Friday, the city of Chicago “re-opened”. Kelly invited me to her show at Fitzgerald’s. She hadn’t sang in front of people since February, 2020. I was at that show too.

After lunch with a friend in the South Loop, I biked west up Roosevelt to Berwyn. Two-plus months of peddling a couple times a week to River Forest made this ride a snap, though the scorching June sun wasn’t happy-making. Still, I made it to Fitzgerald’s before the band had finished setting up for soundcheck. Kelly arrived a little after and I helped her unload merch.

The air was soupy but the patio full of people were beyond happy to see their favorite band play live and in person, rather through some screen.

It was a joyful night.

p.s. I read the obituary of a filmmaker I’d never heard of in the Times. His first movie, Coming Apart (1969), is a pretty amazing evocation of a particular time in America. Also has some of the most accurate, relatably-awkward sex/seduction scenes I can recall staged for a movie. Plus, it stars Rip Torn.

…love when I make it into the dictionary.