Last night was the first real night of summer for me. Filled with music, familiar faces and late-burning eyeballs. Asterisk Gallery had a fairly impromptu show featuring Chiara Giovando and Daniel Higgs [lead singer of Lungfish]. Ha Ha La was the first act, a sort of Daniel Johnston with a dash of Sigur Ros and [when-used] Jesus and Mary Chain guitar. Ted Flynn played next, a bit more standardized rootsy sort of set. I took some video. My bro Wasco played next, his Scarcity improvisational experiments remain intense. Here’s his entire set, split in two for YouTube. Part 1, Part 2.
Andrew Klimek was next, and he did things with balloons and guitars that are likely illegal in several countries. Chiara Giovando and Daniel Higgs were last, and hopefully enough donations were given to help them on their way to Pittsburgh. The duo was mindblowing. I would have taken video but my camera wasn’t up to recording in the dim light. Banjo, violin, a capella, mouth harp and what I think was a spring drum gave a world-folk vibe to their set, but this retro-hippie-ness was distinctly juxtaposed with lyrics that showed a definite punk edge. It ended up being more mature than both, an affirmation of love in contest with worldly experienced cynicsim.
There were cameras [including mine] all over this show. Sometimes I wonder if people are more interested in imitating Lou Muenz [including me] than watching the show.
I hitched a ride over to Duck Island to see Seers and made it home close to 2, I think. I saw just about every person that I care to see in the Cleveland music scene last night. We’re all anxious to get out and be some rock, I think. Maybe I’m just projecting.