Have you ever written off something that just wasn't going to happen -- decided to not even speculate about the possibility of it, because the odds were too low?
I never thought about seeing the dB's live. Because they'd broken up four years before I ever listened to their music. And because they were already mythical by that time...I got into them because I really liked the Connells, who were the best band from Raleigh, NC, my hometown. And people kept saying that if I liked these guys, I really should check out the dB's. I'd heard the name around -- among other things, they were name-checked by They Might Be Giants on Flood -- but it took me a while to discover their music. I heard a few songs here and there while I was in high school, but after I got to college I made ample use of my college radio station's library and taping facilities, and damn near wore out my homemade tapes of the first three dB's albums.
And then last night, I got to see them live. A while back, I read about the shows on krimur's site and dove for the mouse to order tickets. And the show was everything I'd hoped for. They were amazingly good, despite monitor problems -- the dB's? Gear problems? who'da thunk? -- at one point, Chris Stamey asked for a break because Peter Holsapple couldn't hear himself, but they forged on. Some of the harmonies were a bit out of tune as a result, but the show gave me a perma-grin that still hasn't gone away. I mean, I never thought I'd ever hear "Amplifier" live. Or "Big Brown Eyes." "Ask For Jill." "Lonely Is (As Lonely Does)." And they all sounded great.
Here's a pretty good review of the show, complete with setlist.
And as that review points out, Peter Holsapple and new bassist Jeff Beninato are New Orleans musicians, made homeless (temporarily, hopefully) by Hurricane Katrina. Chris Stamey announced from the stage that they have set up the New Orleans Music Relief Fund, and if you donate at the previous link, you'll get an MP3 of the dB's covering "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted."
Other fun stuff: Walter "Mr. Bill" Williams' original video for "Amplifier", rejected by MTV, and animator Emily Hubley's (sister of Georgia from Yo La Tengo) video for "Big Brown Eyes."
Wow. I haven't seen the dBs since 1987 or so. Glad to hear they still put on a great show.
Posted by: czeltic girl | September 21, 2005 at 02:13 PM
You saw them in '87? I'm so jealous...
Posted by: Vidiot | September 21, 2005 at 02:57 PM
They were opening for R.E.M. at UIC in Chicago, if I remember correctly. Think I saw them 2 other times, but other than the show at the club where I worked, I can't remember where. Saw a lot of shows back then. They blur together sometimes.
Posted by: czeltic girl | September 23, 2005 at 06:34 PM