Balcony Luck

["Nathan Swartzendruber" <thefishpatrol@hotmail.com>]

Adding to the chorus of "Great show last night." K&L looked like they were 
having a good old time. Not the very tightest performance I've seen. A bit 
of beating back and forth on rhythms between piano and guitar, though it's a 
major task to coordinate lead licks on both at once. But then I couldn't 
hear all the pieces quite so well. Amazing the difference in sound between 
the Taft and the teensy venues where I usually see them. Quite a different 
experience.

I did (obviously) manage to get a last-minute ticket (thanks AngryJohnny), a 
seat at the front of the first balcony. I was walking up the lobby steps and 
saw Devon leaning against the pillar at the top, checking things out. I've 
got the record from his band, The Pieces (as should you, great Garage Pop), 
and I guess had glanced at his picture enough to spot him. So we chatted for 
a few minutes.

Devon's a real cool guy, very relaxed. He said he didn't quite know how big 
tonight was going to be, though he knew a bigger show was coming up. He'd 
asked Linford that morning, Linford said oh yeah, that's today. So he was 
out there for a look. Quite different experience for him (vis-a-vis K&L), 
since Cincinnati's not his home, and the Taft is not his usual venue. He was 
real impressed with the crowds who show up to see OtR: they come and just 
listen, cheer at the right places. He said sometimes Karin wants a Rock 
crowd, but that's who Devon usually plays for, and he doesn't mind the 
change.

Besides watching the crowd, he was looking out for one of his bandmates from 
The Pieces, Heidi, who was driving down for the show. When she showed up, he 
practically bounced down to her to say hello, obviously real excited. So 
that was cool, I was rooting for D all night. He was solid, but played 
polite and straight most of the night. There's hardly any room for him to 
move in (what with the 100% rule and all).

That is, until Jack's Valentine (encore #1). Linford opened, as always, 
though D jumped right in with a good hold beat. Matt held a pretty 
understated riff on electric guitar, Karin lilting around on top. (I still 
remember my first OtR show, hearing everyone chant along with Linford and 
thinking, who is this band?) I'm used to the Linford/Jack crash about, but 
tonight L was nodding at the drums, and off Devon went, from break beats to 
the full-tilt plow. Worth the ticket price right there, IMHO.

Fun night. Not as many familiar faces as I'd hoped, but it's always that 
way. I'd parked down at 3rd and Main on the street, decided to call it a 
night then. Went home and hooked up the old electric blanket. Not bad, 
overall. Not bad.

Nathan


/ high above the city / through the ceiling of the stars / <like a 
SatelliteRoad.com>

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