It’s just after 9 o’clock, December 5, 2006 - the scheduled start time for tonight's show. The Unitarian Church stage is lit dimly with a couple of lamp stands, and the crowd is tightly packed into an unseasonably warm room. In a rare show free of supporting acts, the crowd are all here to see the same band. That band, Washington DC's The Evens, is comprised of long-time friends and musical veterans Ian Mackaye and Amy Farina. Ian, of course, redefined hardcore punk in Minor Threat, before doing the same for emo and post-hardcore in Embrace and Fugazi, respectively. Amy was the drummer and vocalist for Dischord Records cult favorites The Warmers, and she more than ably reprises these duties for the Evens.

It’s getting to be a little hard to see above all the big hair in the audience, but it’s bound to be almost showtime now. Yes, and here it is! Ian and Amy suddenly appear from the waiting room (no pun intended - okay maybe some pun intended), unceremoniously moving through the crowd toward the stage. Amy settles behind her drum kit. She’ll be providing tight, focused rhythm with an experimental flair, a style which is the not-so-secret weapon that drives The Evens’ sound. Ian takes out his Danelectro baritone guitar - the paint almost completely gone from its weathered neck - and plugs in. After a short sound check of the two mics (Ian and Amy both provide vocals on most songs), The Evens are ready to go.

The selection of songs, as expected, is a potent combination of material from the band’s two albums - 2005's The Evens and this year’s Get Evens. Despite R5's allowing children under 12 in free tonight, Ian assures the crowd that the duo won’t be performing their beloved children’s song “Vowel Movement.” A damn shame, but we move on.

It’s a very laid back set, though far too intense and passionate to ever approach boring. One would likely describe it as “chill” but I don’t like to use that word and, though I did just use it, my backspace key is broken and I’m not starting this article over. Intermittent chatter and jokes punctuate the set. The banter is reminiscent of a good set by a topical singer-songwriter such as Phil Ochs, in his earlier, more subtle days. Don’t be fooled, though. There isn’t a whole lot of preaching going on here, despite the strong social conscience that permeates the Evens' catalog. Ian and Amy are pictures of serenity - save for the one time when some genius yells out “play ‘Filler’!” Ian gets a little upset at this point, seemingly because of the fan’s unoriginality in his choice of taunt, rather than the simple fact that he chooses to yell. Amy coolly adds in her two cents, saying, “I don’t know how to play that one.” Awesome.

The evening is highlighted by a constant sense of audience participation. “We’re all coming together to make a show,” Ian says. At the end of "You Won't Feel a Thing," we’re encouraged to join in singing what the duo humorously imagines as an “epic fade-out.” We all try to get it together, but the fade-out is far from epic. A fan suggests we give it another try. The band agrees, but first Ian tells us a story of a time when he saw Golden Earring open for Thin Lizzy and Queen and they played “Radar Love” twice. Did I really just hear that story come from Ian Mackaye?

Looking back on it, the show was a perfect mixture of music and community, and I mean that. I laughed much more than I expected to, though there was that awkward moment when our indie rock heroes admonished the recent wave of van thefts in Philly. For those who don't know, several bands have had their vans (and, vicariously, all their gear) stolen while performing in the city. Ian joked that it's something we could really be proud of - being “the city with the most van thefts.” He also asked if the thief was in the room tonight. When no one answered, Amy pointed the finger at her bandmate. “Hey Ian,” she asked. “Where’d you get that new guitar?” Kudos again to Amy, for easing up another tense moment.

When it comes down to it, the Evens made us laugh, attacked our senses, and made us think about some important things. “Mt. Pleasant Isn’t” and “Cut From the Cloth” were musical highlights, with the staccato and intensity of the records busting out even more live. Of course, the anecdotes told between songs, alone, were more than worth the $5 admission. And you can't really complain about a great show and a night out that, with transportation and a Wawa iced tea included, cost less than one photo of Alexander Hamilton.

On a personal note, I lived out a dream of mine after the set when I was able to - just briefly - meet Ian Mackaye as he sold Evens LP’s from the corner of the stage. My hands probably shaking, I walked up and told him the same thing that thousands of others have - his music has made a huge difference in my life. Seeing I was embarrased, Ian reassured me, “Music kicked my ass, and I’m just trying to return the favor.” After 25 years, hundreds of shows, and untold miles on the road, he’s making good on his word and still returning that favor.