Moravian Spice

All right, so it's been nearly a week since I've been out busking, and I've been much more agitated about this than I thought. Performing is addictive. So addictive in fact, that once I started playing tonight, I effectively missed the improv comedy show my friends Jason Grossman and Christian Capozzoli were in! Alas. These guys are hysterical, by the way. There are some links to their respective websites yonder to the right. They're in two troupes: The Academy and El Partido, and they perform at the Magnet theater in Chelsea. Anyhow, I'm pissed I missed their show....but it was so gratifying to busk.

I added a sign on my case that mentions this site and my myspace page. I was shocked at how many people seemed appalled by this. A lot of passersby squinted at the sign, then at me, then at the sign, then at the lump of confusion clotting up their neurological pathways, then kept walking. Weird. But I also had some very friendly onlookers tonight. Some little kids (3 or 4 years old?) were really mesmerized by my guitar, and I let them come over and strum it for a while. Way too cute. The little boy ran around me in circles while I played, but his sister stayed further away, a bit chagrined. Later, a couple listened to my songs for a really long time, arm in arm. Something about having that sign on my case....it made me want to do all original stuff. I barely played any covers tonight, and that was all at the beginning. Consequently, I was a bit rusty on some of the original material I busted out, but it felt really good. Anyway, the couple was very nice, and another guy told me, "Never put that thing down!" I hope he was referring to my guitar...They were all very nice, and I was really glad I'd made it out tonight.

I've been listening to Laura Veirs nonstop since I saw her open for Colin Meloy on Thursday. I wasn't familiar with her stuff at all, but I seriously think it's changed me. My writing has lately been so much more...I dunno...liberated, free-spirited, and relaxed than normal. Her new CD, "Year of Meteors," is absolutely gorgeous. I guess that the best category for her music is folk/singer-songwriter, but both of those terms are pretty vague, and often misused. Just go pick it up.