Ty Segall- in dreams

Last night, I went to see Ty Segall at Cake Shop and got more than I bargained for there. I showed up there late, with a humid drizzle going on as people poured out of the Lower East Side club strip for cig breaks and to socialize in a less cramped area, with taxis streaming by to pick up the floatsam and jetsam that would soon tire out. I made it downstairs in time to see the end of the set from the third band of the evening- it was almost perfect timing and even more amazing considering it was a four-band bill where I came for the last act.

People streamed out after the band finished and I made my way up to the front, near a fan mounted on the wall, which almost made it bearable to stand there near the end of the bar. I was squashed there with people trying to thread in near the stage or to order a drink but it seemed to be a decent perch. Ty and the band set up to go on soon but it seems like long time in there with the crowd and the heat. Though I was only ten feet from the stage, I couldn't see anything except a tiny sliver of Ty's face and occasionally a glimpse of his long hair manically bobbing up and down. Near the front of stage, some pretty weak moshing was going on but it didn't matter since Ty was delivering- his set was good grungry garage rock which he's now upped the ante with by adding a tuneful side to it on his new record Melted, which impressed me enough to come to out see him. Jay Ruttenberg, my friend from Time Out New York collared me and hung out there in front for a while but he couldn't see squat either and retreated to back for some air. I did likewise and was ready to stay for a while until Ty tried out some tired jokes ("what didn't the lifeguard rescue the hippie? He was too far out man!" and "What do you do if you see a space man? You park, man!") and followed up his threat to play some Skynyrd by actually doing it (not "Freebird," mind you) and a Sabbath cover. Not really into his bar band shtick and noticing that it was getting late (I have a day job, mind you), I took off and got home by midnight.

For the last few weeks, I'd been able to actually remember most of the dreams I had and when I'd share 'em with my girlfriend or some bewildered friends who guest starred in them, they had no idea what it meant either or maybe just didn't want to tell me that I'm just sick in the head.

But after Ty's show, I had one that seemed to make things clear. Here's the scenario. I'm at an outdoor amphitheater where the circus is performing. The seating looks crowded so I walk near a ground level opening where a few people are crowded around to see what's happening. Even there, it's hard to see anything. They bring a goat out and maybe other animals and everyone oooh's and ah's at it. I turn to look at the stands and I notice that there's some clowns seated near the back with their props, including spray bottles. One of them nails me with water and at first I think it's funny and then I realize that he's trying to clear me from that area- the other people there have already left. I think of trying to walk in to find a seat but I look at my watch and notice that it's getting late and that I should probably start heading home.

Oh, so it's obvious, right? I was just processing in my mind what had actually happened to me a few hours ago (dunno who the clown was, maybe me). But it was such a relief and kind of a revelation to think that I could find some bearings about what was going on in my dreams and that I was kind of reliving scenes in my life. No, I probably can't psychoanalyze your dreams and I'm obviously missing on a lot more going on but it really gave me some peace of mind.

And I to that I have Ty, a guy I could bare see, to thank for that...

PHOTO ABOVE by Denee Petracek