What's There Left To Believe In?

Good music, if nothing else. I never did mention how great The Veils show was a couple weeks back at the Empty Bottle. The sound's shite there, yeah, but it's such an intimate setting, which is perfect for The Veils. I didn't take this photo (my iPhone decided to flake on me that night), but this was my view to a tee. The photographer was probably right next to me.... This article nicely sums up the feeling you get at a Veils show. They put it all out there for everyone to soak in. Finn's mesmerizing, which made for one of the better shows I've seen in a long time.

And if you're wondering how Lolla with a stranger was... it was fun! Saw The Bird (Andrew) and the Kings of Leon, who never fail to disappoint, even at a festival full of... festival issues. They are so humble and sincerely so. The lead Followill bro kept thanking the crowd and telling us how surreal it was to see all the people (there were loads of 'em) there for them when just a few years back they scared away the 10 people who actually showed up to see them play a small Lolla stage within 10 minutes. Between songs he'd remind everyone that he knows how lucky they are to be in this position... that so many bands deserve it as much if not more than them, and so on. It was actually really sweet and kind of touching. They played a good set, a few songs off each album, and it sounded surprisingly awesome. We perched to the side where we could watch the screen and hear them without getting elbow to elbow with too many 16 year olds blowing j smoke in our faces. Not that I mind a whiff here and there, no not at all, but it has a way of making one feel a bit ... old.

The rest of the evening followed suit... late dinner at Fox & Obel, saw a damn nice view of the city (how the other half lives), and got home via an empty Lower Wacker Drive (think Batman) at about 100 mph in a car that could take it. It's not often in the city you can go very fast... anywhere, so it sated my craving for a little speed. All in all, a very fun night. So often it's those nights I least expect to deliver that surprise me.