So much has happened in the last seven or eight days that it’s hard to know where to begin. I guess I’ll start with last Sunday, when I took a two-needle coptic bookbinding class at Paper Source in Cambridge. I went down a little early so I could gaze at the socks in Vintage Etc. down the street, and of course I couldn’t leave without a little something… (two pairs of tights and some stripey socks).

The workshop was in the Paper Source basement (I had no idea that room existed!), and Kelly McMahon of May Day Studio, who we met a few months ago at the printing fair in North Andover, was the instructor. Ezra had hoped that I’d be able to take pictures during the workshop, but that turned out to be impossible. It was very fast-paced so that we could make two books in three hours (well, it ended up being more like 3 and a half). As it turns out, I am pretty good with the stitching, but not so hot with the gluing. The final products are really pretty nice, though.

That evening my friend Sarah drove down from Portland, and that was the beginning of my latest Interpol adventure. I went to three Interpol shows in the last week (I know, I know–it’s an addiction, I know!), the first of which was Monday night in Albany. I wrote up a big description of that night… I don’t know that anyone but the biggest Interpol fans will be interested in reading it, but if you just like a good story read on.

EXTENDED INTERPOL STORY BEGINS HERE:

Part I: Pre-show

The part of Albany where the Palace Theater is located is really cute. There are lots of old brick buildings, and the theater itself is very beautiful. We passed a duck tour (they have them in Albany, too!), and overheard the tour guide saying that the marquee has something like 500 individual lightbulbs. It’s an old RKO movie theater that’s being restored, and they’re attending to all the details. Inside, several intricately beaded chandeliers glittered impressively overhead. It was sort of like a cross between the Orpheum in Boston (a very similar layout, but in about a million times better shape and in tones of red and gold instead of blue) and a little bit of Radio City. Mom, if you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure that I saw something about this theater in one of your preservation magazines a while back.

Since there didn’t appear to be any fans around when we arrived at the theater, we found a bench across the street to sit and scope out the scene. Somehow being the only people there made us feel very conspicuous and we were very aware of not wanting to harass the band. As soon as we heard the sound of instruments, we rushed over. We saw Carlos and Gaius (Carlos’s dog) emerge from the bus, Gaius in a little plaid (I think) doggie jacket and Carlos carrying a big bowl of dog food. Gaius trotted right to the stage door and jogged in. He’s amazing–he knew just where to go and what to do. A super friendly security guy told us to move down to an open set of doors that led directly to the back of the stage so we could hear better (and see a tiny bit). Not long after that another security person (I think someone connected with the band rather than the venue) told us we had to move and said something about the songs being copyrighted (which was a bit baffling–we definitely didn’t want to do anything bothersome, so we were completely fine with moving, but the copyright excuse made no sense). Anyway, it was still great to hear Pace Is the Trick (twice), Who Do You Think? (twice), and Untitled (twice). Afterwards they each came out to the bus, one at a time as they always seem to. Carlos and Gaius crossed the street, presumably to take a little walk.

While we were standing listening to soundcheck, super friendly security guy (SFSG?) totally chatted us up. He was really funny… a local, but a Red Sox fan. He told us that Houdini performed his last complete show at the Palace Theater back in the early 30’s before dying in New York City the next day–which, according to Wikipedia, is a tall tale and a half… but a fun one. We had a really nice talk with a thin guy with an accent who came out to have a smoke, and we discovered that he was doing the mixing for the opening band, the Liars.

After considerable primping at the hotel, we got a quick drink and headed over to the theater, where we got more drinks.

Inside the theater we said hi to SFSG and our new mixer friend and took a self-guided tour of the place.

Part II: The Show

Liars took the stage around 8:20. The lead singer was long and angular, and he danced like a spastic funked-out marionette. His all-white three piece suit and tie made him look possibly even longer and skinnier. I kinda loved him, and I enjoyed their set. Pretty much everyone sat for them, which felt a little awkward to me. It didn’t seem to affect the band at all, though. Sam watched their set from the shadows at the side of the stage. I cheered for mixer guy when they thanked him at the end of their set.

Toward the end of the Liars set I saw my friend Sandra and her husband being seated a couple of rows in front of us. During the changeover between Liars and Interpol we all talked at the front of the stage. Standing up there, we noticed that the seats at the back of the house were still empty, and at least 2/3 of the balcony was vacant. I couldn’t help thinking during the first few songs that it seemed like Paul was eying the empty seats in the balcony. There were two empty seats in the middle section at the front, and Sandra urged us to take them. I couldn’t disagree, and a nice guy sitting next to her moved down one seat so that we could stand together. Not long after that, with the boys taking the stage, Sandra’s husband (that sweet man) offered his seat to Sarah and the blissful fangirl triumvirate was set.

The setlist was as follows.

Pioneer to the Falls
Say Hello to the Angels
C’Mere
Narc
Slow Hands
Rest My Chemistry
Mammoth
Hands Away (Yay!)
No I in Threesome
Evil
The Heinrich Maneuver
Not Even Jail
___

Untitled (FINALLY I GOT TO HEAR THIS ONE LIVE)
Stella
PDA

My friends and I are right up front in this photo from the show, which I found on flickr.

Daniel did all of his usual dances and did a lot of hopping up on Sam’s drum riser and onto the big speaker on his side of the stage. Carlos seemed very casual through most of it. He seemed most into it to me when jamming with Sam in between songs. I was really happy that they played SHTTA, and it was good to have it that early in the set, because I think it’s the kind of song that can immediately inject energy into the crowd and the band. I was so so so happy that they played Hands Away (I love that song). It seemed to me that their versions of Mammoth and THM were really good… they really tried to play the heck out of them, I think. Evil sounded particularly good, too. It was my first time hearing No I in Threesome live, but that totally paled in comparison for me to another first…

When I heard them playing the first few notes of Not Even Jail, I have to admit that I checked my watch. I knew they’d been playing NEJ at the end of their main set, and it felt way too early. It might be that I’m spoiled because I’ve been able to see them a number of times now, but I think I have to join the ranks of those who really wish they’d play longer sets. Even just a couple more songs would make a difference. It’s not what they’re playing that’s a problem–I was pretty happy with last night’s setlist–it’s just that a longer set would be that much better. No doubt even if they played 30 songs I’d want more, but still… Yet, I feel like I can’t complain after what happened next.

After a short break, Daniel was the first to come back on stage, on his own. This was a good sign, which Sarah correctly interpreted, telling me that she felt “Untitled” coming. When Daniel started playing, I have to admit that I sort of had to pinch myself.

Stella and PDA rounded out the set nicely, and then the guys waved goodnight. Some girls tried to run backstage, but were promptly physically thrown back into the audience (and probably escorted outside). I couldn’t help thinking–what did they expect to happen? There’s just no way that would have ended well.

Part III: In Which The Triumvirate Gets (More) Drunk, Sarah Gets Recognized, Sandra Really Needs to Fix her Hair, and I Says the Things You Say When You’re Definitely Gonna Have a Hangover in the AM

So, we three fangirlies said good night to Sandra’s husband and headed over to a nearby bar to get a drink. After one drink we decided to move on and maybe find a place that was still serving food. Most restaurants were closed, but we came upon a hotel bar that still seemed to be serving. When I saw a pool table immediately inside the hotel bar, I couldn’t help thinking that stopping there might have been a very good decision.

We sat at the bar and met the totally fabulous bartender, Elaine. Oh, and we ordered drinks, of course. Before long, who should walk in but Paul himself. Farmer Dave (their touring keyboardist) and another guy who seemed to be traveling with the band (Crew? Tour Manager?) also came in, and Paul and the unknown guy played pool. We asked Elaine what the guy in the white shirt (Paul) was drinking, and she asked us who the heck he was, anyway. We told her, and she said she knew there must be something going on, but that she’d never heard of them. She urged us to go “put a quarter down” and play pool with him, but none of us is very good at pool. Sandra suggested that we buy him a drink… just to thank him for the show. Elaine was more than happy to help us out. She called over to Paul and when she gave him the drink he looked over at us, smiled, nodded and waved, “Thanks.”

Elaine came over and told us that she’d told him he really needed to come over and talk to us. She was totally looking out for us! She told us that he said he’d come over when he finished up his game. Now, I was pretty drunk by this point… It’s a good thing their bar stools were so sturdy, or I’m sure I would have laughed a little bit too hard and ended up on the floor. Elaine came back again and told us that Paul was “about to sink the eight ball” and then she looked at Sandra and told her that Paul was coming and she better fix her hair. Sandra reached back to adjust her locks and Elaine chuckled as she was totally kidding.

Paul did not immediately come over, and Elaine wasn’t having it, so she went back to his side of the bar and called to him again. Whatever she said to him, it worked.

He walked around the bar to face us, thanked us again, introduced himself, and offered Sarah his hand. She shook his hand and introduced herself, and he said something like “You were in the front row.” I said, “Yeah, we all were.” Then Sandra shook his hand and introduced herself, and then he got to me. I shook his hand and told him that we’d actually already met, although he probably didn’t remember as it was a while ago and he meets a lot of people. He said that he was probably really drunk when we met. I forget how it came up, but we thanked him for a good show and I mentioned how happy I was to hear Untitled, as I’ve seen them many times but had never heard it live before. He kind of nodded and said that they hadn’t played it in a few years. I wish I could remember more of the details of our conversation. There was a little tiny bit more to it. He thanked us, told us to have a good night, and bid us farewell. I think he left the bar shortly after that (I hope we didn’t scare him off… that just occurred to me).

I don’t usually drink that much, and I had a pretty fantastic hangover the next day, but it was sort of a cozy thing, as I have such good memories of how I got it.

That brings us up to Tuesday morning…

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 16th, 2007 at 11:35 pm and is filed under Blather, art, friends, me and my brain, music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.