Glen Echo 1-20-09 The Idle Americans

Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom
Glen Echo Park
MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, MD

I normally abhor playing Glen Echo. Due to its swing-dancy nature, we are limited in our song choice almost to where they're dictating bpms. The place is huge, but loud, so we have to turn WAY down (Jamie-the-sound-guy, though a sweet guy, is always bringing up some sound issue with me). And you can't even drink!

I don't know if it was all the Change-love in the air, but Tuesday was actually a pretty fun gig. First of all, traffic was supposed to be redonkulous, but ended up much ado about nothing. It was the lightest Beltway traffic I have EVER seen on a Tuesday at 6pm. Musically, our oeuvre has expanded to the point where I really don't have to limit myself too much in song choice. After playing there 6 times, I finally was able to find an amp setting that I didn't hate that was low enough for them. And Scott and I found this Thai place so we didn't have to sit around the back room, cold and sober.

The waltz band that was on before us was A-mazing. It was sort of a thrown together group of pros (Jamie called them The Gigmesiters), but they were tight. Like, so tight that Rob Bamburger's a fool for not booking them when he does a live thing.

And the fact that about 300 folks showed up in everything from jean shorts to tails (we were somewhere in between) and it was a good payday for a frickin' freezin' Tuesday made it the sort of gig that makes me love what I do.

I was expecting to spend after hours in DC because the bars were all open till 4. Turns out only the bars I didn't want to be in were open till 4 and I ended up at Josh's at 2.

Up Now: Headin' off to Zoo
On Deck: Friday at biker-bar-bar-none Apehangers
In The Hole: Saturday at Bangkok with Ian, Joaquin, and Bob's band