| The show at the University of Washington was far more pleasant than we'd expected. I don't know why, but I think we all were looking forward to playing a sort of difficult-listening set to about ten fans who happened to wander in because they thought "karp" meant they'd get free fish & chips. Instead, there were about a million karp (the band) fans in attendance, and at least a few of them liked us, too. At any rate, the room was full of attentive kids who sat, or slept, I'm not sure which, on the floor all through our set. We were pleased. And playing the songs was fun. We'd practiced not at all for this show, which isn't so unusual but because it was this bizarre "acoustic" deal we didn't really have a clue what it was going to be like. We played "It's Too Bad," and it wasn't until we started into the song that I realized I hadn't even listened to it, much less played it, in at least six months. It was terrifying, but everything went well.
It was also a debut of sorts for a couple of things. I sang on the song "Empty Elevator Shaft," well I share the singing with Tim, which was scary and gratifying. And we played "Goodnight Mr. Maugham," which we've never even come close to playing before. That was gratifying, too. It's always pleasing when you expect so little and actally end up having a good time. It was a fine evening. Not to go on and on, but since we got to the show early, we got to walk around and go get some food in the University District. It was just like we were on tour. I'd just eaten a big meal, and I wasn't interested in eating any more, so I was happy to get a chocolate milkshake and walk up and down junky-strewn University Way. And I was reminded of a trip I took with a friend out to the Gorge to see Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison. We were at the show, which took place in this huge natural amphitheatre, and as the music onstage wasn't totally captivating, we walked around. And we walked slowly. And I mentioned to my friend how I never find myself walking slowly, I've always got some plan or another and so I tend to walk quickly. It was sort of pleasant, walking that way. So I was reminded of this while I walked along the University Way with absolutely nothing to do but pass time until the show started. And I thought, well, waiting around isn't so bad. And then I went into "Wizards of the Coast," where all the kids play wierd computer games and role-playing games. Boy, the kids on the campus are alot sexier than the kids in that place. So I went back to the campus. |
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