Thu, Aug 21 2003, 9:34 PM
This was the first time i had ever been to The Chance. Crannell Street is more like a sidewalk than a street, as it's actually brick/cobblestone that only cop cars and authorized vehicles drive on, so the place was a little confusing to find.
The Chance is a small venue, with mostly standing room, except for a few tables on a lower balcony and a few more on an upper balcony (and seats at the bar). I would say there was a "comfortable" number of people there (not too crowded).
There was actually an opening act that preceded Gerry Leonard. For that, the soundboard was run by a Chance employee, and the sound was a little bit loud and distorted, and i was afraid that it was indicative of the poor sound quality of the building. But then Glynn came to the rescue and took over the soundboard for Gerry and Suzanne, and the sound quality was superb.
This was the first time I experienced Gerry Leonard. I thought he was a pretty good guitarist, considering that no one can be Jorma Kaukonen, Neil Young, or Stephen Stills.
Speaking of guitarists, out of all 3 NY shows i attended this year, i think Billy played the best on this night for some reason.
As far as Suzanne goes, for the 3rd consecutive time, she honored my request for "World Before Columbus". I kind of wished she would have played Harbor Song, Wooden Horse, and a few other favorites, but I can't really complain because she came back out for several songs after Tom's Diner. I was surprised that one of those was When Heroes Go Down - another favorite that i don't think she played at the other shows.
Suzanne was absolutely stellar with Calypso and Widow's Walk (as well as everything else she played).
Lastly, at a venue ironically called "The Chance", I got THE CHANCE to meet Suzanne after the show. It was a really big thrill for me. I think I'm still up in orbit and won't come down for a while.
A tip for people who would like to meet performers after a show: Usually after a performance, performers are usually spent, wiped out, whatever, especially the later at night it is and the older they are. And usually you will either be the same way or you will be the opposite and have all the high energy emotions coming into play because you are getting to meet them. Knowing that ahead of time will help your opportunity go smoothly (I think).
Before meeting Suzanne, I must admit that i was a little intimidated because I didn't know how she would react to things i wanted to share with her, and i can seem a little psychotic to some people who both know and don't know me. But Suzanne was really cool, a really nice lady to meet in person.
Thank you, Suzanne, for another night of really great music, and especially for giving me "The Chance" to meet you. It was a memorable experience i don't think i'll ever forget.
Bill}