Southern Rockin'

So, we're sitting downstairs on these disgusting couches at The Dame in Lexington and Dawn and the gang are drinking a beer after their opening set and Jason Isbell is pacing, getting ready to go on. The couches are disgusting because the venue is condemned, ready to be torn down at the end of the week and tonight is the second to last night of The Dame's existence. The back room in the basement reeks of urine because the pipes from the men's bathroom upstairs are broken and raw sewage pools in the far corner.

Upstairs, the room looks pretty stripped, as if it knows it's near the end, but there's confetti and glitter in every nook and cranny and the joint's hopping with that special magic, despite the impending doom.

The crowd roared through Dawn's set, cheering Josh on like the Rock God he is becoming with every new blistering solo. At one point the bartender turned to me and said, "man, I've never heard of these guys, but I'm gonna learn about them!"

Anyway.

So, we're downstairs and Jason and his band are about to head upstairs and Dawn says, "Jason, I like your crowd out there."

Jason stops at the door and says, "Oh, I've got good fans." Dawn and Lauren and Josh agree and Jason asks, "did you get a good look at their faces?"

Dawn says, "well, yeah."

Jason turns to take the stage and says, "good, because I'm about to go melt them faces off."