Thirty years of making music

[wombat_socho]

"You know, thirty years is a long time for a band that never had any kind of commercial success." - Jason Ringenberg

Well, if you're making quirky, quality music that attracts a band of loyal followers, why not keep going? Jason & The Scorchers have always occupied a weird place in the music business, which was not always as open to innovation and uniqueness as it is these days, and it's unfortunate that so much of their back catalog is out of print and tied up in copyright/IP arguments. Until that gets sorted out, though, we have the live shows and the recent CD Halcyon Times, which may be the best thing they've done since Lost & Found (now out as EMI Years) and Still Standing got a couple of singles onto the charts back in the 1980s. Anyway, they were playing the Iota in Arlington again, unfortunately this time without bass player Al Collins' wife Stacie (Sometimes Ya Gotta) and as usual I got up there around 5 PM, partially to make sure I got in and also to make sure I had a seat. My legs are better, but there's just no damn way I can manage standing for three hours...and then through the concert. ~uguu~

The Iota has changed some since the last time I was there for a Scorchers concert. They have a coffee bar now, and wifi (why oh why didn't I bring the DeathPad?) and a nice little coffeehouse section where you can hang out and pretend you're at Starbucks, only the food is better & cheaper and the music is TONS better. Anyway, since I got there at 1700, I nailed down the sole barstool at the bar in back of the sound board and held it against all comers until the concert was finally over at 2330. The Scorchers did a three-song encore, ending with their awesome cover of "Absolutely Sweet Marie", one of their best songs ever. Great show, with everybody leaving everything they had on stage at the end of the night. I got a few pictures with the Pixi which I'll post this weekend; unfortunately it was too dark to get a pic of the gals dancing on the bench against the south wall of the room. Oh, well.

Overheard:
Al Collins: "So you oughta get a hundred friends together and book her (Stacie) in here.
Fan: "I'd need to get some more friends...most of the ones I have like electronic music anyway."
Al: *stares* "You need new friends."

Fan: "SHOTGUN BLUES!"
Jason Ringenberg (on stage): "Friend, after thirty years, we like to pick our own songs."

Meanwhile, back in the real world, I'm still arguing with Financial Aid about my student loans, and tax season has started. I put in a few hours working on ordering business cards & stuff, and actually did a nice-sized tax return. A good start to the season.

In the meantime, while I'm tempted to motor off to PRSFS, I'm still pretty tired from being up until the wee hours of this morning, and I think I'm going to start enjoying my weekend by sleeping through the beginning of it.