Andy Loflin / Journal

Journal Entrees:

12/22/10 - End 2010
12/03/10 - Live Prep
11/19/10 - Happy Thanksgiving
10/15/10 - "You Need This"
07/20/10 - Summer 2010
01/30/10 - Winter 2010

2009-2008 Entries
2008-2007-2006 Entries

Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - Charlotte Setlist and 2010

Today is my last day of work before the Christmas Holiday so I thought I’d take a few moments to wrap up some of the recent events and the year as a whole. With the exception to that last minute cancelation of the Greenville SC show, the Works & Days live performance went very well. It was fun to be performing again after such a long time in the studio writing and recording. I feel the need to share these songs and Smelly Cat Coffeehouse in NoDa was the perfect venue.

December 4, 2010 unfortunately started with the first snow of the season; nothing truly eventful but enough to make everything cold wet. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that nothing kills a crowd like rainy weather. Either way, the show must go on! Melissa, our friend Tiff and I arrived in Charlotte’s NoDa early so we could catch the first half of the SEC championship game at Revolution. My new collaborator friend Jeff Dill and his wife Jennifer joined us shortly thereafter for dinner. After dinner I began setting up at the Smelly Cat. I had planned on doing the show with a full PA but decided against it after seeing how the room had changed. So we set up what was needed for Jeff’s bass and I kicked off the show around 8 PM. Here’s what was played:

1. Monster
2. Stare
3. New York City Ghosts
4. Rochester
5. The Bar
6. Raggedy Andy
7. Shoebox (With Jeff Dill on Bass)
8. Just You & Me (With Jeff Dill on Bass)
9. In The Neighborhood (Tom Waits Cover)
10. The Cold
11. Cutting Ties
12. A Little Song
13. The Big Green Monster
14. Raining
15. The World Outside
16. The Game
17. Old Picture
18. A Myth Retold
19. Patriot (With Jeff Dill on Bass)
20. The Recession Rag (With Jeff Dill on Bass)
21. Home
22. Works & Days

2010 Live
The show was fun and intimate and despite the miserable weather, I don’t think the room could have accommodated many more people. Playing completely acoustic is always fun but I have discovered that my voice can’t handle more than an hour without a microphone. A lot of time was put into arranging a set filled with new music; some from the new album Works & Days while others received their public debut. The opener “Monster” is a Remains of the Day track from late 2004. The song had always been a favorite of mine so I wanted to dust it off and give it another go. There were many firsts throughout the set including the B-side “Rochester”, Works & Days songs “The Bar” and “Raggedy Andy” translated over to acoustic guitar, and a number of new songs like “Cutting Ties”, “The Game”, and the unused titled track “Works & Days”. I enjoyed playing my arrangement of Tom Waits “In The Neighborhood” as well as the original “Old Picture” that has been stuck in my lyric book for years now. Jeff Dill joined me on bass for a few album tracks and that was a blast. It was the first time I had collaborated with another musician on stage since January of 2005 and it felt really good to be doing it again. “Just You & Me” needs its bass line and Jeff pulled it off perfectly. He also put his own spin on “Shoebox” and entirely reinvented “Patriot”. The final collaboration was on the non-album track “The Recession Rag” where Jeff added harmonica to the refrain along with a playful bass line. Once everything was said and done it was a great night to share with my friends.

So I guess that about does it. 2010 felt like a whirlwind at times and I think I was able to put a lot to rest with the release of Works & Days. I’ve been told that it is a pretty heavy album and I guess that it is. Life can be heavy at times but in the end everything comes back to a happy refrain. Someone just recently asked me where I came up with the idea to use all the photos for the album cover and I surprised myself with an answer. All of those moments captured in a snap shot, quick, mundane and at the time seemly unimportant; when you put them all together and view them as a whole it makes up who we are. Works & Days is a self portrait and now I am ready to move on. As a holiday treat I offer up the demo recording of the song “Works & Days”. It was written on September 1, 2010 while I was finishing up the album. I quickly recorded a demo on Melissa’s iPhone and I think it came out really well; honest and raw, just like the album it shares names with. So enjoy the music and the holidays and I’ll see everyone in the new year.

Friday, December 3, 2010 - Works & Days LIVE

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Just wanted to take a few minutes to say that I am very excited about the upcoming shows. Tomorrow, Saturday, December 4, I'll be playing Smelly Cat Coffeehouse in Charlotte's NoDa. The show begins at 8 PM and is totally free. I hope to see a lot of smiling faces tomorrow night. Joining me on bass for a few numbers will be my friend and co-worker Jeff Dill. Over the past few days we've taken over our office and have turned it into a rehearsal space. Makes for relaxing working conditions! Anyway, see you at the shows.

Friday, November 19, 2010 - Happy Thanksgiving

December 2010 Hello everyone! Just a quick check in before the Thanksgiving break in here. I’ve got two shows booked for the first two weekends in December; Saturday the 4th at Smelly Cat Coffeehouse in Charlotte’s NoDa followed by Saturday the 11th at Theatre Underground at The Coffee Underground in Greenville, SC. For the past month I’ve been rehearsing for the shows by learning the Works & Days album on acoustic a digging through my back catalog. The plan is to play the entire album from beginning to end, almost lol I might decide to omit “Friday Night” just because I’m not sure how it will translate to acoustic. Along with the album tracks I’ve also been running through some new songs, some abandoned numbers from the lyric book, and a handful of past favorites. If you’ve paid close attention to the new poster you’ll notice it says “Andy Loflin and special guests…”; just who those special guests are will remain a secret until December rolls around. All in all I’m excited about performing live again and hope to see some new and old friends in North and South Carolina.

Melissa and I are catching a late flight to Orlando, Florida tonight for our annual Disney World anniversary trip. This will make seven years now; how time flies when you are having fun. If you want to see why we enjoy Disney World so much then start following Melissa’s webpage Makin’ Memories Photo Blog. Over the years my wife has developed an eye for photography and finally decided to combine her passions by taking great pictures while at Disney World.

To get everyone excited about the upcoming shows I’ve included a clip from yesterday's early morning rehearsal. Here I am playing the song “Patriot” while the sun rises outside. Anyway, hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and we’ll see you in December.

Friday, October 15, 2010 - Lyric Book #1: "You Need This"

For the next few journal entries I will be going page by page through my lyric book looking at the songs that make up Works & Days as well as those that did not make the cut. So get ready for some rambling soul searching mixed with a healthy dose of self doubt and more!

I worked on the record that became Works & Days for around four years; four years of growing up and writing about it along the way. Writing comes in waves for me and the first wave came around April of 2007. I had recently finished my first solo album and I made a promise to myself to not set a schedule. I wanted to create as I had when I was a teenager with a four-track tape recorder in my room at my parents’ house. Guess I was looking for creative freedom, or maybe not. Maybe I was just looking to write real music. I think I always struggle with that. I try to make a grand song, something bigger than life, and most of the time I fall short. I play musician as some children might play house; all that really matters is the story I have playing out in my head. Works & Days became that story. Looking at it now after completion, it is by far the most honest music I’ve ever written. At times it is too honest but that was a great personal challenge; to be unafraid to say everything that was in my head, no matter how deep and dark.

The first song I wrote was called “Riverboat Joe”; a silly song about childhood friendship and the way those events and settings can act as time capsules of emotions. It’s foolish and innocent. I tracked the song but left it unfinished as I decided that it did not fit the concept of the album. The next song was left untitled in my lyric book. It eventually became the opening track called “You Need This” for lack of a better name.

“ You Need This” was the perfect starting point; not only to kick off writing a new album but also for the emotional journey that would become Works & Days. The album is about growing up and leaving childish things behind and “You Need This” documents that journey.

“ You Need This"

Someone somewhere has got to know me
And have some faint recognition
Of who I was and where I came from
All my friends they don’t know me anymore
And I don’t know them
I was born in a small town
And I was raised in a smaller town
With little room to move around
You had your part and you played it well
Didn’t you?

You need this, more than I do
You need this, more than I ever needed you
And its painful but I guess that its true, I need you, I do

And so we moved up to the city
In hopes it would somehow correct me
And wash away the scenery
There’s got to be more inside of me today
Than when I began
You were always the best of the group
The one that everybody gravitated to
There was something about the way you laughed
The way you smiled and then you don’t look back
That made me want you

You need this, more than I do
You need this, more than I ever needed you
And its painful but I guess that its true, I need you, I do

Next installment: “A Promise”

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - Summer 2010 Update

On Tuesday, July 6, 2010 I released “Just You and Me”; the first single from my upcoming album Works and Days. The new song has been on the net for only a few days and so far it is getting a lot of listens as well as a few downloads. Overall I’m happy with the reaction from my friends and family. “Just You and Me” is a different kind of song for me and that is why I chose it as the opening single from the new album. To get the full effect, listen to the track with some nice headphones or on a descent sound system and the driving drum beat should get you clapping along...hopefully. As an added bonus a song called “Rochester” was included as the single’s B-side, as if there is such a thing as a B-side anymore. Judging from the feedback people seem to enjoy this song more than the other; maybe “Rochester” should have been an album track? It is hard to critique your own creations and determine what is better than the rest. That is one of the drawbacks of being a solo musician producing your own music. “Rochester” is a cool little number as it features an old friend of mine on acoustic guitar. Back in October of 2008 former Remains of the Day guitarist and songwriter Alex Quaranta visited Melissa and I from Turin, Italy. He spent a few days with us and we took the opportunity to record a few tracks. “Rochester” was the first song I let him listen to and he recorded a few acoustic guitar parts before we moved on to a different track. You can read all about the session in this previous journal entry. When it came down to laying out the new album “Rochester” just didn’t fit so I cut it. Thankfully our collaboration has a home of its own here in the “Just You and Me” single. So give the new songs a listen and download them if you want. Now, the new album!

My second solo album will be released on September 28, 2010. Works and Days is a collection of eleven songs that I have been writing and recording over the past four years. I’ve never worked this freely and without deadline on an album and I think it shows in the quality of the song writing. It has been a long wait but one that I’m sure will pay off in the end. The album is segregated into two parts with part one, Works, beginning with the opening track “You Need This” and closing with “Shoebox” and part two, Days, opening with “A Little Song” and finishing with “A Promise.” Here is the track listing:

1. You Need This
2. Patriot
3. Friday Night
4. The Bar
5. Raggedy Andy
6. Shoebox
7. A Little Song
8. The Big Green Monster
9. Raining
10. Just You and Me
11. A Promise

I am very excited for everyone to hear the full album next month. I’ve put and a lot of time and emotion into each of these tracks and it is satisfying to watch it all come together. While you wait to experience the new album take some time to explore the newly updated and ever expanding discography at the Music page. You can now listen to many past releases in their entirety including Scattered (2006), Live in Wilmington (2008), and the long out of print Hand Written Notes (2005). Also available for the first time is the entire Remains of the Day back catalog; Stone Avenue: Live from the Handlebar (2004), Taking Form (2003), Blend Into Backgrounds (2002), Descending Live (2002), and Remains of the Day (2002) can all be streamed in their entirety for the first time since originally being released on disc. To celebrate the resurrection of the ROTD catalog I’ve included a video filmed on October 4, 2008 of myself and former band member Alex Quaranta playing an acoustic version of “Move Me” from the album Taking Form. More additions to the Music page will be added throughout the year so listen along as it grows.

In the non-music-creating world things have been going pretty well. I celebrated my 29th birthday in February with an amazing Beatles White Album cake! My wife totally rocks. Last years cake was Sgt. Pepper and the year before that was Help. The White album one was the coolest yet. For Valentine’s Day we had a big weekend in Atlanta planned only to have it cut short by yet another snow storm. Luckily the snow subsided and we made our way to midtown Atlanta only a day late. We are able to keep our reservations at Craftbar and ate some amazing food; bone marrow, sweetbreads with bacon, pork belly with pickles and radishes, veal meatballs, lamb lasagna. It was a meal to remember. We also visited the Atlanta aquarium again and that was beautiful as usual. And no self-respecting Atlanta trip is complete without a visit to Flip; beer cheese soup made with ham stock, my favorite buffalo sweetbreads, and Korean BBQ burger. So it was a very foodie weekend in Atlanta.

March found us in Durham, NC for yet another Train show where we had VIP passes and got to meet the guys after the show. This was our first time meeting Scott so that was fun. We made a shirt listing all the shows we had seen them play over the past ten plus years and Melissa got them all to sign it. Saint Paddy’s Day weekend was spent uptown in the regular fashion with a room at the Dunhill and drinks all around town. A few days later my brother Matt and sister-in-law Dawn gave birth to their first child Adriana and ever since we’ve been spending a lot of time with the family watching her grow up one weekend at a time. Our Orlando friends, Brandi and Tom, came to visit us in Mooresville and we showed them around the town for a week. We had a blast with them as usual. We just returned from Orlando where we celebrated Melissa’s 30th birthday in grand fashion. I’ll have to write all about that in the next installment; we ate a lot of amazing food and as you know I like to write about food! Next week we are going to see Sir. Paul McCartney in Uptown Charlotte! As expected I am very excited and will probably ramble on about the show for a while. Anyway, keep checking the site and connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. Peace and Love. Andy

Saturday, January 30, 2009 - Winter 2010 Update

We’re well into the new year now and we’re in the middle of another winter storm; out third of the season. It started snowing last night around 5 pm and will probably continue until Sunday morning. Only last week parts of Lake Norman was completely frozen over with a thin layer of ice. It has really been an unusual winter for us. So while we are snowed in for the weekend…here’s an update.

The album is really picking up speed. Last week I was working on the song “Just You and Me” by adding some drums, bass, and keyboard parts as needed. I have a tendency to pile all the sounds on and then cut them back in final mix down. I don’t want the sound to be too jumbled. Just recently I was listening to “Taxman” from Revolver with a headset and was completely amazed by how simple it was. There’s not a lot going on: some great harmonies, basic guitar, a kickass bass line from Paul, simplistic drums and cowbell. The way it’s mixed in Stereo really highlights its simplicity but when listening through the speakers it sounds so full. I want to be a little better with the mixing this time around and “Taxman” is providing some great inspiration. This week I’ve been working on a song titled “A Little Song.” I demoed this song years ago with simply a chord structure and a melody while adlibbing the lyrics. Well the adlibbed lyrics kind of stuck and I finished them off back in ’07 while flying to Rochester NY for the first time and now it’s all coming together in the studio. On Wednesday I came up with a piano part and quickly tracked it. Not sure if I will add much more than some additional backing vocal tracks to the guitar and piano; no drums on this one. Here’s a video clip from the studio…

Now onto the real life portion of this Journal thing; the holiday’s were great, very relaxing actually. I got into a vinyl record kick that still has a hold of me and threatens to never let go! While in Greenville to visit family, and see an Abbey Road Live show, we stopped by a record collector’s event that Horizon was holding at The Handlebar. I didn’t know what to expect really; second we were through the door we started thumbing through boxes upon boxes of LPs. Melissa picked up some essential who albums: a sweet copy of “Live at Leeds”, a Japanese import of “Who’s Next”, and a first pressing of my favorite “Sell Out.” I picked up Peter Gabriel One and Four as well as a copy of the log out of print album “The Beatles at The Hollywood Bowl”. Thirty minutes and $80 later we decided it best to leave before we did much more damage.

On December 13 I had to fly up to Rochester NY for some training and this time Melissa tagged along which was great! Last time I was up that way I was all by myself and it was extremely depressing. So Mel took some time off of school to join me up North. We flew in late on that Sunday and checked into our room at the Doubletree. We only had two full days before our early morning flight back home on Wednesday so we wanted to see the town, what little there is to see. But I really liked Rochester last time I was there. I found some good food and an even better record store so I couldn’t ask for much more and that was my plan for this quick trip; to show Melissa what little I knew about Rochester. So on Monday, after my training let out, we headed to The House of Guitars. I had visited this record/music store during my last visit, I actually went twice, and I knew Melissa had to see it. You see, music is really what brought Melissa and I together. We both share an immeasurable love for great music and we live it every day of our lives through what we listen to, to where we choose to travel and the shows we attend. We were brought together by music and it continues to make us closer. Once at the House of Guitars we strolled through the upstairs area, looking at all the amazing guitars stacked all the way to the very high ceiling. One case contained an acoustic signed by Paul McCartney and a copy of Double Fantasy autographed by the late John Lennon. That’s what I really enjoy about the House of Guitars, it’s half museum and half music store. So we made our way down the stairs and into the record store area passing framed rock-n-roll artifacts strewn across every available inch of wall space. The first thing you see when entering this way is what was once a white cinderblock wall now covered in autographs and illegible scribbles from each band and musician that passed through Rochester. The one that sticks out the most would have to be the large “AEROSMITH” written towards the top of the wall. We rounded the corner straight into the chaos; boxes of CDs and LPs all over the place in what seemed like no particular order. It’s an adventure trying to find what you are looking for in there but thankfully the staff always knows exactly where everything is. Each beam and every wall were covered with autographed albums. A copy of “Who’s Next” signed by John Entwistle caught Melissa’s eye as did Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” signed by the entire band. That was a pivotal album for Melissa, came around right as she was coming into her own she tells me.

So eventually I found the boxes of Beatles LPs on the ground close to the register and started thumbing through them with Melissa. There was so much to choose from and with the remasters fresh in my head I knew what I was looking for; a sweet first pressing of “Magical Mystery Tour” in wonderful condition considering its age. So I told Melissa that was what I wanted for Christmas and she got it for me. Then she spotted a Beatles T-shirt that she really liked to I returned the favor. The whole time checking out a copy of the Butcher cover hung over our heads as if it was in approval of our purchases. We both then had to wait until Christmas to enjoy of new Beatles treats from The House of Guitars. I left satisfied, giddy with excitement, the kind of feeling that The Beatles music conjures within me when I listen to it. It’s an intoxicating feeling that many are familiar with; the fortunate Beatles fans. To cap off the night we headed to Dinosaur BBQ for a Northern version of what North Carolina does so well. It was a great meal, overlooking the Genesee River as it became illuminated with the dim lights of the city and the shine from the moon overhead. It’s a ragged town but it’s easy to find the beauty hidden between its dark spots.

The next night brought snow with it so we headed down to Nick Tahou Hots early to grab some dinner. I assured Melissa that this place was a Rochester institution. Last time I was here I order the famous garbage plate and pickup up a T-shirt for Melissa. Since then she would often be stopped by people asking with excitement “Are you from Rochester?” Obviously it was a big deal for people from this area so Melissa had to experience it for herself. We popped in the back door and got in the short line of people who were mostly ordering out. The old guy running the grill enjoyed giving Melissa a hard time while our food was being cooked but she’s good at that type of playful banter. That’s one thing I love about her, she truly holds her own. I would have just felt uncomfortable and wished I could have replied to his comments in a confident manner. Melissa tell me that I just go stupid sometimes and I agree, not sure why I do. So we left with two burgers, some fries, and a replacement T-shirt for Mel’s that had met it’s match a few stains before. We took the food back to the hotel lounge and had a few drinks while we ate our dinner out of a brown paper bag. The burger was really amazing; the chili totally did it for me. As we went to bed I watched as the snow accumulated on the ground outside the hotel. I was a little nervous about driving so early the next morning with all the snow but it turned out to be ok. Our flight was a little late leaving because they had to de-ice the plane. Not the best thing for Melissa’s nerves but everything turned out good and we were back in Charlotte that Wednesday morning.

Christmas was spent with the family down in South Carolina. My aunt and uncle came down to visit and it was nice to see them again as we’ve grown very close to them over the past year. New years followed with a new set of numbers and here we are; living life to the best of our abilities. On the ninth we were in Carrboro for an Abbey Road Live show at the Cat’s Cradle. I know I’ve talked about this great club before, or maybe I haven’t?! I got pretty side track there for a while with Journal entries so maybe I will have to do some catching up. Back in September we heard that The Minus 5 was coming to a small club in Carrboro NC. What’s the importance here? The Minus 5 consists of Scott McCaughey and the legendary Peter Buck of R.E.M.; a side project of sorts I guess you could say. Melissa is a huge R.E.M. fan and has been since before I knew her. As I’ve written before, their music changed her life. Here’s here own words via Facebook: going to see effing PETER BUCK at a small little hole in the wall club tonight! UBER excited! (He's the guitar player for REM for those of you with no clue right now) ;-)With that in mind we hopped at the opportunity to see Peter in such an intimate setting, not really knowing what to expect. We got up there real early, there was only one guy there that was stalking the place, so we sat down in front of this old crappy club and waited. At one point the club door opened out meandered Buck, all dressed in black and on old hat on. He waited for a moment as the rest of the band joined him. I remember him looking around and making eye contact with Melissa and smiling. I could see Melissa going dumb for a moment. Here was Peter Buck, one of the greatest guitar players of our time, right in front of us like it was no big deal. I mean, we “met” Peter briefly back at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame show in 2006 but it was hectic and brief. A quick, “you rock…can I get your autograph?” This was different, much more real. So they went off to grab a drink at one of the neighboring bars while I tried to calm Melissa down. Melissa’s Facebook status at that moment: Holy schnikeys!!! Peter Buck and crew just walked out of the club where we're waiting to get in. Total eye contact. Totally insane. So obviously she was excited. They opened the doors and we headed straight to the front of the stage to claim our spot. I grabbed some beers while checking the place out; a real small shabby room with a black painted concrete floor and crude murals across the walls. Most people would call it a dump but there is something enduring about it; kind of reminded me of The Iron Horse where I started playing back in 1996…no frills music joint.

While enjoying our drinks at the front of the stage Peter Buck jumped up and grabbed his bass and attempted to attach a Jack Daniels belt buckle that came with a bottle whisky he had just bought. He asked our opinion on how he should attach it to his strap and we did out best to answer. I told him that it needed to be on the opposite side of his bass strap so that the audience could see it. Melissa however just stood there smiling without a word. Here’s what she posted on FB: “Ummm holy shit. Peter Buck just asked our opinion on his guitar strap decor. Seriously. This was one fourth of my idols as a 15 year old. I might throw up a little.” The audience had finally started to fill up the room and the show started: Scott on guitar and lead vocals, Steve Wynn on guitar and vocals, Linda Pitmon on drums, and Peter on bass. Occasionally Peter would switch to guitar and pull out his signature black Rickenbaker. I’ve always loved watching him on stage though never from such a great vantage point. The two times we saw R.E.M. on tour we were in the upper bowl but even there his unmistakable moves came through load and clear. Not sure what to call it. If Pete Townshend has the bird-man then Peter Buck has the back kick. I guess that’s the best way to describe it. He’s very quiet of stage but it’s like he has momentary fits, releasing the energy into the room. It’s signature Peter Buck, the back kick! Lol So during the break I urged Melissa so go up and actually talk to Peter while we bought a poster from the tour. We got everyone to sign it; Steve, Peter and Scott…well almost everyone. Melissa got up the nerve to talk with Peter and I can’t remember what was said but it did have substance. It was actually a conversation about something, not just “holy shit you’re Peter Buck!” While Melissa talked with Peter I took the time to shake Steve’s hand and tell him “I’ve never freaking heard of you but you are amazing on stage” and I totally meant it. He had this kind of punk feel that was infectious. At one point in the show, with feedback building from his amp, he placed head of his guitar on the floor and leaned on it’s body causing the notes to bend and the excitement to build. He was something to watch. He seemed really excited that I liked his performance so much. I told him we were from Charlotte and he talked about playing the Milestone with his former band Dream Syndicate back in the eighties. Turns out he is quite a cult rock hero. After talking with Peter, Melissa asked if she could get a proper photo to replace the “Say Anything” shot from 2006. He said “sure honey” in a nice respectful way and posed from what I’m sure was his one millionth fan photo. Melissa wrote on Facebook “OMG OMG OMG! Just got everyone to sign our poster during the break AND talked to Peter AND got a pic with him!!!!!!!”

During the break Melissa had noticed a guy that she said seemed very familiar. Peter and Scott had both spoken with him but Melissa couldn’t place him until Scott invited him on stage for a few songs. Turns out it was Peter Holsapple, here’s Melissa’s explanation for the non-R.E.M. fanatics out there. “Peter Holsapple played with REM back on their 1991 MTV unplugged and was called the unofficial 5th member by Michael Stipe. He lives in Durham now, so this was crazy to get to see this special performance!” We were very lucky to see Peter join the Minus 5 on stage. For an R.E.M. fan it was electrifying. After the show we got one last picture, this time with Scott, and then we headed back to Mooresville. On the ride back Melissa wrote on her facebook page “That. Was. Awesome. Seriously. I just saw three guys who have played as a part of REM. Peter obviously. Scott McCaughey who came on during Monster and stuck around. And Peter Holsapple who played with them during Green and Out of Time. He was also on the unplugged. He lives in Durham and came to the show and played two songs with them one of which was the Ballad of John and Yoko!” So that experience solidified the Cat’s Cradle as one of the great venues in North Carolina, at least for us. So yes, where was I? January 9th at the Cat’s Cradle for Abbey Road Live! lol

While visiting Carrboro we’ve kind of fallen in love with one particular restaurant called The Spotted Dog. It’s kind of a vegetarian place and most of the time that would instantly drive me away but thankfully it didn’t because their food is amazing. I dare to say that they have the best pasta dishes in all of North Carolina and I really don’t like pasta all that much. So each time we are in town for a show that is where we start. After a great meal we walked down past the Cradle to a book/record store called Nice Price Books. I had read about it online and heard they had a great selection of used LPs and Melissa loves books so it seemed like a good spot. This place was great! Melissa instantly checked out the Who section where she grabbed a copy of “Who Are You”. I picked up two Genesis (Gabriel) albums, a copy of one of my top ten albums “The Stranger” by Billy Joel, John Lennon’s “Mind Games”, a sweet R.E.M. single. In the processes I stumbled along a ragged but playable copy of “Quadrophenia” and a 45 single from “Tommy”. After the shopping spree we headed to a coffee house down the street before going to the show. It was here that Melissa’s Train-sources altered her a tickets being available to a Durham NC show in March. This news came a few days earlier then had been hinted at by the bands website so Melissa frantically utilized her iPhone to purchase VIP tickets. It was a manic moment for Mel but I just sat back, enjoyed my mocha, and played with the Quadrophenia LP.

The Abbey Road Live show was a little more animated than usual as we had to fight to keep our spot at the front. By the end of the set the crowd had began to jump around as bodies surged against the stage. It was very odd, probably the second roughest show I had ever been to with the first being Tool at the Tabernacle, Atlanta in 2001. The night ended with a

blistering version of Helter Skelter and the band’s keyboard/guitar player crowd surfing during it’s distorted ending. The energy was infectious. So that’s that. February is almost here and I’m looking forward to another month of living. Until next time!