December 22 2007: Bryan Free, Deepest Darkest - Tonic Lounge, Portland OR

If you had told me, three years ago, that "Lust" would be turn into one of the highlights of Bryan's shows, I would have called you out on that bullshit. Or else felt really sorry for Bryan. But it turns out that song can grow on a person.

And I don't think I'd seen Bryan play since July '05, when he had just Graeme on bass and I knew most of the tunes. But tonight it was a full band and all tunes that I didn't know, excepting "Lust." Graeme was on guitar, Bret Vogel on sax and keyboards, the guy who plays guitar for Crosstide on slide, the rest of Crosstide on bass and drums, and Bryan spent most of his time on a Rhodes. I was hoping for more tunes I knew, though. Two nights in a row of some of your favorite musicians make for fun times, but it gets a little old when between the two nights you only know six songs, total.

And it really was a whole lot of fun, mostly cause it seemed like I knew everyone in the room. Graeme (who was nice enough to get a hold of me in advance and let me know about the show and put me on the list) and Bryan and Bret, of course, but also Adam and Sairi (who were in Chehalis over Christmas and came down for the night), Livingston (also in town for Christmas), Eichenberger, Boyd, Blanchard, my sister Sara and her boyfriend Jarek, and even Eidan showed up by the end of the night. Many Deschutes beers were consumed, full advantage of indoor smoking was taken, and I didn't leave until two. Lots of fun.