Joni on the Eve of Halloween

I have to say it - the Counting Crows' cover of Big Yellow Taxi is a slap in my face. I have nothing against the band but please, their cover of Joni makes my heart bleed.

Halloween Eve 2000 was when the beautiful gothic writer Anne Rice was at Three Lives Bookstore in the Village. She was holding a book signing of her latest Merrick. As much as I loved the ideas, the research in her writer, and had been as devoted as I could be specifically to the Vampire Chronicles, my interest in her writing was waning then. In fact, I haven't to this day even read the book she had signed for me. I keep it as more of a memento. Still, it was the perfect Halloween weather in New York and there was no way I would miss meeting the author who had so influenced my life.

Perfect Halloween weather is a stretch. It was autumn in New York, windy, and cold. The venue was a quaint and small bookstore with emphasis on gay literature. It was a fitting place for an Anne Rice signing; she was never one to hide homoeroticism or androgyny in her writing in spite of her religious convictions.

The only problem with the bookstore was the cold wait in line. I can bear the cold for quite a lot, but I never say I enjoy the cold. With the exception of this case. Two girls, surprising to me first because one was Asian and one was Caucasian, from Three Lives came outside with their guitars to comfort the crowd with music. Inspite of stiff fingers I bet they had from the chill, they jammed out the most spiritied Joni Mitchell covers. Big Yellow Taxi, Chelsea Morning - I was elated. That must be the only time I can say I enjoyed the cold.