it’s not that nothing happens in durham and chapel hill, of course. things do happen. it’s just that I’m used to having more things to choose from! even london seemed like it had scant musical offerings after living in new york (where it was so easy for me to set up my own shows, which I loved to attend!). it is difficult to watch a great show — like this one at the duke coffeehouse featuring jennifer o’connor, clint and amy, ivan from the rosebuds and hotel lights — and hardly any people come out to see it. where are these college kids? I guess most of them were out on main street in durham dressed as zombies, but the show was sadly underattended. new york residents should check out clint and amy (also known as clint michigan) — amy’s voice sounds even lovelier live than on these myspace recordings (and they do a cover of the international hit song “umbrella”). I went back to the duke coffeehouse a week later to see my old pal mike slumberland, who was on the road with his recent signing the lodger, and the place had a much larger and more enthusiastic crowd (not by new york or london sardine standards, but that’s okay). the lodger were pretty ace — and they looked so super-british-skinny in a roomful of healthy sized yank blokes. anyway, it just seems like the touring thing isn’t what it used to be for many musicians I know.