the loop machine is the new full band

Just got back from seeing Jeff Klein, After Hours and The Twilight Singers (in that order) at the Larimer Lounge.

I enjoyed Jeff Klein. He's from Austin. He played a couple of songs with a loop machine, which marks the 3rd artist in the past month that I've seen use the technology. It's a very cool thing, allowing solo artists to layer vocals and music to give the illusion of more musicians, but it just seems so prevalent lately. But what the hell do I know... I've never exactly been on the cutting edge of anything.

Since I like pictures, here is a picture of Jeff for you:

After Hours were good too. They had a saxaphone player, which was very awesome. The singer played keyboards with The Twilight Singers.

So, The Twilight Singers... I've only recently gotten into their music, and I was never that into the Afghan Whigs. Of course, their glory days were in a time before I started listening to good music...

It's not that I didn't enjoy them. Although I have to admit that I did leave early. It's just that the Larimer Lounge sometimes needs someone to tell them that they are a small club, NOT a huge arena. It didn't help that I was standing between 2 amps, but it was just TOO loud. I couldn't make out a damn thing that Greg was singing. So even if I was very familiar with the music, I may or may not have recognized anything. Although the folks around me had no trouble singing and dancing along...

I did really enjoy the few songs where Mark Lanegan joined them. He is a total badass, if not just a teensy bit scary:

So, not really a bad night, just a hot, crowded, loud night. At the risk of sounding very old and crotchety.... If I'd only remembered my ear plugs I may have been able to stick it out to the end.

I am listening to Powder Burns, so I feel better about leaving the show early:

And then sleep. I love sleep.

Oh, and I'm very excited for Neko Case on Friday...

I *heart* Neko...