Make Mine A Double
or closing out the week with a double shot of Rhett Miller (part one)

Okay, so here at the Special K we have to pick our vacation weeks an entire year in advance. There are 22 of us in our department and unlike most work environments, we can't just leave our "desk" empty for a week. It's critical to our operations that someone cover our jobs in our absence. Otherwise all the unhappy horseshit news we generate won't make it to the airwaves.

Maybe that's not a bad thing.

Anywho, Geo and I have a standard practice each year of heading to the Jersey shore the week of Labor Day to chill and recharge. This year Providence stepped in to bestow the added bonus of back-to-back Rhett Miller solo shows not only at the end of our week, but on our drive home. We had to go, otherwise the terrorists would have won.

Thanks Provy! We owe you one.

The first stop was a theater north of Philadelphia in the quaint little town of Sellersville. The cool thing about following the Old 97's and Rhett is befriending other like-minded enthusiasts to hang with at concerts. We've met a lot of really great fans over the last couple months, and Sellersville added one more face to the growing list of family.

We were supposed to meet Sheila at the City Winery in New York, but she had to leave right after the show. This time I recognized her and her family at dinner from photos she had posted online. I know. Weird, right? That's the way things are now.

Sheila and me 

It was great to finally meet her. She was really lovely and has this sweet little voice. Although I think I freaked her son out a bit when I told him I recognized him in particular. Ha Ha!

Our friends Marcy and Tracey were there as well. We had a great ole time! It's so much fun knowing there are familiar faces in the crowd with whom to enjoy the show.

After show glow
Geo, Marcy, Tracey & me 

For both nights the opening act was Adam Taylor and Kate Seifarth.

Katie and Adam

He's seriously only 19.
Although he can grow a better beard than Sid Crosby

Adam hails from Central Pennsylvania. His brother is Chad Taylor from the 90s band Live. He's a talented musician and songwriter...and he's only nineteen! Kate is absolutely adorable!! She has a great set of pipes, too. You can listen to songs from the bands EP on their MySpace page here.

Rhett took the stage and busted through a 24-song set list to the delight of all attending. In addition to the touring and the writing and the recording and the interviews and the various media promotion, the lovely blue-eyed one has been recording a video diary for the Old 97's website.

Pffft! What a slacker.

While he was in the dressing room before his turn at the musical bat, he recorded this little glimpse of what he does backstage during the warm-up act.


Here's that evening's performance of that same song. He nailed it.


And of course it wouldn't be a Rhett Miller show without a bit of witty banter...

And now you know how to say "I just pissed in your bidet". A public service announcement from Mr. Miller. The more you know...

"I get by with a little help from my friends..."

Sometimes he forgets a few of the lyrics to his songs. So what. I find it charming. Makes him more human. I mean, come on! He's got hundreds of song lyrics bouncing around his brain, not to mention the melodies and chord progressions. Hell, I'm amazed by his ability to churn out 24 songs per show night after night, including the audibles he fields from audience members. Besides they're his songs. He can interpret them however he wants.

That said, I always feel like an asshole shouting out lyrics. I don't want to be that arrogant chick who thinks she knows everything, but I can't bare to watch him struggle either.

I swear to God he looked my way for help. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

Here's a beautiful song inspired by his daughter's morning chatter, Sometimes. The reason we're chuckling is a guy in the crowd kept yelling for the Old 97's song, Stoned. It was two songs down on the setlist. Rhett was going to bump it up, but the dude kept calling for it. I think the statement made was "Why am I pandering to you? F*ck it. Now you're going to have to wait for it."

Sometimes, sometimes, sometimes...Rhett will make you wait, especially if you're being kinda dicky. Ha Ha!

And because he's a great guy, he honored Sheila's request for her birthday.

It's funny, another married woman requested this same song the next night in York. It is a little effed up, but hey, if you can't have a little fantasy that a hawtie Rock God has designs on you on your birthday, then what's the point, right?

Of course if my gag-inducing, gush-fest hasn't sent you fleeing your machine in search of a needle with which to stab yourself in the face and you still want to see more, then you're in luck. There are more videos on The YouTube, as old peoples like to call it. It cracks me up when old folks put "the" in front of nouns like The Facebook, The Twitter, The diarrhea. Wha?!?

Anywho, a good time was had by all. We got to pick on Young Master Taylor...

Sold Rhett's remaining glass of whiskey on Ebay. I'm kidding. I like to kid. I'm a kidder...

is that a big enough glass or what?

and spent another amazing evening in the company of our (okay, my) favorite songwriter.

On to that bustling Metropolis, York, Pennsylvania!