OK, fine. I'm not one who LIKES to complain. Particularly when it's related to something I think it a pretty positive turn of events.
But the concept of the early show irks the hell out of me.
Unless I'm referring to a show that is specifically labeled a DAY show - with the exception of the wonder that is the summer sunset Battery Park concert series - I should begin a concert recap with "So last night I saw..."
That said, late yesterday afternoon and early yesterday evening, I partook in Charlotte Martin's set at Club Metronome.
AHEM.
There are various dilemmas posed by a 6 p.m. start time on a Saturday. Do you eat dinner before the show or after? How do you get past looking out of windows and seeing daylight? What do you do when you get out of a show at 9:15 and the bars have waiting lines? When precisely did a Pavlov scenario arise, in which the show ends and you feel that it's been a long night? Do you shake the suspicion that ordering a drink - your usual procedure upon entering a venue - is ill-timed or do you hold off?
I appreciate the fact that Metronome's increasing the number of shows - and bringing in the likes of Charlotte - but c'mon. This is tough stuff here.
The show itself? Opener Zak Clark gets props for putting himself out there, but it seems he has the Ben Folds awkwardness without the Ben Folds charm. That is, Ben Folds KNOWS he's awkward and he works it to the extreme (kung fu moves atop a piano, anyone?). Zak is young - 19, I believe - and I admit that I felt a certain impulse to root for him as he was doing his thing.
But "he's only 19" only gets you so far. My first experience seeing Howie Day live was back in the day when HE was only 19.
It had been about two and a half years since I'd seen Charlotte Martin opening - here's synergy for you - for Howie Day at Avalon in Boston. I'd picked up "On Your Shore" and enjoyed it, although the album never became a frequent play. For me, Charlotte is one of those There Artists. It's great when they're There, I was happy to see that she was playing There and I was definitely going to be There for it.
Dynamic and intense, capable of transforming her voice into one of anger, then sweetness, then back again, she's incredibly talented. Her lyrics just scream for a female listener to cheer out loud, thanking her for saying all the things the listener has wanted to say. "In Parenthesis" became a favorite song during the first listen and remains one today.
It was amazing to see what's changed since the "In Parenthesis EP" was the principal purchase at the merch table. A ring of white roses circled the keyboard and organ, and the catalogue of songs I've missed during the time gap made me realize I have some catching up to do. There's more of a focus on percussive beats (recorded and brought into the performance) these days, with a funky style that gets the head bobbing and - in the case of the die-hards in the front row - bodies grooving.
It took a few songs to get into it, but I believe that to be primiarly because those particular songs did little to speak to me. But she got into her groove and she rocked out, reminding me yet again of how many artists I've been turned onto thanks to that Day guy.
I'm working on a review review of the evening - I'll let you know when that's done and posted somewhere (if you're interested, leave a comment and let me know).
In other news:
Yes, I'm in Boston the following weekend for the Red Sox, but when has that ever stopped me before?
Anyone going to these shows? Lemme know.
And, finally, I was absolutely delighted to see the feature on Ryan Montbleau in yesterday's Globe (heh, the reference to Burlington - hello, crazy Nectar's gig - made me grin). Check it out here and enjoy...
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