1 May – Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta)
I knew going in it might be a little rough, because I haven’t played a straight acoustic show in a long time. And as I’ve said too many times, I don’t feel like I have a very good acoustic show. My playing is okay, and usually my voice is good. I just don’t think I bring anything especially compelling to an acoustic show. I can’t come across as one of those very serious “explain the motivation behind each song beforehand” people, just because I don’t really even write songs like that. I frankly just don’t know how to put on an acoustic SHOW. The show was sort of a reinforcement of that belief. I thought I did okay, my voice was good for the most part. I got sloppy near the end. I just didn’t feel like it had much life to it. I know this is something I need to rectify, because I’m about to have to start going out of state with this show. It needs something, apart from just being a little more in pocket. I just don’t know what, yet.
I was much more depressed about it immediately afterwards, which is why I wasn’t in a rush to talk about it.
I found out something kind of interesting Saturday… I was talking to John after rehearsal, and he was talking about a show 6X did last summer, and if I’m right I think it was one of those Daemon showcases at Criminal Records. Anyway, apparently Amy Ray came up to Rob at one point and said “you’re playing with Paul Melancon now, aren’t you?” I think she got my last name wrong, actually, but that’s not uncommon for me. So Rob corrected her and said yes, and she said something to him about me being very talented.
I had no idea they had been keeping up with me to that extent.
One other thing… a few months ago I found out about an Elvis Costello tribute CD that John Brodeur was putting out. John is one of the more familiar people in the weird little power-pop community online. He also performs; I think he’s based out of New York. Anyway, I sent an email asking for details (I’ve never talked to him before, mind you) and it turned out the deadline was pretty short, and there was no way for me to pull it off because I was rushing to get my own CD finished at the time. So I let it go. But this weekend I got an email out of the blue from him asking me to play a show in July (in New York, I assume) that he’s putting together, a tribute show, I guess to coincide with the release of the CD. I’d be playing 2 songs, Costello songs. I haven’t answered him yet, because I’m giving serious thought to the idea of flying up and doing it, staying overnight and coming home. I should be able to pay for it out of what is now my tour support savings, I think I could probably get a cheap-ish flight.