Mister and I went to a couple of concerts this week. The first was a lot of bang for the buck. The first dude up was Boothby Graffoe…
He was a very talented guitarist with a deep, resonant voice. But one didn’t notice those things so much, as the dude was funny. Between songs he was funny. During songs he was funny. His set was short, and I’m not sure a lot of folks knew what to think of him. But I knew what to think. I thought I should laugh. And so I did.
Between acts, I chatted with the teenagers next to us. Those girls were wondering why the side seats in the back were camouflaged by a fabric cover. I said that I’d heard it was because the Greek tries to disguise unsold seats, so when the artists look out, they see only fans and greenery. We talked a bit more, then came my dudes: Guster…
I love Guster. I’ve loved them for quite a few years and I was super-psyched to see them. And y’all, they were awesome. At some point, Ryan Miller pointed out the camouflaged seats, saying that he appreciated the Greek’s efforts to hide unsold seats, and even called out the one lonely tree placed between rows. It was an expletive-laden stream of gratitude, and I laughed so much I nearly gave myself the hiccups. I really do love this band. If I could be a Guster-Luster and follow them around the country, I would. Alas, I have a life. (By the way, I don’t know what devoted fans of Guster call themselves. I made up Guster-Luster because it sounds right. Don’t judge, y’all.)
Next up was Ben Folds Five…
These 3 guys make a lot of gifted noise, and their brand of geek rock is appealing. Especially to geeks. There were a lot of geeks in attendance. Did I mention that? And for the record, the bassist – Robert Sledge – was the most enthusiastic bass player I’ve ever seen. I would see these guys again just to watch him. That’s saying something.
Then the main event: Barenaked Ladies…
I’ve been a BNL fan for eons, but this was my first time seeing them live. They did not disappoint. (Why are Canadian musicians so danged good? Seriously.) All members of this band are super-talented and they somehow manage to combine their skill with comedy. I had the biggest grin on my face for most of their show, and they just kept bringing it. They deserve every accolade they’ve received. Truly.
It was a great night at the Greek. It’s one of my fave concert venues in L.A. I’m so glad this particular night offered such fantastic music and fun. Can’t beat that with a stick, y’all.