240 -- Silence The Violence: Jeremy Elliot -- Friday, October 11, 2019 -- The Anthem -- DC

Jeremy Elliot’s performance was part of the Silence the Violence charity event that also featured Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, and Katy Perry.  During Jeremy’s section, they highlighted Building Bridges Across the River, a worthy arts organization in Anacostia.  One of its leaders had the crowd meditate in silence for 60 seconds.  This brought me back to Emma Gonzales’ powerful moment during March For Our Lives.  He concluded with these wise words: “A child suffering in Southeast needs to matter as much as a child suffering down the street.”  

I felt bad that Elliot was only on for literally one song, but he sounded good during it.  He reminded me of Bo Bice with shorter hair.  He did all he could with the opportunity.

Grade: B+

239 -- Sonic Castaways -- Friday, October 4, 2019 -- Songbyrd Vinyl Lounge -- DC

All the good things about this Sonic Castaways show were made better because I got to experience them with my 71-year-old mom Nadine.  Don’t know another septuagenarian who’d spend a Friday night at a club in Adams Morgan! 

My Sonic Castaways experience started months before my mom entered the picture, after a Rolling Stones concert when I met the band’s frontman, Alejandro Cortes Ardila.  Alejandro had sprinted 20 minutes from FedEx Field to make the last Metro of the night.  The two of us started talking and ended up being the best conversation I’ve ever had on a Metro.  It led to us talking a bunch of times online after that, and me checking out his band at the Songbyrd.

From the opening song, I was impressed by the enunciation and flair.  They sounded like a flamenco Franz Ferdinand.  I also liked the smoky jam session, how one performer came into the audience, and how two performers were back-to-back -- like Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons.  It was cool that the ladrones/sangre song added another style.  It was both contemplative and propulsive -- shades of The Shins’ “Sleeping Lessons,” especially the second half.

The main thing holding the show back was the fact that I had not been able to hear the songs beforehand.  Bits and pieces came through: “musica vino de Africa,” “en la valla vovaha”? With no album, though, I could not come in with emotional connections or understand a lot of the Spanish lyrics. 

Fortunately, Alejandro said an album is definitely in the works, and I look forward to a second concert.  Joining me at the concert will likely be Danny Ibañez, my awesome friend from Oaxaca, Mexico.  She was part of my host family in Oaxaca and is supposed to be in DC taking English classes soon. Fingers crossed…

Grade: B+/A-

238 -- The Mountain Goats -- Thursday, July 18, 2019 -- Ottobar -- Baltimore, MD

My favorite part of Mountain Goats night was Matthew DeCarlo's presence throughout.  He was not physically there, but his texts before/after the show and my thoughts of how excited he'd be during it made it feel like he was.  

All other parts appear in the live notes below...

--- I'm surprised to see them open the show with a sax solo?!  “Psalms 40:2.” I hadn’t prepped it since they haven’t played it the whole rest of the tour, but it sounds awesome.  John Darnielle is so focused in his anger!

--- The keyboard made “Younger,” my favorite song on the new album.  Killer transition and surging sax halfway through!!

--- “Moon Over Goldboro”: well paced.

--- “This is a song about total, unsparing revenge.  The best part is it’s carried out by someone who has no reason, who cannot be unconvinced, as I could be.  It’s about a dragon.”  Lol!  The actual rhythm of "In League With Dragons" disappointing.  

--- “This is a song about two people’s two gnawing needs: (1) each other (2) each other’s immolation.”  HA.  “International Small Arms Traffic Blues.”  Hahahhaha at the lyric “our love is like the border between Greece and Albania.”

--- “Sax Rohmer 1” off Heretic Pride!!!!  My first ever Mountain Goats song.  I always considered it a soothing song the 100 times I played Heretic Pride when I got stressed in my classroom. Live, though, it’s really aggressive — which works as well!  What a transformation.

--- Hahahah, some guy shouts “I love you,” and Darnielle replies, “I love you too.  Let’s take it to the next level.  I take it back; there aren’t levels.  I take that back; there are levels going down.  I know that much.  This song is about that...”  The hushed sound of “Wear Black” is a solid contrast to “Sax Rohmer 1.”

--- Hilarious intro to “Poltergeist.”  The strong guitar section at the end does not allow me to enjoy it.  The lyrics are still too brutal.

--- Omg, Darnielle is so quick-witted and hyper verbal that I can’t keep up! That’s a good thing though: a professor who happens to be a musician AND stand-up comedian.  No wonder Matt DeCarlo and Andrew Schmadel love him!!

--- “Waylon Jennings Live” and the song after it didn’t amount to much.

--- “San Bernardino”!!!!  Outstanding counterpoint to “Sax Rohmer 1.”  It was soothing on the recording and this time, even more soothing live.  I’m thrilled for this guy next to me who says he’s seen them 30 times, and he’s never heard them do it. :))

--- Hahaha at Darnielle not understanding how Ozzy Osborne recommends getting high to his audience. “I understand Ozzy doing it, I too am a drug user, but recommending that destruction and misery to your audience is just confusing.”  Ohhh, now the central drug lyric of “Passaic 1975” makes more sense.

--- “Rain In Soho,” another one I hadn’t heard, has a rhythm that’s just magnetic.  It keeps getting better, and I don’t want it to end!  

--- Heh: “a little uptempo number about what incipient fascism feels like.”  Hahaha, just understood the title, “Sicilian Crest.”  Sound-wise, it reminds me of a more aggressive version of the Who’s The Boss there song, lol.

--- Aww: “the Ottobar is a special place.  There are so few places these days that are...a room.”

--- “Possum by Night” sounds way better than it does on the album.  How can a possum be this tender?  Aww at “grow fat and grow old and be content” and ha at his mini outburst at the end!!

--- “Palmcorder Yajna”: Hahahah at the guy in the crowd jumping and flipping out at “I hope they incinerate everyone in here.”

--- Crowd members go full vulpine during “Up the Wolves.”  Wow!!

--- “Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1” is a step down.

--- “Heel Turn 2” has a riveting intro story about a good wrestler who flips out and tries to hurt his opponent.  Most don’t know the song, and it’s midtempo, so it’s a questionable choice for a finale.  The show had enough great elements overall, though, for me to eventually see them again in DC!  Update: I was wrong! The song itself has a heel turn into greatness. "Keyboard orgasm" seems to fit the ending.

--- “Going Invisible 2”: Whoa. “I’m going to burn it all down today” comes out of the crowd and the band and as eerie hush and then a shout. Sick encore!! 

Grade: A

236 / 237 / 238 -- Ra Ra Riot / Jimmy Eat World / Third Eye Blind -- Thursday, July 11, 2019 -- Jones Beach Theater -- Wantagh, NY

Ra Ra Riot / Jimmy Eat World:

There’s no sugarcoating it: the first part of the night was a disaster.  My mom spent months before the concert listening to the bands’ albums to prepare.  Two girls we met from Singapore flew 18 hours for the experience.

And then…Ra Ra Riot did not play a note.  Jimmy Eat World also started 45 minutes early and finished a minute before they were supposed to begin.  The pit was ~90% empty, the daylight felt like a hangover, and we literally heard five songs.  The fact that the songs were some of their best tracks somehow felt worse.  Hearing something that’s usually great with no buildup, atmosphere, or community feels hollow.  I was able to bounce, but never leap.  The crowd went through the motions, but no seemed truly moved.  Action, after all, needs an audience…

   

In Jimmy Eat World’s defense, the decisions to radically shift the schedule seemed out of their control, and I’m sure they felt bad about it too.  I assume one factor no one mentioned was they were scheduled to go on first.  If the rain became full-on lightning, they had to ensure Third Eye Blind had time to play too.  Third Eye Blind was able to play (a lot) longer because there was no one whose time they’d be eating into.  

To me, the one inexcusable move was the amount of time between bands.  Maybe fans deserve some blame for not getting there at 7, but changing equipment between sets cannot take that long.  Fans also can’t be expected to know a set will start 45 minutes early and end before it’s supposed to begin.  I might be wrong and changing the setup takes a full half-hour in all circumstances.  It seems, though, like that could have been adjusted and allowed more time. 

Unfortunate as what happened was for all involved, I’m confident the future will be better.  I’ve loved the six other Jimmy shows I’ve been to, and I’m still beaming from their reaction to Richmond.  https://twitter.com/mcverb/status/1016894567541628928 As far as the Jones Beach performance, I liked the extended guitar riff in their new single, “Love Never,” and Adkins’ joke about rocking out to “Hear You Me.”  Considering this, when there’s a tour in the fall for the new album, count me in.

Grade: D+

Third Eye Blind

The end of the night was the opposite of the beginning: everything worked.  I came in feeling negative about Third Eye Blind as well – thinking they would sound as weak as they did at Merriweather Post Pavilion last time. 

This time, I stopped caring that frontman Stephan Jenkins is more of a shouter than a singer…and I loved it.  Pretty sure my mom, Kevin, the girls we met from Singapore, and Tom Marron did too.  

I had forgotten how varied and strong Third Eye Blind’s songs are.  It’s perhaps my favorite Greatest Hits album ever, and they totally sold those hits live.  Jenkins all but married the crowd with his commentary, and they gave it right back to him.  Here are some live notes of moments we were all able to share.

   

--- Cool visual at the start: the band members silhouetted behind a thin black screen.

--- “Never Let You Go” was satisfying because it had such an easy melody.

--- Awesome slow-burn speech about the crowd’s dedication to show up despite the rain and threat of cancellation!!!  It was the first meaningful moment in a wreck of a night. 

--- “Back to Zero” had a cool aura thanks to the speech before it.

--- “Graduate”!!  The electric solo makes the song.  Jenkins also really knows how to whip us up.

--- “Wounded” was smart to follow up with -- total mood shift.

--- Some meh acoustic number.

--- “Slow Motion” is awkward insanity?!?!?!  As Andressa Carter could tell you, the lyrics, rhythm, and structure of the song are all brilliant.  Credit where credit is due: Jenkins’ vocal was spot on as well.  Kevin and I found it *odd,* though, to hear hundreds of people bellowing the most disturbing images on this side of A Clockwork Orange.  Guess it wasn’t boring – I’ll give it that…  

--- Jenkins told us that the record company didn’t want “Motorcycle Drive By” on the album.  The company was clearly wrong, and the pacing is amazing.  Best of the night!!!

--- My mom’s comment right after the song: “Thank you for inviting me.”  Awww, NCV.

--- “Jumper”!!!!!  The concert moment of the summer.  The song was exciting enough, and then this random girl started dancing with my mom…and continued to dance with her the rest of the song?!  Thanks, Kevin, for documenting it! 

--- After that, the band sailed through “How’s It Going Be,” “Waze,” “Losing A Whole Year,” and, to Kevin’s delight, “Semi-Charmed Life.”  Jenkins insisted he was going to create a party in their basement, a campfire singalong, and play until the venue cut the power.  And that’s just what he did. :)

Grade: A

235 -- The Rolling Stones -- Friday, May 31, 2019 -- FedEx Field -- Landover, MD

Arriving at the show without artificial tears days after a punishing PRK eye surgery was not a great start.  What was great was Brent, the guy I ended up standing next to.  He had been to more concerts of 80s bands than I had heard of 80s bands!!  His dad also went to Frost-Woodson, and he informed me that there used to be a first-rate Record-Tape Exchange in the shopping center across from Fair City Mall.  I had no clue?!

The Rolling Stones charged out of the gate with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash."  (Texting Evan Davis and Kyle West about a memorable William and Mary version of it added to the fun.)  

The concert had been postponed since Mick Jagger needed to have surgery on his vocal cords.  The surgery worked wonders; he sounded totally clear!  

Aww at the group of 20-somethings behind me flipping out throughout “It’s Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It).”  

“Tumbling Dice” had an easygoing charm to it.  

“You’ve Got Me Rockin’” featured multiple solid solos from Keith.

Awwww, some local requested “Mercy Mercy,” a song they haven’t played live since Hyde Park in 1969!!  Hahaha at the falsetto section — good for Mick!

Mick asks who’s here from so many specific places in the area, including Fairfax?!?!  I would never have pegged The Rolling Stones as a band to do homework?!  There was zero need for Mick to do that, and he did it anyway.  *Respect.*

Hahahaha at the ~23 year old behind me flipping out for “Rocks Off”: “THAT’S MY SONG!” The fact that the band chose it from this online fan vote that they display in a screen wordle makes it even better.

Hahaha at all the (endearingly) bad singers around me during “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

“Angie”: not as good Angie Bryl as a person, but it was still nice to hear.

This twinkly version of “Let It Bleed” was tepid.  Was it co-written by Randy Newman?

In retrospect, the last song seemed like a bit of an intentional wingman because “Sympathy for the Devil” had it all!!!  Hypnotizing doot doo at the start and throughout, seven separate ways of representing red......wow.

“Honky Tonk Woman” continued the fun.

“Tomorrow’s the 4th of July.  We used to just have fireworks; now we have tanks on the lawn.” Heh at the mixed chorus of cheers and boos.

Hahaha at the moment Mick trotted out the burgundy-and-gold-clad drummer and said, “Introducing the Redskins’ new mascot, Charlie Watts!”

“Slipping Away” is lackluster.

“Miss You” is better, especially the extended bass and sax sections.

Awww at the guy in front of me leaving an open line on his phone so someone could hear it and the fact that two separate fans grabbed my shoulders to bond during separate songs!!!

I hadn’t expected “Paint It Black” to hang in one place almost the entire song. That said, it was an enjoyably moody place, one well worth going to.

Ugh at having to leaving early since the Metro now closes earlier.  Sad to miss “Gimme Shelter” and “Satisfaction,” but they’re not worth an Uber surcharge worth more than the price of the ticket itself.....  

The irony of “Start Me Up” being the song I leave on...

Still though: definitely glad I went.  They’re pros.  76 and still got it!!

Grade: A-

Update: I ended up making it to the Metro in plenty of time, but that was not the end of my concert experience.  That’s because the person who dashed onto the train next to me was Alejandro Cortes.  Having been to 19 countries and 49 states, I’ve been on a lot of buses and trains.  This has meant a lot of interesting conversations.  Few have been as gripping as this one, though, as we tore through topics like Keith Richards tore through chords. 

Alejandro started by sharing how he waited until the last possible second to leave the concert.  He insisted he could not be denied “Gimme Shelter,” so as soon as he got enough of a hit, he sprinted the 20-minute walk back.  When he arrived, he nearly fainted.  Someone with that level of commitment is someone worth talking to.  It was remarkable the number of things we found out we had in common: Spain, Mexico, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, his wife is a teacher / he’s a software engineer, I’m a teacher / Hark’s a software engineer, etc.  He also once lived in my building in Crystal City! (He now lives a stop away in Pentagon City.)

After years of bus/train rides, I’ve made peace with the fact that I will never speak to those people again, no matter how gripping the conversations become.  I’ve understood that short-lived connections can still be meaningful ones.  The unexpected difference this time was the connection has actually continued.  He asked for the spelling of Verbicar, we sent each other Facebook messages, and I hope to see his band, Sonic Castaways, at some future show!

Revised Grade: A

234 -- Ben Platt -- Saturday, May 11, 2019 -- DAR Constitution Hall -- DC

Ben Platt is a male Kelly Clarkson.  I know a bunch of performers who have voices as strong as theirs.  I know very few who can sell the songs like they can.  They talk and talk and talk, but it’s worth it.  Their wit is infectious; it makes you want to be with them and hang on every word of each song.  That won’t come through in the notes below, but it is true…

“Bad Habit” suffers a bit from high expectations, as I was into the album the first time through.

“Temporary Love” has more finesse.

Ben comes from a comically progressive family.  I wish I could type as fast as he talks…

“Honest Man” initially seems great, until...

“Hurt Me Once”!!!!  Beauty. 

Heh, “hi”: the only thing he can say to regain his breath.

“New.”  Ooh,ooh,ooh,ooh indeed!!!!  Elvis was banned for less.

Can’t keep up with the motormouth Kelly-Clarkson-style hilarity.  Such charisma.

Brandi Carlisle “Joke” cover didn’t really connect with me.

Meh at writing your name in some other Ben’s Harry Potter book and claiming it as his own. 

“Better!!!  His range is ridiculous.

“Share Your Address”: wish the lyrics didn’t make me uncomfortable, as the rhythm is the catchiest of the whole album!!!! Live, the stalker issue is brilliantly counteracted by having the backup singers and guitarists join in and SLAY the end.  Clearly the audience favorite.

360 degree flip to “Ease My Mind.”  His favorite on the album. Live it feels surprisingly slight, but it’s still good obviously.  Written with someone everyone apparently knows, Ben Abraham.

Stevie Wonder song.  Meh.

Awww at him paying attention to everyone:  “I feel like I’ve been neglecting these parallel folks.”

“Take Me to the Pilot” sounds like "Take Me to the Party"!  “Of the soul”: right on, brother.  The roundup UFO light made it even better.   Dancing for days!!!  So fun.  Apparently that was Elton John.

“Grow As We Go.”  Gorrrrrrrrrgeousss.

“In Case You Don’t Live Forever”!!!!  I wanted to keep listening to it on a ceaseless loop.  The grandma connection took it up two notches.

Grade: A+

233 -- Snow Patrol -- Friday, April 26, 2019 -- The Anthem -- DC

The visuals at the start crack me up: one giant snowflake, a “Hello Washington” banner, and mobs of white people.  I don’t think I’ve ever been to a club show with an arena music-video backdrop.  On the one hand, it feels a bit literal, and the music should speak for itself.  On the other hand, it does add interesting images.

“Take Back The City”: if it’s an allusion to DC, well played.

“Chocolate” from James Porter’s college mixed CD!!

“Crack the Shutters” barely opened.

“This is the first time playing The Anthem, an amazing building...It’s been a long time, DC.  Thanks for sticking with us.”

Love the way he points to some committed fan he knows when he said, “Thanks for coming out, whether this is your first song or your 50th”!!

“Empress”: the repetition of “so damn simple” is kinda cool, but the whole thing feels low energy so far.

“This Isn’t Everything You Are” has more momentum — good.

“Open Your Eyes”!!!  It becomes this wondrous swirl of light and sound.  The video of a car gliding through a city and a hypnotic flicker halfway through was awesome.

Awww: “Kudos to the balcony.  You have seats and everything, and you choose to stand.” “Give a massive round of applause for Ryan McMullan and We Are Scientists.”

“Light Up (Run)” is so smooth.  Now that I’ve bought into the concert, I’m all about the song.  Aww at the audience joining it at end in a totally organic way!!

Wow: “This is our first tour of the mainland US in 7 years.  We’ve been together for 25 years.”

“This song took five years to write and five minutes to play.”  Yesss, “Life On Earth,” a rare song on a new album that grabbed me the start!  Sadly, it’s doesn’t amount to much live.

“Make This Go On Forever.”  Another hypnotic swirl!!!  Flows in and out effortlessly.  Credit to Gary Lightbody — no vocal dropoff from the album.

“Shut Your Eyes” benefits from a purple-green color scheme.

I like how he apologizes mid song for messing up.  No auto pilot!!

“Heal Me” is so warm!  No wonder it’s his favorite song to play live.

“The Lightning Strike” features a mesmerizing rainbow Winamp.

“Chasing Cars”!!!! The gradual rhythm shift is outstanding.  Love the way it weaves in and out of the audience.  Didn’t feel like pandering.  SYMBIOSIS by the end.

“You’re All I Have”: coasting on so much goodwill.  I don’t want the show to end.

Hahahahaha at him prepping the audience for his inability to hit the high note in “What If This Is All The Love You Ever Get?”  This is a how a performer wins over an audience.  #WhyDontMoreFrontmenDoThis  “What if it hurts like hell, then it hurts like hell.”

“Just Say Yes”: strange choice for a last song.  Like the message, too midtempo to end on.  Brings it back down to Earth.

Oh well — still left feeling happy.  For 90 minutes, I’m glad I was able to stand there and just forget the world...

Grade: A-