Nearly Dan

Today's Something New (it's past midnight, so technically yesterday's) was going to a rock concert with Sweet Hubby and friends to hear Nearly Dan, a Steely Dan tribute band.  And they were fantastic.  They didn't sound exactly like Steely Dan, but the musicianship and vocals were great, and the songs were, of course, just right.

I must admit that I didn't understand a lot of the lyrics.  I haven't when I've heard them sung by Steely Dan either.  But that didn't matter because the music was so rockin' and rollin'.  The best moment of the evening was "Reelin' in the Years".  At the first guitar chord, the whole venue caught on fire (figuratively), and I felt as though I could just about bounce out of my seat.  That song is one of the greats.  I do love the music of my youth.

I'd guess the average age of the audience to be in the late 60's.  This was not a concert for the young uns.  But a lot of the oldsters danced through the entire concert on a area just below the stage.  We were sitting in primo seats, the front row of the balcony with an unimpeded view of the stage.  SH surprised me by inviting me to go down to the main floor to dance with him.  I'd really wanted to join the dancing, but for some reason I was shy about going by myself, and I was so happy that he asked.  I was wearing clothes that were completely wrong for dancing: long, flowy black pants that came to the floor and shoes that were too sticky-soled to turn on.  But I didn't care, and fortunately I also didn't trip on my pant legs and fall, which would have been majorly embarrassing.  We danced with abandon and joy, loving being together, loving being among contemporaries who were also being joyful and full of energy.

I have never particularly been a Steely Dan fan, but from now on, any time I hear one of their songs, I know that happy memories of this evening will come back to me.