Neko Case, Triple Door, KEXP concert 1/25/09

The skies are grey, my breath is visible and the snowflakes are falling...the kind of weather that perpetuates my sour mood. To quote a very talented musician from a favorite song: I might just lay down right here, in the traffic and die

So I sat and contemplated attending the KEXP VIP Neko Case concert, but in the end, it was the fact that I paid a generous donation to the radio organization for my membership, that won me over. So I braved the bitter Seattle weather wrapped in my favorite commie jacket and scarf, occasionally inhaling snowflakes up my nose(cold boogers, not cool).

I've said it before and I'll say it again...The Triple Door is an amazing place to see a show. The sound is stellar and the venue offers the intimacy of no bad seat in the place. Unfortunately for me, my date with Neko was a constant interruption of smack smack chomp chomp SNAP of the bitch next to me with her gum...She was a couple of feet away, but I shit you not, it was like she was in my left ear. I spent the majority of the show with my finger in my ear. I just couldn't shut her out otherwise:
Neko: "Hangin' round (chomp chomp[some pretty melody I have no fucking clue]SNAP CHOMP!)the time... hold on, hold on, hold on!"(pretty harmony with back up singer Kelly[SNAP!])

You know...I contemplated saying something to her, but how do you politely say "hey lady, cows are more quiet with their cud than you", without seeming bitchy or dealing with possible retribution? You never fully appreciate your own hearing and the full range of enjoyment TWO ears can give you, until you're reduced to just one.

Overall, the show was amazing. I have only a small familiarity with her music from what I am exposed to on KEXP. However, I enjoyed every song she played today and was rather bummed out when it was over a mere 30 minutes later; a decent amount of songs, but short in their entirety. Neko has a great repertory with her back up singer(I believe Kelly is her name) and they make quite the comedy duo. When a string broke on her lead guitarist instrument, she and her singer entertained the crowd with sarcasms, audience questions and overall great comic delivery. A good amount of the songs are from her upcoming album that will be released March 3rd. When she goes on tour and hits up Seattle sometime in June, I will be attending...

Set List:

Middle Cyclone

People Gotta Lotta Nerve

Don't Forget Me

I'm an Animal

Hold on, Hold on

Vengeance is Sleeping

The Next Time You Say "Forever"

That Teenage Feeling

Of the whole set "That Teenage Feeling" was my favorite:

"Now that we've met

We can only laugh at these regrets

Common as a winter cold

They're telephone poles

They follow each other

One, after another, after another

But now my heart is green as weeds

Grown to outlive their season

And nothing comforts me the same

As my brave friend who says,

"I don't care if forever never comes'

Cause I'm holding out for that teenage feeling

I'm holding out for that teenage feeling"

All the loves we had

All we ever knew

Did they fill me with so many secrets

That keep me from loving you'

Cause it's hard, hard"

A line that stuck with me (for personal reasons) throughout the show, from "Don't forget me"(which was also amazing):

"Nothing lasts forever, but I'll always love you"

Her music is great and her lyrics can cut you to the core, like they are your own personal anthem. Worth checking out

Devotchka NYE

(my dates for the evening)


Ahhh New Years…the time when you reflect on the past year’s pitfalls like broken cars, broken relationships and uphill battles. The time when you reflect on the past year’s good like your beautiful surroundings, good friends, loved ones and the promise of new hope and a chance at fulfilling love. The big night when you wish you had someone special to share it with. Alas, I found myself single again, although this time, I didn’t have the flu with a wicked fever and the added kick you while I’m down factor of being at a wedding(no offense Tim). I did however have the support of some good friends (Brian/Lizzy, Kyle/Trish and Anna), an awesome band and a cute outfit that showed off my strong shoulders and apparently sexy clavicles. Oh oh, there was even a new acquaintance to the group that hung with us that told me this:

“You don’t look like somewhat who writes the way you do; you look classy”
Me=classy?…I have fooled the world MUAHAHAHAHHAAH

There was a DJ and an opening act but what I remember of both is this:
DJ: I’m bored; I think I’ll grab a PBR. Holy fuck, for serious, you’re gonna charge me $4 for a beer that is worth a $1.50?!! Bastards. Yeah, I’m not huge on live DJ stuff…oh look it that, a dude spinning some records. YAWN
Opening band: I was so impressed that their name is embedded into my soft grey Cerebral Cortex…not so much. They weren’t bad or untalented, I was just preoccupied with the night’s earlier bummer events and I was on a crash course with booze and a determination of fun. I can say two nice things about this band: A. chick drummers rule B. the singer wore a wicked vintage blood red cowboy shirt with black accents and roses (fashion is my secret little drug). They really did have some good stuff though, but alas, sorry the name escapes me.

In all honesty, I was there for Devotchka and anything else was just filler. So as mentioned earlier…crash course with booze.
Me+booze+no eating since noon that day=obnoxious

While I was enjoying my refreshing classy grade A quality PBR, I enjoyed a chills inducing shot of Whiskey with Brian…cough, pirate squinty face, hairs standing on end, ‘oh my god what was I thinking?!’…smooth. Blarg. Let the good times roll and while I’m at it, may I introduce…asshole Mel! I was determined to have a good time, so out rolled the dirty jokes, pirate talk, insults and my wacky self; anything to entertain my friends(some would say, the need of adoration of loved ones to fulfill one’s self)
Me=NOT classy

When Devotckha took the stage, I was a little disappointed in the lack of back up strings, like at the Sodo show earlier this year. I guess they raised the bar for me early on. They’re still an energy filled rocking show, but I guess I was expecting them to pull all the punches with a full supporting band, little chicas whirling and twirling from the ceiling and some rockets or some shit; it being NYE and all. The sound wasn’t all that great this time around either. I have a love hate relationship with the Showbox Market. On the one hand they book some great acts and have an awesome venue, where you’ve got good views from all angles with its intimacy. On the other hand, their sound is hit or miss; this night, it was kind of a miss. Nonetheless, the show still rocked and they played an impressive song list. I danced a lot, so much so that I got a side cramp (I need to get back to the gym) and managed to stay vertical in my heels with minimal grabbing of friends for support.

(it's just not a post unless I have a shitty cell phone attack shot)

By the end of the show I managed to ingest 1 PBR, 1 shot of Whiskey, ¾ cup of ESB and ¾ of my vodka drink; not a great deal, but enough with no food. I forget that I can’t drink like I used to and thus was securely tipsy. While in line for my coat pick up with my buddy, I took off my heel and threatened a line cutter. Something along these lines:
“Hey fratty fat popped collar fuck face, my heel is going in your eye if you don’t get in the back of the line” yeah…
Me=embarrassment

By 2ish in the am, with several failed attempts at finding a fast food joint to fill our boozed bellies, we settled on a wiener stand in Fremont. A mere 14 hours later, my stomach was finally filled with a boar’s dog, topped with grilled onion, mustard and cream cheese (you can only love it while drunk) and I passed out snug in my bed to end my shitty day and leave my shitty struggling year behind me.

Here’s to new hopes, new adventures, finally having no car payment, a new chest piece tattoo and my new motto… “Love like you’ve never been hurt”

Bring it.

Me=ready for it all