dear reader,
it’s been pretty well covered here that we had a great time out last week (and we did). i’ll try not to re-tread. monday i spend a lot of time thinking about our shows, especially philadelphia, and what made it so great; we almost cancelled the date because of problems with the club, and if we had we would have missed what i thought was the strongest set good night, states has ever played.
between deep thoughts and deep shots of novocaine on monday, i totally forgot to investigate the status of my registration here for yesterday’s all-important primary. for those in non-super tuesday states, i can happily corroborate the media’s refrain that no matter what your stance, man is this an exciting race. there was quite a turnout here, and a real feeling of expectation and agitation.
to me, this is the best face of politics: people–even cranky, prematurely crotchety armchair radicals like me–getting off their butts, overcoming for a brief, glorious moment their overwhelming defeatism, and DOING something. folks are activated, man! what more can you ask for?
and even more, they’re excited to have the opportunity to do something different. just look at the candidates: on the republican side, we’ve got a self-described maverick frontrunner, and the democratic turf is divided evenly between two history-makers.
let me be clear: good night, states is not a political band (the five of us don’t even necessarily agree on politics). 2004 evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, political rock is not cool. (does this mean “american idiot” is a bad album!?, you ask with a gasp. well, technically, no. it would be bad regardless of the lyrics.) we’re just a band who had a bunch of great live sets because we decided a) the way things are is not good enough, and b) that means we should do something DIFFERENT.
so, we’re coming to pittsburgh this saturday in firm opposition to what has felt lately to me like a bit of a curse, namely that our weakest shows are inevitably on home turf. good night, states is working hard for change. i bet megan is somewhere practicing right now (can she hear me?), and joe, while not yet awake, will soon be one with his lap steel.
as for me, reader, i just work on setlists in my pajamas, and ask plaintively to be for a moment the hypnosis tape in your head:
(do something.)
(do something different.)
(change is good.)
(i promise.)