chaosmonkey

I survived my first Guided By Voices show. Bob Pollard is very rock 'n' roll. He'd be very rock 'n' roll for anyone, but he just happens to be a tubby 40-something-year-old dude. Not that you can really tell once the show starts. They played for fucking hours, the crowd going crazy the whole time, trying, I think, to see who could get drunker. I think the band would have played on, but they were fucking trashed. Bob drank beer and smoked cigarettes (lit by whoever had a lighter up front), and one of the guitarists and the bassist split a bottle of JD; didn't affect their playing, but you could definitely see it on their faces. Some dude tried to crowd surf and got dropped not once, but twice, from about six feet in the air, flat on his back. Good thing he was completely fucking hammered. I guess. GBV shows seem to definitely be an experience. The fans are nuts, in a good way, and I think every single one of them smokes (my poor eyes). And the music's good, too

Superdrag also kicked ass. They're one of those bands I've known a song or two from, and never bothered to look into. Stupid, I know. Gotta get all the rock 'n' roll I can.

Sadly, I didn't make it to Bloomington for my friend's birthday. The weather was just too crappy, and my friend who would've driven felt crappy, too. So, a bunch of us went to the Galt House (hotel) in downtown Louisville to check out some bluegrass, courtesy of the International Bluegrass Music Association. And there was a shitload of bluegrass. You couldn't walk ten feet without bumping into another group of people jamming. It's the most banjos I've ever seen. Some associations and record labels rented out rooms and suites and played in those, which was cool if you could find 'em. With so much going on, it was hard to sit in and watch one group without thinking of everything you might be missing. It's great to see so much passion all in one place.

And now I'm home, and even after a nap, I'm dog-ass tired. Talking to Amelie shortly after I got in made me feel better. Not that I missed her or anything...