I went to the big rock show last night at the Iron Horse, and it was really really great. First, Silver and Gold was all loungey-cabaret: a too-tall guy in an ill-fitting suit singing standards about love and loss, with another guy tickling the ivories, and it was all kind of irony-laden and funny, but also maybe serious because the guy (a local I see slouchin' around at shows all the time) had a really good voice. His performance reminded me of Ducky in Pretty in Pink, because I am 15 years old and it's 1988.

Then an acoustic trio, the core of the Ray Mason Band, played some songs, and they were wonderful and countryish and they had a little mandolin, which I like, as well as one lady dancing who turned into three.

And then there was Ribboncandy playing their Last Show Ever. Ken mentioned onstage that the last time they played (at the Horse, I think he meant) was when they opened for The Maggie's first CD release party, and at that I made a little "a single tear is falling" gesture to my friends as a joke, but then I did start to feel actual sadness. I am old, and times have changed. Ribboncandy was excellent. Total rockin' poppy hooks and funny, hip-reference-laden lyrics. It's great to see Ken, who plays like a musical genius while in the background of every band he's in, as the leader in a band.

And then there was a pause while all 12 members of the King Radio orchestra set up, and then the music started. I am a total sucker for strings in rock songs, so I really enjoyed the set. I spent some time pondering how the four string players became involved, since they looked quite professional and were dressed all grown-up and they had music stands and everything. Did they answer an ad on a lark? Are they getting paid for this tour? Do they get 1/12th of the take like the other members of the band? Besides the four strings, there were two people on piano, three guitars, one bass, and two percussionists. It was a little crazy, but it was all arranged very craftily. There were a few sound problems but much, much fewer than I was expecting, given the tiny stage and the number of performers and instruments. All in all, an incredible show, with an amazing once-in-a-blue-moon lineup. Rock.