I can’t wait.
Tomorrow, at long last, I get to see Michael Penn in concert.
I’ve been enamored with MP’s music since 1992, when I saw his excellent “Long Way Down” video on MTV. The video was cool, but the song was enthralling. Who was this guy? Michael Penn? Wait a second… he did that song about Romeo in black jeans, right? Yep.
I rushed to the record store and bought his first two CDs: March and Free-For-All. I listened to them intently and repeatedly. I was hooked. The guy’s music is amazing, his lyrics are astonishingly fresh and intelligent, and his voice is mesmerizing. Finally, I though, some music I can sink my teeth into.
And then I waited five years for his next album, Resigned. It was worth the wait. Some of my all time favorite songs (like “All That That Implies” and “Small Black Box”) are on that album. That year, he toured in support of Sheryl Crow, and came within a two hour drive of my house, but I couldn’t afford tickets at the time.
A few more years went by and he released MP4 (Days Since a Lost Time Accident), which is another excellent album (“Trampoline” is a great track from that one).
And tomorrow, I get to see him in concert at The Point in Bryn Mawr. My wife doesn’t share my enthusiasm for Penn’s music (in fact, she actively dislikes his music), so Dave will be joining me.
I can’t wait.