64 –- Nada Surf -– Friday, April 2, 2010 –- 9:30 Club -– DC

Nada Surf may never be one of my all-time favorite bands (many of their songs seem to drift without ambition), but they did put on one of my favorite concerts. Everything about the show was fun. It did not have the gravitas of Springsteen, Smashing Pumpkins, or Rise Against, but it didn’t need it. Their attitude the whole night fit one of their best songs: the hell with everything else, they were going to have a party!

Here are some of the many things I liked about their DC party:

1. There was a wide variety of songs: driving rock (“The Plan”), upbeat mood music (“Hyperspace”), moody slow burner (“Killian’s Red”), dreamy acoustic ballad (“Blizzard of ‘77”), haunting acoustic ballad (“Blonde on Blonde”), and bursts of pure joy (“The Blankest Year,” “Always Love”).

2. Many of the songs connected to strong songs from other artists: “Hyperspace” to Blink 182’s “Going Away to College,” “Killian’s Red” to Get Up Kids’ “On A Wire,” “Blonde on Blonde” to, well, Bob Dylan’s whole B.O.B. album.











3. Everything was chill; nothing was forced. Frontman Matthew Caws engaged the crowd in a way that was real. He said “we always like coming back to the 9:30 Club,” not “you guys are the best ever.” He laughed about various mistakes the band made. And he seemed genuinely moved by the fact that philosophy students from his dad’s GW philosophy class came to the show. It did not matter that he was not as outgoing as Dave Grohl or as witty as Ben Folds; he made you feel like you were back at college, hanging with an incredible Lodge One band you could not wait to tell all your friends about.

4. The second guitarist had ridiculous hair. Alright, so that’s a less serious point than the others, but his hair was insane! It was like that Guinness World record fingernail thing where the guy has to wrap part of the nails up in a bag when he sleeps – except the Nada Surf guy had that on his HEAD! Pretty crazy/cool.

5. Also cool was the fact that they didn’t play “Popular.” It could have seemed forced, it could have meant dragging out a song they’d long since lost affection for, and it gives me something to look forward to if they decide to play it next time.

6. After an emPHatic “Blankest Year” / “I Fought the Law” encore, a remarkable thing happened: the drummer threw his drumstick and I CAUGHT IT! Then, sadly, seconds later, I let some jerk grab it out of my HANDS! Guess I was so shocked that I caught it that I let my guard down. I could’ve also been a little woozy from the encore. Another night, I would’ve fought for it, or at least gotten in an epic point-by-point argument ;). On this night, though, I figured, the hell with it – better to just enjoy the party...







Grade: A