The Violet Lights play their first show in over four months tonight, and I can’t deny I’ve been hoping that it will go amazingly…and perfectly.

But, as usual, what’s real is much harder to control than I’d like. Just a few days ago, my keyboard basically stopped working, and when it will be ready to use again is most definitely not going to be tonight. So, I’ve been busy figuring out how to use a different keyboard that will be adequate but not ideal, and Joel and I are working on figuring out a way to get mine working or replaced without breaking the bank.

On Saturday, the repair shop we visited in Culver City, huge and potentially spacious, was quite the sight, messily filled to the brim with thousands of pieces of musical equipment in various states of assembly and complete disassembly. But Joel told me that how bewilderingly disorganized the whole place appeared was in fact a good sign in regards to my keyboard actually getting fixed. He said he has always had better luck at shops that looked like this one: they are so chaotic because the owners are so focused on getting their customers’ equipment working that they don’t bother making sure their store appears perfectly in order.