See Herman Dune and Julie Doiron play St. Matthew’s Church

Grade: A

Leave your house early. On the way; wonder if Julie Doiron is nervous. Sit in a church pew in the second row. Commend your good timing. Watch people arrive. Notice they are all beautiful. Have your shoulder touched by someone you are happy to see.

When the house lights turn down, be calmly excited. Watch Doiron set her purse down beside an amp. See the slim silver needles sticking out of it. Wonder what she is knitting. Have her tell you she is, in fact, nervous. Listen.

“It’s been a really long couple of days,” she says. “Well it’s been a long life, really.”

Laugh with her. Listen to her new song. Get choked up. Don’t let anyone notice. See her hand with no pick in it. See her hurried fingers expertly pluck the strings. Listen to her play “Spill Yer Lungs.” Decide the beginning of that song is your favourite guitar riff. Later, listen to her sing in French. Wish you understood while the amps make your ribs shake.

See Fred Squire play drums. When it gets quiet, see Squire flick the cymbals with his fingers. Notice at the end of songs Doiron and Squire lean back then slowly forward, ending their set on the same beat, together. Lunge with them.

Have the house lights tenderly warn you the next band is starting. Watch David Herman Dune appear on stage alone. Think he sounds like John Darnielle. Have your friend say he’s reminded of Jonathan Richman’s deadpan humour. Agree. See Dune walk and dance on his tiptoes. Picture a praying mantis. Admire the way he plays guitar as if it were just another of his long limbs.

Get to know David Herman Dune before Neman Herman Dune approaches the drum kit. Welcome his arrival. Listen to David sing a song about being drunk, but not on wine. Hear your roommate Julia say, “I think he’s drunk right now.”

Tell her, “I think he’s just French.”

Listen to them play this really long intro to “My Home is Nowhere Without You.” Feel how the recording really doesn’t to it justice. See Neman concentrate, appear almost feverish; his gaze fixed past your head, mouth open. See him rest his chin in his hand in between songs, nodding slowly. Wonder what he says yes to.

Feel their set come to an end, see the trees outside scrape the stained glass windows of the church. For the last song, sing along when David tells you to; you’ve signed on. Clap with everyone until David and Neman return to the stage. Have them play a three-song encore. Feel appreciation. As you leave, realize you don’t know how to play music, but you do know how to love it.