Josh Ritter Concert (The Mercy Lounge 6/27/2013)

I finally got around to seeing Josh Ritter in concert.  The few times he's came close enough I've had other things going on and have never been able to make it.  Last night, Mr. Ritter, along with the Royal City Band and the Milk Carton Kids, rolled in to Nashville.  Fate aligned and I found myself there.

Venue: The Mercy Lounge

Status: SRO, hot, front of the stage spot

Opening Band: Milk Carton Kids

Main Act: Josh Ritter

Time: 8:00pm

Having already witnessed the Americana sounds of the Milk Carton Kids twice before, I was very much looking forward to seeing the duo again last night.  Their new album came out a few months back, so they played several new songs.  Even more, they played plenty of tracks from their first two records.  Additionally their stage presence was more refined.  Witty banter.  Audience interaction.  The MCKs played just under an hour and quietly stepped aside for Josh Ritter to come up.  (I would have loved for them to have played a little longer, but alas...)

Josh sent out an email a few months ago giving some insight to his new album The Beast in Its Tracks.  Josh was going through a messy divorce with plenty of pain and anguish.  To anyone who's listened to it, it's obvious.  So I was expecting Josh to be a bit somber last night.  Instead, he burst onto the stage hopping around with one of the widest-most-genuine smiles I've ever seen on someone.  He was like a subdued Thom Yorke. 

An example of craziness. 

This energy was felt in the crowd.  Everyone on the stage looked like they were having a blast, dancing, singing, laughing.  I heard Josh yell to the bassist between verses of one song, "This is awesome."  And I think he meant it.  Being right in front of the stage, his charisma was infectious. Despite the heat and packed-like-sardines crowd, I had a blast.

Highlights?  The whole thing.  "Kathleen," one of my favorites, was played, and Josh let the crowd sing a chunk of it.  That was fun.  In "Wolves" Josh got down on the stage and howled, which was funny.  "The Temptation of Adam" was in the encore, which was awesome, cause I didn't expect to hear that one.  He sang "Galahad" and laughed through it.  His setlist was long, about an hour-and-a-half.  I got a pick from the stage (actually Leigha picked one up for me and one up for Dustin). 

Perhaps the best praise I can say is that of all the concerts I've been to (here), this would rank as one of the most fun.  I've been to some great shows, but being this close to the stage paired with the energy, wow.  An awesome show.

If you're not familiar with Josh Ritter (for shame), you can listen to some of his music here and here.

ROMP Festival

It’s been record high temperatures here in Kentucky. We’ve had triple digits for nigh a week and I expect that they’ll continue on for the next span of days, too. Mother Nature has its own mind and does not heed the plans of mere mortals, and when the International Bluegrass Music Museum scheduled its annual River Of Music Party (ROMP) they did not anticipate the heat. ROMP is a three day music festival where people come literally from all over the world and camp and listen to great music the whole time. Guests also enjoy a bit of Kentucky hospitality and our lovely environment.

If I had not already purchased two non-refundable tickets well in advance I might not have made the journey to ROMP on Saturday. But I did, and so I cleared the day and prepared for the onslaught. I lathered on Avonlea’s SPF 50 to my fair-and-freckled skin hoping to avoid a burn. I filled my canteen with ice water, grabbed a popsicle, and headed out to Yellowcreek Park at around 2pm (whereupon my arrival I realized that I did not bring any lawn chairs and had to turn around and drive back to my house and pick up some before making my way back to the park).

First of all the ROMP festival is misleading. While the bluegrass museum is the host of the party, the music is anything but your typical bluegrass. In fact, of the six bands I watched I would say only one was a traditional bluegrass band. Most of the acts are newgrass, alternative bluegrass, or contemporary acoustic, though they all borrowed heavily from bluegrass and Old Time music. The crowd—numbering near 10,000 for the final act—was also very reflective of the music. By that I mean that a large percentage were very stereotypical hippyish. By that I mean to imply a bluegrass meets Bonaroo vibe. That said, the heat makes people do crazy things, which was simultaneously amusing and annoying.

But I was not there to people watch. No, I was there for the music, primarily for the acts beginning at 6:00pm, with a band by the name of Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. Pokey LaFarge played predominately Old Time music or songs that sounded befitting of the genre. The guitarist was unbelievable, picking out impossible riffs with apparent ease. LaFarge’s songs were humorous and dark and the energy the band had onstage was a perfect way to start the evening.

The 23 String Band came on next. This band was probably the closest thing to bluegrass of the night (excepting NewFound Road, which played in the early afternoon) and was one that I’d heard of before. Many of their songs were about typical bluegrass subjects, and once again the talent was phenomenal.

The next band up was one of the main acts of the night. The Carolina Chocolate Drops are getting loads of praise all across the States due to their unique style and song choice. The CCD play “black” bluegrass, old songs that sound straight from plantations of the mid 19th century. They preceded many of their songs with an attribution to who taught the band the song, and some of these were interesting. (Perhaps the most interesting one was the song done entirely in Gaelic.) A lot of the crowd at ROMP was there for the Chocolate Drops, and after sitting through the set I was unsure why. Yes they had talent and some of their songs were good, but a large portion of their show was, well, boring. They stayed on their chairs throughout most of their set and in between songs there was a dead lull in the air. Perhaps this was from the still 100 degree temperatures, but even so, I was not too impressed by this band.

Old Crow Medicine Show had the headlining event of the night. I’ve been to an OCMS show before and it was loads of fun. (The description under my "Concerts" tab says "This was an absolutely crazy concert.")  The band has so much raw energy that it’s almost impossible to listen to their music without having fun. At around 10:20pm the band came on, their first time playing live in several months. They played until midnight-ish, belting out several new tunes from their soon-to-be-released new album. They also highlighted some of their back catalog, including their mandatory “Wagon Wheel.” This was a great act, but I remarked to my friend that the band seemed more subdued than previously. Perhaps it was from losing longtime bandmate and founding member Willie Watson. Perhaps it was the oppressive heat.

ROMP continued on even after the main act finished with a few after-party concerts. I was sapped of energy and sleepy, as was my friend, so we decided to head home. Looking back I did have fun and definitely enjoyed listening to some good music, but at the same time I’m a bit let down. I think I was expecting more from the festival, but instead got mostly the experience of listening to a radio outside in the heat. I enjoyed all of the acts to varying degrees and I can see myself going again next year, but I can only hope that it won’t be so hot.

John Mark McMillan Concert (12th & Porter 4/15/12)

John Mark McMillan is far reaching with his music.  His most popular song, "How He Loves," has been covered by many different artists, most famously David Crowder* Band and the Glorious Unseen. [Note: The previous link contains the original original version of this song, with a rare third verse that is possibly the most powerful, heart-wrenching verses I've ever endured.  If you don't know the history behind this song, read this or watch this, then try listening without tearing up.  This kind of brutal Christian honesty is sorely lacking in a lot of stuff out there today, and "How He Loves" is powerful.]  It was this song that first turned me on to John Mark.  I discovered the wonderfully complex album The Medicine thanks to my friend Alex, and from there I was hooked.  See, John Mark is a Christian, but he's a rock & roll artist.  Like any artist, one can't help but write/paint/etc things that are personal.  John Mark's candidness and penmanship make every song rich, and when you add hypnotic music, you get something spectacular.

Venue: 12th & Porter, Nashville

Status: Hot, Standing Room Only, Literally up against strangers

Opening Act(s): Kye Kye and Jude Moses

Main Act: John Mark McMillan

Time: 8:00pm

I'd never heard of the opening acts before, and had no idea what to expect.  I've learned to expect that opening acts generally are not even remotely close to the main act, and in this case I was about half correct.  Kye Kye, while I did enjoy their music, had a very heavy electronica rock sound.  So loud that, being just feet from the stage, my entire body shook with vibrations from the sub.  The music was so loud that I could not understand anything the lead singer was singing.  Nevertheless, they're music was cool, just not what I was in the mood for.

Jude Moses was the polar opposite.  Two guys with wicked awesome mustaches (seriously, check out their website above for pictures), armed with an acoustic guitar and a keyboard.  They played three or four songs and reminded me of Justin Townes Earle.  The brothers then exited the stage and soon John Mark appeared.

They played a healthy mixture of songs from both The Medicine and Economy, hitting some of my favorites, missing others.  It was really cool to be a part of "Death In His Grave" (which I recommend that you watch the video to get an understanding, as this was kind of how the song was in concert).  I'm a big fan of the "Oh-oh-oh" part, and it was great the way the lights and crowd erupted with the song.

The allure of John Mark McMillan is that he gives off the impression of openness and honesty.  He seems sincere in what he does.  His songs have grit to them, pointing out that the Christian life isn't easy but there is victory.  There is more to it, of course.  Good songs require both good music and good lyrics, and John Mark excels in both of these areas.  The live performance was not as polished as the albums, but there was a fresh sense and some minor experimentation with a few songs.  He kind of reminds me of Jars of Clay, but more with more swagger.

Really, it was crazy watching these guys play.  There was synergy out the wazoo, obvious to anyone watching.  They felt each other and worked to make something memorable and fun.  John Mark talked with the crowd a little, but not too much.  He was funny, but mostly he just let the songs speak for themselves.  "Skeleton Bones" and "How He Loves" were my two favorite songs he performed, mainly because the dynamics were awesome and the lighting was perfect for the mood.  (Plus "Skeleton Bones" is one of the coolest and catchiest songs he's done.  I really recommend you give it a listen.  And if you're wanting something else with a sweet beat and snazzy words, check out "Carolina Tide."  Listen for one minute before you decide whether or not you like it.)

Overall, seeing John Mark McMillan was an excellent experience.  The crowd was varied, from posh hipsters to rednecks.  John Mark put on a great performance, and the people seemed to enjoy themselves.  I know I had fun, and I'd gladly see him again.  If he comes close to you, be sure and check him out.  You won't regret it.  And if you're not familiar with John Mark McMillan and enjoy good music, then I recommend you familiarize yourself with him by listening to the songs I've linked in this post.  His stuff is truly remarkable.

Radiohead Concert (Scottrade Center 3/9/12)

I'm not sure if I can adequately describe just how much I was looking forward to this concert.  Seeing Radiohead live was a dream come true, having been a fan for many years and only growing fonder of the lads with each subsequent release they made.  So when I found out the band was doing a limited North American tour and that they'd be coming to St. Louis, a mere 4-hr drive, I was ecstatic.  I have a good friend that lives in St. Louis, who happens to be a fan himself, and we bought tickets on release day.  What followed was months of waiting and tireless hours of listening to Radiohead's vast catalog.  There have been many a day/weeks when theirs has been the only music I've played.

Finally, the day arrived.  I packed my car and headed West.

Venue: Scottrade Center, St. Louis

Status: Sold Out

Opening Band: Other Lives

Main Act: Radiohead

Time: 7:30pm, 3/9/2012

As it happened, Adam's roommate and father are Radiohead fans, too.  This was to be their fourth time seeing Radiohead, and they were as excited as Adam and I were.  So the four of us pulled into the arena to a vast and eclectic crowd.  Crowd isn't a good word.  How about horde.  There were, in my rough estimate, around 15-20 thousand people there.  We took our seats, above the mass of bodies on the floor, and cozied in.  Other Lives, a band I'd never heard of, soon came out and the night began.

Other Lives reminds me of something like Devotchka or Beirut mixed with some good ole Americana.  Jesse Tabish, lead vocals and some instruments, sounds similar to Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, but the music is a different animal altogether.  Other Lives was big, in number and in sound.  A quintet of multi-talented members, Other Lives made beautiful music so hypnotic and energetic that I would gladly pay to see them as the main act.  If you've never heard them, check out the videos for "For 12" and "Tamer Animals."  Pretty nifty, eh?  And the songs aren't too shabby either, I think.

By 8:30ish we were all ready for Radiohead, and anon the band came.  Bursting forth in applause and glorious lights, they launched straight into "Bloom," a song off The King of Limbs, its outer-space like piano licks reverberating through the air with the steady drums pushing the song along.  "Airbag," one of my favorites, from OK Computer, came up next, even though the official setlist pointed that "15 Step" was to be the second song.  (I notice that I refer to several Radiohead songs as "one of my favorites," which isn't necessarily revealing much, or it reveals a lot.)  As it happened, "15 Step" came third, with the rest of the setlist following as planned.

One of the coolest things about the show was the stage setup.  As you can see from the picture, there were these screens hanging down above the stage.  To me, they looked like pieces of a shattered mirror dangling. There were cameras set up throughout that would capture and display random band members in action.  In addition, these screens were mobile and moved with each song, sometimes reflecting out into the crowd, sometimes flat down on the stage.  Additionally, the giant LED screens as a backdrop looped beautiful, almost psychedelic colors and patterns about, adding an extra layer of complexity to a list of already complex songs.

Of the twenty-three songs played, most came from the band's newer albums.  The entire King of Limbs was played except for "Codex," and while I like this album, it sounded even better live.  I had told Adam it'd be nice to hear "Myxomatosis" and "Idioteque," and I was lucky enough to get both, with the latter being the final song of the evening.  Apparently I am not alone in loving "Idioteque" as one of the band's greats, as the entire crowd seemed to be singing along with Thom through the refrain, offering up a frenetic chorus of definite armageddon.

The possible highlight of the night came with "Karma Police."  This was the song that turned me on to Radiohead.  Something about its wonderful minor piano sounds and the mesmerizing lyrics.  "Karma police, arrest this man.  He talks in maths, he buzzes like fridge, he's like a detuned radio."  As it goes, Thom has probably sang this song thousands of times, and yet on Friday night, he forgot the lyrics.  From the onset he mixed up the order of the first verse, but never fear, the crowd picked up the slack and belted the tune.  Chagrined but good humored, Thom continued, getting to the end of the second verse and singing "This is what you get... when you forget the words."  Needless to say, we all cheered.

One thing that I usually enjoy in live shows is banter between the band or some sort of engaging the audience.  Maybe it's because I wear rose colored glasses when looking at Radiohead, but Thom kept the conversation to a minimum, and I was completely okay with it.  They were there to entertain us, play their songs, and showcase their talents.  There was no need to introduce a song or talk about its history.  The crowd, I think, didn't need this stuff, as many of us were probably very familiar with Radiohead's music.

Alas, the night dwindled down, though the excitement lingered through the double encores.  Once "Idioteque" finished, the stage lights came up and we all exited en masse, moving as independent bodies forming one large body.  My ears buzzed and I had an impression that I was glowing, but we all moved rather silently out of the building, out into the cold, windy breeze of a late Winter's night.  In the car I asked Noel and his dad how they ranked this performance with the others they'd seen.  Both said that this was the best.

I drove four hours to see the band, but I would have driven more.  The show was amazing.  The music was wonderful.  The audience was responsive and lively, but reflective and respectful.  I was a little bummed that "Paranoid Android" and/or "Climbing up the Walls" weren't played, but on the other hand, I now have an excuse to see them again, if they ever come close enough.  I'm glad to have finally saw the band, and I'm ready to see them again.

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Note: The images used in this post were all found through Twitter and Google+.  All were shared publicly, and I claim no ownership to them.  If you want to find more, search the #radioheadstlouis hashtag.  Also, there is a 27-minute video of several of the songs is available to watch here, if you're interested.  And one last note.  Radiohead has recorded an Austin City Limits show, but there's no date yet for when it will air.  Keep it in mind.

Joe Purdy Concert (The Mercy Lounge 6/8/11)

A few simple precedents to save myself from repetition.  One, and most importantly, Joe Purdy is my absolute favorite artist to listen to for pretty much every thing.  He's a powerful singer-songwriter with catchy refrains, honest lyrics, and wonderful sounds.  Two, I've seen Joe in concert once before (see this blog), and I had the bar set impossibly high.  And three, if you're not listening to Joe's music and wanna try it out, check his website where all 12 of his albums are available for free streaming.

Venue:  The Mercy Lounge, Nashville

Status:  Little air flow, but roomy-yet-intimate bar

Opening Band:  Milk Carton Kids

Main Act:  Joe Purdy

Time:  9:00pm?

The question mark that rests above in the Time spot is because my tickets said 8pm EST, even though Nashville is in CST, but Joe's website said 9pm CST.  This was a large difference, and I wanted to make sure we got there early, so we left home about 3pm yesterday.  We made it to Nashville, parked and ate (at Demos', which was quite tasty), and then decided to walk the relatively short mile to the Mercy Lounge.  Apparently, the Country Music Awards were going on last night, and the city was packed.  Still, we made the walk in muggy, high temperatures, getting further out of town, and eventually down seedy streets that may possibly have been dotted with strip clubs.  The mile trip took about half an hour, through the crowd and winding roads.  Egads.

But then we were there, and the mostly empty parking lot of the Mercy Lounge laughed at us, mocking our long walk and emptied pocket money.  Had we known, we literally could've parked at the back door for free...  Anyway, we headed inside to pick up the tickets, but there was no one there.  Joe's music was playing, we followed it and just so happened to stumble in on the sound test.  Joe & the gang were onstage singing and playing and the sound guys were getting stuff ready and that was it.  Doors didn't open* for another hour (8pm CST), so we had to go out and wait on the steps.  Later on, Joe walked out, said what's up, and hopped in his vehicle and left.  Somewhat surreal, I think.


From personal experience, I rarely enjoy an opening band whenever I go to a concert.  There's typically something odd or off-setting.  Yet, honestly, I was almost as excited to see the Milk Carton Kids open for Joe Purdy as I was to actually see Joe.  I'd never heard of the duo--Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan--until a few months ago, when I purchased the tickets for the show.  I scoured the webs and found their website, where they had a free album to download.  I did (and I boldly recommend you do so, too), and I fell in love.

The Milk Carton Kids took stage with grace, Joey introducing the band and saying they were going to play their most depressing songs from their tiny catalog.  Instead, they played their familiar-to-me songs with smiles on their faces and joy pouring from their bodies, even if the lyrics were forlorn.  But what artist doesn't pine for love?  Or hate?  Regardless, the two were brilliant, establishing a mood for the venue, starting with using acoustic guitars that were stationed in front of microphones and foregoing traditional plug-ins.  (In fact, the only instruments that were plugged in appeared to be a bass, an electric guitar, and an organ, all of which were used for the Purdy portion of the show.)  They sang to a divided crowd, many interested and listening, and many talking and chattering through the background.

This was obviously frustrating for the two, and at one point they asked the crowd to quieten down so they could play the next song with a proper feel to it.  It worked, but only slightly.  Still, the noise didn't deter me from listening enraptured by the prodigious playing of Pattengale and the smooth voice of Ryan.  The two were on fire, and they finished by asking if anyone actually knew any of their songs and had any requests.  Apparently I was one of a handful, and I yelled out "Queen Jane," to which the band played "for the one guy that asked for it."  Hey, that's pretty cool you ask me.

And then there was a short break before Joe took stage.  He played a few songs solo and then beckoned the Milk Carton Kids onstage to play with him.  They jammed and sang for the next hour, largely playing selections from Joe's latest album, This American.  The raw energy between the three was palpable.  They were stomping and laughing and generally just having a good time.  Perhaps it was because this was the first stop on the second leg of his tour and they'd all had some rest over the past week or two, but the three didn't slow down one bit.  Sweaty and sticky, their fingers moved up and down guitar necks or across piano keys.  I really liked the slowed down version of "Can't Get It Right Today."

The three played like a band that's been playing together for years, not just three months.  Unlike the last show I saw Joe play, where it was all solo, this was an altogether different experience.  Songs were filled out and fleshed.  Many had an almost newgrass feel, hammer-ons quick enough to make any guitarist in the room jealous.  Synergy was the word that came to mind last night.

By 11:20, the crowd had thinned out a bit, and the band played their last.  Pattengale had broken a string on his guitar, and then broke one on the mandolin.  The three bowed and headed off-stage for five or six seconds (a "formality," Joe said), and then Joe returned for the encore.  He opened up the floor, asking for any requests.  The crowd exploded, and Joe randomly picked a few.  Some he hadn't played in a long time, and one ("Secret") he stopped at the end and asked the crowd if there was more.  "Seems like there's another chorus or verse or something," he said, and then he fingered through the keys and re-sang the first verse.  He finished "Secret," picked up his guitar and someone asked for "You Can Tell Georgia" (one of my favorites) and he complied, putting down the guitar and returning to the piano.  This went on, open requests, for almost an hour.  Some songs Joe struggled to recall (forgivable with a catalog spanning over 100 songs in so few years), but he pulled them all off admirably.

The encore was something special.  He played so many requests it was unbelievable.  Not only was he entertaining us, but he was having fun himself, and that's always a plus when seeing live performance.  Finally, around 12:15am, the Milk Carton Kids had returned and the three finished off the night with as much energy as they had started with.  The set was over, three hours gone, but definitely not forgotten.  We walked the long stretch back to the car and made the long, boring drive home.  I got to bed just after 3am, late enough that my eyes burned, early enough that I could've stayed up and just went on in to work soon after.

All in all, the night was phenomenal.  It very likely places among the top of my favorite concerts, and I've been to a lot of concerts**.  Supporting independent artists is always good, and Joe Purdy is one of the best out there.  He's truly independent, shunning record companies to make and produce his own stuff, and that's something I for one appreciate.  He doesn't do it for the money, but for the fact that there are songs inside that just have to get out.  I believe the Milk Carton Kids are in the same vein.  As I mentioned above, if you've never heard either, follow the links and give the bands a shot.  I'd recommend starting Purdy's catalog with You Can Tell Georgia or Paris in the Morning or This American.  All the others are great, but these are just plain awesome.  For the Kids, I particularly like the song "Charlie," a poignant and resonating song about a father's love for his currently unborn daughter.  I also like "Queen Jane," "Permanent," "Broken Headlights," and "Like a Cloak."  And you have no excuse for them.  Their album is free!  So get out there and listen to some new music and hopefully find something you like.

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*The irony here is obvious.  Or perhaps I mean coincidence.  Or oxymoron.  I'm too tired to think it through.

**Perhaps I'll make this into a list and put up here...

The Decemberists Concert Write Up

I tend to set high my expectations unbelievably high whenever it comes to going to a concert, especially when the band is one I really like.  The Decemberists are such a band.  And, as it turns out, I had my expectations a bit too high for the concert I went to Tuesday night.  But, alas, not all was lost.

Venue:  Iroquois Park Amphitheater, Louisville, KY

Status:  Ominous foreboding, heavy rainclouds, cyclonic winds

Opening Act:  Justin Townes Earle

Main Act:  The Decemberists (with Sara Watkins)

Time:  8:00, 04/26/2011

Dustin and I hit the road at a little after 4pm.  'Twas a 2 hour journey, through a time zone, and we had plenty of time.  We left Owensboro, tornado warning sirens blaring, ahead of the storms.  We foolishly dared to hope that the weatherfolk were wrong and the 80% chance of severe storms for Louisville was a lie.  Fortunately, we made it to the amphitheater without running into any serious weather.  We found a parking spot, grabbed our ponchos, and headed to grab seats.

I was interested to hear Justin Townes Earle, if only because I love his father's music.  Steve Earle is such an iconic folk-rocker, and I've been a fan of the man for a good while now.  Justin, it seems, inherited his dad's voice, singing in a wonderfully broken-but-smooth way.  His guitar style was cool to watch (from a musician's perspective), and his accompanying fiddler harmonized with the acoustic quite nicely.  All in all, Earle played for about 45 minutes, and the set was good.  Plus, it still hadn't rained.

At 9pm-ish the Decemberists took the stage, opening with "Apology Song," a humorous song that frontman Colin Meloy wrote for his friend after his bike was stolen while under Meloy's care.  The band sounded exactly like listening to an album, crisp and clear.  Meloy made a few remarks about the weather and the threat of tornadoes, alluding to a mysterious safety bunker beneath the stage for the band.

For the next hour and a half the band played, hitting nearly every selection off of their newest album The King is Dead, but also playing many songs from their vast catalog.  However, this is where I felt a bit slighted.  For some reason, the group didn't play anything from their brilliant Crane Wife album, which happens to be my favorite.  Unfortunately, that means they didn't play "Shankill Butchers," "O Valencia," or any of the three-parted "Crane Wife."

Still, despite none of my favorite album being played, there were two stand out performances.  The first was the devilishly fun "Rake's Song."  If you know anything about me and my tastes in music or dark fiction, it's obvious why I like this song so much.  I mean, the guy killed-- no, just listen.  Watch.  This is similar to how the band played Tuesday.

Don't the red lights paint the wicked deeds for what they are?  Spooky, eh?  Keisha doesn't like the song...

The best song was undoubtedly the encored "Mariner's Revenge Song."  This is perhaps the most popular song of the band, and I've waxed on about it before here on Rememorandom.  The song's long, but the tale is beautiful.  Before the band agreed to play it, though, they required the audience to scream as if we were being eaten by a giant whale.  After a few practices, Meloy was ready, and the familiar chords began.  The audience ebbed and swayed, the band shook and fell.  All of this was quite fitting to the lightning and stormclouds overhead.  Mercifully, no actual rain fell, only a few drops.

And the band exited stage.  A few moments later, they reappeared for a second encore, finishing off the night with "June Hymn."  Fittingly, the rain opened up during the final song, and we ended the night with a walk through the rain to the car.  We drove home through fierce gales, white squalls, and tossing waves.  I followed the eerie red lights of the lone semi in front of me through the storms for much of the way.

Eventually, we hit the port of Owensboro, and bed was soon bested.  Did I enjoy the concert?  Absolutely.  But, I like it when a band interacts more with the crowd, tells stories, rambles and has fun.  When Meloy was doing these things, it seemed like the Decemberists were enjoying themselves.  Most of the time, though, it seemed like they were just routinely playing their songs to their fans, keeping things relatively sane and simple.

As I said, I had my expectations high, and it seems like they were a bit too up-there.  That's not to say it wasn't fun--because I had a blast--but it could've been much more.  Oh well.  So it goes.

The Iron & Wine Concert Write Up

First, my expectations were high.  Iron & Wine is one of my favorite bands.  Sam Beam, lead singer, songwriter, and genius behind the group, is hard to beat.  His voice blends just-over-a-whisper to high falsetto without the slightest nuance of a problem.  His lyrics are evocative, calling up imagery deep within the mind that leaves the listener scratching his head and wondering what it means.  Plus, his beard is awesome.  I love the mellow, acoustic sounds that Iron & Wine is known for, and there have been many a day when I've listened to only I&W on my ipod. 

So, with expectations through the roof, I was eager to get to the concert. 

Venue:  The Pageant, St. Louis

Status:  Sold Out

Opening Band:  White Mystery

Main Act:  Iron & Wine

Time:  8:00pm, 11/13/2010

We--my friend Adam and myself-- had standing GA tickets.  The crowd was mostly younger folks, people around my age or younger, I'd say.  And we were basically touching the arms of our standing neighbors.  The opening band was a brother & sister duo strikingly similar to the White Stripes, though the brother played the heavy drums and the sister the raunchy guitar.  There wasn't a song one that I cared for, and I was wondering why a band such as this was opening for Iron & Wine anyway.

After half an hour or so, White Mystery finished and we waited a few minutes for Sam to appear.  He came out, alone, picked up a guitar, and began singing.  Opening with an a cappella rendition of "Flightless Bird, American Mouth," soft and subtle, I knew the night would be something special, that I was in the presence of a musical wonder.  The crowd was hushed and the excitement nearly palpable, and we all loaned our ears over for the rest of the evening.

Following the quiet intro song, he dove straight into a gentle "Trapeze Swinger," a song haunting and beautiful.  Next came "Evening on the Ground," "Naked as we Came," and "Upward over the Mountain."  After these initial five songs, Sam announced that his new band would join in to finish out the night.  This was the first show they've done together and we'd be the guinea pigs.

Basically, the next hour and a half was completely revamped and redone I&W songs.  Two new songs were debuted.  Plenty of familiar classics were played with.  And it's this very act, the ability to take familiar songs and change them around and have fun with them, that blew my expectations out of the water.  "Sodom, South Georgia," was by far the highlight of the night.  Contrasting with the slow, tragedy that is the song, Beam and the band played an amazing version that built to an explosion of crescendo 'ere it was over.  A wild mandolin rift, funky electronic tones, and the beautiful guitars all came together to make an already awesome song even better.  Another great remake was "Woman King."

Another reason why the concert was great was because it looked like everyone was actually having fun on the stage.  The new band and Sam had a few goofs, but they all pulled it off perfectly, making even the errors sound fine.  And some songs almost sounded like Iron & Wine meets Radiohead, which was doubleplus good in my book.  Watching the band experiment and jam on some songs ("Wolves") was pure bliss.

So even though I stood for over three hours in total, and even though I was pressed up against complete strangers for most of that time, I would gladly do it again.  Seeing Iron & Wine in concert was a thrilling experience, and being so close to the stage made it all the better.  If you've a hankering for some good music, music that sounds wonderful and is smart in the writing, then you should be listening to Iron & Wine.  And if you want to go to a concert that'll be hard to forget, check out Iron & Wine on their current tour.

The Joe Purdy Concert

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, then you’ll know that I am a huge fan of Joe Purdy.  His songs are powerful, combining both wonderful lyrics and catchy music.  On almost any given day with almost any mood I can listen to Joe and feel his songs, feel the emotion attached to them.  With that, I’ve wanted to go to a Joe Purdy concert for many years now, and now I can finally say that I have gone.

The concert was in a bar, 3rd & Lindsley, in Nashville.  The setting was dark and atypical of what a bar might look like.  The stage was small and there were no bad seats in the place.  This environment creates an intimate setting for the show.  Luckily, me and Keisha got a seat at a table right beside the stage, and if there was a front row, then we were on it.

Joe’s opening act was a French singer-songwriter named Julie Peel.  She played about six songs with just her guitar, harmonica, and kazoo for support.  Her music was catchy and soothing, and her voice was pleasant.  Overall, a great opening choice for Joe methinks.  You can check out Julie’s music at her website by clicking here.

Joe came onstage next.  He played a solo show and the concert lasted about 80 minutes.  It was exciting to see the dude so close and to listen to him belt out familiar tunes from his large catalog, in addition to some new music, too.  The sound was perfect, and the live show sounded almost as good as the studio.  Joe played a fair mix of guitar-based songs and piano-based ones.

Sadly, I was expecting a longer show.  Eighty minutes doesn’t seem long enough to me, but I understand that Joe was probably tired.  He himself drove 9 hours to get to the show, so I’m sure he was a bit worn down.  Plus, this was the last show before he took a Holiday break.  Regardless, the concert experience was awesome.

One thing that wasn’t awesome was this drunken fangirl that kept getting on people’s nerves.  I can understand fans calling for requests, but this woman was rather rude.  She stood only a few feet in front of Joe while he played and sang and she sang along with him, if you can call it singing.  It had to have been distracting to Joe, as he kept making side remarks about acting like an adult and being respectful.  At one point she was talking so loudly and getting pictures made that Joe said something like “…that’s a good one.  You go ahead and do whatever you want.  It’s your show.”  He later on joked about hiring “somebody to choke that b------,” which was inappropriate on Joe’s behalf and likely spoken in anger.  Finally (and paraphrasing) he told the woman that if she could keep her mouth closed and be quiet through his next song then he’d play whatever song she wanted to hear.  She didn’t last very long, and Joe didn’t play what she wanted to hear.  Joe played his last song, did a one song encore, and left the stage.

Really it was disappointing and disgusting.  Do some people not have any sort of respect?  I think everyone should be required to learn etiquette and learn how to act when out in society.  I went to the restroom after the show and saw that woman’s husband/boyfriend/malefriend talking with Joe’s manager(?).  He, too, was very likely drunk.  He was yelling that that lady was Joe’s biggest fan and she just wanted to hear one song and that Joe didn’t have to act like that and that Joe was a piece of crap and that he wasn’t leaving until Joe played that song and that if he had to then he’d bust in Joe’s room and “throw a Bible at him” and bust him up and blah blah blah.  I decided to skip out on the restroom and leave.

I guess the point is nothing new.  Alcohol makes people do stupid stuff.  It also makes the rest of us think less of you if you’re drunk and stupid. 

I have to hand it to Joe, he did a great show, even with the loud distraction he had to put up with throughout a few songs.  I definitely can’t wait to see him again.  If you’ve never listened to Joe’s music, you are missing out.  He’s got all ten of his albums on his website that you can stream for free.  I’d recommend starting with You Can Tell Georgia, Paris in the Morning, Take My Blanket and Go, or StompinGrounds.

Finally, I’ll post a video of a new song he did.  Joe’s had a long history of letting fans record video and audio at his concert, but I only recorded a few songs.  It’s called “The Ballplayer.”  Awesome stuff.  (If I’m not supposed to have this video up then I’ll remove it.)