Kataklysm

Huzzah, I’m getting an early start writing today, it’s around 10. I forced myself to stop looking for other things to do online. I love blogging, but I always have trouble starting; I’ve discussed this in therapy.

I had three concerts planned yesterday and I missed the first two. I blogged late and said I was going to cook dinner. I didn’t. I still have not cooked dinner in this apartment. I won’t be home the next few evenings, so I won’t do it then either.

I did make it out of the house, just in time, to see Kat Quinn at the Sidewalk café. I made it there in just an hour, that was exciting. Dan saved me a seat. This was Kat’s farewell show, she’s moving to LA. My usual joke is to say that it’s because she hates me, but as you’ll discover, that just won’t work today.

I found Dan sitting with a woman that looked sort of familiar. I thought she might be a friend of his, she wasn’t; it was Alex, a friend of Kat’s that I’ve seen around before. She came up from DC for the show, by bus. That’s almost as difficult as commuting from City Island. I knew she was OK when she didn’t change her seat when Dan and I started discussing the possibility of being hit by a meteor before Kat comes back to New York for a visit. Turns out that the only reason I took the subway there instead of walking the 12 miles was that I’d be safer from meteor strikes below ground. I wonder how many of My Gentle Readers just ran away.

When you heard this was Kat’s farewell show you probably thought, she must be moving some time in the next month. You’d be right but with too big a safety margin. She left this morning. Yes, she played a gig the night before she moved across the country; that’s dedication.

Kat and I have been Facebook friends of six years. When we met I didn’t know she was a musician, it was at a Pesky J. Nixon show she attended with Kathy. I thought of her as a Marblehead friend of hers. I discovered she was a singer/songwriter at the Huntington Folk Festival in July 2012, that’s when we became Facebook friends. Even then I didn’t see her perform. She sat with me at dinner and I asked her what she did. I’m not how long it was after, that I first saw her play. I know by Christmas I was a fan. It’s always awkward when you meet a musician socially then don’t like his or her music.

What has impressed me from the first is her songwriting. She never writes sensitive woman with a guitar songs. Her songs are filled with metaphor; she sees the universe in a grain of sand. She does that while sounding on the surface like frothy or sentimental pop songs. She never drones, many of her songs have swing. She was joined by Jo Kroger on a few songs. Kat’s harmony arrangements are brilliant. Jo is a musician I love on her own. I haven’t used the term before, but she and Caitlin Mahoney constitute the Kativerse.

I ran up front for a song to take some pictures. I had meant to bring something from my table with Dan and Alex but forgot it. When the song was finished I got up to get it and Kat said, “Don’t go, the next song is … ” By then I was on my way back and showed her what I forgot. It was a paper airplane. The song was Kind of Brave, which tells of sending love letters on paper airplanes. I always launch one at Kat as the song ends. I knew she wouldn’t disappoint me and not perform that song. This one said “Bye Kat” on the wings. It was a very short love letter.

After I was back at my table Kat asked for requests, she said; “This show is for all of you, and by all of you I mean Gordon.” I can’t say she is moving because she hates me. Last time I saw her she told me she was leaving, and I made her promise to do a farewell show or I’d cry. She had planned on making an “Irish goodbye” and quietly slipping out of town. Good thing she did this, lots of people showed up. Every time somebody walked in she reacted. Alex didn’t even travel the furthest, someone came down from Buffalo. This was a destination show. We made it difficult for Kat to leave, but as far as I know she did.

After the show we retired to the café portion of the place. There was a receiving line to talk to Kat. We let the other people go first. Eventually Dan, Alex, and I had our chance and said our goodbyes. We’ll see her when she comes back, and we’ll see her on the big screen when somebody out in LA gets smart and uses one of her songs in a movie; she’d be perfect for a romantic comedy. I don’t see her scoring the next Avengers film.

I could have just walked to the F train, but Dan was walking up to the L, so I went uptown with him. I had thought of taking the L to the F to the D but realized that’s silly. I just walked over to the 4. That’s what’s great about where I live, I’m near but westside and eastside trains. Before I got on the subway I stopped at Papaya King for dinner. Not the healthiest thing but cheap and tasty and at least it was a hot dinner.

Today I walk to the MetroNorth to take to therapy. This early evening I’m seeing Bobtown at Museum of American Folk art at 6:30. Then Fred and I might race down to Wagner Park to catch the end of the last Sunset Singing Circle of the Season. Or I might stay uptown and hang with friends at the show. I’m not committing myself. Now to make breakfast.