Dear Elle,
What a night. On the way home from Soundlab and the Jack Rose/Peter Walker show, it was going. Very icy/snow filled roads, but I'm going about 30 on the 33-East, so no big deal. I move onto the more treachorous 198, still alright. It's at this point I realize my car is not made for snow.
I realize ahead of time that a couple of the banks on the 198 as Buff State comes into view are dangerous, to say the least. I slow down to about 25, hoping to go down further, but it didn't really matter, as when I turned my wheel right, the car kept going straight, eventually sliding sideways slightly, with the front of the car angling to the right as the car continues to slide. Like a good driver, I don't overcompensate, just praying that I don't hit the metal thing on the median. The car continued to slide while Johnny Bellar's haunting rendition of "Northern Lights" plays in the background, until I brace for the impact. Not as bad as I thought, either. Bruised left arm, even with the seatbelt on. No huge deal.
Front left hubcap missing, and I think I may need to change my front left tire, though it got me back to school OK. I honestly think my car avoided serious dents -- my wheel took most of the impact. My bumper-thing on the side needs to be punched back in though, I think. It was too dark when I finally parked and walked back to my apartment. I don't think the cost is going to be huge, though.
Still. Not a good end to a night.
The show was fun, though. Very intimate, very enjoyable. I got there early and had a drink at the bar with this other guy who came by -- we talked about John Fahey, banjos, and the music of India. Jack Rose played four songs (Cross The North Fork, Now That I'm A Man Full Grown II, Calais To Dover, and Sundogs), utilzing (as always) his twelve-string and slide guitar brilliantly. I was surprised to hear the high-pitched drone "Sundogs" as his closer -- a very gritty song, with some notes that get up so high they make your spine tingle, but I had a nice short chat with him as well, re: Terrastock.
Walker was incredible -- he had a million anecdotes about living in Spain. Things like gypsies, stories about certain types of Spanish/Eastern guitar techniques (he had a story about each one, then played it). Played his own composition of a raga about two individuals who meet, dance, and have a wonderful time together, discussing while dancing about how nice it is to find someone to communicate at ease with, and feel at peace with. The high strings represented the female, and the bass strings represented the male -- very well done, probably his best piece of the evening.
At the end of the set, there was only about 6 people at Soundlab, so he played a quick encore before the show ended. A wonderful experience -- you really get to just sit back and take in the music at a show like this. There was no more than a few dozen folks at the show's peak the whole night, so it was pretty quiet.
Tomorrow....SSDD. I hate school.
yr hmbl & obt svt,
kev
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