Sinister: geometries and orchids that the sunset builds

[StIdesMoon at xxx.com]

The planets line up, single file, like school kids on field trips. I'll 
uncloak myself, delurk. Hmm, something's awry.

No, something's beautiful. Belle & Sebastian in Philadelphia. The Tower 
Theatre--with its cheesy science fiction planet panels and jukebox coloring 
amongst the aging, dusty grandeur of the old, converted moviehouse. Pictures 
playing in my head--now--of Stuart bouncing around, half-naked little flirt, 
the brilliant boxer boy in this scene. The brilliant architect of blissful 
poetry for the remainder of the flickering night.

He said they were in Philly for three days. Ah, if only we had known! (Well, 
then what??)  Stinky Pete's, eh?
As aforementioned, Isobel went unaccounted for... although Ms. 
replacement-from-Rasputina did a lovely job on cello. Understandably, it's 
just not the same. Stevie was adorable. Sarah too. And so on and so on and 
scooby dooby doo. Yeah.

We all know what extra fine musicians they all are, whether its the band 
alone or embellished with string section (etc.). However, I think it took the 
live setting to finally appreciate, fully, what absolutely solid musicians 
they are. Little indie rock band does theme from "Rocky" and... erm, terribly 
famous bebopping, brushstroking jazz number, the title of which is 
embarrassingly eluding me.... Ahhh, byooteefull.

Too much rudeness from various audience dampened the mood here and there. But 
those were anomalies. All else shimmered... sparkly... glittery. Whee.

The new songs are divine. The mix of old favorites put me on a sustained 
sugar high. Nearly overdosed, dammit. How nice! So many invitations to get up 
and dance like a tree shaking off its apples and leaves. "Judy" and "Seymour 
Stein" and "The Boy With The Arab Strap" and "String Bean Jean" and "Dirty 
Dream #2" and "Legal Man" and (slower but still effervescent) "Fox In The 
Snow" and "I Fought In A War" and! and! and! (she chirps, chirps, chirps). 
"Me and the Major" as an encore sent me soaring through the roof, right into 
the atmosphere. Ain't never gonna come down, I tell you.

And yet....
Now I'm moping about as though I was a teenager again. The show's over. Back 
to my records and such. Flash. Moment gone. Beep. Game over.

Well, I have a shirt (dare I say, a twee one indeed?) to remember it by. Free 
tees and badgies were handed out during the jazz "intermission"--lucky punks, 
you who received them! They were in abundance. But I bought myself a bus 
shirt before the show and did not get greedy, despite the temptation of 
possibly, maybe, perhaps getting a tee handed to me by Struan himself.

...sigh...
I *thought* I had also recorded the show, so my friends and I could properly 
relive our valhalla experience over and over afterward. But wouldn't you 
know? The *one* time I receive a defective cassette it's for B&S. Why 
couldn't that happen whilst recording This American Life on the radio? At 
least you can buy those if you miss the broadcasts! All I have salvaged of 
the Tower performance is the second tape--the good one, the one that didn't 
betray me or devastate me or rain on my parade, lalala. A handful of final 
songs from the main set plus the encore. It's something, 'tis true. I sound 
so whiney and pathetic right now, 'tis also true. Still, all the work of 
sneaking my recorder into the theatre, past the mulleted ticket-taker, 
avoiding the flashlights of ushers... all for naught. Or near naught. Surely, 
some other fan must've smuggled in their own recording goods that night... 
but finding him or her is a leap in the dark.

Boohoo, I know. Those of you who didn't get a chance to see them probably 
long to kick me right now. But your time will come too. This was my first 
time seeing our blessed lovely band upon which we cast our endearment. It 
seemed to take forever to come.

And I eagerly await the next time they grace our ears... and our eyes (yum!)

peace and purrs,
Almeh


p.s. The Aisler's Set were adorable and potently poppy too. Sadly, they 
suffered from a poor sound mix, which also plagued B&S occasionally. Who was 
that awful soundperson minding the board??
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