logan Square Auditorium) for Islands. The sound wasn't too terrible, and despite being there COMPLETELY alone I had had a good time. I was amongst a bunch of loners, I guess I should have introduced myself.

Nels Cline Singers/Jeff Parker Trio tonight!

Craigslist Post of the Now

This seems like a good deal. Unless you're against that sort of thing, sorry!