Raining Jane -- Salt Lake City

You know I love some good live music.

Back in January I received an invitation to attend a concert in conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival. Said concert was sponsored by TheHouse.org and was to be held at The Depot in downtown Salt Lake City. (Have you ever been to an event at The Depot? It's very cool. Old train station, you know.) The House is a nonprofit group which brings together musicians and their fans in more intimate settings than your typical bar venue. The House really believes in the connection that can be made during performances, and looks to advance the relationship between the performers and their audience as passions and emotions are shared from stage to crowd.



Carina and I carpooled -- I knew she had also been invited since my initial invitation was addressed to her rather than me. She drove, we parked, we nearly froze walking the half-block to the venue.

Upon arrival we learned that we had just missed the first set, so we grabbed a snack and settled in for the second act. Within the first few bars of Raining Jane's set, I whispered to Carina, "I'm buying one of their CDs." We got to work tweeting about @RainingJane, what a great show, fantastic atmosphere, etc., and a few songs into the set, this happened:



(I don't deny it.)

The band itself was really impressive. Their vocal harmonies are super tight, they reminded me of The Roches. They're all masters of their instruments. (These may seem like they should be apparent or common observations, but it's not true of every band, and I mean it when I say it.) A lot of attention was rightfully given to the sassy percussionist; she's clever and funny and glaringly talented . . . but towards the end of the show she, from the stage, asked Carina if she was, "seriously texting during the show? Put your phone away, a$%hole!" Boo, Sassy Percussionist -- Carina had been tweeting your band's praises. Line crossed.

I did as predicted and purchased not just one, but two of Raining Jane's CDs, which have made for nice variations of Dancing-And-Singing-In-The-Kitchen music to warm the cold afternoons.



There were two additional acts, but seeing Raining Jane turned out to be the whole of our concert experience that night. It was, after all, Tuesday and what are we, 20?


Thanks to Daniel Winters of TheHouse.org for the invitation to the show.