Kipworld

Tuesday was Northwestern’s A&O Ball… something I never went to when I was in school (they never had bands I liked). This year, the guest was Guster. El’s roommate’s boyfriend really really likes them so we all went. It was at the Riviera.

I scored a spiffy spot about a block away and then we went in. Got patted down, which didn’t happen at the Decemberists (I wonder what they thought NU students would be packin’) and then we went up to the balcony. The front balcony section was VIP only so we sat in the first row after it. It was really funny watching people come in, try to sit there, and then get shooed up to our section.

The opening band was the Zambonis. They play hockey rock. I felt bad for them because they were really trying hard, but most of the audience wasn’t there yet and the ones that were (Guster crazy sorority girls) really weren’t into songs that use hockey as a metaphor for life and love.

Then came Guster.

The last time El and I saw Guster, we were having this horrible night and fighting and stuff. And yet we connected a slight bit over the thrilling bongo work.

This time was much better… As usual, the bongo work and the lead singer’s nasal voice is what separates Guster from other 90’s rock outfits. It’s almost sad to hear the new stuff live because the bongos go away.

And wow, sorority girls love Guster. Crazy.

One downside to the show was the intense light display. The first time the directional lights swept down and lanced through our eyes and the bongos were going and stuff was totally thrilling. But then there were songs with no bongos and the lights not moving, just stuck shining in the face. That’s just not cool.

Anyway, overall good shtuff. More bongos!