The Destination Changes, the Distance Doesn't

Ever since college, I've stuck with the tradition of racing to another city, grabbing dinner and then catching a concert not kind enough to pick my home city.

From the infamous Primus shows in New York until Sunday night in Lousville, a lightning road trip for a concert is something I never feel too old for. It wasn't even two years ago that Braithwaite and I rumbled back into Columbus at 3 a.m. after Tom Waits dazzled us in (you guessed it) Louisville.

With Nashville's lack of big-name acts, taking the I-65 shuffle is worth it. In this case, Plant and Krauss were always certain to play Nashville - I guessed they would land at the Ryman, and record company lowlifes would suck up the tickets before they ever went on sale. Instead, they're playing the hockey arena, which only supports my choice.

It never crossed my mind until yesterday that the run from Nashville to Louisville essentially duplicated the trip from Columbus to Cleveland. No matter how you cut it, the drive takes 2 hours 30 minutes.

Columbus didn't have a source for sucking up all the tickets, but artists often flip a coin when it comes to Ohio. Very few trek I-71 and hit all three major markets. Two, maybe, but Columbus and Cleveland fight for the same shows.
I headed north for Death Cab for Cutie, Lou Barlow, Iron & Wine, Calexico, Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins, Neko Case and others. Marjie and Drew came down for Snow Patrol, Kings of Convenience and Jose Gonzalez.

The difference in Louisville shows mean dropping into a restaurant on Fourth Street (the Bluegrass Brewing Company has good cheap eats that will satisfy even the biggest beer haters) before hustling across the street for the show.

Going to Cleveland meant hanging with Marjie and Drew, stopping into the latest restaurant to land in hip Lakewood, then hustling to the East Side, usually for the Beachland Ballroom or the
Grog Shop. Weekend shows meant a good stretch hanging in the old backyard, walking to Lakewood Park and cooking out at Edgewater.

With its massive charms, Louisville can't match that.