Kalan Porter in concert: We can rebuild him. Better, stronger, louder...

[shoebox2]

So I sent around a PM to my forum the other day, announcing that I did not, repeat not, want to spend any more time trying to care about Kalan Porter. I threw around phrases like 'moving on' and 'flapping my wings' and generally stopped just shy of yowling "Free at last, Lord! Free at last!"

Then my good friend Margot offered me a free ticket to his

Comments

[shing_]

What a wonderful surprise to see you on my f-list this morning.

So, I take it that you found the concert more on the meh side with a few bright spots? I had the opposite reaction to "Surrender". I physically sagged and thought "crap, he's doing this song again?"

I arrived at the club pretty late and watched from the back so I missed seeing you and a ton of other people.

[shoebox2]

Thanks! It's nice to be back.

Yeah, that sums my take up pretty well. What you have to realise though, is that it's my take. I didn't see a lot worth getting worked up over (excepting Surrender, which is why I enjoyed it as much as I did)...however, near the end of the concert proper, I looked over to my right and a couple women nearby were sobbing openly. Kinda freaky.

[shing_]

Sobbing openly? Really? That is freaky and creepy and, just, no.

[anonymous]

People actually wanted to write a review???? Surely they jest.

[anonymous]

Quite a long writeup for not saying a lot.

Anyway, I quite enjoyed watching a Kalan concert again. It's been way too long. I wish the sound system had been a lot better as it was really hard to hear. I can't say I agree with you when you say the crowd only woke up when Kalan sang Hurray. But then, I can't say I agree with you on most of what you wrote.

[shoebox2]

**Quite a long writeup for not saying a lot.**

Hey, it's what I do. :)

I don't mind in the slightest being disagreed with, although it'd be nice to be quoted accurately. Sure, there were SCREAMS! all the way along, that's what happens at a Kalan concert. Never meant to imply otherwise.

Good to hear your take

[anonymous]

Hey Shoe! Retrop here. Picked you up in a google alert - which I thought was funny cuz, of course, it was a KP alert. Anyway, still enjoying the snark. I haven't been to any concert, but I always love your not-easily-amused take on the whole thing. From my vantage point, I think the boy is slooowly getting somewhere. I find myself singing a number of the songs at random times. Definitely see Karma King as his take on CI and aftermath of dropping out to be with his mom. I'm hoping he's still working at it as he approaches 30, cuz he still seems young and (despite his comments to the contrary) doesn't quite know who he is yet.

Re: Good to hear your take

[shoebox2]

Retrop! [hugs] Hi! I'm on Google alerts? This is so cool.

Yeah, I think you're right. There are bits and pieces of the new CD that represent definite building blocks...if he wants to use them, that's the key. Am hoping that the artistic complacency I saw that night was actually (as has been suggested to me several times since I wrote the above) a matter of sheer joyous relief.

[anonymous]

Hey, you don't think you can get rid of us kind and encouraging friends that easily, do you?! Seriously, your company made an enjoyable evening all the more so. As well as helping a confirmed suburbanite through the transit system, your 'detachment' and natural snark helped me keep some semblance of objectivity.

We will agree to differ on Kalan's continuing appeal. Perhaps I was never so anxious that he develop a natural 'edge', and am quite content with maturing musicianship (instrumental and writing). Complacency over singing ... not so much. But perhaps thats more a decision to stop striving for perfection at the risk of never being happy?

Oh BTW, Kenny and Blot's real names are Ricky and Bungee. Yeah, I'm still lost in the Vortex, aren't I?