Sidewalk Cafe (10/19/05)

New York, NY

I thought about Sally during Hallelujah, which I hadn't played since January of last year. I thought about her during The White Flag, absent since May of last year. I thought about her most during Christmas Song, which I'd dedicated to her at Bill's apartment in Boston last weekend and hadn't played live since October of 2003. I even thought about her during Running To Stand Still. I can't wait until she wakes up. She's going to be pissed.

I was glad to see some familiar faces from the old days and the new, and I felt comfortable in the back room, as always. The sound on the stage was muddy, so I'm not sure what the ambience in the room was like, but I was encouraged by the feedback after the set.

Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah was very emotional; I was barely whispering at times. I still haven't been able to get all the lyrics right in one sitting, but I came closest this night (I forgot the second half of the fourth verse and ended up singing the last couplet twice).

The White Flag was pretty good even though I muffed the lick in the chorus a couple of times. It's a song that never really seems to connect with the audience, but I'm going to keep playing it once or twice a year because I believe in it.

The debut of The Last Laugh, the title song of the album I'm working on, wasn't bad, but it suffers without a full arrangement and I'm not feeling it enough to deliver on it solo.

(There's) Nothing To It and Pretty Girls went over nicely, but Post Call was the night's first highlight. It's a song I don't play often, even when I'm goofing around at home, and I think the novelty of it helps me get into it. I had a really good time playing it and the first line even got a chuckle.

Tom Petty's Walls and U2's Running To Stand Still are always sure things. I tried a new delayed guitar sound on the latter and it seemed to fill it up and add some texture. I can't remember the last time I played either song.

Christmas Song, which I only play in October and hadn't touched since 2003, is a personal favorite and went over famously. Aunt Renee, who has unwittingly added the title Staff Photographer to Number One Fan, had requested Snapdragon before the show, and I obliged her before playing She's Dead for Kelly. Jim Infantino's sardonic humor always played well in the Sinai circle.

I pulled Charlene out to close the night and it finally clicked. I played with the dynamics, mostly because I couldn't hear myself very well at the lower registers, and it lent the song an unexpected good humor. It was a perfect note on which to say goodnight.

With so many of the downtown music clubs closing, I'll likely be spending more time at Sidewalk. That is sure to be a good thing.

Thanks to everyone who came out to show support. See you soon!

Setlist: Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)/The White Flag (first since Sidewalk Cafe: 5/21/04)/The Last Laugh (debut)/(There's) Nothing To It/Pretty Girls/Post Call/Walls (Tom Petty cover)/Running To Stand Still (U2 cover)/Christmas Song (first since Sidewalk Cafe: 10/21/03)/Snapdragon/She's Dead (Jim Infantino cover)/Charlene