Unwicked

Last December I went with my then-girlfriend to see Damien Rice and his band play at the Beacon Theater here in NYC. There were two opening acts, but the one I remember, the one that impressed me very much that night, was led by Glen Hansard. I wasn’t familiar with his work, although I have since learned he appeared in “The Commitments,” the rousing film directed by Alan Parker. Since that night, I never got around to checking out his music.

Tonight I was trying to make my way home when I stopped at the Atlas Cafe for a quick bite before crossing the river into Brooklyn. I was flipping through The Times while I waited for my food when I saw a little ad for the Sunshine, a movie house on E. Houston just a few blocks away. “Once” was playing, going on in ten minutes. I didn’t know anything about the film except that it had received some very good press. I knew it was a musical of sorts, and I thought this would be just the thing to lift my spirits. I was taking my Moroccan Vegan Chicken Cubano to go, so I strolled over to the Sunshine with a few minutes to spare before the film started rolling.

“Once” is a wonderful film, and it features Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in the lead roles. Irglová was with Hansard and his group The Frames that night at the Beacon Theater. I didn’t know the film was Irish, and while I love the Irish voice, I have been having a rough time lately (heartsick for my ex-girlfriend who is Irish) and hearing Hansard’s music tonight in the setting of the bittersweet story told in “Once” has left me a bit raw.

I’ve been having trouble eating, my moods have been sour and lousy…I’m just unhappy. I’m a little lost lately, and I don’t know how to get found. So I suppose I’ll wander around in my life a bit longer, and I’ll spend some time listening to the music of Glen Hansard and I’ll recommend “Once” to anyone who’ll listen.