It turns out my parents had given them a copy of my CD. Leo’s mom said, “Do you know who this is? It’s Evan Jacover. He sings your favorite song!” Leo stared at me blankly as his mother prodded him. “What’s your favorite song, Leo? Is it about a wagon? Me and My Wagon? What’s your favorite song?” She really wanted him to tell me that he liked my CD.

“Go ahead Leo? What’s your favorite song?”

Finally Leo gave an answer: “American Idiot?”

I can’t imagine ever having more fun at a show than I did at Wednesday’s CD release. To everyone who came out, I can’t thank you enough. The crowd totally blew me away. I’m still geeked about it.

It was especially great to play with both of my brothers, Brian and Aric, not to mention all the other very special guests: Jon, Thea, Kelly, Chris, Dan, Matt and Gordon. When it comes to music, I don’t play well with others. I unexpectedly add in extra measures, repeat verses, and leave out choruses. I play songs at different speeds and sometimes stop in the middle to talk about peanut butter. These folks not only navigated my shenanigans, but they sounded fantastic.

It seems I don’t really have a point here. I guess I just want to say thanks. Thanks to my family. Thanks to everyone who came out to the show. Thanks to everyone who bought the CD. Thanks to the people who read this garbage. I don’t expect to make it big as a musician. I don’t even think I’m very good. I just do this because it’s a tremendous amount of fun, and it wouldn’t be without all y’all.

Update:
It’s a little self-indulgent for me to post these, but some friends of mine took it upon themselves to write about the show.  And while I’m ridiculously flattered by what they wrote, I’m mostly using this as an excuse to direct my meager audience to websites of three wicked-good writers: Arnie, Lacy, Shama.

Photo by Gordon Wright

Divebar + Evan Jacover
Schubas, 8:30pm, $7, 18+
Evanston-born singer-songwriter Evan Jacover has been likened to “a cross between Leonard Cohen and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic,” and while he does sound like the pop-music parodist, his songs skew more toward break ups and traffic jams than food. Thankfully, though, quirky, clever lyrics prevent the music from being sigh-inducingly mopey. He plays this record-release show behind the new One Pair of Shoes. Headliner Divebar–whose vocalist Kelly Stanley sings on Jacover’s new album–plays rock-tinged country.

Opening: Gordon Wright

One Pair of Shoes is now available on iTunes, so download away. If you don’t like DRM, it’s also available for download as MP3s from a dorky website called DigStation. Both sites offer individual tracks for 99¢ or the whole album for $9.99.

No one has reviewed it on iTunes yet. Anyone want to be the first to write a snooty review?

8:30PM: Music Room Open – Fun, Games, and Prizes
9PM: Gordon Wright
10PM: Evan Jacover
11PM: Divebar

It’s a great chance to get the CD, hear some great music, meet some fun people and have a general good time.

A. Joe Beshenkovsky says, “It’s a plant! In a pot! I tried some other things but my artistic skills have withered away like so much old skin.” Joe and I worked together at the TV station at Columbia University. I think it looks quite nice.

B. Gordon Wright is as classy as the top hats he draws. He’s also a heck of a singer. If all goes according to plan, you can see Gordon play at the upcoming CD release show for this bad boy. In the meantime, visit his website.

C. Rachel Hansen and I really bonded taking driving classes together when we were 16. I was a bad driver then and I’m a bad driver now. Also, she drew a fish.

D. Keira Dubowsky may win the “person-I’ve-known-the-longest-who-drew-a-doodle” award as we’ve been friends since we were 12. She sent this worried man through the mail and he got to me just in the nick of time.

E. Shama Dardai has been drawing ninjas as long as she can remember. She drew this one so fast you can actually see the speed lines. But he is a gentle ninja and isn’t actually attacking the little fellow in “F.” Fear not.

F. Mara Levinsky is a jerk for not living in Chicago. But just when I think she’s forgotten where she comes from, she goes ahead and gets a Yorkie and names him “Dempster” after a street in Evanston. Then she draws him along with a Ron of Japan lotus flower.

G. Julie Irons didn’t actually draw this picture. “Today I confiscated a drawing from one of my fifth graders who was doodling when he should have been checking his answers. I told him he had two options: I take it home and throw it away, or I take it home and send it to you. Guess which one he chose?”

H. Joanie Friedman actually wins the person I’m known the longest award. We grew up around the corner from each other. Sorry Keira, I guess I was wrong. She also knows me very well — drawing the Chicago skyline.

I. Rachel Hansen actually drew three doodles and it was so hard to choose one that I had to put this snowman in as well.

J. Jon Stoper drew this fisherman who is apparently fishing for elephants judging by the monster hook on that bad boy.

K. Karen Van Ausdal crafted what is perhaps the most pleasant doodle on this whole CD. Why? Because she is perhaps the most pleasant lady on the whole CD.

L. Jen Eckart not only took the photos for the CD, she drew this picture of me… with an eye patch… wearing a “Proberty” t-shirt. We were members of a barely-existent band and we wanted it to have the worst name ever. Hence, “Proberty.”

M. Shama Dardai also drew several pictures. She, like this elephant, is a saint. Unlike this elephant, her wings aren’t tragically undersized.

N. David Huyck is an actual artist that I know from high school. Not that the others on this list aren’t artists, but he’s a real-life illustrator, and an amazing one at that. Visit his website, “Bunch of Monkeys,” and kill a few hours perusing his work. Good times.

O. Joanie Friedman drew this… box of magicians? And that’s all I have to say about that.

P. Dave Innis is an amazing artist, but I’m not sure he has a great handle on bovine physiology. We’ve all seen cows bowling, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one with udders and horns.

So there you go. It is, frankly, my favorite part of this whole CD.

See that CD cover on the right? The one that says “Click here to buy it now?” Yeah. Do that.

Update: You can now buy songs online at Digstation.