Concert Experiences

There are many great concert experiences one could cull from a live performance. The full on rawk show, with lazer's, explosions, light shows, rawk show sing-a-longs when the singer holds out the mic to indicate, "Okay, everybody else sing now, I'm tired, then I'll compliment you and say the city that I'm in name for gratuitous applause". There's the intimate coffee house setting, solo acoustic(!!) the jaw-dropping moment, the can't-wipe-my-smile-off-my-face moment, face melting (but not in the Raiders of the Lost Ark way), the obscure cover moment where all the hard core fans are beside themselves with giddiness that their hero would play such an obscure gem. Then there's the weird dancing guy, you know, like Beatle_Bob, that may or may not take away from your concert going experience. Who can forget the I-think-I-just-met-my-future-significant other moment when someone near you knows all the same lyrics as you do. How is this possible? And she's a cute girl too! Then there's the bring a bunch of fans up to the stage who kinda look outta place up there, like kids trying to play the "Grand Prize Game" on Bozo but at the same time they think they are so cool cos they are on stage.

However(comma), the one I have in mind a somewhat modest concert moment. It's when you may drive to the show and you are listening to the band you are going to see as a pre-show primer. This does not violate any concert going ettiquette, such as wearing the concert shirt to see the band you are seeing, but I digress and that's for another blog entry, probably someone else's blog. May I resume? You park your car, the song is in mid-song as you turn the ignition off. Then later that night you hear that song and you think to yourself, "Hey, that was the song I was (ahem) jammin' to in my car as I parked it!"

This phenomenon happened to me last night at The_Waco_Brothers show at Schubas Tavern in Chicago. The song, "Nothing At All" from their fine record, "Freedom and Weep".

Vic Chesnutt 1964 - 2009

On Christmas Eve I had just listened to Vic Chesnutt's latest record, "At the Cut". It's been on semi-regular rotation since I saw him for the first time in my life at Lincoln Hall in early November 2009. I came up to check my computer (yeah, I still use one of those antiques that sit on a desk, not a laptop, not a iPhone, droid, Zune, Dune, or similar apparatus) and was saddened to see Vic Chesnutt was in a coma! Of course, in this day and age with interwebs, wits, twits, texts, and twats, news does tend to spread fast, even if it's erroneous news. After some ill-advised news leaks in the next 24 hours, it was confirmed that Vic Chesnutt had died on Christmas Day 2009. It was an apparent suicide attempt that had left him in a coma.

I had heard of Chesnutt's music before, had it on a soundtrack or a compilation CD, but admittedly, I'm late to the party with his oeuvre of music. Then there was the R.E.M connection that had garnered his music some attention. The aforementioned show at Lincoln Hall was basically my introduction to Vic Chesnutt. When I heard him play those songs that night were the first times I had heard those songs in my life. There were probably less than 100 people in the Hall that night. I was about 10 feet from the stage.

"We're here to play some mu-jik tonight." was his intro. It was just an odd pronounciation of the word "music". At first I wasn't sure if that was how he pronounced the word, a speech impediment, or he was just goofin around. Chesnutt has been in a wheel chair since 1983 when he was in a car accident.

So I'm standin there, taking in this show, he has a full band in tow with former members of Fugazi and Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra. I can read "Vic" on the headstock of his guitar. The guitar has that all too cool "played" look. He gets a great sound out of it. He plays surprisingly well despite his physical limitations. But who am I to call them limitations? Fool. The band completely rocks in the context of Chesnutt's songs culled mostly from his last two records. He's a dynamic performer, one of the more passionate performers I've ever seen in my life. It was just the way he would tug on his shirt, adjusted his seat in his chair, paused between songs, told a joke or a story, and just the way he belted out lyrics were nothing short of stunning. The most compelling song of the night was the way he sat in the wheel chair belting out, "Coward" off his last record. In a lifetime of going to see live music, this song, without question, was one of the best live performances of any one song I have ever seen.

More people are writing more fitting tributes than I to Vic Chesnutt's music and legacy. As Chesnutt lived a life with chemical dependancy and previous suicide attempts the lyrics to this song seem only apropo. These are from "Flirted With You All My Life", a song from his last record.

I am a man.
I am self-aware.
And everywhere I go
You're always right there with me.
I flirted with you all my life,
Even kissed you once or twice
And to this day I swear it was nice
But clearly I was not ready.

When you touched a friend of mine,
I thought I would lose my mind.
But I found out with time
That really, I was not ready.
Oh, death. Oh, oh, death.
Oh, death. Really, I'm not ready.

Oh, death, you hector me.
Death's unmade those dear to me.
You tease me with your sweet relief.
You're cruel and you are constant.
When my mom was cancer-sick,
She fought but then succumbed to it.
But you made her beg for it.
"Lord Jesus, please I'm ready."
Oh, death. Oh, oh, death.
Oh, death. Really, I'm not ready.
Oh, death. Oh, oh, death.
Oh, death. Clearly, I'm not ready, no, no.

The Record Cleaning Experience

As I've noted in these parts, I listen to music in mediums of CD, mp3, and primarily vinyl. Sorry cassette and 8-Track fans. I go to great lengths to enjoy my listening experience. It's not just listening, there are tangible touchy feelie things involved. It's not just background noise though I'd be a liar if sometimes it turns out that way.

These are some of the extraordinary measures I go to when purchasing records, new and used. Going back to first getting records, the first thing I check after cracking open the cellophane is to see if there is a lyric sheet in the record. If so, oh happy day! If not, just a little more work listening.

The next thing I do is clean my records. Presently I use these things products. I use the no-rinse Quick-Wash Record-Cleaner, the Miracle Brush, the Audio Quest Carbon Fiber Brush, and the Disc Doctor's Stylus Cleaner. Though a record cleaner vacuum seems like a coveted item, I made one myself. Though many products of this ilk can be found with a simple internet search, most of the links I've supplied here are from The Needle Doctor. Highly recommended from this music listener. Call 'em with your order, knowledgeable music fans who are eager to help and share their experience, not to mention their favorite record spins, if asked.

Here is a rough sketch on how I made the record vacuum. The first thing I found was a motor from an old vacuum cleaner. I proceeded to build a box around this. I attached some tubing (in layman's terms, it's just black tubing I got from the hardware store) and I then used the curtain or furniture attachment and cut an 1/8 inch slit along the length of this piece. I sealed the end with some caulk and a small piece of plastic. I put some black felt (as seen in photo) on each side of the slit to protect the records. I'll cut new felt and replace it from time to time. I've used an old turntable that was from my teenage years (circa 1982!) as my work station. Do I feel like a bit of a shoemaker by making my own vacuum? Yeah, a little, but this system seems to work well and my records are clean and sound great. Maybe if I have enough nuts stored away someday I'll invest in a professional record vacuum, but in the meantime . . .

I begin by placing the record on the turntable cleaning station which is on my vacuum. I soak the brush with cleaner and work it in for a few revelations and then some back and forth half spins (per the instructions) for about 20-30 seconds. I then vacuum up any excess cleaner and dirt that is still on the record. I then let them air dry with any excess liquid that may remain though the vacuum seems plenty strong enough.

One other thing that I do is make sure all my records are stored in record_sleeves. I've gotten a little lenient on storing all my records in these sleeves because I've found that as long as they are in a sleeve, they seem to have adequete protection despite the claims made on the hi-lighted sleeve link. I'm a little selective in what records get the fancy sleeve and which ones get the factory installed sleeve.

The other sleeve I use is an outer album jacket sleeve to protect the record cover. I store the records so that the record won't slide out of the jacket nor the sleeve.

Another little thing I like to do that is more of a personal preference is that any little sticker or label that was on the original shrink wrap I cut out and retape it to the album sleeve. All these records as shone are in a sleeve with the original sticker attached to the new record sleeve.

The Carbon Fiber brush is used for everyday use before playing a record. This removes any dust that may have accumulated in just general record usage. It's gonna happen. However, if you don't manhandle your records or let Uncle Fester touch the grooves of the records with his grubby mitts, there is no need to vacuum and clean them again. Just use the carbon fiber brush before you spin each side. The stylus brush, well, it's just what it says. Clean periodically with the cleaner but as I said, if your records are kept clean, rarely do I get a fuzzy little dangle on my needle . . . hey, wait a minute. . .

Are these extravagant practices? Umm, probably. Is it a labor of listening love? Most certainly. One thing I found odd was that my latest turntable, a Rega-P3-24, suggests that record cleaning is over-rated despite the record cleaning company claims. This is quoted from the instruction manuel, "Don't worry about visible dust on the record surface, this is brushed aside by the stylus and any that collects on the stylus can be easily blown away. In general, record cleaning is overdone and one should not believe all the claims made by record cleaner manufacturers."

This thinking almost swayed me to thinking that I don't have to go to such measures (or at least moved my "fader knob" more to the middle) to have clean vinyl. Almost. I think it's in my system now. To borrow a current cliche in writing. The series of one word sentences to accentuate the drama! Must. Clean. Records.