Almost Famous with … My Brightest Diamond
If Shara Worden didn’t believe in Santa before she spent her day with us in Chicago, she does now
By Kelly Mellott
Published: December 24th, 2006 | 10:52am
December 2, 2006 3:15 p.m.
It was the first really cold day of the winter when I met up with Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond. We had scheduled to meet at the Chicago Music Exchange, a well-known instrument stop with hundreds of hanging rows of gleaming guitars. As Shara approached me in the front of the store, I was reminded once again of how beautiful the petite, smiling woman was in person with her porcelain skin and big, bright, playful eyes. A smile stretched across her face as she introduced herself and explained what she was doing in the store.
Since her group had opted to travel in an SUV, they had little room for equipment in the trunk. They had been borrowing the things they needed from their tour mates, Devotchka, but the tiny amp Worden had been plugging into couldn’t seem to keep up so she was getting her own. Worden asked about a guitar pedal and headed to one of the soundproof rooms to test it out. The pedal was just what she was looking for, so we headed to the checkout.
The members of Worden’s band began trickling out from their practice rooms where they had been playing with other musical toys. Nate Lithgow played bass and Dave Berger was the drummer for the tour. While the boys carried the heavy purchases to the car, Worden and I headed over to the Whole Foods across the street for lunch. Worden scoured the aisles for a suitable meal, finally deciding on sushi and a Naked Juice Green Machine for a drink. The rest of the group joined us and we sat around a table while everyone munched. Shara and I got into a very Whole Foods–esque conversation about man’s wastefulness and lack of concern about destruction and consumption.
4:30 p.m.
When we finished lunch, we headed over to the nearby Record Emporium — the same spot I’d taken Ladytron during our day together for this column — so the group could pick up some new CDs for the long drives they undoubtedly had ahead of them on the tour. The in-car collection they had now was slim, so the group split up to find some new selections. In the end, Worden walked away with Tom Waits’ newest release, Orphans, his 1990 release, Foreign Affairs, Peter Gabrielle’s Up and There, and John Legend’s Once Again. Though Worden had wanted to go ice-skating downtown in Millennium Park’s outdoor rink, we had to nix the idea due to a lack of time before sound check. Instead, we set out for Schuba’s Tavern, a popular drink stop and music venue. We got a little lost on the way, but after a few u-turns, we found ourselves again.
5:40 p.m.
When we arrived at Schuba’s, our toes were freezing from the snowy walk from the car, and we quickly ordered some drinks to warm up. An old friend of Berger’s was doing sound for tonight’s musical act, Sonya Kitchell and Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor and Carly Simon). Worden ordered a Hot Toddy to drink, an appropriate choice for the frigid Chicago weather. While our day with My Brightest Diamond had numerous highlights, one of the two that still makes me laugh aloud came about when Worden remembered that Schuba’s has a photo booth. No one loves photo-booth pictures as much as Shara Worden. The three giggled and ran around like children for a good 30 minutes, spending god knows how many dollar bills on their photos. They planned out each shot ahead of time, yet somehow always looked frantic as they exchanged spots and posed. Luckily for Venus Zine readers, Worden and the gang took one especially for us! It was obvious to me by now that Shara and her band had a childlike playfulness that I had yet to see with any other band I’d spent my time with so far.
7 p.m.
The second thing that made me laugh nearly uncontrollably occurred on our way to sound check. As Worden navigated the SUV toward the direction of Logan Square Auditorium, the night’s venue, she noticed something strange. “Look over there!” she shouted, pointing ahead of us. There was a line of five or six fully costumed Santa Clauses walking down the side street to our left. We had no choice but to follow them and figure out where they were off to. So we made a detour and it was so worth it. We found ourselves in the center of Santa heaven. There were not tens — but hundreds — of Santas as far as the eye could see. They were of all different shapes and sizes and their costumes varied slightly, but what they were doing we didn’t and still don’t know. Seeing this as a most excellent opportunity for a photo opportunity, we immediately pulled over and the band jumped out just in time to catch a group of Santa’s to pose with them. Here’s where the scene got even better, because now, up close, we realized another thing about the ever-growing swarm of jolly men (and women) in red suits. They were all trashed. Out of their minds. See, this is the kind of situation that can only be described in pictures. Luckily, we have those. I only wish that each and everyone one of you Venus Zine readers could’ve been there with us to experience it. Happy holidays, everyone!
8 p.m.
We arrived at Logan Square just in time for sound check. The crew at the venue was dismantling the rig setup for the acrobats who were slated to perform during Devotchka’s set. Unfortunately, since the show was sold out and the venue somewhat small, there was not enough room or proper barricade for their performance. I was a bit let down because I was really looking forward to this part of the night, but “safety first,” I always say. As Worden began her sound check, I realized that with her enchanting, whimsical voice and beautiful smile, she is by far the closest thing to a siren this side of mythology.
9:15 p.m.
By now, doors were open and fans were starting to leak toward the stage. Upstairs in the dressing room, Worden changed into an emerald-green dress with fuchsia opaque tights. The boys also changed into dapper outfits, ties and all. Worden did her make up in the mirror while humming and warming up her voice. Within half an hour, the gang headed downstairs and toward the stage. It was time for their much-anticipated performance. As we wove though clumps of people, Worden stopped and talked with fans. “Isn’t she cute?!” gushed one happy fan as Worden waved and continued her journey to the stage. During the performance, Worden remained the animated, personable woman I had come to know all day. She addressed her fans the same as she did me, and the same as she did her friends backstage — with respect, curiosity, and a glimmer of mysteriousness in her eyes.
11 p.m.
Devotchka took the stage and the audience could hardly contain its excitement. Behind the scenes, My Brightest Diamond was winding down after their excellent performance. We decided to head out for a bit and grab some food around the corner at a local bar-restaurant called Dunlay’s. Apparently everyone was starving, because they ordered half the menu. As everyone munched and discussed the performance, time got away from all of us until Worden’s eyes shot open wide. “We’re supposed to play on Devotchka’s last song!” she exclaimed, checking the time. Everyone began scrambling around in attempts to get back to the venue before missing their cue. We stayed behind with Lithgow to pay the check and Shara and Berger ran ahead. Lithgow was left looking as if he had consumed the entire table of food and when the waitress brought the check over, her face scrunched up in confusion over the missing members. “I ate everything here,” he informed her, laughing. “I actually ate my band mates.” After paying the check, we hurried back to the venue just in time and Lithgow even got to be a part of the onstage sing-along.
12:43 a.m.
The show was over and both bands were in the backstage room’s bustling crowd of supporters and friends. Everyone looked exhausted, but rumors of where to go next floated from group to group. Tired from our long, eventful day, the photographer (Lisa Wagner) and I said our goodbyes to Worden and the boys and thanked them for showing us a day in the life of My Brightest Diamond.
Issue #35
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