*WEDDING.BLOG.LINK*

Last night I went to see a show with Morgan and Lindsay.

It was pretty innocent to start off - nothing really out of the ordinary. I was excited to see the show, for sure, but I was really just expecting a good night out, a change from the everyday, a little release from the routine, and a chance to catch up with some good people (Morgan and Lindsay especially, but my ex-workplace buddy Andrew was going to be around after a short but significant hiatus from Moncton as well).

Anyway - what followed was, certainly all of the above, but also one of the most mindblowing and inspiring experiences of my life.

We went to see Matt Mays + El Torpedo, preceeded by a band called The Novaks.

I was finding myself more and more enamoured with MM+ET all day leading up to the show, and getting more and more jazzed up about getting to see them.

The Novaks - another bunch of lads from the rock; I've really got to spend some time over there - were amazingly tight and creative and talented. Their whole set was energetic and exciting and well planned - AND well executed. They ALL were masters of their instruments and had this weird aura. I told Morgan it was weird to me that they were playing the alt.country/blues-inspired/direct-classic-rock-descendant rock they were, as I thought they all really looked like shoe-gazers. And hobbits. Anyway, if you EVER get a chance to check out this band, you should take the opportunity.

The Novaks on iTMS

Then on came Matt and his boys. And you know, I'd like to rant on and on about all of the things that were great about their performance - but I won't because I don't know that I could ever do it justice. My mind is still racing today, and I don't think I'm going to shake these visions or these aural-memory-flashback things I've been having almost constantly since I left the bar last night.
I resisted Matt Mays for a long time, specifically around the time his City Of Lakes single was on the radio. Everyone was going nuts over him, and I was pissed because so many other GREAT maritime bands, not to mention other Halifax bands, had been consistently overlooked and underrated, such as (my boy) Joel Plaskett. ESPECIALLY Joel Plaskett. (also, The Guthries, Arlibido, Bucket Truck, Mir, The Jimmy Swift Band, and on and on)

Anyway, long story short, I eventually learned to forgive Matt for overstepping his (as I percieved it) place in the hierarchy and am now, after my FIRST Matt Mays show, officially one of his biggest fans. And now that I've taken him on, that sweet feeling of relinquishing yourself to a band - totally buying into their concept - is all that much sweeter. (Maybe I know how you Mac 'switchers' feel?)

I really think that in 10 years we (folks that get to see him this year) will be bragging to our friends that we saw Matt Mays during the "Wicked Come Winter" tour, the way people nowadays brag about seeing the Hip in some obscure club in some place in Ontario during the Road Apples tour.

So, rather than talk your ear off about why I loved the show last night, I talked your ear off about other things. Oh well.