Last night I did the same thing I did the previous evening, I went to see Barnaby Bright, this time at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2. As has been happening too often I had subway problems so I didn’t have time to go to the newish Lower East Side Trader Joe’s for the first time as I planned. I just about had time to go to Rosario’s for pizza. When I got to Rockwood people were already lined up to go in, Coco, Bruce, Laura, Jeff, Carol, Chris, and Fred. I was doing merch, well duh, so to the consternation of the first person on the line I went in. The previous band was still playing which can make things awkward but as I started to tell the woman at check-in, “I’m looking for … “ I saw Becky was standing next to me, so I finished the sentence, “… her.” She gave me the go-ahead to get in. Becky and Nathan had already set up the merch but I had to pick up the bank and Nathan’s phone for credit card sales. Of course once in I also wanted to grab the Statler and Waldorf seats for Fred and I and some seats downstairs for Coco, Bruce, and Laura. Why not the rest of my friends? Because I’m an idiot. You heard it here first.
The previous band went way over their time. Good thing Barnaby Bright was playing stripped down so sound check wasn’t that complex. They let people stay from the previous show and amongst the retainers was Steve and his friend whose name is totally escaping me. I only asked twice. I put Coco, Bruce, and Laura with them.
My brain just played one of its little games. I found that at each instance I had called Laura, Linda. Five letters, starts with an L, and ends with an a. Enough to be the same name for my brain. It took me forever to get Saruman and Sauron straight in the Lord of the Rings.
Some woman needs to write a thank you letter to my ophthalmologist. After the previous crowd was let out and before the new one let in I saw something on the floor some distance way. It was an earring. Rockwood is dimly lit so it felt like a superpower than I could spot it. I brought it to the bartender who said that he thinks the woman was still there. I would have never seen it before I had my cataract surgery.
The crowd wasn’t let in until the time the show was supposed to start. I don’t know why Rockwood let the previous band play so late. They shouldn’t have. Now Barnaby Bright was pressed for time. They were allowed to go a little late but not as much as the time they had lost.
None of this stopped it from being another wonderful show. Becky and Nathan check off all the boxes, songwriting, instrumental virtuosity, Becky has a gorgeous expressive voice, Nathan can harmonize with the best of them. They have fun patter, they are entertaining people to be around. I love their cognitive dissonance. On they super upbeat Go they now and get into their spooky harmony. I have no idea what they are doing; I’m not sure if they are aware of it, but they have this one sound that makes the hairs rise on the back of your neck.
After the show I went to what Rockwood calls Stage 3 and I call the back room to sell the merch. Stage 3 is in the basement, this is the room above it. There’s no stage. It’s just a bar and an area to socialize. Of course Stage 0 also doesn’t have a stage but that’s an ironic use of the term.
After packing up I said my goodbyes and headed home. It was nice not only seeing BB but also hanging with the crowd that I had missed when they played at First Acoustics.
This morning I had my two-week check up with my ophthalmologist. There are three stages. The first is reading an eye chart. Then comes a machine that measures my vision. Finally my eyes get dilated and the doctor takes a look. The entire time of the look is about 2 seconds. My eye was in one piece. The operation was a success. I see him next in June. Before then I’ll go to an optometrist and get prescription reading glasses. That will be the end of the optical dominated period of my life. For years I had to tell people I was blind. Then came the operations and I could say I was doing something about it. After eight weeks the time I spend thinking, writing, and talking about my eyes will become insignificant.
Now I have to do some creative writing. I’m going about it differently than I ever have. Instead of writing through, I’m switching between outlines, summary, and details for different parts. If all goes well it will all end up as detailed finished product.
Wise Madness 