Why?

Zooey Deschanel and Matt Ward put on a great show at the Barrymore last night, but this is the second show I've been to at this venue where a singer with a phenomenal voice was lost in the instrumentals because the sound man couldn't find the right balance. I'm sure the rest of the band's talented, but why even bother to give Zooey a microphone if you're not going to let us hear her?

The same thing happened when Suzanne Vega came to town. When she sang a capella or accompanied herself on acoustic guitar the show was magical, but when the rest of the band came out the sound man cranked up the volume until Suzanne's voice was so distant she might as well have been in Chicago.

And I'm not necessarily blaming the Barrymore. For all I know, the bands bring their own sound engineers. The Leo Kottke / Leon Redbone show was possibly the most enjoyable concert experience I've ever had, so I know it can be done. To the other guys: Louder is not better.

Boo Bradley were on the Carroll Street side of cap square, playing for the crowds at today's farmer's market.

Usually it's just the guitar player and the guy on washboard, but today a third fellah joined in with a washtub bass fiddle.

We are the opening baaaaand ....

Paul and Storm take the stage at the Majestic yesterday evening.













The trouble with taking photos of Paul and Storm is they won't hold still for a second














Paul and Storm with Jonathan Coulton

















An enthusiastic audience member threw a pair of dripping-wet panties on the stage when JoCo came out. "That's seriously effed up," he said, holding them up for all to see.












Coulton action shot

The Jon Coulton Show at the Majestic

Opening act Paul & Storm (far left and far right) join Jon on stage along with audience participation volunteer Alyssa.

A Curmudgeonly Question:

Suzanne Vega has a voice as cool and soothing as a Tom Collins on a dog day in August, so why does the sound guy turn up the volume on the band's instruments until it's nearly impossible to hear her?

Undoubtedly her finest moment on stage at the Barrymore tonight was when her band faded from the stage, leaving her alone with a six-string to sing Gypsy. I liked all the songs she did tonight (except for the DNA remix of Tom's Diner; I've never gotten used to that), but I found myself most liking the songs that featured her voice more than her band.

The Barrymore

My Darling B has had a hankering for eggs benedict all week long, so we stopped at The Blue Plate, just across the street from the Barrymore theater in the Atwood-Schenck neighborhood. I had the country breakfast. Both meals were delivered to our table in what seemed like no more than a heartbeat. It was almost as if they'd been waiting for us. We both went home with our sufficiencies surensified.