Catie Curtis (11/24/06)



This show at the Beachland Tavern was a definitely a surprising treat...  Catie and I go way back.  Obviously she doesn't know this, but I've been following her since her first semi-major release "Truth From Lies."  Not only have I gotten every album she's ever done, but I've even able to find her initial cassette-only release of Dandelion, and the her first two albums she released on Hear Music.

I've also seen her several times in concert.  Everytime prior to when I started writing this blog...  I saw her first at the Magic Bag in Michigan, opening for Jonatha Brooke.  The next couple times I've seen her at The Ark in Ann Arbor.  Then once she was in Cleveland at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium, but I had to miss that show.

So after seeing her in these larger venues, I was very surprised to see her coming to the Beachland Tavern!  But it was also a surprise that I didn't find out about it until the last minute.  As it turns out, it was scheduled at the last minute...  This being Thanksgiving weekend, she was in town with her partners family, who are from Cleveland!  Most of whom were at the show, including her tennis coach.  :)

She started off the set with talking about being lucky getting away with her life backstage.  Cleveland punk legend Pere Ubu was performing in the Ballroom on the same night, and I guess they're not too partial to sharing the space with a folk singer.  Jerks.  :)

That didn't spoil the night.  She played a lot of songs from her new album, Long Night Moon (available on eMusic).  She also did a cover of Death Cab for Cutie's Soul Meets Body (very nice).  The night was casual and laid-back... probably a product of so many of her friends and family being there.  This show felt like an extension of being in a family's living room, all gathering around and singing songs. 

She also took lots of requests.  Many people were yelling out songs, and I tried yelling out one of my old-time favorites, Dandelion.  Everytime I was out-yelled by someone else.  Well, either that or she was purposely ignoring that song.  I gave up after the yelling it the third time.  Oh, did I mention my friend Tim was with me?  So Tim, the meddler that he is, decides to catch Catie as she's leaving the stage from her set, to tell her it's my birthday and I'd really like to hear that song...  I about shit my pants.  At this point we were both in the bathroom (held it for most of the show because I'd hate to miss any of the magic).  So while we're in there, I hear her back on stage saying she has a request for "Roger" on his birthday, and that I'm in the bathroom!!  I was dying.  She started playing another song, I walked back to my seat.  The next song, she said my name again, said I was back from the bathroom and proceeded to play Dandelion.  I could have hit and hugged Tim at the same time.  :)

After the show, we chatted with her for a minute and I got my poster signed.  It was a wonderful night. I wasn't a huge fan of Long Night Moon at first, but hearing the tracks live give me a much greater appreciation for the songs on the CD, and now it's one of my Catie-favorites.

Posted: Sun - January 28, 2007 at 01:45 PM           |

©