Lorna Live

I have to believe that the same people who consider sitting in their car and having a bag of hot, salted lard shoved at them through a bulletproof window by a sullen teenager with her boyfriend's name tattooed on her neck to be 'dining out' are the same people who invest themselves so heavily in the 'entertainers' on "American Idol". Otherwise, it's hard for me to understand why people would choose to plant themselves in front of their tv three or four times a week while someone who actually writes their own music and plays an instrument is performing live right around the corner from them.

For instance, at this moment in Ybor City on a Friday night, I'm listening to the critically acclaimed Lorna Bracewell and there aren't 10 people here. Lorna isn't exactly an unknown. Often compared to Ani DeFranco, she is well-established in the Tampa Bay area but I'd never seen her play before. I got here early, thinking I'd be fighting for a seat in the rafters and instead, the place is practically empty. Oh well. I'm not complaining. After all, I'm not the one missing original material plus an extended acoustic medley of "All Along The Watchtower", "When Doves Cry", "SexyBack", "Kryptonite", "Last Dance With Mary Jane" among others performed by a talented singer/songwriter/musician who isn't sponsored by Pop Tarts.