Seeing Double

I went with LegalQueer last night to see her favorite and, possibly, my favorite girl guitarist. Melissa was on fire last night. We went to the Iron Horse for five-thirty and managed to get great seats. We were staying for both shows (the 7pm and the 10pm) and had hoped to not have "lousy" seats. We snacked and talked and waited. The show started and Melissa was playing the flugelhorn for the first song of her opening act's set. It was amazing. I could use amazing in the post quite a bit but i'll try not to.

The opening act, Natalia Zuckerman was phenomenal and worth checking out. I bought one of her CDs. She was an interesting mix of blues, a little alt country, dashed with some good NYC flavor. She definitely held her own next to Melissa's unstoppable bursts of guitar energy when they played together. That is no small feat. She's in my CD player as i'm writing this.

Melissa took the stage both time and was just pure energy. If you could measure this woman's aura in front of a crowd it would bury the needle on every instrument. Even before she opens her mouth to sing, her guitar is screaming at you, "PAY ATTENTION, IT'S GONNA BE A HELL OF A RIDE!!". That's what it is every time. Every song and I can't tear my eyes away. My entire self just wants to be right there at that moment. She played songs i'd never heard. It didn't matter. The sound in the Iron Horse is perfect and the words echoed clearly over her guitar, whether it was roaring or yearning. I could go on for hours about her variations, her rhythm, her movements, and the overall beauty that is Melissa Ferrick on stage.

The one moment that is in front of my memory took place during the second show. After some of the more upbeat selections in the second set, the mood shifted in a moment and Melissa began to play Anything, Anywhere. And it was all I could do to not cry. I had heard the song before, but I have never had such a place for it in my mind, in my heart. Thank you, LegalQueer for showing me the wonder of her music, and thank you Melissa...for this...

I want you
To know me
To need me
Smile when I call your name

I want you
To never
Look at
Anyone else this way

So strange
This something
We have between us
And it's not fair
If you've never
Loved this way

Anything, anywhere
I would give everything I own away
Always I will sing
Picturing you singing right back to me

I want you
To know that
I will always have you
No matter if never
Physically in my arms again
This love
Is like
Mercury
Splitting off
Endlessly
Every time I try
To nail it down

Anything, anywhere
I would give everything I own away
Always I will sing
Picturing you singing right back to me

Too bad
The best love hurts so much
But it's so good yes
The best love hurts so much

Anything, anywhere
I would give everything I own away
Always I will sing
Picturing you singing right back to me

Anything, anywhere
I would give everything I own away
Always I will sing
Picturing you singing right back to me
Sing it right back
Sing it right back
Sing it right back
Back to me
Anything ... Anywhere