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postcard from Chicago
Last night I saw Monk and Vigilantes of Love at Uncommon Ground
( http://www.uncommonground.com ) in Chicago. Monk has three former
Over-the-Rhine members: Ric Hordinski on lead guitar, Brian Kelley
on drums, and Mike Georgin on bass guitar. Josh Seurkamp adds
unusual percussion instruments. Renee Frye was not at this concert.
Uncommon Ground is very near where three streets almost intersect:
It is at 1214 West Grace Street, which is an east-west street. Clark
street runs at an angle toward the northeast. Racine is the nearest
north-south street. I got to it by taking Lakeshore Drive (US Route 41)
which is a four lane highway (45 MPH). I was coming from Taste of
Chicago in Grant Park in downtown Chicago where I saw the Jay Hawks
play until 7pm. The nearest exit is Irving Park Road (SR 19), which
is 4000 block north. Each mile is 8 blocks of 100 address numbers.
The one mile streets in each direction from the base line are usually
important roads with wider streets. The half mile roads also are more
well travelled than the sidestreets, but generally less important than
the one mile streets.
There is very little parking near Uncommon Ground coffee house.
The neighborhood is full of signs saying that a special permit is
needed from 6pm to 6am. I assume that this is for the residents.
The neighborhood is mostly two and three story apartments with no
offstreet parking. After driving up and down many side streets
I went a few blocks south to near Wrigley Field on Addison, a half
mile street.
I could hear Monk playing as I approached the coffeehouse.
They have cafe seating outside. Inside is two halves separated
by a brick wall. I saw Monk playing inside the left half near
the windows so I tried to enter by the door where the band was
but it was locked. When I went in the other door Todd Kirby said
hello, that I came to the right place and pointed out how to get
to the other side of the cafe where the band was playing. Most
of the tables were full except the occasional stray seat. I walked
up to the front row of tables on the left but the left speaker was
pointed directly at my left ear. Two seats to the right was a pair
of empty seats so I took one. Only my table separated me from Ric,
who was playing intensely and intently with his eyes closed. Mike
Georgin recognized me, pointed at me and smiled widely. I was able
to stay for about three songs until the waiter very politely said
that the two seats were reserved and asked if I could move to the
left. I asked if I could stay until the couple appeared. He said
that they were already there. Instead of moving to next to the left
speaker I sat in the back on a high stool against the high counter
that separates the customers from the kitchen. Eventually I realized
that the empty seat in front of me was free, so I asked someone
at that table if I could sit there. They said it was free and they
let me sit there. I ordered a gourmet pizza (chicken sausage, pesto,
artichokes, mushrooms) and ate it while Monk played. The menu is
slightly pricey but good. When I first came in I ordered a bottomless
coffee for $3. Later I was only charged $1.50 for a single coffee
which comes with only one refill, but I had four or five refills.
The pizza was superb and appropriate for the gourmet guitar work of
Ric Hordinski and Mike Georgin. These two are an amazing combination.
I told Mike at the O EP CD release at York Street last friday that I
think of him as the bass guitar version of Ric Hordinski. In their
solo work they both work wondrous things with loops. Any oldtimer on
the list knows the synergy of Brian Kelley's drum work with Ric
Hordinski -- they are half the original Over-the-Rhine. (I apologize
Brian if I mispelled your last name). Mike was allowed a great deal
of freedom. The two experts work well together.
Early in the set Ric said that he had been informed only six
minutes earlier that there would be a bucket passed around for
donations to the band. He said that this made him very uncomfortable
and that he did not expect anyone to place anything in the bucket.
Later when the bucket was passed it went from near the sound equipment
and door in the back left along the back row of high stools (bar stools)
in the back where I was sitting at the time. I did not want to
influence the people around me to go against Ric's stated wishes to
not put money into the pail so I did not, but the people around me
added money anyway. It was an awkward moment and I am not comfortable
whether I made the correct moral choice. I would have preferred paying
a cover charge at the door. Modern life is too busy for moral choices.
I will certainly buy Monk merchandise in the future as I have in the
past so I hope that it all works out well in the end karmatically.
Think positive thoughts so that positive karma will come to you the
Tibetan monk said on his missionary journey to Old Saint George
Church in Cincinnati near the University of Cincinnati on 9 June 2000.
Thus I will not fret over my action about not paying to see Monk but
will think positive thoughts and prayers for the band so that they
have fun on their journey. The economics I will work out later by
buying Monk merchandise. I am not a Buddhist but I find much of its
teachings compatible with Christianity. The Tibetan monk will visit
Cincinnati every month in the hope of setting up a permanent community.
The Tibetan monks are especially interesting because of the novelty of
coming from Tibet. There were two movies recently about Tibet: Kundun
about the Dalai Lama, and another about a German mountain climber who
made it over the mountains to Tibet. Both movies are interesting. I
hope Tibet gains independence from the imperialist communist Chinese.
And Taiwan too. Oops, I will hold back the politics. It is very
un-Buddhist to complain.
I did not notice any looping in Monk's music. I am not a
musician so it is possible that I just missed it. I cannot remember
any Monk concert in which looping was not an important part. The crowd
seemed to like the music, judging from the amount of applause.
After Monk's set while in my seat I said hello to Mike Georgin
as he passed by. I got up to say a quick hello to Ric Hordinski. Much
later I said hello to Josh Seurkamp as he walked by (he is well known
to people to go to Blue Jordan events such as their folk festival in
the autumn: http://www.bluejordan.com ). I saw Brian Kelley at the
door several times as he listened to Vigilantes of Love. I regret not
saying hello to him. I am too introvert. He seems introvert as well.
I was able to say hello to him a week ago, which was nice. (HI BRIAN!)
Uncommon Ground is a very small venue. It has the advantage that
everyone is close to the band, but it makes you wonder how many more
people could have participated. The staff are very nice. My waiter
was also the gentleman who gave the announcements. He was very polite
and accomodating. He was easy to find if I needed a coffee refill or
to place an order. The bills for the food went out to almost everyone
at once near the end of Vigilantes of Love set. The waiter took the
money and brought back change, a few customers at a time. Becky who
works there talked with me for a while.
Vigilantes of Love were immense in a small room. Many people on
this list have seen them play with Over-the-Rhine. They are a
threesome with Bill Mallonee the writer, singer, and acoustic guitar.
They have a bass player and drummer who work well with Bill. I wish
I brought one of their CDs with me to tell you their names. Gingko
helps my memory but I still have trouble with names. Remember that
when you are old you should bring a pen and some paper to help you
along. It will happen to you all.
Bill Mallonee is full of energy. He uses fun hand expressions
to emphasize his creative lyrics and even hits his head for extra
impact just in case you did not know which lyric was more important
than another. His bandmates are driven and deliberate, the perfect
match for Bill. The bass guitar is important in his music. Bill
does not settle on one set list for several years. He constantly
adds new songs. For several songs they had a lady cello player with
long black hair. Cello was a good complement for their quiter songs.
Near the end the road manager played a mandoline for one of their
songs. There was a one song encore, followed by a second encore of a
song, then Bill said that the next song was only for practice; he told
the sound man that he better not be recording that song. I left after
the first encore, but from outside I saw them walk back inside for
their second encore into the other door by the stage so I went back to
my seat to see the second encore.
As I finally left I started to walk toward the band who were
out on the sidewalk as their backstage but they were surrounded by
several people saying how much they enjoyed them. As I turned away
Bill Mallonee said "Hi Rick". I was surprised. I should have
turned back to talk. As I said, I am too introvert. On the last
visit by Vigilantes of Love to Cincinnati a couple months ago I had
a very long conversation with Bill Mallonee and several others around
the stage as I asked for an autograph on the then latest CD -- Todd
Kirby was also there and the leader of Pike 27 who not only opened for
Vigilantes of Love but took the financial risk of bringing them to
the Cincinnati area in Newport, Kentucky just across the river in
Southgate House. First of all I was surprized that Bill would remember
one fan out of many, but to also remember my name is awesome.
A very fun evening.
--Rick C
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