showtime at the aladdin

By Todd Stadler · Saturday, April 14, 2001 6:59pm

But tonight was fun. Jerry and I saw the Danielson Famile at the Aladdin Theatre, which is such an odd place to see a rock show. It looks more like a place where PBS would host "an intimite evening with" some intellectual singer-songwriter.

Not that Danielson is anyone's idea of a normal rock show. Tonight's line-up featured a stripped-down version of the Famile, with Daniel on acoustic guitar (sadly not dressed up as a tree) and lead vocals, Megan on backup vocals and bells (yay!), Chris on the keyboards, and two younger brothers on two drumsets. Which was a cool effect. Made the sound big. As usual, they were wearing their peculiar nurses' outfits.

They played some songs off their new album, which I now happily own, as well as a t-shirt. I felt compelled to buy stuff from them because they are so wonderful and original, and because the last time I saw them, I didn't have any cash.

Either the coolest or most embarassing moment of tonight's show came when they sang that song about mothers from Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block.

There is a section where Daniel and Megan do a call-and-response thing with the lyrics. Except the response section doesn't start immediately. But I didn't remember that. So I happily sang out loud in response to Daniel's lyrics, all by myself, in a quiet spot.

Everyone at the concert heard me. I was mortified, but quickly decided to keep singing along. I didn't have much time to think about it, but this seemed to be smoothest way to deal with the situation.

I felt vindicated when, the second time I sang alone, Daniel pointed at me, conducting me, as it were, telling me when to come in.

So I had a solo with the Danielson Famile. Which was nice.