I was fortunate enough to luck into a pair of most excellent seats (special thanks to Aerosmith for making Sal go to Boston) for Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at Radio City Music Hall Thursday night. Their duets album All the Roadrunning hadn't really caught my ear yet, but I figured Knopfler usually doesn't disappoint and Emmylou is, well, Emmylou, so how could I turn down an opportunity to see this show?
The stage was set for a good night when the lovely A.B. and I met my friend Hank and his pal George for drinks across the street from Radio City. We had a blast drinking Indian River Light; playing with the little buzzer they give you while waiting for a table; and trying not to laugh at the tall dude with the porno moustache--and shirt. (WOW.)
As we entered the venue, A.B. told me she had never been in Radio City, which I'm sure I could have eventually figured out as she looked around in wonder at what is easily New York's most beautiful music venue. It's funny how jaded -- or perhaps better put -- how accustomed I've become to what the inside of all the venues look like. Watching her was like discovering the theater again for the first time.
The show started out a little rough (especially vocal mix-wise) but settled down after a few tunes. When Knopfler pulled out the Dire Straits classic "Romeo and Juliet," it was, in a word, breathtaking. I think I even saw A.B. get a bit misty during that one. Heck, I thought I was going to get a bit misty. And then when Knopfler and Harris started singing "This is Us" -- the first single from All the Roadrunning -- something clicked. I thought, "Holy crap, this song is great, this show is great, this is one of the best nights I've had all year, I need to listen to this album more and this song every day." As if to emphasize that point, after that song was over A.B. leaned into me and said, "I really like that song."
Yup, me too.
(P.S. -- Click the link on "This Is Us" at the top of the page for a European tour bootleg version of the song. Or click here for the entire set)
1 comment:
I still say this song is great and this is us -ab
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