Friday, June 17th, was the quasi-annual visit of Dave Alvin to the Birchmere, and for the second year running, David wanted to go. So after taking Mom and me to the optometrist, I picked him up and we headed for Del Ray in the rain, listening to the iPod on the way.
The opening act this time was Los Straitjackets, which was a far sight better than the truly forgettable lady who opened last year. David seemed to enjoy them, especially their Mexican wrestling masks, and their surf-rocker sounds. They put on a great show, especially Teen Beat, their drummer, who holds his sticks in a truly unorthodox manner but who got tremendous sound out of the skins.
Then came Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones, opening with "Fourth of July" and a set with Dave entirely on electric guitar--so you knew it was going to be a rocking show. And it did not disappoint, with some material from his new album (irony alert: our preordered copy of Eleven Eleven arrived in the mail that very day but I hadn't opened the mail to see it). From the new album David was so-so on "Harlan County Line" but we both loved "Run Conejo Run." We brought them back onstage for an encore, and as part of the encore Dave was asking for requests. David, a trained student, immediately shot his hand into the air, and then after realizing it wasn't an occasion that required hands, started shouting for "Haley's Comet"--and the band obliged, playing David's favorite song with David smiling and singing along.
We walked out and wandered through the gift shop to kill time, in hopes that Dave Alvin would come out; I had brought a Sharpie in hopes of him signing our tickets. We then walked over to the ticket-taker and asked if he was coming out. "Oh no," was the reply. Thinking fast, I produced the Sharpie and a ticket and asked if there was any way that Dave Alvin would be able to sign David's ticket for him. THe manager looked at us, took the pen and ticket, and said "Wait here," before disappearing into the kitchen. Excitedly, we hung around, anticipating that he would return with a signed ticket for David.
Instead, in five minutes, the showroom door opened and the manager beckoned us to follow. David's getting his first backstage experience! I thought. We walked into the green room, just off the floor, and there he was, the King of California, with a few friends in the green room.
David walked over and shook hands with Dave Alvin, and said he had enjoyed the show. Dave asked what his name was, and on hearing "David," spread his arms slightly in a "how cool a name is that?" gesture. However, David, on seeing a friendly adult there with his arms wide, did what came naturally: he took the next step forward and gave the King of California a hug.
Everyone thought it was the cutest thing ("Awww!") and they talked a little more. David said his favorite song was "Haley's Comet" and Dave said "I heard you singing along out there!" (Yeah.) Dave asked if David played an instrument, and David had to admit that no, he didn't, but Dave encouraged him anyway. After Dave signed David's ticket ("To David, Mi amigo, Dave Alvin"), in a moment of sheer opportunism I asked if I could get one too. He asked if I was a David too, and I had to say no, although David *is* my middle name. So I got an autograph too: "To Eric, with David in the middle, Dave Alvin." We thanked him, and floated out of there.
On arriving home we found the CD and that it had come with a tour poster of Dave and Los Straitjackets. We're going to have the signed tickets framed with the poster as a memento of the night David and Dave met, and our shared moment of a brush with fame. And no, we can't wait until his next visit. (David pointed out to Dave that his bands had been the Guilty Men, the Guilty Women, and now the Guilty Ones; he asked if the next one was the Guilty Things.)
