That's what I get for not living there.

Oh, I know. And it's more than I know about SF nightclubs. I was just in a nitpicky mood.

Javacat, Gandalfe: CDs will go in the mail shortly.

I'm weird with live shows: I like to hear stuff I know. Although lately I've been seeing bands I'm unfamiliar with, so I can't expect that. The exception is the bands I love, like U2 and REM, in which I love it all.

This explains my love of going to see cheesy cover bands.

Live music is mother's milk to me. I like small venues because I groove on watching what musicians are doing. And ogling their instruments.

It seems to me the better or more imaginative musicians are, the more difficult it is for a recording to capture their vitality.

It seems to me the better or more imaginative musicians are, the more difficult it is for a recording to capture their vitality.

Agreed. It is also just a great way to find new music to listen to.

Speaking of, katefate - here is a Lawrence cable show you can watch in segments about Drakkar Sauna - they do several songs. I apologize in advance for the obnoxious host of the show. (You'll pry want to skip the first half of the first segment).

[link]

I second Jon on the RFTT Redux album. It's very good.

I don't know if I can write down all my favorite live shows, but I've seen some absolutely stunning live shows: Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, the Mekons (who never fail to connect with their audience, as Misha pointed out), Richard Thompson (10 or 11 times), Camper Van Beethoven, the Replacements a couple of times, Bad Brains, Southern Culture on the Skids, Whiskeytown (with the original line-up), Spoon, Man or Astro-Man? in their crazy early days, Alex Chilton, Yo La Tengo, Patti Smith, Luna, among many others, including some fantastic (and mostly unsigned) bands that most of you will never have heard, like Sweat Bee, the Tremblers, the Frydaddies, the Smears, the Irascibles, Shark Quest, and a few bands whose names I've forgotten.

Anyway, live music is a crap-shoot, sure. But for me, it's worth it to be part of the experience, even if it means staying up too late and getting a lungful of someone's else's cigarette. When the show really comes across, it's an experience like no other.

I like small venues because I groove on watching what musicians are doing. And ogling their instruments.

Yeah, I'm generally entertained by live music, even if I'd never listen to it at home, because I'm just impressed with people's talent and ability. I mean, they're MAKING MUSIC! Right there in front of me! And I love watching drummers. And bandleaders, regardless of who that is.

Thanks, tina! That reminds me - I can now go back and see the winfield thing you sent me. Yay. It was on Turnpike also, wasn't it? I couldn't get videos to run on my old PC, but I got a shiny new computer, and have downloaded quicktime.

[edited to snerk at the Blair Witchiness of tina's link]

I can now go back and see the winfield thing you sent me. Yay. It was on Turnpike also, wasn't it?

Yup it was on Turnpike too - and Drakkar Sauna was featured in it as well. And that is also when I really started getting annoyed with the host.

Besides him though, I love Turnpike - an excellent showcase of not just Lawrence's music scene - but all the great bands who are always playing here because they love the reception they get from of all the music fans here. All of the episodes feature live performances filmed here in Lawrence and interviews:

Winfield:

[link]

Split Lip Rayfield

[link]

Yo La Tengo

[link]

The New Pornographers

[link]

The Shins

[link]

Trailer Bride

[link]

I saw Trailer Bride's first show as a band. Apparently, Melissa Swingle had done a couple of solo acoustic shows previously, but I saw her with her first recruited band at the Cave opening for Shark Quest.

t still boggled that Trailer Bride has made it as far as Kansas