Catie Curtis, Live in Baltimore

I saw Catie Curtis tonight, in the basement of a church at a venue called Cellar Stage, just across the street from the Dunkin' Donuts on Harford Road in the Hamilton area (real close to where I lived before, and pretty darn close to where I am now). I was last there about six years ago, when my friend Kristin Plater played there before a house concert I hosted, and I can't quite believe I've never been back in that time. It seems like the kind of thing that I should support every month - a group of hard-working, art-loving folks who get together once a month and watch an independent folk musician play music. About 45 people were there to hear Catie sing.

And, wow, was it ever good. She's got about six or eight songs that easily would be included on the soundtrack of my life. And even though she only played a couple of them, I was still enthralled at the performance. First of all, her songwriting is just so simple and detail-driven, yet so full of truth... I got so many goosebumps tonight, I alternated between thinking she was singing just for me and being amazed that someone could feel the same things I do about the world. And her warm personality really shines through as she performs; this is a great human being and it shines through in her music.

In fact, with her curly hair - the exact same hairstyle as the girl in college that everyone loved wore - and constant smile, I think I've got a bit of a crush. I always have crushes on lesbians, it seems.

A great night. My friend Rob and I went; Rob and I see concerts together several times a year, and never tell the other where we're going. We just tell the other to clear the night. He said he's got a lot to live up to for the next one.