Last Ambersons Post
…for now at least.
Words cannot describe how incredibly stupid I feel when employing trite expressions like “words cannot describe.”
Thanks and much love to everyone who came to the last Ambersons show whether you came from Geneva/St. Chuck, Chicago, the nation’s capitol, or from right above the Paperback Grotto. Also thanks to everyone watching on the internet (be they with their pants on or off).
I counted 8 text messages waiting for me when I got off stage and they all had a similar theme. Let me answer those text messages from internet viewers now by saying “NO! The internet camera did NOT put on those 10-20 pounds. We put those on ourselves thank you very fucking much!”
Bastards.
What else?
The mind-numbingly boring drunk dumb-ass drama shit was kept to a minimum and for once the music and the useful memories associated with it were shared by all those who cared to do so.
Sweet.
Shocked, stupefied and amazed that our friend from the District and the star of Dear Jenny (who insists she is not a blogger) came all the way from where they came from to see what they saw.
Grant Miller simply rules the known universe.
My kid. He was amazing. After the gig he asked a thousand questions about the band and benefits and how soon we could do another one and if we could have drives for different clothes instead of just coats. He wants us to have a sock drive next.
I kept looking at Kim throughout the show. I forgot how many of those songs were written about her and us when we were courting. I am so glad that I have this great girl and had that great band to make and share those memories.
In getting ready for the show I listened to Current which I had not done since we made it. Everyone worked so hard on that record. Maybe we knew we were near the end of the line, maybe we didn’t.
What will stick with me from the rehearsals to playing the show was how great Bill, Sonia and Joe sounded when they sang together. I was so happy they got to do it one more time and I was there to hear it.
I know me, Chris, Joe & Dev have our shit together. We have really been battle tested in the last year and ½ playing gigs - good and bad. Hearing those kids sing together was something different and special.
Sonia still can sing her ass off. She and Bill were so gracious with each other up there. The next time I am playing some tough show with bigDrag or one of my things I’ll think of them and what they did on Thursday and be inspired. Well done Bill & Sonia.
The show last night gave me some perspective on that band that I never had while I was in it. I was trying so hard to become a serious writer. I sort of accidentally fell into this other kind of writing. Songs like Alice, Drinkinstone, To Bea or Be basically all the songs that weren’t about Kim or dead people were things I wrote out of frustration because I ran out of ideas for some bullshit novel, fake-ass tome (Jim?) or short story I was writing.
Before I knew it I was caught up in writing, playing, and recording them with my five wonderful friends who made these things so much more than they would have been if left in my hands. The Ambersons turned some throwaway songs into things that people liked or at least cared enough about to remember and shout for us to play. The show last night demonstrated to me that for a long time I didn’t even know what my art or craft or whatever – I didn’t know what it was or what it was for.
Thanks and much love to everyone there who helped me to see that on Thursday.
Many folks have some swell memories associated with seeing bands like us from that time in DeKalb. It’s a normal thing in a town like ours for people like us. I’ll say one last time for anyone who has a fond memory of that band and any of its songs, I feel privileged to be a small part of that.
Drank a little too much after the show but I fucking earned it. The rest of the band was gone. I had a few extra pops with Josh & Jenny. I turned to them before I left and said “That’s it for tonight. I’m exhausted.”
But it was a good exhausted.
Anyone who wants to see a recorded version of the live feed may do so at will by clicking HERE
Great job Chris B and way to go Ambersons.
Words cannot describe how incredibly stupid I feel when employing trite expressions like “words cannot describe.”
Thanks and much love to everyone who came to the last Ambersons show whether you came from Geneva/St. Chuck, Chicago, the nation’s capitol, or from right above the Paperback Grotto. Also thanks to everyone watching on the internet (be they with their pants on or off).
I counted 8 text messages waiting for me when I got off stage and they all had a similar theme. Let me answer those text messages from internet viewers now by saying “NO! The internet camera did NOT put on those 10-20 pounds. We put those on ourselves thank you very fucking much!”
Bastards.
What else?
The mind-numbingly boring drunk dumb-ass drama shit was kept to a minimum and for once the music and the useful memories associated with it were shared by all those who cared to do so.
Sweet.
Shocked, stupefied and amazed that our friend from the District and the star of Dear Jenny (who insists she is not a blogger) came all the way from where they came from to see what they saw.
Grant Miller simply rules the known universe.
My kid. He was amazing. After the gig he asked a thousand questions about the band and benefits and how soon we could do another one and if we could have drives for different clothes instead of just coats. He wants us to have a sock drive next.
I kept looking at Kim throughout the show. I forgot how many of those songs were written about her and us when we were courting. I am so glad that I have this great girl and had that great band to make and share those memories.
In getting ready for the show I listened to Current which I had not done since we made it. Everyone worked so hard on that record. Maybe we knew we were near the end of the line, maybe we didn’t.
What will stick with me from the rehearsals to playing the show was how great Bill, Sonia and Joe sounded when they sang together. I was so happy they got to do it one more time and I was there to hear it.
I know me, Chris, Joe & Dev have our shit together. We have really been battle tested in the last year and ½ playing gigs - good and bad. Hearing those kids sing together was something different and special.
Sonia still can sing her ass off. She and Bill were so gracious with each other up there. The next time I am playing some tough show with bigDrag or one of my things I’ll think of them and what they did on Thursday and be inspired. Well done Bill & Sonia.
The show last night gave me some perspective on that band that I never had while I was in it. I was trying so hard to become a serious writer. I sort of accidentally fell into this other kind of writing. Songs like Alice, Drinkinstone, To Bea or Be basically all the songs that weren’t about Kim or dead people were things I wrote out of frustration because I ran out of ideas for some bullshit novel, fake-ass tome (Jim?) or short story I was writing.
Before I knew it I was caught up in writing, playing, and recording them with my five wonderful friends who made these things so much more than they would have been if left in my hands. The Ambersons turned some throwaway songs into things that people liked or at least cared enough about to remember and shout for us to play. The show last night demonstrated to me that for a long time I didn’t even know what my art or craft or whatever – I didn’t know what it was or what it was for.
Thanks and much love to everyone there who helped me to see that on Thursday.
Many folks have some swell memories associated with seeing bands like us from that time in DeKalb. It’s a normal thing in a town like ours for people like us. I’ll say one last time for anyone who has a fond memory of that band and any of its songs, I feel privileged to be a small part of that.
Drank a little too much after the show but I fucking earned it. The rest of the band was gone. I had a few extra pops with Josh & Jenny. I turned to them before I left and said “That’s it for tonight. I’m exhausted.”
But it was a good exhausted.
Anyone who wants to see a recorded version of the live feed may do so at will by clicking HERE
Great job Chris B and way to go Ambersons.
posted by edP | 9:30 PM
5 Comments:
I'm glad it was a good show, big bro. Way to go!
It was a great show. I'm glad I went and Krista was very jealous. Also, I watched the show with my pants off.
I hope my mom didn't catch a view of the official "site" of Grant Miller.
I don't actually remember being in that band before... Seemed like nice people, though.
"We played Godzilla?"
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