Underneath Beachland Ballroom last night in Cleveland before our set, two bands played simultaneously in the two rooms above. In one, The Bears, featuring legendary avante guitar player, Adrian Belew. In the other, The Library is on Fire, featuring, The Library is on Fire.

Adrian Belew, of King Crimson, David Bowie, Zappa, and Nine Inch Nails.

I could hear both bands equally. Sounded like civil war with Belew technicolor shredding solos drifting in and out. Horrible cacophony with solid guitar work.

Fore a four minute stretch though, one of Belew’s abstract solos fit exactly within the garage mud of a Library on Fire song. The time signature, the key, the tone. Like they were playing together. I couldn’t believe it. A live mash up.

After the Bears set, Belew got me to help him try to fix his computer. He was having email problems and started telling me all his passwords.

His passwords aren’t half as interesting as his solos.