To start with, those of you have not seen “Once”, do rent it as soon as it comes out!

Saw the Swell Season on the night that was my true day after birthday celebration and WOW!

My best femme friend and I took the ferry from Jack London Square in Oakland just as the sun set and then hopped a cable car up the hill (have not done that in many years) and went to dinner at a Thai Restaurant right by her work . . . and . . .

. . . after lots of great cathing-up-conversation I went to the bathroom and when I was coming back looked at the gal at the table beside us I suddenly realized that it was either Markéta Irglová or I was dillusional.

My femme friend and I walked out and I told her immediately that I thought it was them, who we were going to see, and she said, “nahhhh, I was looking at them while we were eating, no way”

Fast forward to them, The Swell Season, coming on after Martha Wainwright opened (yes the Martha Wainwright of Rufus Wainwriaght sisterhood fame who put on such an amazing set that I now want to see her on her own) . . . they walked on stage and we both looked at each other and said at the same time, “that was them”

Then they played one of the best, stripped down, cathartic concerts I’ve seen in ages. Glen Hansard was not only vocally masterful in a sweetly haunting way, but his storytelling inbeetween kept the audience enraptured in bow-down-and-enjoy ways! The Irish contingent was definetely in effect and the fact that the Frames were (unnanounced) as backing them up threw the entire Scottish Masonic Temple atmosphere of the setting into times of utmost revelry.

They were simply amazing! They closed with a Danial Johnston song about being living in a vampire city and realizing one was a vampire too. A classic Danniel Jouhnston song I have heard before but to have Glen get everyone to sing along and snap their fingers to the song was CLASSIC!

Great show all around!