Tonight I went to see Paul Burch and the WPA Ball Club – run, do not walk, if they ever appear near you – at Family Wash. If you’re new to the weblog, here’s a brief tutorial:
I love Paul Burch and the WPA Ball Club.
I love Family Wash.
As so often happens, I was mere minutes from scuttling my plan to see live music. There are so many reasons NOT to go out on a “school night.” Yet, perhaps because I have been wrestling with the possibility that I will leave Nashville, I have resolved to pass up no opportunity to see live music I really love.
(Unless I have an early meeting the next morning.
Or I’m really, really tired.)
All this is to say, fortitude is rewarded. No sooner had I arrived at Family Wash than I was greeted by Claire, a waitress there who is a buddy of mine. “Where have you been?” she said. “We haven’t seen you in a while.”
'Tis true. And that made me feel so welcome and not freakish about going to shows by myself. I set up position behind the espresso machine and not one song had elapsed when I knew I had made the right decision.
Paul Burch’s music is so gorgeous and melancholy, I can’t even write about it here without gushing. Just buy the album “Blue Notes,” and listen to the song “Isolde” over and over and over, and you’ll see what I mean.
Imagine standing in a room where everyone is in the same groove and listening with admiration as that song is played. Imagine Rosie Flores coming up on one side of you to order a beverage and Smiling Jay McDowell (formerly of BR549) talking with someone on the other side of you.
Fats Kaplin and the Tone Chaperone were sitting in with the band, both nice surprises. But you couldn’t walk two feet without running into a great musician -- in the audience!
Kristi Rose, whom I adore, talked with me for a while. Richard Bennett was there. The drummer from the Mavericks was talking to some guy whom I should know (can't place him -- I’m racking my brain to no avail). The wait staff were comparing notes about their own music, and people were talking about recording deals.
I just like standing in the back, by the espresso machine, and watching it all. And hearing "Isolde."
In the cool of the night, sunroof open, no music in the car, I drove home through East Nashville and heard music pouring out of other clubs. I drove through the Five Points, past the homeless people under the expressway, over the Woodland Street Bridge and back to the lights of downtown.
If I have failed to make this point, let me be clear: I love, love, love living in this town.
Nice to see another indication that my old neighborhood really is becoming livable again. I grew up a few blocks from Stratford High School and had been hearing from some of the Nashville folks I work with that things were looking up around there.
Standing in the back - that's the ex-club owners' spot. Every club I've ever been in, if I recognize someone that used to own a club, that's where I'll find 'em.
Posted by: Tony Plutonium | August 13, 2004 at 22:19
Hey sis, we're havin' a great time at the Family Reunion. Wish you were here. In between activities here, I flipped on the Olympics and thought I'd check out your site...nicely updated, too! Later, Bro
Posted by: Your Bro | August 14, 2004 at 22:06