zzzzz........

One of the best things about Summer in Chicago is the variety of neighborhood festivals where you can often catch a number of bands for the "suggested donation" of $5. I'm quite ready for summer to be over, so when my friend suggested going the the Old Town Grape Crush, I was reluctant. But then I saw that Duncan Sheik was headlining, so I changed my mind.

I have a short fuse when it comes to drunk women with giant sunglasses though, and when I met Corrinne at North and Wells on Saturday afternoon, I could tell I was in for it. Everyone there had been out "tasting" wine all afternoon, and it was a pretty obnoxious scene. We poked around a bit, had a glass of wine, stayed in spice house as long as we could without sneezing, and then went for dinner at Adobo. Dinner was great,and thankfully were able to eat outside, because inside was more of the same. Loud, drunk, rich people who won't move to let you get to the restroom.

Anway, this is supposed to be about Duncan Sheik. Dinner was more interesting than he was. He knew he was playing to intoxication, and so I think he was determined to just play until the clock struck whatever so he could collect his check and go home. I'm not a huge fan, but when I was working at a radio station in 2000, we got a lot of play out Phanton Moon. And I've been looking forward to seeing Spring Awakening someday. After a boring first song, things started to pick up about halfway though Casanova... but then he played his "Barely Breathing" card. He had the handful of Trixies (Okay, I was trying not to, but I had to say it) who actually knew who was on stage wailing along with that one, but he lost me... I stayed 'til the end, tried to enjoy his string quartet, hoped for him to play "A Mirror in the Heart" and went home glad that I didn't spend any realy money on it. I'm glad Broadway's working well for him.