Hope everyone's holiday weekend went well. Mine involved kids, pools, puppies and NASCAR, so chalk that one up as a win.
But to the point -- just added a show for this coming Wednesday (July 9th), at the Iron Post in Urbana, with Eleni Moraites.
Showtime is 8pm, I'm on first, and the cover is $3.
Details, as ever, at paulroub.com/gigs
In short:
Monday morning announcements:
“Dear 20 classes full of high school students, here are some highway patrol officers to tell you the names of popular friends and classmates killed in a drunken driving accident this weekend.”
(a few hours later)
“PSYCH! Not really, we’re just teaching you valuable lessons. Man, we’re awesome. Nothing to apologize for here.”
Words fail me.
At some point, the choices narrow down to:
The former seems like much more fun.
So, three weeks from tonight (Thursday, May 29th), I'm at Aroma Cafe in Champaign. 8pm, followed by Carl Hauck at 9.
Updates, address, etc. are at paulroub.com/gigs, as always.
So who was better last night? Ben:
or Ben?
Ben Lee was just amazing — despite, or perhaps a little because of, ongoing equipment issues. No guitar in the PA? Just walk to the front of the stage and serenade a packed house unamplified. And continue to be amazing. No problem. He was just loads of fun, and impossible not to love.
And Ben Folds?
Was Ben Folds. And then some.
Being an old guy in a large crowd of UI students, it's easy to start off smiling nostalgically at the puppy-like quality of the bouncing, shouting, crowding-the-stage kids... until I realize I'm bouncing every bit as much, doing all my crowd-vocal jobs, screaming my head off when "Philosophy" started up...
In summary, music continues to be the best.
Oh, and who was better? Easy. Ben was.
They may not be getting along as well as I'd like.
I know how you feel, little dialog, I really do.
