There’s a well-known venue in Carrboro, NC called Cat’s Cradle that I was invited to last night. It an odd location for a usually packed out house at the end of a shopping center. After finding rock-star parking Mike and I took a walk to kill some time before the doors opened. We came across a used bookstore called Nice Priced Books and wandered around making comments that Ed McKays should take after there great organization skills. We were fourth in line to enter the Cat’s Cradle making way for our planned out seats (there is very little seats, a lot of standing and we both didn’t want to stand the whole time) and then the merch table walk. We both made some purchases (Mike some M.Ward t-shirts and I a M.Ward cd, Post-War) and then settled in for the nights show.

The opening band.. not really much to say about them. Oh other than the girl’s hair. As a naturally straight hair girl, I envied her sweet curls. She also was decent with a violin. Not sure why she’s in that band really, doesn’t seem to fit. The middle band or as they referred to themselves “the meat in the sandwich” was much better. I really enjoyed their music with guests of a 4 part string and they had a piano player. Its really hard to not win me over with a piano and a violin. Mike said it perfectly about the one element of the this band I sorta got over as time went it on, “I cant understand anything hes sayin’ but I believe him!” The singer had passion but he sorta talked as he sung and it was really hard to him understand him. The music that carried him made up for this strange form of singing though. Rather enjoyable to say the least.

My ears are still ringing just a little from how loud the show was. I’m usually an old lady when it comes to that sorta thing. But when the music is rocking like it was last night then you just have to let it be. Sacrifice your ears for one evening and let the music boom your body. Jason has said before when he watches a show he just stands, arms folded and without a movement watches the show. I don’t know if even he could of not even tapped his foot to the music last night. I don’t know how to put M.Ward in a typical music category. I want to say rock and roll with folk thrown in. See? That doesn’t really work now does it? Different sound than I’ve experienced at a show and I thoroughly enjoyed. Id even be willing to say it was the most fun I had a show in years. Which is pretty high being I knew very little of M.Ward’s music before entering the venue. You get much more into the music if you actually know it. I could only think how much more I would of been moving with the beat if I had known the material. The guy knows how to play a good, very well. It was a sight to behold when he did a solo or his bandmates and him rocked out. Another thing I really enjoyed was how two of the bandmates juggled the playing if acoustic guitar, bass and electric guitar. They were not half bad themselves but M.Ward was quite amazing. Maybe it was the smell of beer but it would of seemed fitting to have a nice cold beer in the end. Mike and I even discussed on the way to the show whether M.Ward would be a beer person. At the end of the show he held up a beer and said cheers.

I’m looking forward to getting to know Post-War very soon. I can see myself falling into the wonderful but dark musical trap of M.Ward. Thanks again for the invite Mike. Have a very happy birthday today!