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just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby... Hey kids.. After calling up the Shark Club and finding out that the show was to start around 9:30-10:00, I was kind of sad when I realized that I wouldn't be able to make it there until probably almost 11:00. One of my friends has been having a really tough time at his job, and was battling some serious depression, and well.. I know my priorities. Anyway, I managed to slide in a little before 11, and it seemed like the first set had not yet even begun! Oh, happy day. Also amusing was showing my ID at the door. I opened up my wallet and was fishing around for my driver's lic., when the guy at the door said "Isn't that an ID?" pointing at my Washington Post ID. I said "Well, yes, but that's my Washington Post ID, and it doesn't have an age on it." The other guy at the door immediately perked up and came over. He then asked me if I knew Phyllis Richman (our food critic), which I do. Suddenly, he was extremely chummy, telling me about his other Shark Club (yes, it was the owner) over in Bethesda, and how if I got Phyllis to review it, I'd have free drinks for 6 months for me and anyone I brought, as well as limo access, blah blah blah. I was like "Well, I don't know.." and the regular door guy noticed that my shirt wasn't tucked in and said right then that I would have to tuck my shirt in before I entered the club. The owner shot him a look and said "don't worry about that, you're my new contact at the Post!" So I was like "OkAY, whatever.." and went inside. Whatever. I don't care about free drinks at the friggin Shark Club, the only reason I went was because Todd was playing. So. I went downstairs, found the bar, got a Absolut Cranberry (who doesn't have Stoli, really?) and grabbed myself a standing space leaning on one of the pool tables right on the side of the stage. Random Guy started up a conversation with me, and he seemed pretty cool. His name was Matt and he had gone to a number of TT's shows in the past. He noticed me fiddling with my cell phone, and asked if I was playing a game (this was during the middle of the second song, and he asked it in an almost horrified tone, assuming that I was playing a game instead of listening to the music). I informed him that I was in fact not playing a game, but rather, entering in the set list as I didn't have pen & paper with me. Random notes: I was *very* happy with the songs played. The following are some of my favorite emmet songs: When morning comes listen to the river angel (ok, it's a cover) wish you were here (ditto) boones plot With the exception of boones & parking lot, there almost never get played, so it was a real treat! David Strickland was the guy playing the accordian. I spoke with him in between the first and second set for about 10 minutes. He was extremely friendly and down-to-earth. David told me that tonight was the first time that he had ever done _Bullet_, and that he only really feels comfortable playing along to 4 or 5 songs. He mentioned that his being there was a very informal thing. Todd had just called him up and asked him if he wanted to jam over at the Shark Club. David's accordian is a family heirloom, and he mentioned that he's pretty much self-taught, but had a lot of previous piano experience which helped him learn. His sense of humor showed when he mentioned that next he was going to learn to play the bagpipes, because then people would say "Hey, there goes the bagpipe guy!" and he would always be in demand because so few people know how to play the bagpipes. We talked for a bit about melodies, and how the average emmet song is constructed so that it is very simple for unplanned instruments to accompany the usual ones. David was very cool. People repeatedly asked Todd to play _Birdman of Columbia_, but Todd said that he would probably "fuck it up, and then you all would hate me." So that didn't happen. :) Todd also told a story about a Boston show that emmet played, where two girls threatened Erik that they were going to get up on the stage and dance, and Erik was like "no, I don't think that's such a good idea." They got up on stage and danced anyway, and Todd & crew started making fun of them by imitating their dancing, so they eventually hopped off the stage, saying "Those guys are such assholes." Todd found that extremely amusing, and made sure everyone knew that the Boston accents made is sound like they said "ash-oles." Maybe you had to be there. :) Then someone at the Shark Club said that the title of the next emmet album should be "emmet swimming - they're such assholes", which everyone found amusing. The venue itself was rather small. I'd guess that there were maybe 150-175 people downstairs at the most. Very cozy. No idiots or drunk morons. Apologies to the onelist folks that I fully intended to find and meet - After trying to help my friend, I wasn't really in the mood to meet & greet. Next time, though! Next show for me will be Charlottesville, VA on Nov.12. That's a friday. If anyone needs a ride from around D.C., let me know. I think only one passenger slot is taken so I can fit 2 (or 3 if you want to get really comfy) |