Meiko

Ah, a warm Spring evening at a sidewalk cafe', sipping coffee and munching on... calamari?

All right, maybe that's a little off. You don't "munch" calamari, you grind on it, and with coffee isn't it supposed to be biscotti in the first place? But it was still nice. Since the concert was at The Varsity, just around the corner from the Loring Pasta Bar (who happens to have the best calamari in the Cities), I thought why not go early and indulge? :)



It turned out to be graduation day in Dinkytown with lots of U of M grads and families celebrating nearby by eating out someplace cool, and The Loring Pasta Bar is about as cool as it gets while still being inter-generational in its appeal.



And what made it even cooler was that there was a tango band playing - Sunday nights are tango night at the Loring. And several couples were showing how it was done.



Not to mention that tango music wafting out through the open doors made sitting outside with coffee and ... um, calamari ... so much special-er. Almost didn't want to go see the concert. :)



But I'm glad I did. The opening act was worth the price of the whole evening. Wow. Cory Chisel is some young guy from Wisconsin who's been touring with Meiko, and he is a cross between Neko Case and Swell Season. He has a girl singer on keys, and together they have a Glen Hansard/Marketa Irglova vocal feel, while doing alt-country material, complete with pedal steel. Swell.





Nothing from him at the merch table, though. They'd sold out his stuff three shows earlier. I can see why. But, a new CD comes out in September, and I am all over it when it does.

Definitely NOT date night this time around. There were lots of girls in pairs - modal age about 26, I'd say. Post-college working girls mostly.

I don't think Meiko is much of a draw with the guys, so I suppose the girls said to each other something like "I don't think Josh is interested in the show - you wanna go together?"

Meiko was... predictable. Fluffy pop, a'la Colbie Caillat. She's still getting her stage presence chops down - a little stiff. But Cory Chisel made up for it. The audience didn't know what to expect, I think, and weren't really paying attention. After each song, though, they started to a little more. And by the time they did a four-part country harmony version of Rufus Wainright's "One Man Guy", the place erupted, and Cory owned the crowd.

That's why I like the Varsity: not a lot of huge names but some really good surprises. Add to that cheap tickets and drinks, in a cool part of town, and you've got a great night out. Even unaccompanied. :)