Wrapping it up

I've been wanting to talk to you, sweet blogger, for way too long.

It appears that many have fallen--behind and out.
Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, and John McCain. All else seems beyond repair.

As most of you know, I'm not a Republican, so I'm really left with two possibilities. I was (eek) pleasantly surprised to see that McCain came out ahead on Super Tuesday. Let me go ahead and explain myself in as few words as possible: a minor baby-step away from the Christian Right; waterboarding is torture; he won't win over many hearts because he's dull as all hell?

I'm happy to say that there is a tough choice ahead for the Democratic Party. We have two good candidates, for two different reasons. A co-worker pointed out that if Clinton wins the election, we will have 22 years (minimum) of Bush or Clinton. A good argument for "real change"?

I didn't vote on Super Tuesday, but in the end my vote would have been cast for Obama. I like Clinton's healthcare policy better and I wish Obama would discuss policy a bit more, but in the end, he won me over. His campaign slogan sells, and he makes us all believe again. That's something that the world needs. We all need to believe that America can and will change. We need it more than Gore needs fresh air and better weather.

Perhaps when there is a candidate, I'll get more hyped up. In the meantime, I'm listening intently. We have a chance again. We might be heard.

Cat Power: Terminal 5

I'd been anticipating this night for so long; it came and went not nearly quick enough.

Chan played with the Dirty Delta Blues Band in the middle-of-nowhere space, Terminal 5. I purchased Jukebox immediately upon release and was excited to see her announcement for a show at Terminal 5. This was my first visit to this converted dance club, and I was pleasantly surprised upon entering the venue. The lighting was sweet and the bars were plentiful; the second floor had a nice atmosphere with couches galore. We entered the venue at 7:45pm, with our 7:00pm tickets.

After a long wait, the show began with Appaloosa, a man with a laptop and a french girl in short shorts. We sat on the couches and listened to the trip-hop beats, while waiting anxiously for Cat Power to come on stage. When Appaloosa left the stage, there was little applaud and more waiting. I don't know how long it took for Cat Power to come on stage, but it sure wasn't quick.

Theo and I pushed our way close to the stage, waiting patiently for Chan's arrival, while being pushed left and right by a nasty New York crowd. We had the pleasure of listening to an indi-rock couple behind us argue insensibly. At one point she said, "I just want Cat Power to come on stage." I turned around and said, "Don't we all." She must have shot darts out of her eyes, so I turned around and pretended that I didn't try to stir the pot.

Cat Power began her set with "New York, New York", and this was the most exciting moment of the evening. The crowd did not do, as crowds almost always do, any moving or shifting once she got on stage. There was no energy and even being as close as we were, her words were muted. I tried to dance a bit, move around, but it felt wrong with all of the statues around me.

Now, I had heard all the buzz about Terminal 5 having terrible sound, but I thought that they were just referring to the odd space having little acoustic value. Unfortunately, the ear-crushing feedback came almost immediately. Theo and I decided it was high time to have a cigarette break only three songs into her set. After the break, we went upstairs to a couch, hoping for better sound and more space, and it happened!

We got a nice spot on a couch, near another couple who were plenty nice. There was no view from here, but we had comfy seats and the sound improved ten-fold. You could hear her voice, and while the feedback was still terrible, it mattered less on the couch. Chan took opportunity after opportunity to complain about the spot lights (which were killing us upstairs) to the sound (which killed the crowd). At one point she said, "We're almost done," giving the crowd a sense of relief.

But, with all said and done, I stood up and found a space on the balcony. Chan's sensual voice, and the Delta Dirty Blues Band's music, gave me an experience not to forget. She has talent that is unquestionable, even cleaned up and pretty.

I'd definitely want to see Chan again, but at a smaller and more intimate venue that allows for a more energetic audience. She marched on, despite the feedback, lighting, and terrible acoustics.

So now I have two $100.00 presale Beastie Boy tickets for March 4th at Terminal 5, hosted by Moby. I had no idea that Terminal 5 would be so terrible. The reviews don't do it justice. Look back here for more news, as these might be up for grabs!

[pictures taken from my iPhone]