Justin Durazzo, Keith Varick, Sabina, Bill Konig. Art by Akso

Featured Musicians: Justin Durazzo, Keith Varick, Sabina, Bill Konig
Featured Video Art: Akso

Got to Matchless an hour early, stuck LC cards everywhere and ordered some delicious Thai food from Amarin (yum, chicken with chili and black bean sauce). Tanya and I walked over to the deli in search of the always-in-demand sugar-free red bull. Got a call from Dan, little miscommunication and he thought he was playing at 11pm. All sleepy-voiced and just woken up. I know how that is and it isn't fun. Dan is so talented and overly apologetic. We're disappointed not to hear him, but nobody's mad.

Back to Matchless, Keith and Renee arrive. Justin plays his set accompanied by Steve Tatowicz on percussion. Justin's set was fantastic- he's developed incredibly since I first met him, as both a writer and a singer. Despite having to shut off the in-progress baseball game, we avoided a mutiny from the regulars, who seemed to have a great time and really enjoy the music as well. I asked George (our bartender) to put on this hysterical driver's ed dvd with the old reel-to-reel stuff they used to force kids to watch in school. Funniest thing is seeing all the (inaccurate) alcohol warnings while we're sitting around drinking in a bar.

Gareth shows up to take photos and I am freaking out b/c the September 1st photos were so beautiful. Just in time to capture Keith's performance. I get so excited some times, at the way things come together, I worry that I'll short circuit myself. But somehow I manage not to.

Keith's first performance was brilliant and stunning, accompanied by the gorgeous photographic video art created by Akso. I remember my first gig, how I shook like a leaf, and even these days I can't look my audience in the eyes most of the time- but there is Keith so poised, looking out at us with the red & blue lights reflected on his face. In music, a whisper is almost always more effective than a shout and he holds us there with his strong, quiet presence. And I'm thinking, this one is going to be a star.

Steve comes up again to accompany Sabina this time. I've missed her voice so much. There's a movie with sun and sand and surfboards in the background, maybe Endless Summer? Ginger comes up to sing a few. Love hearing people sing harmony live. Love having friends there, Tanya & Larry & Sam & Noel & Gareth & Pete & Nik.

Lastly, Bill played and it's nice to hear a new voice. He knows Sabina and Ginger too and does a great job despite some of the most obnoxious people I've ever scene having an orgasmic reunion scene in front of the stage, accompanied by high-pitched yipping and screeching, half-hearted pawing. I'm giving them my classic, fear-instilling "look of death." But they fail to notice, as their brains have atrophied from the pernicious combination of reality television and self-indulgence. So, despite much temptation, I do not walk over in my giant platforms and stomp on their faces. And I do not reach over with my very capable hands to throttle their little necks.

Then the music's over and I'm exhausted, with the spectre of work shimmering like a heat-haze illusion on the horizon of my night. Niko & Pete drive me home (thank you darlings), and maybe, just maybe I shouldn't have had that last beer... but to bed, to bed- the sun beckons in the blink of an eye.

~jessi