Maria Taylor...etc

It appears as if only part of my posts make it. I don't know why....but let me recall what I wrote and put it up again....So on this Sunday the clouds are dark and mean. They appear to want to speak in downpours not the usual heavy drizzle. And on occasion it does rain. A band that played just before Maria Taylor played while it rained. The stage was protection enough from the rain, but not the wind, since it blows sideways. There is a beauty that comes with clouds that bulge and darken. You cannot ask for better background than that. And when MT played the clouds reached their peak, and MT looked radiant before them. This is not to say that she was oblivious to the clouds. Indeed a camera flash seemed like it could be a lightning strike. I don't blame her for being mindful of her surroundings, which included many electrical cords plugged into sockets.

   The wind just needs a little water to throw around and more than that seemed ready to drop on those of us wanting to see Maria Taylor sing. She's very attractive, tall and lanky, all legs....and cowboy boots. She begins her set with all the distractions that come with this performance, camera flashes that can be lightning, rain and wind. For almost 2 minutes she braved the weather. One can't help but try, because the face of this weather is beautiful to behold. The air just seemed to respond to her defiance verse by verse, until defiance seemed too crazy. The gusts of wind was just too much. It was a wise decision to stop. One gust blew a bucket of water straight down the middle of the stage, a minute after. By now I can see exactly who came to see Maria Taylor, and who just wandered about. The ones that came to see her are still around waiting with sinking expectations. They strike the set. The wind and water apparently won. And just in case MT decides to get cute again, it's drizzling from light to heavy. So I wander to the pizza kiosk that's next to the Beat Kitchen...wander back. My expectations are around my ankles, and yet I wait around with the rest of the MT fans. They take down everything from the stage. And I find myself huddling in the entrance to a building that is right next to the stage, along with other people. We don't know whether we are waiting for the rain to stop so we can go home or what. Expectations are non-existant. And then out comes Maria Taylor with two guitarists/singers and they decide to play their set right there! Everyone just cheers and cheers. We are on the cusp of this moment that we took straight out of the mouth of this bad weather. The stage that was originally set up seemed so distant compared to the intimacy of this moment. I was within an arms length of her. And I was sharing this moment with some genuine Maria Taylor fans. They knew some of her songs, they sang with her. Our original expectations seemed so small compares to what we actually got.

Maria Taylor at the Belmont Arts Festival

So I research this girl Maria Taylor. She's performing for free at this festival they have on Belmont. So it won't cost me to see if I like her or not. If I don't like her music, there's nothing to regret. If I do like her performance then it's something to treasure. They closed off Belmont between Leavitt and Damen. There's all kinds of food to get and bullshit to buy. Even before I park the car, the clouds are looking mean and grey, but it's the wind that did most of the talking. On the Damen stage there is a band already playing. The stage is covered from the rain....but its not the rain that did the real talking. It's a nice visual to see this performance through the rain with people covering themselves or just taking it as they see this band play. The greying clouds are just not a deterrent. The way it rains in Chicago, it will rain hard for 10 to 15 minutes, and then it's just a heavy drizzle. I was still a good 20 minutes from seeing Maria Taylor . That's good considering how late I usually am. I get this pizza at a stand near Beat Kitchen while I wait. MT gets on stage. She worries about lightening strikes. From the stage, they are difficult to tell them from camera flashes. The clouds darken, and as she begins the wind performs with her. MT braves it for almost 2 minutes. A lot of wind with a little bit of rain can be dangerous. There are electrical cords everywhere...fuck the lightening, your own guitar can fry your ass. Show's over right? Fuck it. I stroll for another pizza, and then back...but for what? Show's over. Now is the time to see who came to see MT and who didn't. There is a small crowd gathered in the entrance to a residencial building, waiting for the rain to end. I wait with them. We all see them striking the stage, sinking our expectations. Yet we wait. Maybe they are waiting for the rain to stop, but the drum kit is being dismantled. The rain does not need the wind anymore. Then without warning, MT and her two guitarists go to where we are bunched up away from the rain, and anounce that they will just have their little performance right there where we are. The small crowd instantly lights up and gives them space. I'm an arms length away from her. This moment we stole straight out of the mouth of this bad weather. It was beautiful, MT is beautiful...tall and lean. Everyone had their little digital camera to document for themselves and perhaps for youtube this lovely little acoustic performance, that we did not expect to have. It was nice to share this moment with real Maria Taylor fans. They knew the songs and sung them with her. Her two guitarists sang as well. I think they are artists in their own right. If you are an Aimee Mann fan, Maria Taylor is for you.
Kaspar-Zig.

Oh, yeah....On the 28th of July Aleks and the Drummer are playing at the Empty Bottle. I'm really excited about this one, and this Wednesday 9 July, Bang Bang opens for....I don't know who, but its Bang Bang who I want to see. I will write about both later.