holly wynne approximately

Arg, I’m sleepy and I want to go back to Indiana. From my below letter to Ry and Mat’s review of the concert we saw, you can get a pretty good idea of how my weekend went. I was definitely in need of some hardcore relaxing friend time, and buddy, I got it. We listened to great music all weekend, ate a LOT, and saw a pretty amazing show. Oh, I may as well do a little more recap, since it’s all I can think about right now.

Being around Amy, as with being around most “old” friends, reminded me of stuff I hadn’t thought about in years. I’d forgotten how her eyes get wide when she’s telling a story and how delightfully silly and childlike she can be. Now, though, she’s also got the grace and maturity of a French doctoral candidate (!). Her husband Mat is just groovy. He sarcastically teased me with the ruthlessness of an older brother, but hugged me with the affection of the same.

I love those people.

And the food! I had Nutella for the first time in ages, and a lox omelet and French toast, and some crazy awesome ethnic-y stuff at a hookah bar, and on Sunday Amy made the best lasagna ever. Ooh, and I drank lots of cokes. Mmmmmm. Back to sugar- and dairy-freeness today.

It’s really nice to go to another city with as rich of a local scene as Nashville has. It was my privilege to accompany them in Louisville to Ear X-tacy, a well-known music store I’ve always wanted to see. I didn’t buy anything, but Amy did and gave me one of their trademark bumper stickers. I don’t think I’ll cut it up and make it say “X-ray your cat,” as apparently is local tradition, but I do feel all indie cool to have it in my possession.

Finally, of course, the music. The show was very good, even though I really was just ready for them to skip to Ryan. Paula Cole was a bit awkward, underdressed, and slightly unstable, but her voice has held up–even gotten better–since her hitmaking days of yore. Charlie Louvin–formerly of the Louvin brothers–was my favorite. SO CUTE. And cheeky. And talented. He lent the legend factor to the proceedings. Suzanne Vega was just hot. She did the radio hits–”Luka,” “Tom’s Diner,” “Blood Makes Noise,” etc.–but also some really good new stuff. I could enjoy a CD of hers, actually, I think. (Well, I mean, beyond the one I bought years ago and don’t know where it is now.) Vietnam…they were the low point. They kind of grossed me out, actually.

And Ryan. Why they set up so far back on the stage, I don’t know. Why he felt the need to wear a shower cap under his hoodie and white sunglasses in the already-dim lighting, I don’t know either. (I guess it was for similar reasons that he decided to wear white go-go boots the last time I saw him.) Why he left the stage early, I don’t appreciate, but I do understand.

How his voice gets better every time I hear him, I really have no clue, and I don’t care as long as it stays that way. I’ve always worried about him, as pathetic as that sounds. So many people predicted he was going to crash and burn by thirty, but he’s well past that now and still making brilliant music. By all accounts, he’s quit the booze and the drugs, so perhaps that danger is gone. He’s even usually less temperamental than he used to be, at least relatively so. But still…I don’t really know what else to say about him, as I’m simply not qualified, but I will say I hope he’s drinking the same water as Keith Richards. Er, if Keith Richards ever actually drinks water.

It’s so not fun to go back to work after being carefree for a couple of days. But, some perspective was offered through the love of friends and the universal language of music, and some solitude was had as I drove down I-65 in the perfect weather. That should keep me a while.

Note: pics up soon on my Facebook