Lisa Loeb is hands-down my favorite singer/songwriter, and a big part of why is in our history together.
Lisa was my virgin experience with live music, at the incomparable 9:30 Club in the U Street corridor in DC. That standing-room-only concert was also my virgin experience with a boy trying to pick me up. (Thank you, Red Cross Guy!!) If you want a clue on how big an impression that night made on me: I — the one who has no memory — can actually recall the date (March 1, 1996)!
At any rate, Lisa released a new album last week, and I was kinda ticked off at my pathetic fandom since I didn’t know it was out until two days after its release. I made up for it by listening to it pretty much nonstop all weekend while bopping around Dallas, and have two new favorite Lisa Loeb songs: “Probably” and “Will You Wander.”
Well, let's see. I was last there in 1996, but at the time, The 9:30 Club was not a huge venue. It was in a two-story building, but with the exception of a small balcony along two exterior walls (forming a nice "L"), it's open from floor to (second-floor) ceiling. The stage is relatively small, and on the first floor, except for the omnipresent bar, it's all open floor — standing-room only. There are limited seats available upstairs, but they go quickly. All in all, though, it was an outstanding place for music. I was standing less than 20 feet from Lisa Loeb, how cool is that?!?! I went back to see Sophie B. Hawkins, which wasn't nearly as packed, and my friend and I grabbed a seat upstairs. I much prefer Lisa's music, but Sophie B. was one of the most energetic, entertaining performers I've ever seen. Her show was spectacular.
Oh, one other side note, at the time I went (1996), the 9:30 Club wasn't in the best of neighborhoods; U Street and the surrounding area were just starting to go through the "urban renewal" process then. I lived in one of the safest neighborhoods of DC, though, near the White House, State Department and Kennedy Center. So wouldn't it figure that, on our way back from the 9:30 Club that first night to see Lisa, two blocks from my apartment some random guy opened the back door of the cab my friends and I were in and tried to grab my friend Jennifer? Sheesh! That was the scariest thing that ever happened to me in DC. And another reason never to forget March 1, 1996.
You've been to the 9:30 club?! I've downloaded a few concerts from shows that were there. I didn't know anything about it before then. What is it like?