The <s>best</s> only good thing to come out of Dallas

[reldnahkram]

Caught the Old 97's at the Troc tonight. Awesome show - maybe the best of the four? I've seen. Ran into Amy Bug (with another prof - maybe Weinberg's wife?) before the show. It was Amy's first 97's show - good way to start.

The first opener, The Spring Standards, was extremely good. Rather than have a drummer, they split the drums up. The bass player had the kick bass drum, the guitar player had a choice of hi-hats, and there was a crash cymbal, a splash cymbal, a snare, and a floor tom attached to the keyboard/macbook/xylophone/melodica stand. Heather, behind this stand, primarily played drums, but played the other things attached as well, and sang. Okay - they all sang. And yes, I really like bands with more than one lead singer, because they tend to harmonize really well.

The second opener, Sleepercar, was rather forgettable. Very generic Alt-Country - they reminded me of Minibar. See, Alt-Country is like vanilla, it can be really good on it's own if done extremely well, but it's best when something else is added to it, or as an addition to something else.

Comments

[uncleamos]

They were here...last night? I forget. Failed to talk Marie into the show ages ago, and then forgot about it.

[reldnahkram.livejournal.com]

There was an incarnation of the plan for this weekend where I went down for the DC show, but it didn't make much sense because y'all have to work during the day and I can only play tourist for so long.

[uncleamos]

Right, right.

I've ended up having a busy week anyway.

[wayman.livejournal.com]

I feel like it has to be more than four concerts, because it seems like you've mentioned them more often in LJ posts, but I could be mistaken. They're starting to seem like such a fixture (the way Broadside Electric was 5-8 years ago) that I'm feeling a bit sad I never experienced them. Ah well. There are always things missed.

After lunch today, I'm hoping to take the R2 to Sharon Hill, and ride the whole length of the 102 to 69th, then catch the 104 out to Newtown Square to pick up my car, and stop off briefly on the way back to see the old Pennsy caboose and freight cars on display, quite randomly, by the side of West Chester Pike. What's up with that? I never knew they were there! Anyway, this roundabout trip is so I can finally ride the 102, which has always intrigued me as one of those few old "trolleys that have nothing to do with the street grid". Can't go all the way out to Willow Grove anymore, but at least I can ride through the secret rights-of-way of suburbia. Also, I've never ridden the R2 before, so far as I can remember. (And I still won't have ridden the R6 or R8.)

I hope I don't get sucked into the culture of going to see Wayne Newton and other septegenarian rock ex-stars while I'm out there. Elvis is still performing somewhere too, right? Or has he decamped to Branson?

[reldnahkram.livejournal.com]

The problem is that they don't tour much, especially in these parts. I saw them summer '01 at the TLA, XPN Singer-Songwriter '04, in Lancaster last year, and last night. I may be missing something between '04 and '07, but I can't think of when. I think the live DVD and live album filled that gap.

The 101 does plenty of dedicated-ROW running. You should, at the very least, go out and back one stop on the 100 if you've never ridden it. It's unlike anything else.

Well, that's what the good Elvis is doing at least

[think-too-much.livejournal.com]

Elvis is still performing somewhere too, right?

He's touring with the Police right now.

[ajacs.livejournal.com]

The railroad cars are part of a railroad museum that hasn't quite gotten off the ground yet; I keep meaning to send them money and donate some time, but I keep forgetting. And for future reference, that's right near our house.