So, I got lucky last night.
No, no! Not that kind of lucky! I went to see the Indigo Girls with SK, which was cool enough, but it turns out that Kelly Willis was the opening act! I was so excited when I found out, I literally jumped up and down. Not only did we have awesome seats, but Kelly signed my CD! Amazingly enough, I did not run into a single person I knew at this lesbian convention.
The show itself was cool. Kelly has a great stage presence and told stories between songs (which I like). When she played “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” (which is a very upbeat song), she encouraged people to get up and dance it the aisles. She had to know that women made up almost the entire audience, and so it gave me warm fuzzies that she really seemed to be enjoying herself and our appreciation of her music. At one point near the end, she said that they were selling koozies with her name on them out in the lobby. Someone in the audience yelled “What’s a koozie?” Her reply: “You must not be a real Texan if you don’t know what a koozie is. It keeps your beer cold and your hands from getting wet.” It was very funny 
As for the Indigo Girls…They put on a good show; enough new material mixed in with the old favorites. But…they didn’t talk much. Personally, I don’t go see live shows to hear the live music. I hate it when artists add extra notes to words, mess up the lyrics or sing it any way other than what was recorded on the CD. I want to sing along, dammit! Sing what I know! I go to see personalities, to hear the stories about why a song was written…The girls didn’t really do much of that. The most they said was about Emily’s T-Shirt, which said Wax Bush – Vote 2004. The story behind it sounded pretty interesting, so I’m going to check out the site later. MS said maybe since they did the storytellers thing, they didn’t feel the need. I say Bah! I paid to be entertained! But, since they played 2 out of the 3 songs I wanted to hear, I felt I could die happy as I left. Also, when the entire Bass Performance Hall is singing the words to “Closer To Fine” and they stop the music and the voices of all these women surround me, lift me, I feel a strange sense of connectedness to everything. Corny, yes, I know.
I wouldn’t say I am their typical rabid lesbian fan, but I do enjoy their music. The lyrics are most impressive. I could fill up an entire page with snippets of lyrics that mean something to me, but I will just put these two:
“Secure yourself to heaven.
Hold on tight, the night has come.
Fasten up your earthly burdens,
You have just begun.”“My friend Tanner she says you know me and Jesus we’re of the same heart
The only thing that keeps us distant is that I keep fuckin up”
15 Responses to “Heaven’s Just A Sin Away”
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Personally, I don’t go see live shows to hear the live music. I hate it when artists add extra notes to words, mess up the lyrics or sing it any way other than what was recorded on the CD. I want to sing along, dammit!
you make me sad
Comment by rasputinaxp — October 26, 2004 @ 2:25 am
Also, when the entire Bass Performance Hall is singing the words to “Closer To Fine” and they stop the music and the voices of all these women surround me, lift me, I feel a strange sense of connectedness to everything. Corny, yes, I know. not corny, i totally know what u mean, i get the goose bumps all the time when the audience sings along to that song..
Comment by pathfinder02 — October 26, 2004 @ 2:41 am
Sounds like fun times. K Dub rocks it so much. I was at a Carolyn Dawn Johnson concert and she did a cover of Heaven’s Just a Sin Away and I think I was the only person in the whole place who actually knew who and what it was…… tragic really
You know, one of the first songs I learned on the guitar was Land of Canan (still probably can’t spell it right) by the Indigo Girls. Did they sing that one or is it too old? ha
Glad you had fun
Comment by mustangtali — October 26, 2004 @ 2:47 am
Aww, I’m sorry. I just really like to sing along. I’ve just been the only one singing before because I was singing the recorded version and they were doing something funky. Heh. I do like bonus verses though.
And, in my experiences, most people who try to add extra notes just feck it up anyway.
Comment by jaxia — October 26, 2004 @ 4:19 am
They did sing it, actually
Ghost
Galileo
Closer To Fine
Power of Two
Shame On You
Lots of good ones
KW ended with a cover of a Tammy W song. Man, she rocked it.
Comment by jaxia — October 26, 2004 @ 4:21 am
Have you seen them before? This was my second time. The first time was in an outdoor place. This one was indoors. The sound was amazing.
Comment by jaxia — October 26, 2004 @ 4:21 am
That rocks… I am soooo jealous. Since you got me hooked on them from your collection of songs, I have wanted to see them in concert.
I know what you mean. I like concerts where the artist tells the stories and really tries to connect with the crowd, but I don’t like it when they go away too much from the recorded version. I don’t mind a longer intro or exit or even a solo here or there. I still would like to be able to sing along. What can I say, I am lyric lover.
Music is beautiful. It is amazing how it can lift up a heart, a person or even unite an entire crowd of people. Feeling that way is not corny at all.
Did they play my favorite song though?
Comment by darkeyesdreamin — October 26, 2004 @ 4:50 am
yea i actually saw them twice also..the first one was outdoors and that was awsome, they had a full band and everything…the 2nd one was inside in like a small theater and emily and amy were playing acoustic, k’s choice opened up for em.
Comment by pathfinder02 — October 26, 2004 @ 5:11 am
then you have to stop seeing sucky musicians
Tom Petty live is an experience not to be missed.
Comment by rasputinaxp — October 26, 2004 @ 6:06 am
Yeah, that made me kinda sad too. I saw the Allman Brothers live several years ago, and while they sounded great, I kept having to remind myself that they were up on stage performing and it wasn’t the cd. It felt like a bit of a rip off.
Of course, we got free Skoal at the door so that should have made up for it I guess.
Comment by transientmind — October 26, 2004 @ 6:39 am
“Closer to Fine” is such an awesome song. “Galileo” is my favorite I think.
Reminds me…have you seen this? It’s hilarious!
Comment by transientmind — October 26, 2004 @ 6:43 am
My 3 favs are Ghost, Galileo and Romeo & Juliet. Have you seen them in person?
I will watch it when I get home - thanks!
Comment by jaxia — October 26, 2004 @ 9:44 am
I basically agree with what darkeyesdreamin said a few comments down - I don’t mind longer intros and stuff, but don’t mess up the lyrics.
Free skoal? And you enjoyed that?
/shudder
Comment by jaxia — October 26, 2004 @ 9:47 am
I haven’t seen them in person. The closest I’ve gotten is live on the radio, which was very good too.
Comment by transientmind — October 26, 2004 @ 9:48 am
EW, NO. It’s one of the most disgusting habits ever.
I walked in and this guy with a Skoal hat on said “original, wintergreen, or cherry?” I was so taken aback by it I just muttered “um…cherry” as if I was actually going to use the stuff. I should have picked one that I could give to somebody. Because I doubt real tobacky chewers use cherry.
Comment by transientmind — October 26, 2004 @ 9:52 am