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June 23, 2006

Watery Graves at the Artistery 6/22

Real quick before I go stand outside in the sun and soak in happiness: Watery Graves last night at the Artistery was an essay in “good.” Good band that plays in the middle of the room because they know the kids would rather have them close than On High. Good pianist that plunks his keys with verve and with passion but knows when to drop back and let us feel the room and the space between sound. Good drummer that plays with his fingers as drumsticks when no one can find brushes. (And, doubly, switches to said brushes when they emerge from the audience.) Good audience, too, who sit quiet and cuddle each other or sprawl out on the floor and smile throughout, no posturing or coke haggard gaunt-faced hipsterism.

Good… what else? Good VENUE for throwing real shows for real humans and making us feel thankful to (and for) them.

Good is a word that’s lost a lot of its meaning and hitting power; it’s an old, punch-scarred, heavyweight champ that now sits in the back of the Hi-Dee-Ho Bar and Lounge in Lawrence, KS, dull-eyed over a sweating glass of whiskey, and is ignored. And it’s a fine word that should mean something stronger than the more hyperbolic “greats” or “awesomes” or “perfects,” a word Hemingway used to mean “safe,” “sublime,” satisfied,” “centered,” among many other expressions of The Right On. A biblical word. An ancient word. A word farmers use for soil quality and old cowboy rancher men like my Grandfather say to describe waking up alive once again.

Watery Graves at the Artistery. Sitting on the floor watching piano, drums, sax music. Five bucks for touring bands. Warmth and white Christmas lights. These are all good things. Now, sun.

Posted by Adam Gnade at June 23, 2006 11:49 AM

Comments

Posted by: brine at June 23, 2006 10:13 PM