The City on Film "Come On Eileen" (Dexy's Midnight Runners) Live at Club 770 Madison, WI Mar 24, 2006

I didn't get to see as much of MadisonFest as I'd wanted, but what I did see was pretty good. Emily and I got there in time for the last two songs from the City on Film (better known as former Braid and Hey Mercedes frontman Bob Nanna), then saw Maritime and Rainer Maria on Friday night. I didn't make it back on Saturday but I'm hopeful that the bands I missed will be back in town soon.

I realized sometime during the evening that the top of the Friday night bill was kind of an awesome throwback to the days when emo wasn't something you could buy in bulk at the mall. Ten years ago, Nanna was with Braid, Maritime's Davey von Bohlen was with his pioneering previous band, the Promise Ring, and Rainer Maria was Rainer Maria (except in Madison instead of New York). All of them were heavy hitters in a scene that didn't know what to do with heavy hitters. Now, all of them never quite made it, while Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab do body shots off the cast of The O.C.. And yet, they keep on truckin', playing free shows in campus cafeterias for whoever will show up.

Nanna closed with this sweet, fanciful reading of a true classic in the late history of pop. He's back in town for another free show this Saturday, opening for the Smoking Popes on the terrace, so check him out if you're in Madison.