much new love, many new crushes

Fairyhead and I went to see the Yard Dogs Traveling Show and Black and Blue Burlesque last night, and oh my god was I amazed and wowed. Despite a very rocky start with the opening act, compounded by being in a pretty bad place personally, from the very first bit of the first song, I knew it was going to be way, way better than I had any reason to expect. Part of it, I'm sure, is that it was primarily about the music, and it was obviously a labor of love and mad talent, with most of the musicians having multiple proficiencies where any one would shame many other performers. The style was an organic, underground mish mash of things I love, linked by feel rather than format. Everyone was pretty, everyone made an obvious effort, and everyone was there to be looked at the same way. Just prior to them going on, I was saying that I wished I could find a way to just look at performers as individuals without all the historical or cultural apparatus attached, and somehow, the Yard Dogs pulled it off. The vocal talent, in particular, still gives me goosebumps to even think about; my doom, when it comes, will be in the combined forms of a sleepy eyed chanteuse and a throaty belter, and I'd be a fool not to embrace it.