The impressive crowd that descended upon the HOB was obviously there to escape from the events still rapidly unfolding on t.v. screens and across the internet. Rockers Blue Meridian were taking the stage early before vanishing from the live scene for awhile to start work on their first album as a signed band, ”Minerva.” Approaching the venue, it seemed that most families, couples and others were in good spirits as they made happy and looked for something to do. Amy Steinberg leaned wearily against one of the colorful wooden posts of the ticket shack out front and not-so-discreetly flashed a pile of tickets hopefully at me. We exchanged greetings and hugs and began talking about This whole thing. In the first full day afterwards, it was impossible not to bring it up in conversation right off the bat. Steinberg, with her inimitable charm and style, cut right to the chase. “We finally got a taste,” she said. “The rest of the world is saying, ‘it happens to us all the time, now you know what it feels like.’” Besides the added mind-scramble of having just spent a good chunk of the summer in New York City, ("I've got friends up there now") Steinberg is contemplative about the breaking up of her group of two years. The Amy Steinberg Band would be making their final stand as a band this evening. Steinberg says that it’s “a good time to move on” while affirming that she’s gotten “cold shoulder-y” vibes from the rest of the guys; Barry Kerch, Gabe Williams, and Haui Balthaser. The trio has pledged to remain together, no band name as of yet.

Backstage in the upstairs green room, agonizing over her setlist (“I don’t really have any depressing songs”), Steinberg struggles with the concept of singing the ”Star-Spangled Banner” before the band’s set.

“I think you should,” I offer. “With the band off-stage.”

“No, they should be on-stage,” she says.

“What are they gonna do? Tapdance? It makes a statement, directionally,” I counter.

Steinberg’s dad, simply known to everyone as “Dad”, seconds the motion. He’s been sitting at the table, watching his daughter intently, offering support wherever necessary. Blue Meridian has begun their set and I find myself beckoned into the green room bathroom where Steinberg can sing without being rude to the performing band. Amy’s true talents lie in the realm of musical theater and you can’t get much more theatrical than the freakin’ national anthem. Her solid, powerful voice wraps around the anthem and the performance is assured, mature and soulful. I tell her it sounds beautiful. She nods to herself almost imperceptibly and then suddenly, her eyes get wide. “I can’t go out there singing about bombs bursting in air!” she cries. “I’m not even sure of all the words, what if I go out there and fuck up the ”Star-Spangled Banner”?

“You’ll do fine,” I say.

Dad’s cel phone rings as we walk back out to the green room. “It’s mom,” he says.

Steinberg takes the phone and begins to smile. I can see her beginning to charge up.

Out front, Donovan Lyman and the boys were keeping the crowd energized. Tie-dye, head scarves, young minds looking for peace and promise – and piece and promises, an impressive rainbow of ages from teens to fortysomethings, covering the dance floor and spilling over into the sideflows. New bandmate, guitarist Mike Grier, proved himself worthy of joining the fray that includes bassist Adam Sentz and drummer Kevin Kirkwood. They rocked out a particularly fun version of ”Starlite” and one of their newest tunes, ”So Sexy Avalon”, got a fired-up, fried green tomatoes intro that apparently is a little different with each show. Right-tasty improv, a hint of the experimental heart ticking within the band. It’ll be a while before we see it on-stage again.

When the curtains parted next, there was only Amy. And she did belt out one hell of a ”Star Spangled Banner” to a silent, respectful and effected crowd. When the part came about the ”rockets red glare/the bombs bursting in air”, the cheers and whistles began to well up out of the throng. Finishing with a bit of scat-work (a little over the edge), a noticeably shaken Steinberg walked to her keyboard, head down, while the rest of the band made their way onto the stage. It was a good night for the sassy songstress, who normally seems quite happy when at the Disney venue, though she came off as more Eeyore than Ariel as she morosely wandered the stage. “I apologize for my low energy tonight,” she said during a break in the music. “Feels wrong to have a good time – but let’s have a good time.” Her mood picked up as the band launched into ”Summertime” from their first CD "Sky High", prompting Balthaser to yelp “Hey! This isn’t on the list!” The bouncy, jazzy ode to a season fired up the crowd again and kept the bounce going till the end of the set.