Cups of Tea
I always feel physically and emotionally hungover the day after a gig, because I can never get to sleep immediately after, and because there are so many feelings involved – wanting to perform well, hoping people will listen, and reliving the emotions you were experiencing when you wrote the song in the first place. It almost feels like I went through some kind of intense emotional drama. Was I cool and collected or did I let too much show?
Its odd because I enjoyed myself so much. Last night’s gig was satisfying on many levels – I got to see a great band, they served tea, I didn’t have to stay up too late, and it wasn’t too loud ( you can hear the nuances of music so much better if it isn’t hammering you over the head). The only downside for me was that I still feel a bit like I’m trying to harness the sound of my guitar. It’s not the way I hear it yet, and my ham-fisted bass-playing fingers keep hammering too hard down on those tiny strings. When I talk about these things to friends, everyone is quick to reassure me, which is not what I’m after – I’m just sayin’. I’ll work it out. It’s ok, though, because did I mention they had tea?
The best part of the evening was Buffaloswans (also self-professed tea addicts), who I mentioned already being a fan on in my last post, based on the excellent songs on their myspace page. I hadn’t seen them live. We (the members of Onward Voyageur) stood around trying to describe that elusive thing that sets some bands apart from others that the Swans have in spades. You can call it groove because that’s what it is, a group of people all making something beautiful at the same time (and when it’s good, its so good) but that word doesn’t capture for me the sheer soulfulness of it all. The Buffaloswans are that if anything, soulful. Its honest and meaningful and sincere. You recognize it instantly because you know its speaking to you on some intimate level, its music conjuring up what you thought were your own dark secrets, and you’re always a little surprised and relieved that its just part of the human condition. That’s why you connect to it, because we’re all a part of it, and that’s what I felt when I listened to their music. Lovely melodies, harmonies, guitar lines.
Oh yeah, I’m pretty sure at some point in the show we (or I should say I) spent an inordinate amount of time talking about things that only the other members of the band were interested in. Some nights are like that.
Written by: annie
