04 November, 2006

To do, undone

Tonight I did not go to hear Cat Power play live. I did not get to the show early to grab a good spot on the balcony and read a book or whatever while waiting for her to open. Which means I did not get to hear and perhaps even dance or at least sort of move in place to a rejuvenated and happy-to-perform Chan Marshall channeling the music she has written or covered.


And while I was not hearing her music, Chan Marshall did not have the opportunity to make meaningful eye contact with me -- an impressive feat, this eye contact she did not make, given that I was neither sitting nor standing all the way up on the balcony -- anyway, not having made eye contact with me, Ms. Marshall also did not have the opportunity to invite me backstage, where we did not discuss music and the most important things in life.


I would have liked to have discussed music and the most important things in life with Chan Marshall. As it is, I had a similar conversation with a friend, R. For all I know, the conversation I had was as good or better than the one I did not have with Chan Marshall. But still.


Not having gone backstage after the Cat Power show, I also did not get to hang out with the backing band, the Memphis Rhythm Band. Not having gone to the show at all, of course, I likewise did not get to hear the band, which is too bad because they have a pretty rocking lineup, including steel guitar, violin and sax. I'd have liked to have heard that lineup behind Cat Power. And needless to say, thinking about backstage again, where I wasn't, I didn't get to pick up any steel guitar or sax tips. Jammer, as they say here in the Netherlands.


There are a number of other things I did not get to today. Maybe I'll get another chance tomorrow, or the day after that, or the day after that.