time to *swoon*

finally got inspired to update the blog today. woohoo!


what would that inspiration be, you ask? i finally went to another concert last night. ok, so just a few weeks ago i did go to a different concert, but i didn't actually know that band (although they were cool and were fun to chat with).


honestly? i think it's been like at least a year and a half since i've gone to see a musician i love live. and i did have to make a couple sacrifices to free up my night, but i made it.


the people i saw were cary brothers (his last name is brothers, he's not a group of brothers!), and greg laswell.  it's been at least two years since i've seen either of them live and they are both high on my list of favorite artists.


first off, the show opened with a band i hadn't heard of named harper blynn:

yes, i was slightly apprehensive because they are a little odd looking. hehe! but...guess what? i liked their music! it was definitely a unique sound - rocky, dancy, lots of harmonies (apparently the guy with the fro was a choir boy)...two of them are from new york, one from chicago and the bassist is from holland (his name is whynot.  what?!)


they were fun and had a solid set. AND they were the backup band for cary brothers and greg laswell, so they were onstage the whole time. holy endurance!


i met them after the show and the guy with the fro said "i saw you. you knew all the words!" (to cary and greg's songs). i said "yep. and i want to buy your cd so i know all your words!" that made him happy. :)


*sidenote: i am always in the front row, slightly stage right because then i can see the singer's faces and won't miss anything! (and they usually don't miss me either!)


next up was cary, but i'm gonna talk about him last.


greg laswell graced us with his presence last night as well:

i saw him a couple years ago open for ingrid michaelson. after the show, my friend and i asked if he and his backup band wanted to go to a dive bar next door. he said ok! we hung out for an hour or two and then my friend drove them to their hotel because their tour bus left without them.  before they left, greg hugged me while i was talking to his guitarist, which startled me. i was like "wha..?" and he said "just take it". hahaha....i love that memory!


he wasn't as forthcoming last night, and i don't think he remembered that incident (i never expect musicians to remember me - i know they tour a lot and meet lots of people. plus if i expect them to, it gets awkward. haha). i think he was distracted and/or tired last night. which is fine. he still played an awesome set.


i hear some of his songs while shopping in stores now. it makes me happy (even though his songs are mainly sad - funny how that works!)


and finally:

here's cary brothers. you might know his hit song from the garden state soundtrack, "blue eyes". he's pretty much best buddies with zach braff and has done music on multiple tv shows and movies.


he is one of my all time favorite musicians. not just for his music, but because he actually listens to what you're saying when you talk to him after the show.  sure, he might not remember me, but for that moment, he's totally tuned into the conversation....which is something i can't say for most musicians i've met (and i've met quite a few).


last time i saw him was when he came with the hotel cafe tour to madison (which happened to be at the same venue as last night). josie and i had just finished up recording our cd, but the recording studio was taking a while to actually make the cd booklets and everything. i was bummed because i wanted to give cary a copy....and i told him that. he said "oh, when is it coming out, then?!" and i kind of laughed and said "well, it's not going to be in stores or anything!" and he said "well, where do you think i started?!"


(by the way, since then, cary has broken his record contract so that he has more control over his music.  he is now relying completely on word-of-mouth because he's paying out of his pocket. so admirable! because of this, i won't let anyone burn my copy of his cd to their computer)


anyway, so last night, i didn't see him after the show, which made me sad because i had gone to great lengths to find my last copy of my cd (i'm sold out!) to give to him. as my friend cassie and i were leaving, i saw him smoking at a little table outside (um, smokers are jokers, cary!). i think he had been there for a while. i didn't really want to disturb him because he seemed in deep conversation, so cassie and i headed toward the parking lot. in my head i was like "what are you doing?!?!?! you want to talk to him and you will regret it if you don't give him your cd!".  fortunately, just at that moment, he stood up to go back inside alone. i ran over and started talking to him. once again, he was totally laid back, yet attentive to what i was saying. i gave him my cd and he was like "you sing?! do you sing around here?" when i told him that my partner in crime now lives on the west coast, and that she's the brains behind it, he said "so what?! start writing songs and playing!! don't give me excuses!" i mentioned to him how excited i was about his new cd when i got it and he said "who cares about me...what are you gonna do?!" i told him about our little cult hit, 'cancerboy' (another story for later), and he laughed and told me he's going to play it as soon as they hit the road, and it's the next song going on his ipod!! as i was walking away, some older gentleman walked over by cary yelled out to me, asking how much my cd was. i ran back and said "what? that's my only copy!" cary said "yeah, it's mine!" and the guy asked cary if he could burn it and he said "hell no! it's mine!"


be still, my heart! ;) you have to realize that this guy is probably one of my most favorite musicians!!


well i told him i wrote my email address inside the cd case and to let me know what he thinks.  my friend, betsy is going to his show in south dakota in a few weeks, so i'm going to have her check up on that if i don't hear from him. muahahah!


ok, that's my long post. there's something almost magical about concerts for me, i don't know....i always love connecting with musicians and it give me the itch to play more. honestly? music is my passion, and i've kind of been suppressing that passion for more "practical" things lately (i.e. work). going to shows like that makes my musical spirit become restless again!

(me holding cary's new cd a few months ago. yeah, i had tagged him in this on facebook and he commented on how he likes my headphones. i was excited...i'm such a dork! haha)