Can You Hear Me Now?

This entry is rated PG for language. Maybe even R. I’m going to swear a bit because I had an abso-fuckin’-lutely amazing night!!

With my camera and a tin of my infamous homemade shortbread in tow, I arrived at the Liberty Lounge last night to see LINDY!! I was early, so I grabbed a table front and centre (as usual) and got settled. Shortly after, a couple arrived and as they got closer, I heard the man say “hey, it’s the wild woman!” referring to me. I realized it was the guy (Jay) I met back in August at Jim Bryson’s show; tonight he was with his wife (and we exchanged numbers this time, because we love going to see live music and obviously have similar taste!) He was there to see Serena Ryder and had never seen Lindy, and for me it was vice versa. We talked about the fact that Jim Bryson was also nearby, performing at a house concert in Cochrane, the same house I saw Arlene Bishop at a few months ago. It was unfortunate for me that Jim was here the same night as Lindy, I would have loved to see him in an intimate setting like that. But I won’t pass up Lindy for anyone! (Thank God The Polyjesters are tonight and not last night, I would have exploded).

Anyway. Soon Michelle joined me, we got drinks and popcorn and were all set. Lindy was supposed to start at 9:30 but 9:30 had come and gone. He finally arrived and sat with his cousins and their friends for a bit, so I “let” him do that without attacking quite yet. Heh. He looked around and saw me and then immediately came over and gave me a big hug and kiss and we chatted. He said “I am so excited to be playing for you tonight!” Yup, for ME. Never mind the other people there, he was playing for me! He said they’re so tired, they have been getting up early, driving all day, playing all night. (This morning they had to leave at 6:30 a.m. to be in Regina for an in-store this afternoon). Yikes. “Well, we are on in 5 minutes, so I am going to go downstairs and snort a shitload of cocaine now”. Hee! I presented him with the tin of shortbread (”Merry Christmas”) which he was happy to accept.

Lindy took to the stage and proceeded to win over the Serena fans that were there. AND when he played “Beautifully Undone” he said “this is for you, Donna”. Yaaaaaaaaaay! My favourite song, and one I always hear him dedicate to special people, so how thrilled was I to be on the receiving end of that this time! As it was when I saw him in Toronto, it was just him and his gorgeous Sally (on bass and vocals) up there, and it was perfect.

His set ended and I looked over to Jay and said “so, he’s good, huh?” and he said “uh… You THINK??” Jay and his wife became instant fans last night and left with a CD.

There wasn’t much of a break before this petite dark haired woman quietly and unassumingly took to the stage. She was hardly noticed up there, most people were still talking amongst themselves and didn’t realize anyone was even up there. Until she opened her mouth. (And this is where the swearing really begins). HOLY FUCKING SHIT. She belted out a totally accupella version of her song “Melancholy Blue” as we all watched with our mouths hung open in complete and utter amazement. She sang no less than 3 accupella songs last night, including a mind-blowing rendition of “At Last”. What a powerhouse. I have never been moved to tears by a live performance before, but I have never seen or heard anyone or anything quite like Serena Ryder before. She was fucking awesome. Amazing. Sally sat with us for most of her show and being very familiar with Serena’s set, she would warn me when certain moments were coming up and needed to comfort me afterwards LOL I was shaking and had shivers in parts of my body I didn’t even know existed. I looked at Sally and said “I am going to cry”. Holy shit. Never, ever have I experienced anything like that!!

Please, please, please, go to Serena’s site and once in, click on the guitar for the discography and listen to “Melancholy Blue” from her “Live” EP. Turn up your volume and imagine being RIGHT in front of her, without any mandolin as is on that recording. Just her voice. Holy shit. Ohmigod. Unfuckingbelievable, she is. Oh, and it was during “Hiding Place” that the tears welled up in my eyes… and lucky you, you can hear that one there too. I’ve got shivers again just thinking about it. And if you want to play around on her site for a bit and can find her electronic press kit, you’re in for a real treat! How cool is it, that she has a single/video on her site called “Just Another Day” and that is what I called my last entry. Yes, it was an omen, not just my inability to come up with an original title.

I just found out she’s only 21. OMG.

So after that totally unexpected treat (I figured she’d be good, but really, had no clue) I decided to head to the merchandise table to see what I could buy. As Michelle and I were heading over there, I noticed that Jim Bryson was standing nearby. As I approached him he saw me and said “I was just saying, I’m surprised Donna wasn’t there tonight, since she set it up for me!” (I had given him the name and number of the house concert host, I just wish it had been a different night!!). He said there was a full house at his show, so that’s good.

So over to the merch table to buy some stuff! Michelle and I both picked up Serena CDs and I got her T-shirt. Sally introduced me to Serena as “your new biggest fan!” and I got my CD signed and a picture, because that is what I do. I will be buying “Unlikely Emergency” very soon, I didn’t bring enough cash with me. I wanted to buy some treats for Emma who is going to FLIP when she sees what Lindy wrote on her CD. (No, Em, I am not going to tell you!!)

Picture taking with Sally and Lindy followed. Sally commented on my shortbread and how she ate 3 before going on stage and how good they were. Then she went and got the tin and proceeded to pop about 10 in her mouth one after the other LOL Gee, I hope Lindy gets at least one! Ha ha Michelle was heading out, so I got a couple pictures of her with Serena and Lindy before she left. Thanks for coming Michelle and thanks for the beer!

Around 12:30 Lindy grabbed his guitar and said “I’m going to go play out here” and wandered into the food court (the Liberty Lounge is in the student?s centre at Mount Royal College, the same floor as the food court area). There was actually a stage in the middle, and Lindy sat on the edge with Sally while about 10 of us pulled chairs up REALLY close and he played a few songs. Including “Beautifully Undone” (sighhhh) and “Hockey Night in East L.A.” which is an insanely funny, original, provoking song he usually rips into at the end of his set, but not tonight. So it was really cool to hear it this way (and to be sitting so close he could have hit me in the head with his guitar if I had not backed up a bit; he gets QUITE animated when playing that one!)

And then, after more hugs, kisses and “I love you” ’s, I called my cab and left.

I LOVE HIM!!

Tonight is The Polyjesters, starting with dinner with the boys around 6-ish. Could I have planned a better weekend for myself??? No, no, I don’t believe I could. As I keep telling myself, I am so flippin’ lucky and my life ROCKS!!! Wheeeeee!!!!!!