2003-06-16 - 11:10 a.m. The Barbes show was so much fun! It always helps to play with other acts that you already love (in this case, Dave Wechsler from Pinataland, Tris McCall, and a couple of mini-sets by Les Grenouilles de Liberte.) Dave did a solo set on piano and guitar. The solo setting allows you to focus on his lyrics, and his lyrics are often laugh-out-loud funny, delivered in a deadpan, laid-back style not unlike Paul Simon waking up from a nap. Tris played acoustic guitar--a set-up I'd never seen before. I'd only ever heard him with his wall of keyboards. But he absolutely rocked, with songs so packed with wisdom and melody and chordage that you fear for your synapses. He is winsome and poised onstage, broadcasting good will and good humor. Les Grenouilles are Lenny on accordion and Dave Benjoya on guitar, and they offered up some sweet musette, making them the only act of the evening that actually was appropriate for Barbes. I want to thank everyone for coming out last night, and if you didn't, that's OK, too. I am thinking of giving up real music for air music, but I have to think about it some more. thoughts? (0 comments so far) previous - next blog archive contact