Weekend Report

Some people don't like it when some people are being really earnest and heartfelt, and that's too bad. I always like earnestness. Some people think it demands too much from an audience, which is probably true, but on the other hand if the audience doesn't like it they can ignore it, hopefully, unless it's a band that's too loud. I was at a party in a backyard and someone played The Gossip from the upstairs window and this guy said something to me like, "Whew, what presumptuous music, it's taking over" because I think he did not like it but he could not tune it out. (This is a guy who said "Seven" over and over with a contact microphone in his mouth while chewing paper and said it was a poem.)

Yesterday afternoon I saw Zomes play at the Christmeastermass Party, it was three sort-of keyboardists playing hook-heavy but simple loop music and it was really inviting, earnest, and expansive. I don't normally experience music that way. After the show I felt an even buzz, still entranced.

Chris Toll read poems at the show, one of the poems begins: "Is the bear in the woods a Catholic?" I think I referenced this line earlier but it's such a good one that I'll probably say it again some other time, too. Another one of his poems, a new one, is actually a poem he discovered by Emily Dickenson. It was written in 2002 by Emily, when she was time traveling with EA Poe. She discovered her collected works at Normals Books and scribbled the poem into the collection. A year later, in 2003, Chris bought the book and discovered the new poem. This is the sort of thing that makes grad school history. This launches careers! This is huge. It is an exciting day for poetry. ED's poem rhymes.

The release party for Rupert Wondolowski and Red Sammy went really well. RW has a big draw, so there were lots of people. Lots of people bought his book. RW read well and people clapped. Red Sammy sounded good. They are really tight. They really are very tight. They have a record deal now. Congrats to Red Sammy on their CD. Also, Sweatpants got to play at the show and I had the time of my life. I felt a tremendous release. People danced and smiled. I felt very earnest. A six pack of beer appeared on the stage. I was sweaty. I kept jumping even though everytime I jumped I messed up. I was really grateful for everyone who came to the show and smiled. The audience started at the front of the stage and then slowly moved back several feet. I would have liked to have had more of the beer.

I'm writing poems today, I hope.