327 -- Phish -- Sunday, July 19, 2026 -- Merriweather Post Pavilion -- Columbia, MD

The Phish phenomenon is puzzling. I have never seen any of the following at Merriweather. (1) A concert sell out the lawn. (2) Be able to scan the back of the lawn and not find an inch of space. (3) The foolproof secret free parking at the library be full!

So, people love them, and I love that. That’s what turned me from a Rise Against hater to lover back in the day.

In theory, I should love them. Epic songs are some of my favorites: Wilco’s “Spiders” / “Impossible Germany,” Weezer’s “Only In Dreams,” Green Day’s “Jesus of Suburbia,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Jungleland,” etc. Those wouldn’t considered riffs/jams, which seems more Phish’s wheelhouse, but live, I’m generally all about those as well. 

I’ve liked sounds within their sounds and  really attempted to prep them — listening to their new album, Evolve, and listened to their list of Top 50 Most Played Live Songs multiple times. 

The problem is a more extreme version of one I had with Friday Night Lights’ Explosions in the Sky in 2017. When (almost) everything is an extended instrument, everything seems to blend together. 

I’m confident I studied songs part by part or marinated on each album as they came up over the years, I’d be transfixed. I’d also appreciate the Bear-like way have BRAND NEW SETLISTS EVERY NIGHT?! As is, unfortunately, it made it impossible to get a handle of much anything before.

There’s precedent for me eventually being hooked. I spent the beginning of the David Bowie documentary baffled and infuriating — what was I missing?! Then, it clicked — and became kaleidoscope heaven.

Sadly, for Phish, for me, it never did. I was grateful at least that it did for so many others. That included Jim, the awesome guy next me, who enthused, “First show?!” without me even mentioning it. He also confirmed that it was not unusual for them to feature a 31 MINUTE SONG in their second set, which they did with “Carini” in this one. I did dig the last five minutes, a clear escalation of excitement, and was proud I riff at the end. It was a callback to the beginning of the song, decades earlier.

Jim and his friend came in from Niagara Falls and have apparently been to more than 50 shows!!! Love how Jim was giving me tidbits about songs and how Trey Anatasio was going to hold his guitar up at the end. He also asked for the info for my concert site!

Apparently Phish played “No Men in a No Man’s Land,” “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1,” “Ruby Waves,” “Backwards Down The Number Line,” a cover of The Beatles’ “I Am A Walrus,” and “First Tube.”

Hahahah at “thanks so much for having us.” These are the first and only words I hear from Trey over the course of the night.

“First Tube” has a drive, focus, insistence . . . and then pullback that makes it ten times better than anything before it!!!

Overall, Phish was not for me, but I’m glad I was an outlier!

Grade: C/C+/B-

326 -- Wilco -- Thursday, June 18, 2026 -- Wolf Trap -- Vienna, VA

Considering when the day started, and what it involved, I should have collapsed at Wolf Trap: https://www.facebook.com/colin.verbesey/posts/pfbid0c8FYYxeeDyzba9Yd6kDA6GyvwmhTsvCvE7E9ft39vDzY3WE3fF1WE91g9rkRu6Efl

Instead, as they did in 2017, Wilco brought me back to life...

--- Dry Jeff Tweedy: “We’re going to play two sets tonight. We’re going to come out and play one and then, well, play another one.” HA. I'm immediately less salty that we missed "Handshake Drugs."

--- I would have been fine missing “Cruel Country." 

--- “Forget The Flowers”: HA: “does that ending get longer every year? We’re never going to get through two sets if you do that, Nils.”

--- “Evicted”: there are 50 songs I would’ve chosen other than it, but I still like it and the fact they’re not just trotting out hits. 

--- “Bird Without A Tail / Base of My Skull”!!!!  Amazing. I barely remember it, and it’s a gem. The best part was it came down and went in three right directions towards the end. A beautiful, complete song I barely remember! Doubt “Impossible Germany” or even “Spiders” will measure up — this was so new!

--- “Always In Love”!!! Such ease.

--- “Everyone Hides”: wow, they’re really going obscure. Wish it were the obscure ones I loved, but it still sounds great.

--- “Hummingbird”!!! For Brody and Riley. Does not need a single riff.

--- “This is a rare Wilco song played at weddings. ‘She’s A Jar’? Should not be played.” “You and I” is sweet!!

--- “Via Chicago”!!!! “Should also never be played at weddings.” An unexpected thrill because the lighting / cymbal clash section was so different than before and contrasted perfectly with the smooth sound. First involuntary stand of the night.

--- Hilarious, super-respectful tangent about random audience members’ cool shirts. 

--- I don’t even know what that song is, and I don’t care. Still sounds great. Apparently it's “Love is Everywhere (Beware).”

--- “California Stars”: Manuel compares it to the band America and the song “Horse With No Name.” I’m intrigued. 

Intermission

--- “Box Full of Letters”: back-to-back from Being There. Summer fun!!!

--- “Annihilation” from 2024: the upbeat drive vibe does not remotely fit the song -title. HA!

--- Love the dissolve from “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” into “One Wing”!!!! They’ve never been together before, and they fit like a glove.

--- This Wilco show is identical to how Taylor Swift fans feel about Taylor Swift shows. Such a deep catalog of possibilities. Would take a five hour show.

--- “Either Way”!!! How could that get three exclamation points when I barely like it on Sky Blue Sky? Because I got lost in it — as with so many others.

--- “Whole Love”: Cool swirl.

--- “Impossible Germany”!!! “Pretty good, Nils. I’m noticing improvements.” He jokes, but there were — a bunch of new parts!

--- “Jesus Etc”: another one there’s no need to vary. Their “Yesterday.”

--- Heh, another obscurity victory: “You Are My Face” off Sky Blue Sky feels alive!!!! I want to go back and listen in the car. Aww, Manuel points out that it samples Pink Floyd!

--- “Hate It Here”: wow, a lot of Sky Blue Sky! No complaints though — another winner live! “Hate It Here”: I do not agree!!

--- “Walken”: Sky AGAIN?! Oh well -- sounds great!!!

--- How do I not know what this is?! So good!!!! Manuel is dying. [Apparently ‘Kingpin’ from Being There, which I somehow missed?!]

--- “Heavy Metal Drummer”: Chuck Abbott approves!

--- Aww some guy cheats on his Celtics fan son with me by congratulating me on my Knicks jersey. People also love John Starks — the 8th person today to comment on it?!?!

--- “I’m The Man Who Loves Love”: I’m desperately hoping this isn’t the end.

--- We’re up against a curfew, so we’ve got to fit in a few more. HA.

--- “The Late Greats” never fails — SO CATCHY.

--- Aww at Manuel: “I listened to rock and roll tonight, man. I didn’t expect that. So good.”

Grade: A+

325 -- Bruce Springsteen -- Wednesday, May 27, 2026 -- Nats Park -- DC

If time finally runs out, if this is my last Bruce show, what a way to go out.

Live notes below: 

--- I tell Manuel I’ll probably see my cousin Paul in the pit. Seconds later, well before the pit, there’s Paul! Not just him, every Verbesey in history -- and the Manuel-welcoming mensch Mike McDonald!!

--- Wow, Bruce launches into the most fierce, crisp, clear-eyed speech I’ve heard from him. Roar!!!

--- Seamless transition into an equally emphatic “War" [What Is It Good For]!!!

--- Awwww at Manuel flipping out when he realized Tom Morello was going to be playing with them the whole night!!! He’d also texted me this morning about “Born in the USA,” and that’s what they launch into next!

--- “My Hometown” and a cover of “The Clampdown” by The Clash can’t compare to “No Surrender.” Not just politics -- history, hope, everything!!!!

--- So…. that was an uncharted ten-song streak of everything. Rain stopped me from capturing individual moments, but I would give it all up for the rain. It lent the gravitas of “Streets of Minneapolis” THAT MUCH MORE!!!!!

--- “41 Shots” adds a haunting electric that’s never been there. It takes it to the next dimension!!!!

--- Pretty sure this is the first time I’ve heard “My City of Ruins” live — after a decade of using it in class for a 9/11 firefighter lesson!! Should have used the Nils-spinning “Because The Night” in class as well. Patti Smith rips!!!

--- Yessssss, the Morello-infused “Ghost of Toad." Tom Joad” into the unexpected “Badlands” was the most satisfying two-some combination in a long time. “Joad” in particular, which I somehow recognized from the opening note was CRACK!!!!! Musically, thematically, for the moment, perfect. [Ha, Paul later said the exact same thing!!] Felt like they were playing it, personally, for Manuel. I felt like I was being beamed above Nats Park — IN A SPACESHIP.

--- “This American Land”: Another one that was far from guaranteed, and I got it!!!!! Woo for Manuel appreciating me adding ‘Peru’ and the emphasis he put on the “trying to keep out” line.

--- The rain and being vibe drunk prevented much elaboration. That includes two of my other favorite moments: (1) the 20-year-old who stood in for Brody and Riley (2) the 2nd most impressive guy in the arena. The fact that the guy was from the UK, like the Dublin guy, made it even better!!!!

--- “Chimes of Freedom”: Mike McDonald: “Can’t beat Bob Dylan to wrap it up.”

Grade: A+

324 -- Glen Hansard -- Sunday, April 12, 2026 -- 9:30 Club -- DC

How cruel that Glen Hansard's life ended so abruptly -- four months after this 9:30 Club show. Glad I got to experience Once, Power Ballad, and this show.

Live notes below...

--- “Fitzcarraldo” starts dark — nice. Seems straight from the Peaky Blinders: Immortal Man soundtrack. The electric ending!! Good job, Rob from The Frames.

--- “Say It To Me Now” / “Gold”: Whoa at the contrast, finesse, and power. Nhi and Joe, if only you'd been here. This could be a special night.

--- “I saw Lesley Feist play one of these, and I said I’ve got to get one. [Hits a bum note] Come on, guitar, I’m giving you a compliment.” 

--- Unknown song with amazing lyrics that doesn’t show up on Google?!

--- “One Of Us Will Lose” has the melancholic beauty of "Coda," the piano episode of The Wonder Years — or any written by Todd W Langen. 

--- “Grace Beneath The Pines”!!! Loved it during my Frost 5K run (even though I hate every song when I run), and I feel the same now!

--- Oooh, “Her Mercy,” the song that hit me at the turn around Woodson. And now it’s going in three directions!!!

--- “This Gift”!!!!

--- Hilarious story about a grumpy/beloved neighbor, NYC being demanding, a band outside the Stone Pony ripping through “Hold The Line,” “Don’t Stop Believin',” and “War Pigs” at 9am!!

--- “The Feast of St. John,” a song about the bird of sorrow neighbor, doesn’t have enough of an arc.

--- “My Little Ruin” is better: slow and smoky build. 

--- Oooh, “Ruin” dissolves into this surreal solo from a female pianist [Rose Droll] about fate masquerading as emotion and everyone saying you’re an ocean. How do you know what this song is, Google? It’s so cool. So many moves in her voice!!!! Best of the night. 

--- Aww, tonight is the last night of the tour. They asked for 9:30. 

--- “Didn’t He Ramble”: clear as day to me!!!

--- Bruce tribute before “Great Weight Is Lifted”!!!!! One of my favorites from the playlist, couldn’t be more relevant, and me so hyped for BRUCE AT NATS PARK.

--- “Down on Our Knees” and “Revelate” are hard AF: I’m in another dimension!!!!!

--- Uhhhh, he JUST SAID “it’s kind of a varied show.” He’s gone from my soul to my brain. Crazy.

--- “When Your Mind’s Made Up” soars. 

--- “Passing Through” is so tender!!!! I’ve never heard every member of a band individually sing — and so clearly. That includes opener Margaret Glaspy, who I get to briefly talk with after this show! I’m sure Jim Andrukonis would describe her as lovely,

--- In the encore, he plays Van Morrison’s giddy “Gloria” except he substitutes the letters for Jose, for Jose Andres from DC Central Kitchen!  I have stop putting exclamation points, but how can I?!!!!!

Grade: A+

 

He didn't get to "Don't Settle," but it's worth listening to -- the best new song I've heard in months.

   

323 -- Florence and the Machine -- Saturday, April 18, 2026 -- Capital One Arena -- DC

--- Wow, what a difference choreography, a flowing dress, and a soaring voice can make. “Everybody Scream” is way better than it was during my run on the treadmill, Woodson track, or route for the Frost 5K!!

--- A giant harp, spiffy pianist, and spiffy violinist add to it.

--- Nothing can rescue “Witch Dance.” Still mumble, mumble, done.

--- “DC: Whatever you’ve been through, whatever you’re going through, I’m with you. And I hope we provide you a place to scream.”!!!! 

--- Um, scary, snarly red imagery. There’s a shift. “Seven Devils” as four of writhe on the floor. 

--- “Big God” has a solid funk build. Heh, cool moment where the monitor has her burst into flame. Cool trumpet interlude as everyone appears to do meth.

--- “Daffodil”: Hahaha, the dancers limp back, heads down like rag dolls. Now they’re standing on their heads!! I’ve been to many concerts, and I’ve never seen dancers used like this. The contrast between the protean quartet and no her voice is tremendous!!!

--- “Which Witch” is energetic and forceful — until a cooey acapella ending. So many sounds!!

--- Speaking of, the harp in “Spectrum” is transfixing, as is the note she holds out for 30 seconds, and the unexpected shift to ANTHEM!!! The “say my name” section’s got *drive* — as does the much darker “You Can Have It All.”

--- Says hello to new people and people who have seen them for 16 years. Wow that it’s been that long.

--- Lol: “that’s the part of the show where I drink water in the dark.”

--- “It’s also the part where I pray that I get through this next song. I think it will get easier, but it never does.” She was referring to “You Can Have It All.”

--- The lyrics and message of “Music By Men” gets lost in a bland sound and zero creativity. Is that intentional — a commentary on music by men?

--- Hahahahahaha: “This song almost never made the album because it was embarrassing. 20 years later, I can’t keep writing songs about someone not texting me back. [HA, feel ya!!!] Then it ended up being people’s favorites. It helps to hear so many people sing it back to me. "Buckle" has such simplicity and relatability.

--- “King”: yay: welcome back, quartet. 

--- “Howl” and “Sympathy Magic”!!!! “What else” indeed. From the Messenger thread with James Porter at the time:

Me: Such an interesting arrangement of instruments, dancers, her voice, and her dress. Her dress is definitely an instrument.

James: I didn’t think Florence would be your thing but glad you liked her!

M: She’s not, but I’m always trying to expand my horizons, I’ve seen so few women, and I thought there’d be enough elements I’d like — there has been!

J: Basically the opposite of me 🤣 I [also] don’t have tickets to Insane Clown Posse.

M: How would that be expanding when ICO is your bread and butter? I can’t get over this dancers — a protean quartet, along with her voice and dress. I’ve never seen a dynamic like that before!

One of five thousand switches tonight and this one connects. Whata way to head into an encore!!!

--- “One of the Greats” isn’t accurate, but I dig its anger. / Growing power / the way she tilts her head back, and the harp plinks a few times at the end!!!

--- “Dog Days Are Over”!!!!! What a gambit with the lack of phones. Man did it pay off. Not sure I’ve ever seen that many people jump that high.

--- “Free”: wheee!!! Points for the unique sound effect at the end.

--- “If songs are to exorcise pain and to scream, I needed to end the album on this one. May this be the one that comes true.”

--- “And Love”: “peace is cominggggg.” May that eventually be true…

Grade: A

322 -- Heated Rivalry Dance Party -- Friday, March 6, 2026 -- The Anthem -- DC

Heated Rivalry was an unexpectedly great show -- one ripe for a dance party.

That said, when the show started, I felt like Shane and Ilya in episode four: *not* in my element. I barely knew the songs, and stress about my dance skills resurfaced. The montages felt shapeless, turning propulsive, meaningful characters arcs into a line of treadmills at Equinox. 

Fortunately, those awkward moments gave me time to type -- to work through anxiety and make an arc of my own! See live notes below...  

--- Glad they included "Rasputin." It’s as popular here as it is in PE!

--- HA, there are way more women than gay men.

--- Awww, the US Women’s Hockey Team with the biggest applause of the night. It's SNL all over again. 

--- The second biggest applause of the night went to the drag performance. Worth the blinding light they used during it.

--- Hahaha at raucous cheers that go up whenever they show scenes of 'athleticism.'

--- Awww at my gut when the DJ said, “If you haven’t been up on stage yet, make your way up here.” I was legit ready to go. Progress!!!

--- Correction: the montages themselves are not shapeless. That was more my feeling than a legitimate criticism of the editing. The hotel one, for example, really fits. Hahahah, “we at the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn” is by far the catchiest song of the night. Even I’m singing. Apparently it's called "Hotel Room Service"...

--- Hahahaha: “Do we had any One Direction fans?” I’m back in Room 302 — except now it’s all happy shrieks. 

--- “All The Things She Said” has *drive.* Nice. 

--- Hahahaha at the lookalike contest. Mileage varied, but props for certain fitness routines paying off and the courage of everyone who got up there.

--- “Mr. Brightside" and "I’ll Believe In Anything”!!!!! It’s wild how connected people are to the climax of Episode 5. That includes me -- especially with the Killers / Wolf Parade catapult! Sharing it with hundreds around took it to another level.

--- Hahahaha, “I’ve never heard so many people screaming for gay love in my whole life.”

--- Is this actually the biggest show of the tour? This guy seems like a huge liar.

--- He asks guys to come up and, again, if I were closer, I would have. Impressive handstands and the guy with the deep blue shirt had smooooth feet. 

--- Hahahaha at Connor Storrie's Gold’s water-bottle dance.

--- Andddd a girl in the crowd smashed my infected toe. Ow.

--- Aww that this woman says to me, "All the beautiful guys aren’t up on stage." Heh, riiight, but thanks.

--- Trans rights! Woo.

--- The crowd loves “Pink Pony Club.”

--- Hahahahahahah at the ERUPTION for Alysa Liu, the Dancing Queen.

--- I dig the vibe change that comes with Bad Bunny. He crushed the Super Bowl and did again here. 

--- A reprise of “All The Things She Said." It's closest to Nine Inch Nails, so I dig it. It brings me back to the convincing pain of episode four, another plus. 

--- I tried to run on stage! It's the thought that counts!!!

--- Wooo at the collective joy at the end. Bring on season two!!!

Grade: A-/A

321 -- Nine Inch Nails -- Saturday, February 14, 2025 -- Prudential Center -- Newark, NJ

--- Bizarre one-hour line outside the arena was fine because I met a couple that doesn’t see 100 movies a year — they see 150!!! Apparently the delay was because the band didn’t like the lighting, so everyone had to go outside as they adjusted it?! Talk about biting the hand that feeds…

--- “Wish”: so intense! 

--- “March of the Pigs”: doesn’t it make you feel better? Hank would say yes. 

--- “Reptile”: love the quiet piano intro after the rabid “Pigs.” The quiet doesn’t last, as it rips into visual and aural power lines that shimmer up the stage but the contrast is great. Oooh, then it moves again to “please don’t hurt me.” Wow. “Oh, what a beautiful liar.” The surprise that I can make out most of the lyrics is great!!

--- “Heresy”: “God is dead. And no one cares.” The 16,000 people here seem to. They love it! Heh: “If there is a hell, I’ll see you there.”

--- “Copy Of A”!!!! I don’t think it’s famous, and maybe people think it’s too repetitive,  but it was my favorite on the albums and, so far, live. Lyrics, build, look = hypnosis.

--- “Gave Up”: fine.

--- Oooh, the smoke pit they move to mid stage for “Vessel” is TOUGH.

--- "Closer": Hahaha at the existence of these two lines in the same song: “You get me closer to God” and “I want to ---- you like an animal”?!?! YES how it slows to a crawl and then reverbs the f out at the end!!!

--- Not sure what that ~instrumental was, but it sounded a LOT like Challengers.

--- “As Alive As You Need Me To Be”: Woo, dig the different beat. “Everything for a reason.” Apparently a new song. Keeps ripping to new riffs — nice!

--- Moronic that they have not said a single word to the audience, but it adds mystique I suppose, and the variety of  sounds is so strong, it down technically need it.

--- “Mr. Self Destruct” pounds until a high-pitch screech. Wow.

--- Um, “Less Than” suggests we “add a little violence”…

--- Wish I connected more to the band an individual songs and Bob Reznor said ANYTHING to the audience, but the rest was a rocket. 

--- Hahaha, that almost everything I said becomes irrelevant. (1) “The Perfect Drug” is a BANGER that ends with a helluva whimper!!!! So cool. (2) He talks to the crowd for two minutes, including saying how meaningful they are as life becomes fleeting. Aww.

--- Heh at David Bowie’s “I’m Afraid of Americans.” Can’t imagine what could had made them choose it…

--- “The Hand That Feeds”: aww, so much blue jumping!!

--- “Head Like Hole”: woo at the “bow down before the one you serve” full-crowd hands-up section and multi-instrument coalition at the end!!!

--- “Hurt”: woo for a tender number. It’s NIN, so it features the line “I wear this crown of s---,” and it ends with a rattle and roar, but still lol.

Grade: A+

Eternal “Copy Of A” validation from a 52-year-old mother and her 20-year-old blue-haired daughter!!!!! Ready to walk all the way to my hotel. Earns the plus.