Gig Diary: Naked Eyes/Iron Horse/Oct. 18

Sometimes when you arrive at a club for a show there are tell-tale signs to look for. Too many parking spaces right in front? Not a good sign. Bartender telling you to call all your friends to come see the show for free? Even worse. Friends declining because they have a book to read? Not good at all.

But it's also a sign of something that these factors didn't bother me last night (for the record, there weren't any parking spaces in front of the club. That's because there are too many cars in Northampton and people have forgotten how to walk). I didn't mind because the Iron Horse is my favorite place to play a concert. There are a fair number of local musicians who feel otherwise, or like the venue but don't like the management, or like the management but don't like the fries, etc, but for me, it's always exciting and appreciated. I have played to sold-out shows at the Iron Horse and to crowds of 13. Well, one crowd of 13. That was last night. It wasn't really a crowd because that word makes it feel like it could get crowded. Which it couldn't.

But less about the show and more about the Horse. I always like to walk in and take a deep breath. The musty smell makes me happy. The dated pictures on the wall make me happy. The familiar faces working the bar and sound make me happy. And stage left, where I usually play, feels as comfortable as a rabbit fur coat. There's a big post right next to where I play with a clock on it. I can turn to my left and look out at the street if I'm bored, which I'm usually not, and sometimes people look back at me. It's like playing in a goldfish bowl. In a rabbit fur coat.

My first concert in Massachusetts, which was my first concert ever, was Boston at the Worcester Centrum in '86. I had nosebleed seats and could barely see anything, but it was still awesome. Not too long after I went to my first show on this side of the state, the Roches at the Iron Horse. I went with my folks and felt a little embarrassed. But I remember also appreciating how close the musicians were to the audience and how everyone seemed so excited to be in the venue. Since then, I've seen many of my all-time favorite concerts at 20 Center Street: Ozomatli, Beck, El Vez, Christian McBride... and, of course, Kevin Bacon.

So, maybe you are wondering about the show last night. We played well, did our best to entertain a few friends and to fill the time before the headliner for the others. We were good. Like a better Kevin Bacon with less fans.