I mean lets think about it from Dean's angle.. yes the 930 Club is spectacular.. but they have played it what 10 times? 15 times??? How interesting can it be to stare at the same wall in the green room, etc..?
You go to the Birchmere - and you may not like it- but the place has some SERIOUS history... you may not like country or folk but some serious dudes have played that place... a guy like Dean Wareham is going to be interested in that.. heck one of his personal heroines , Nancy Sinatra, played there...Ray Charles played there, Cash.. and they got all the signed and dedicated pictures.
I know cool rock and rollers may have trouble seeing that but I think its true... after you've played a place time after time after time.. a different place and in VIRGINIA could be more interesting...
the key will of course be what the turnout is... if everybody says "oh the birchmere blows! fuck that shit!" well it
could be sad... but if people go and its relatively well attended.. no reason it can't be a great time..
I mean shit it just occured to me that you really like a lot of the musicians that play that place tons: Lucinda, Earle, Dement....