Feed Us A Live Insect

Handsome Furs=sweethearts

Okay. First of all, thank you thank you thank you so much to everyone who came to the Echoplex last night. I was fully prepared to play to maybe 5 people--but when the place started filling up I got very happy and very scared. Walking out onto that stage was (vaguely) terrifying--I have never before had the experience of walking onto a stage, picking up a guitar, and just starting. Our routine is (usually) that we're setting up gear and milling about onstage for a good ten minutes beforehand, so when we start there's no surprise or anything. But this time we just kind of appeared from off in a corner, and some people actually went "wooo" (quietly) when we got up there, which was so novel that I started laughing. But! Everyone was so very nice that we had a lovely lovely time. The set went really well, and I was glad we had played three shows in a row just a few days ago, it put us in shape. So thanks again to everyone who came out, and thank you so much to Liz for asking us to play.

Now, as for the Handsome Furs--I always assume headlining bands will be aloof or just hang out in their dressing room the whole night, and if that had happened I would've understood. It still would have been a good evening--we had fun, the Cinnamon Band (touring with the Handsome Furs, and came after us) were a pleasure--Neil the drummer was super friendly and they put on a strong set, very full-sounding for a duo. And the Handsome Furs set was intense and inspiring. Both of them are great performers--I am especially in awe of Alexei's dancing/pushup-style keyboard technique on display, and the songwriting...and the beats...I was floored. MAN. Wonderful, wonderful show!

But I also have to say that both Dan and Alexei turned out to be some of the nicest, friendliest, most enthusiastic people we've had the pleasure to meet since we've been playing music. I didn't expect them to watch our set, much less be so into it, and I am very grateful--it made the whole night a tremendous pleasure. Hanging out afterwards, hearing about their tour (they're going to Russia--and the eastern bloc--and Thailand--and China--the mind boggles), talking about cufflinks, yeah! It was inspired. So thank you both, thank you for an amazing show, and I hope we will meet again soon.

Footage from last night's show:

posted by Eli Monolator @ 3:00 PM