when I stepped out for lunch I ran into James Canty... James Canty previously of United Nation of Ulysses and The Make UpJames also played in Dust Galaxy with Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation
thus pushing me forward to try and throw down some words about DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
James Canty is now playing with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
as well as other creative projects
DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
as I try to spit out some thoughts on the notion of The Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation I am listening to Thievery Corp on Pandora...
a very nice stream!
www.thieverycorporation.com
http://www.pandora.com
last Saturday I gave my buddy Rob a call
we talked and we caught up... then I mentioned the rapidly approaching Five Nights of Thievery at the 9:30 Club
our wives had had coffee after their Saturday morning yoga which had us thinking that the topic had already been discussed
I had not called Rob with the intention to get tickets for the show... but the conversation somehow got directed that way
Rob from Thievery Corp... oh... let me clarify
Rob Myers not Rob Garza
Rob who plays guitar and sitar in Thievery Corporation
not Rob Garza who stands along side Eric Hilton behind the curtain that controls OZ
after some catching up and trying to balance the notion of what was available and rational Rob told me that he could get Lisa and I tickets for any nights other than Friday or Saturday night
the week approached and Lisa had still not given me an answer on what night worked best for her
then it was decided... Lisa told me to go to the show without her and take a friend
by this time the Five Nights of Thievery had already begun
soon enough it was Thursday Day and I was shooting for Thursday Night
some phone tag and some email volleys and I was stoked to find out that I was on the list for Sunday Night...
Sunday Night would work out well... in fact it would be a nice plus since I had canceled my intention to take my older son skiing in West Virginia...
then I found out that not only would I be on the guest list... but I would also have a photo pass!
a photo pass?
alright... killer
so... I was in... I was able to get the hook up from my old buddy Rob Myers
bonus... score... I was stoked
it is funny... DC is a small townso this Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation is not such an odd deal
Sunday night rolled around and I had it lined up that Cargo Mike and I were to roll down to the 9:30 Club on bike... but then there was threat of rain... as I walked the dog I got soaked from just 15 minutes in the mist
so we modified our plans and Cargo Mike ditched the bike and rolled up in his car that would keeps us warm and dry so that we would not have to experience the show soaked from the evening's rain
(it stopped raining and never really rained that night)
when we arrive there was a line around the block...
as I surveyed the situation I caught a glimpse of Steve Sapienza... a documentary film guy that I used to mountain bike with when he lived in a group house in Mount Pleasant that was just down the block from where Lisa and I lived in our lives before marriage and kids
Steve and I rapidly caught up with a quick hello and later I learned that he had been doing some film interviews of the members of the band... there it was DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
the time was getting late and show time was rapidly approaching
I told Steve that we would see him inside... which we would not... the place was packed... no much time for mixing or mingling unless that person is just to your right or left shoulder
we accessed the line situation and figured out where we needed to go
we did not need to wait in those lines
we went to the door and I presented my ID to the man with the black 930 Club t-shirt and clip board... he scratched my name plus one off the list... we got our hands stamped... and then they had someone fetch me a Photo Pass... YES! PHOTO PASS!
at this point I was not sure what the photo pass would allow
Cargo Mike went to the bar to get some beers while I waited for the photo pass
then and there... DC' Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation presented itself again
in through the door getting their hands stamped were a few familiar faces
Maureen G. who was in my homeroom for four years walked in with a few other B-CC Graduates
one was Bill Crandal a professional photographer who has shot some of the photos f
or various Thievery Corporation albums... the same Bill Crandal who played guitar at the Modest Proposal reunion showModest Proposal also held a few of their band practices in preparation for that gig at The 18th Street Lounge
in addition Bill and Maureen there was another girl from my high school named Freya with her husband Allen
Allen Wallace is also a professional photographer... Alan is also the photographer who snapped the shot of me with Brian Baker in front of Dag Haus
small world... small town... especially since Freya and Alan live in NYC
as it turns out Allen Wallace and Eric Hilton are old friends from the days of vinyl records and Vespa scooters... well... not the Mod Movement from the 60's... but from its sub genere of punk revival in the 80's
there it is again... DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
the hellos were quick because there was not much time to score a space before the show
they went upstairs to the balcony while Cargo Mike and I went towards the stage and the main floor
Cargo Mike and I tried to politely make our way through the tightly packed crowd
once a few bodies back from the stage I told CM that I was going to scope out what this "photo pass" was all about
I was pleased to learn that there was a small no man's land between the stage and the audience know as the "photo pit"
my pass gave me up close and personal access to the band without people's heads and people's iPhones in my shot
this "photo pit" also gave me elbow room and space to hang out
SCORE... BONUS... I WAS STOKED!
most of my night would be spent in the photo pit
only leaving the pit to say hay to Cargo Mike and to get some water and more beer
there I was with my humble point and shoot with a mini tripod attached along side a number of people with professional photography gear
soon I would discover that my mini-tripod would be useless since the stage and speakers would be vibrating too much for me to get a stable position to attempt my extended open shutter flashless photo style
I figured I could deal
the band came on and the action started...
the photographers were all given a set of instructions
give priority to the video-ographer
be sure to stay out of the video-ographer's way
I recorded that to memory and started doing my photo thing
immediately I noticed all the guitars that Rob had in his corner
this reminded me that Rob used to be a Gibson SG guy... but had borrowed a Les Paul from Brian Baker.... formerly of Minor Threat... Dag Nasty... currently Bad Religion
which took Rob in the direction of the Les Paul as his primary axe
which had me thinking more about this Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
then I thought about Atomic Music and its owners who also went to the same high school as me
which had me thinking about how the Warning Shots video by Thievery Corporation was filmed at Atomic Music
there it was again... Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
the night went on... the band rocked!
I am not sure how many times I have seen Thievery Corporation... but I have seen them a number of times over the years... I like the direction Thievery Corp has gone...
Thievery Corp has taken things from a sleepy lounge performance to an exciting live act
they groove... but they also jam... they also pick up the beat and make you want to dance
their multi-performers on the mic style works so well for the Attention Deficit Disorders of the modern day
fluidly the band went from song to song having a singer take the stage for a song or two
then allowing another singer or two take the spot light for a few songs
the temp never let down but continued to pick up
while in the photo pit I ran into a woman I had met through the Gwadzilla Page... ?
? (she) had her camera and a photo pass as well... once again DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
okay... this post is neither impressive nor entertaining
yet the fact remains the same
if you ask around... someone in the room has a connection to Thievery Corp
this is just a random off the top of my head DC's Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation
and I made it to here without mentioning Brian Liu or Yared Mekbib... which would make this small world even smaller
Thievery Corporation Rocked the house at the 930 Club
FIVE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS OF SOLD OUT SHOWS! (those guys must be exhausted)
they played up close and personal to friends and fans five nights in a row
a larger venue would not have given people the same experience
it is cool that each night people can get a chance at their own up close and personal Thievery Show
I was lucky enough to experience it
the funny thing about my rant on the Six Degrees of Thievery Corporation is that I make a few mentions within my sphere... I am not that well connected... the circles certainly get smaller
then the circles also get larger... just think of DC and its Internationalist... there must be a massive ripple through the World Bank and other such organizations that employ cultured people from all over the world
