Playing the live shows. Awesome.

Check out this song first of all. Holy shit. Joan Osborne, just, damn holy shit.

I'm discovering that there are a small handful of players around the city that I enjoy. Not just enjoy playing with them, but just fucking enjoy, period. Louie Vallee and John McKnight top that list - they listen, they bring something to the songs - just make the vibe so much better. I played two shows with them this weekend and the best parts of the gigs were when things just went down their own path.

I mean, there's details like, knowing the chord progression of a song, and the lyrics and melody and shit, but then there's parts that transcend. It's hard to explain, maybe you get it, maybe you know it when it happens, but if I had my way, I'd just play behind Louie soloing and McKnight drumming for the rest of my life.

Here's the fun to playing two shows back to back (which I rarely do): fingertips. Holy shit wow. By the end of last night's show, I felt like I was hitting my fingers with hammers with every chord. It really makes you get into your playing a little more, things aren't as easily thrown out there. You tend to get really greedy with your notes. And chords.

Which reminds me - I should learn to be more greedy. I think I overplay way too much. The songs could become so much more open if I'd let them. I'm just not used to being THAT entertainer - the guy who can reign it in. And, now that I've got no shows booked, at all, I suppose I'll use this time to work on that. And more songs. It's time to write some more timeless classics. Did you realize that Superhot Lady Cop is almost 10 years old? Damn that's a long time to play a song. I should write more timeless classics. That's all I'm saying.

As a treat to you, I'm going to start adding MP3s to my posts. Why not. It'll get you reading them, it'll get you listening, and that's all that matters. Check out music.

Swing Down, Live from 2006 - Beau Hall and the Magnificent 7

Okay, I've rambled on enough, I'm going to get on up and out. You keep it real. Get out and see a band or four this week.