Infinity Music Hall, a True Scenic Gem

Last night I was all ambition, dragging my (still) malnourished, drug-addled body out to see Living Colour after all at Norfolk's Infinity Music Hall. The band was great, as I already knew they would be, virtuoso musicians with the most sass and pizzaz this side of Lafayette. Last month's Wimbash was cool and all, but it was definitely worth it to see the full set on an elevated stage. Vernon Reid and I were military cap buddies again, and Corey Glover and I were each wearing elements of a Boy Scouts uniform, so we're basically style soulmates. Watching the show, I reflected that it's kind of a shame that for the casual listener, Living Colour are more or less synonymous with their biggest and most enduring hit, Cult of Personality, which is a great song and all, but I suspect some people are subconsciously put off by the political lyrical references and imagery from the video. Like they think it's a cool song, but that's some heavy shit, man. So they miss out on the funner sexy side of Living Colour, like their ode to bisexuality, treatise on monogamy, and whatever the hell this is.

So the show was great, but I also want to gush about the venue, which is a small-ish seated theater with an adjoining bar and restaurant. The whole place is classy and pristine. Apparently there was organic beer to be had, as well as an abundance of clean and fully operational toilets, sinks and paper towel dispensers. What a treat for a live music experience! Their line-up of events is decidedly grown-up, with folkies and singer-songwriters and the like, so I'll still have to visit shitholes to get my fix of, say, GWAR, but that's only right and proper. I'd like to see more bands in a place like this. It looks a lot cooler if you're an awesome band who is nevertheless waning in popularity to fill a nice room than to play to a lot of space in a sparsely populated dump. And as an attendee, it's certainly superior to park safely, be treated respectfully (no touching) by adult venue staff (including ushers!) and listen to music played at a non-painful volume with some degree of acoustical correctness. Did that sound a little old and complain-y? Well don't get me started... did I ever tell you about when I grew up, how we had to walk to school butt-naked, through forty miles of snow?

Behold Infinity!