Impossible to work

Did you come to this page by googling I feel so crazy? Here’s a post just for you.
I went to see Sonic Youth at the Cain’s. I have attempted to attend a Sonic Youth concert on at least 4 occasions in the past 5 years and have always had the bad luck of being out of town. Finally, I got to see these noisy folks. I was very happy. It started out a bit slow, but it went where it was supposed to go all along, and I enjoyed it for what it was.

Visually, the new, higher ceiling at the Cain’s is great. The rounded alcove that is the back of the stage, as well as the wall around the stage were used as screens for various lights and projections. The bigger space looked amazing. I was really happy with the way it looked. There were moments where the whole thing felt a bit like what I imagine the Velvet Underground looked like on stage. It was good.

But then I remembered what the Cain’s used to be like: a dump. And I have many fond memories of that dump. My sister and I bonded over our individual memories of the Cain’s Ballroom and its low cramped ceiling, huge exhaust fans, open air area between the crosstown expressway and the building where you could go to get some fresh air or talk to a friend you hadn’t seen in a while. The smokey interior is no longer smokey. That could easily have been due to the relative lack of people in the venue. I am shocked that more people weren’t there yesterday. It was the first time that Sonic Youth had played the Cain’s”^a1a” and their first gig in Tulsa in something like 15 years. The friend I was with pointed out that the venue used to feel more intimate with its lower ceiling. I think he’s right. I love the way the Cain’s looks now, but I don’t like the way it feels. It would take a packed show for me to make a real decision, but that’s not happening this trip.

Regardless of my feelings regarding the space, the music was excellent. They played a lot of new songs, a fair number of older songs (including two of my favorites, Schizophrenia and Eric’s Trip). I bought their new CD. I drank beer. I listened to music. I watched Thurston Moore use the I-beams supporting the ceiling to play his guitar. I ran into people I hadn’t seen in quite a while. I saw people I had forgotten existed but couldn’t quite place. This is not a very large city and the particular band playing attracted a very strange audience (from goth chicks to emo boys and other less scene-oriented dressers). Lots of people can say that they’ve seen Sonic Youth, but how many people can say they’ve Sonic Youth play at the only venue that both the Sex Pistols and Bob Wills once played? Let it not be said that Tulsa lacks the potential to be cool. Its cool kids just keep leaving town.

1. On Monday, Beck played it for the second time. I was unable to attend. aaa