What do you mean NEXT Monday?

Have you ever done something so dumb, that after the fact, you can't picture yourself riding in any vehicle other than a short-bus? I'm guessing no, but in a recent display of Sherman Klump-esque mindlessness, I have managed to conclude above all else that this whole "you're killing your brain cells!" thing might not be just an old soror's tale. I now feel like "Pinky" to everyone else's "Brain."

Let's set the scene:

I go to a medium sized school in the Southeast, and it's in a town of 10,000, so needless to say, music isn't exactly a cash crop around here. Music is within reach, it's about 2 hours to Asheville, Charlotte, and Atlanta (you do the triangulation) but it's a pain in the ass, especially when your only mode of transportation is a 15-speed. Luckily I have a roommate who has good taste in music and isn't afraid to drop some change on a good show.

One of my favorite bands (if not my favorite), Dr. Dog, was going to be playing at the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC and I was determined to get to see them for the first time as the headlining act. I first was introduced to them when they opened for The Black Keys at the Rave in Milwaukee back in November '06, and then I saw them play about a 50 minute set at Lollapalooza in August '08. Anyways, I had my eye on this show for a long time, and I could not wait to go.

Monday, September 21st finally came around, and it I was not prepared for this concert. My first paper of grad school was due on the 22nd at 11am, and I had hardly done any of it. It had been pouring for honestly like the past 382 hours, and there was flooding all over the region. Let's just say, if it wasn't my boys from Philly playing at the Orange Peel, I would be tucked into a cozy computer lab, getting intimate with Microsoft Word. No, thank you.

I convinced my roommate to escort me to Asheville if I paid for his ticket, as a resounding "word up" sealed the deal. We hit the road around 6 and headed North through the mountains as the pounding rain from the lingering remnants of a hurricane made me feel like it might've been better to hitch a ride with Noah. We eventually rolled into town, stopping at a Whole Foods on the outskirts of town to commandeer some local microbrew and do some hippie-watching. We landed a parking spot about 4 blocks from the venue and sprinted through the standing and falling water to the box office about half an hour after doors opened.

"Could I get two tickets for Dr. Dog, please? Thanks."

[This is the point in the story where I shit my pants, and I realize that I must have accidentally acquired an extra 21st chromosome in my drunken stupor the previous weekend]

"Ummmm, Dr. Dog isn't playing tonight," says the guy at the box office... (turns around and stares at a calendar)... "Yeah, they're, uh, playin' here next Monday night." My face flushed and I turned around and thought for a second. Am I really this dumb? Clearly the answer is yes. "Don't worry, man, you still get to see a bombass rock show!" An impressive amount of compassion from a dude who spends his job in solitary confinement, but I wasn't consoled.

"So who's playing tonight, then?"

"Yo La Tengo, they're really good!" He slid my receipt back for me to sign.

"Yeah, I know who they are," I mumbled. "But I wish ... ah, nevermind. Have a good night, man." I wandered off to my roommate who was having a cig by the telephone pole (ya know, that one telephone pole with all the concert posters on it?). I explained the situation and apologized to him for what happened, but he was cool with it.

"Don't apologize to me, it's your concert, dawg, I don't give a fuck," he chuckled.

We shrugged it off over a few beers and some mozz sticks at a local taproom, then headed back to see Yo La Tengo. I had heard some of their stuff before but didn't own any albums or know any lyrics really. One thing that I did know is that they have a really positive and widespread reputation, and I expected exceptional musicianship. These guys definitely delivered. They opened with some relatively upbeat stuff and worked the crowd into a good lather. The middle part of their show was relatively mellow, with a lot of acoustic work and well harmonized lyrics. They finished with some good hard driving rock, recaptured the crowd, and finished really strong. The encore consisted of two incredible songs (again, sorry I don't know song names, didn't plan on seeing these guys) and they brought the house down at the Orange Peel. Overall, I got what I expected from Yo La Tengo. Not really a sing-along type band, they kept the crowd happy with frequent small talk with the crowd between songs. The musicianship, especially the guitar work, was top-of-the-line, and they definitely showed the savvy that comes with a band of their experience.

True, I didn't get to see Dr. Dog (and no, I didn't go back the following Monday to see them), but it all worked out in the end. I saw a great show, had fun, and even had enough time to finish my paper in time for 11am. I love music.

Sincerely,

La Barba Peligrosa