I’m at the Urban Lounge early, drink in hand, waiting for the music to get started. At the smaller venues, it’s worth my time to show up this prematurely to maybe catch a glimpse of the performers while they aren’t all done up in PR mode. I don’t know why I do it—perhaps to feel included, perhaps just to reassure myself these artists who have provided essential soundtracks for my daily life are, in fact, real people.