November 23 2005: The Mountain Goats, Emma Pollock, Jont – Bush Hall, London UK

I got to see the Mountain Goats play in London! Fuckin London! It’s really quite remarkable to what extent I can justify things for a Mountain Goats show. This particular show was part of a series of shows that 4AD put on for their 25th anniversary. Fun times all around. “No, I Can’t” was played, “Jaipur” was done probably better than I’ve ever seen it done before, and the Glenfiddich was only £3. And there was a dude there who was fifteen, drunk of his ass and screaming along with every song. So I bought him a beer. Ah, to be young. Ah, to be young…

And uh, am I immortal now? Because I figure that live music is just as much a piece of art as anything. So I thus present the following evidence, a rough (as I unfortunately have no recording from which to derive a word-for-word transcript) recount of some on-stage banter:

John: So this is our last show of the year! [applause]
Peter: Yeah, you don’t have to come see us play anymore [laughter]
John: No, but there was this guy who literally came to every show we played on our last tour. And, you know, that’s the kind of thing that might make you wonder, like maybe the guy’s a little crazy, but he’s actually a really nice guy.
Peter: He’s actually here tonight too!
John: Really? Peter’s here?
Peter: Right over there [points at me]

So – as far as I’m concerned I couldn’t be more immortal if Da Vinci had somehow painted my name into the Mona Lisa. I mean, did the Mountain Goats ever call out Napoleon at a show? Or how about Muhammad? Or Amelia Airheart? Nope. But they’re all immortal. So there you go.