Doors @ 7, Show @ 8. No problem. I head out the door and arrive at the venue about ten to eight. Walking a couple blocks to the club (nightmare Southside parking) I notice Mark on the sidewalk on his phone. I linger for about a minute till he’s done and I guess he notices the CD’s in my hand. He immediately does a 45 degree angle and walks into the middle of the street. Undeterred, I ‘catch’ him and ask for an autograph. Before he has time to fully make an excuse (“Well, I am supposed to be meeting someone…”) he agrees. I am struck how his speaking voice mirrors his plaintive singing tone. He scribbles an ‘MK’ on the Red House Painters Retrospective cover and doesn’t even bother with the ‘K’ on the Ghosts Of The Great Highway disc. Sorry to bother you bro’. Next time I’ll save the energy/money and just download your music.
So I walk around to the entrance and find out that the opener Kevin Finn was already over and since I was on the fence about the show anyway, I bailed. I didn’t go not because he was sort of a tool (which he kinda was) but because Diesel is THE most fan unfriendly venue in the city. Add to that that I’m hurting for funds and $20 bucks to be put to sleep wasn’t sitting right with me at the moment. Maybe next time…if he’s playing a free show. Maybe I’m being too harsh? It was probably a great show. If you were there leave a comment.
