I am pretty sure it was Draplin who first pointed me this way and today Gapers Block put me right back in it.  For me it does not get any better than old timey railroad photographs and location portraiture.  It is destroying my day and making me want to shoot 4x5 again.  Color images from the 40's.  Fantastic.

It was two for four in the end, but the end result was pretty fantastic

1. Langehorn Slim with the Builders and the Butchers opening for them at the Hide Out.  I had never been to a show there in the back room, it was splendid.  The owner works the mic.  Mike and I stood in the back for the opener, I went to the bar for another round after the first song and bought their record on the way back.  It is really good.  I walked out front to try to find the band to request a song, as I always do.  I have been going to see Langehorn for a little while now, and the song I ask for is something untitled that they recorded live on their first EP.  Their bassist Paul was standing outside and recognized me before I recognized him.  We chatted for a bit, i asked him to play the song and went back in.  They took the stage and started in right with the song I asked about.  Still standing in back, as politely as I could I pushed toward the front.  I got a ton of nasty looks, but if I could benefit at all from growing up in the punk scene, I don't mind pushing myself to the front.  I shouted and sang, it was a great time.

2. Lucero at the DoDivision fest.  I saw one too many upside down backwards visors.  The show was outside, it was kind of stupid.  There was a couple who decided to stand in front of us and have an eight grade makeout session.  It was funny.  I laughed out loud at them.  All in all, lucero played the good ones, but the atmosphere just was not good.  It was not a loss though, because they were announcing a show they were playing the next night at the Empty Bottle.  No one knew about it, it had been a secret until that day.

3. Lucero at the Empty Bottle.  For the last year or so I stopped going to see Lucero because they had been playing big obnoxious venues with loads of obnoxious people.  This show on the other hand was amazing. Ten bucks, small venue, tiny crowd.  The bottle closed the doors at what seemed like 1/2 capacity.  Booker and i got there early, drank some beers, heckled the opening acts.  Lucero came on and we were front and center with a couple of other friends.  The drinks flowed, I heckled the band, Asked for the "good ones", they played all the good ones, we screamed and shout, had a shot with Ben after the show.  I woke up drunk the following day for the first time ever.  Booker and I both agreed that that will be the last time we ever see them live again.  It will never be that good again.

4. Death Cab for Cutie at Milennium Park.  It was nice.  Sat outside with some friends.  It got chilly.  The venue was nice.

The funny thing that seemed to be a theme at every show was there are a ton of people who go to shows all dressed up, don't know or care about the band, but seem to just be there to be seen.  Totally confused by the fancy, impractical clothing, talking through the whole show.  Maybe I am just getting old.  When the show is good it is really good, when it is bad, it sucks. 

Damn! His drawings are so freaking nice.  I have a couple from a few years back, I need to get them framed!  I will take a couple pictures of them and post them on my flickr.