Living it like a rock star groupie.
Tonight, together: Maria in the Shower, Vagabond Opera, playing at a very full WISE Hall just off the Drive. Many familiar faces, many other musicians in the crowd ... and a few strangers who seemed to know who I was. It was particularly flattering to be talking to the MitS drummer after their set who, after I introduced myself to him replied, "Oh, you're The Mythical Man? I've been hearing about you!" Here's hoping that this reputation which I seem to be developing is a good one.
So, you may ask: how was the show? Was it good?
To which I say ...
... Oh HELLS YEAH, that was nothing but WIN! MitS had the crowd rocking, swinging and dancing only seconds into their first song. Bumblebees, lovebugs, Twitter, graveyards, and so much more were the subjects of their musical offerings. Trumpeter/vocalist Jack Garton is a wiry dynamo on stage, generating enough awesome all on his own to heat a small condo in Montreal in winter. Theirs was a glorious set, a perfect opening act for those operatic Vagabonds from Portland, Oregon. Love! Passion! Tragedy! Zombie Princesses! They had it all, folks, and so much more.
I hung around after the show and was able to chat with one of the Vagabonds' two 'cellists, Skip vonKuske, who also records on his own and was/is a member of the Portland Cello Collective, whose members over the years have included Zöe Keating (among others). As an extra bonus, I was able to get a V.O. tour poster signed by most of the band members, something which I don't think I've ever done before, but it was well worth it. It shall soon be adorning one of the walls in my bedroom, proof that my inner high school, rockstar-level groupie wanna-be has not completely abandoned me. It's great, meeting so many musicians who are all doing their own thing, carving out their own niche and having such tremendous fun in the process. Definitely inspiring.