115 -- Alabama Shakes -- Saturday, October 6, 2012 -- Merriweather Post Pavilion -- Columbia, MD

The Virgin Mobile Festival did not get off to a good start.  The traffic in Columbia was unlike any I’ve ever seen there.  I moved half a mile in forty five minutes.  The guy with the walker in Office Space would've lapped me!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imo3HaNt1Sc  This meant I was not able to see Ben Folds, one of my all-time favorite live performers!  Fortunately, though, things improved once I met up with Mike Erickson and Alabama Shakes took the stage…

--- My shocked first reaction to seeing Alabama Shakes’ lead singer: “It's a woman?!”  “The second: “Wait, is it Jennifer from Accounting?”  Magic's friend guessed a middle-school math teacher.  Ultimately, her non-rock lock was endearing – as were the two similarly-figured fans who mouthed every word she sang.

-- “Hollllld On” has such soul! The syllable by syllable part at the end was awesome.

--- Gotta love containers that come with water chasers.

--- HA, the guitarist has huge sideburns and what looks like a painted-on mustache.

--- Magic could've seen them for free in Richmond, but he didn't know who they were.  I had not known anyone whose dad engraved his iPod – now I’m jealous.

--- "You Ain't Alone" and "Be Mine" had great build / pacing.

--- The rare F’s in “Always Alright” and "Be Mine” added to the message – as did the crazy contrast between her growling soul voice and timid normal one.

--- My only issues were the slight lack of variation and slight lack of stage presence.  Magic made a good point, though: if this were a small, smoky bar and they were sipping Alabama whiskey, that’d put it over the top…

Grade: B+