He may not be the most brutal lawman on the frontier, but when Marshall Crenshaw comes a calling you best listen up, Festus. All right, I’m stopping this nonsense in it’s tracks. Suffice to say, I dragged Maximum Tom to see a man who should be in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame if it weren’t for the numbnuts who vote on such things. Maximum asked, “does he do anything else besides ‘Someday, Someway.” Uh, yeah. “Whenever You’re on My Mind,” might be the greatest love song ever written not named Ode to Joy. And don’t even get me started on “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time.” Pure pop gold.

He played a loose set of older, more known songs and newer stuff that he’s recorded with Dan Bern. However, he played without a set list and let the audience shout out requests. Not sure why no one screamed “Blues is King,” nor why he couldn’t hear my mental screams. Suffice to say, that’s one he didn’t play. Bummer.

Anyway, he seems to be touring non-stop, if Twitter is to be believed. And it is. As a bonus, guess who follows our little contribution to the webs? You got, Mr. Marshall Crenshaw. Now my interview:

Me: Can you hold my drink?
MC: What?
Me: Question – who are you currently listening to? And as a follow up – is it Perfume Genius?
MC: I never know how to answer this question. Pass.
Me: This isn’t the $20,000 Pyramid. Let’s go on. Favorite book?
MC: Oh, ok. I like this book about poverty in America. I forget the author. Oh, and there’s a book about the decline of manufacturing and what that’s done to Detroit.
ME: So light reading. How do you see the Tigers finishing this year?
MC: They should be good. I think they were better with that other manager.
ME: Jim Leland?
MC: Yeah. I think they played better for him.
ME: He’s kind of a legend here. Still lives here.
MC: Why?
ME: Um, cause it’s a little safer than Detroit.
MC: Are you going to buy anything?
ME: Hey, I’m asking the questions! Give me back my drink.

Thus concluded the interview. On the plus side, I bought an EP. On the negative side, I don’t own a turntable.

Now let’s turn our attention to the world of comedy, if such a thing still exists. I went to see sister/comic play at a local club and also got to see Kurt Braunohler. Funny man. Yes, we look a little chummy in this photo. I’m not going to lie you, but I think someone roofied me. Braunohler? Maybe. I bought his CD, and he asked me if I’d like it inscribed. Sure. Make it to Nick. He asked how I spelled it. I said, “You’re the second person to ask me that. The other was Lou Reed. He shouted at me C or a K? I told Lou, um, the traditional spelling. Both C and K.” Braunohler signed it: Fuck that guy!

Speaking of sister/comic, we are totally jazzed to be going to Cleveland (Land of Cleves) to see Sufjan Stevens perform. I hope I don’t have to attend any weddings or funerals between now and April 16th. I’m saving my tear ducts.