This incarnation of Doleful Lions existed for about 6 months but played more than any other era of the band aside from when my brother and I play as Doleful Lions. Around this time I had been the musical director of a musical called the Cheer Leader that used my songs in the production and it ran at University of North Carolina for several weeks in late 1999. I met both Aynsley and Amy during that productions as they were actors in the show and they both joined the band as back up singers. As I said in my previous post we would rehearse on the UNC quad, me with an acoustic guitar and Amy, Aynsley and myself singing 3 part harmonies, we were well rehearsed but as with any time you play in a bar the results can be unpredictable, although this performance turned out very good in my opinion. I have never loved playing in bars and I never thought Doleful Lions music suited the dark drunken exploits of a bar. I always preferred playing in the day time, in the bright light of day but honestly beggars can't be choosers.

This was an incredibly fun era of the band and well before my mental state had crept into the lyrics and overall feel of Doleful Lions (see Shaded Lodge And Mausoleum) had gotten dark, stopped playing live altogether and became a shut in, not leaving my parents house in Chicago for a couple of years (again Shaded Lodge And Mausoleum). Not something I would wish on my worst enemy.

Listening to this now, the band sounded great and the conversations happening around whomever was recording this show is just as interesting as anything we played that night.

This was 2 months before Song Cyclops Volume One was released so many of these songs are being debuted before an audience for the first time. This was during the time when Doleful Lions had a bit of a following in Chapel Hill and we could pull a crowd in a club, but I think it had as much to do with my off stage exploits than the music itself. Things like showing up to random parties wearing a crown and just being out of it due to several unmentioned factors might have played a part in that.

I hope you enjoy listening to Doleful Lions playing live during the SCV1 era in one of my favorite places on earth.

Jonathan Scott