Dean & Britta at Bowery Ballroom - October 16, 2007

Click image to open Dean & Britta gallery

Dean & Britta at Bowery Ballroom was the one show I really knew I had to attend at this year's CMJ. I had loved Galaxie 500 and Luna (and never understood why either band weren't the huge success I felt they should be).

And as much as I loved Galaxie 500, Luna, and now Dean & Britta's music (and this show totally lived up to my musical expectaions), the main reason I wanted to go was so I could photograph Britta Phillips. Okay, I'll admit it...I have a hopeless crush on Britta Phillips. It started when I saw the video for Luna's "Lovedust". I hadn't really been paying attention to the band lineup...but I knew right away Justin Harwood had left the band...and had been replaced by one of the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Seeing Dean & Britta's "Night Nurse" video some time later just cemented that crush. I'd had many crushes on pop stars over the years (the first was one Veronica Bennet...better known as Ronnie Spector, who I had seen on the Ed Sullivan Show at far too tender an age to be having crushes on women 15 years my senior. Sandie Shaw? Still going strong. Amelia Fletcher of Talullah Gosh? I would still be her Beatnik Boy. But I have no delusion that I'm going to meet either of them and run off into the sunset, happily ever after (although after over 20 years I haven't given up hope of at least meeting Amelia!) One of my crushes over the years was even consummated (no, I won't say who...but needless to say it ended in disaster...This Mortal Coil's "It'll End in Tears" comes to mind).

On crushes: I was speaking with a friend of mine (who I also happen to have a crush on...the first one I've really had after a particularly painful breakup 4 years ago) about that very subject the other day, and we both agreed about how difficult it is for us to enjoy our crushes in the real world...I know I for one tend obsess, second guess myself, and can very easily make myself miserable when those crushes don't turn out the way I'd like them to. Right after our conversation, I realized that I could stop taking myself so seriously and see it for what it is...a simple crush on a very nice woman, who is actually becoming a real friend. And I know...good friends are hard to find. All I know is that after a number of years of having no real crushes whatsoever (of the non pop star kind) I'm glad I can feel this way again...hopefully I'll never be too old or jaded to continue to have crushes (in real life and on stage). I'm sure that Britta and my friend won't be the last crushes I have.

Getting to see Dean & Britta made me realize, I actually have been able to enjoy crushes over the years...my pop star crushes. The crushes that have no chance of turning into anything else (well, except in one case). Maybe I can learn to enjoy my real life crushes too. So for now, I'm enjoying my little crush on Britta. I'm also enjoying the crush on my new friend. And this might sound incredibly shallow, but I will say I have damn good taste in women I have crushes on.

Not to leave Dean out of this...I met a woman at the show who feels the same way about Dean as I do about Britta...so I know I'm not alone in this (I'm envious...he actually spoke to you!!!) The photographs in my gallery of Dean Wareham are dedicated to her, I hope she enjoys them. I won't mention her name in order to not embarrass her, but she does have impeccable taste in music.

Dean & Britta, thanks for a wonderful show. I do hope you like these photographs.