252 -- The Eagles -- Wednesday, September 1, 2021 -- Capital One Arena -- DC

The name of the venue may have changed from The Verizon Center to Capital One Arena, but the incredible ticket worked again. Show up the same day; get a prime ticket. No taxes, no fees, no gouging resellers: just the best seats that weren’t available for weeks at the best price?!?! 

--- “Hotel California”!!! As good as it was two days ago when it became the first rock song Brody ever embraced. Brody has been into anything I’ve sung and any ballad, but give him a guitar and a hint of grit, and out come the angry screams. Then, magically, with “Hotel California,” he pleasantly cooed to the guitar solo and said “more” at the end! May this be the first of many rock songs…

--- “New Kid in Town”: clear vocals, unclear who would find it engaging.

--- “Life in the Fast Lane”!!! Gets every age out of their seats. “Hotel California” has the sharp imagery, but that was an unexpected rip. 

--- “Wasted Time”: It’s hard to appreciate this emotional ballad when these fools behind me jabber on about how annoying their grandma is?! So strange. It was cool that The Eagles include a full orchestra with this song. Nice.

--- “Victim of Love”: The Fools (hereafter referred to as MF [Male Fool] and FF [Female Fool]) remark how they thought how the woman who came on stage for the song was a mannequin. “I didn’t think she was a real person.” …

--- “Pretty Maids All in a Row”: pretty listless.

--- “Try and Love Again” / “The Last Resort”:  FF: “They better play a hit soon.” She is apparently unaware how straight album sets work. She’s now jabbering on about how much she dislikes being the Maid of Honor in a wedding. I’d lobby for a change to Maid of Dishonor.

--- “The Last Resort” is a solid way to the end the album. They incorporate a full choir!

--- HA: “That concludes the Hotel California section of the night. We’ll take a break, come back, and play everything we know.”

--- Aww, the couple I’m next to flew in from Tennessee for the show. My ticket scheme shocked them.

--- Oooh, they’re back with a bluegrassy acoustic vibe!! Such variety. Seems like it’s “Seven Bridges Road.”

--- “Take It Easy” goes down so smooth!!! At this point, it’s what everyone needs. 

--- “One of These Nights”: Deacon Frey, the 29-year-old son of late Eagles founder Glenn Frey, has a great voice.

--- Heh: “Thanks for coming out. On a Wednesday.”  

--- As Don Henley announces that he and everyone involved has been fully vaccinated… MF: “We don’t care about politics. Just sing.” Sigh… Henley continues, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Wooo, Spider-Man reference!

--- Heh: “This is our 6th concert after sitting around for 18 months in our sweatpants.”

--- Deacon Frey gets the biggest applause. “50 years ago, his dad and I were in the Georgetown Inn playing backup for Linda Ronstadt. Then he asked to start a band.”  Wooo at personalizing for the DC audience. 

--- Heh: “Has anyone tried unplugging the United States and plugging it back in?”

--- Vince Gill also gets a huge hand. Wow, he has 28 Grammys. “Takes up his whole house. He and his wife have to sleep in the garage.” HA. He sings “Take it to the Limit.”

--- “Witchy Woman”‘s got edge -- much better than “Tequila Sunrise.”

--- Joe Walsh’s “In the City” guitar solo is glorious!!  FF: “I LOVE JOE WALSH.” First sensible thing she’s said all night.

--- “I Can’t Tell You Why” is smoky cool.

--- “Peaceful Easy Feeling” is a too country for my tastes, but that’s my issue. Aww though at the end -- what I think is a picture of young Glenn and Deacon together.

--- “Love Will Keep Us Alive” and “Lyin’ Eyes” are fine.

--- “These Shoes” pairs well with “I Can’t Tell You Why.” The best hidden find of the night. The guitar’s a snake!!

--- Lol at Joe’s loopy drunk speaking voice: “How you doin’? How are you doing?” Hahaha at him no leading the crowd through a series of Meredith Lee vocal warmups -- bass grunts and all. Btw, everyone’s now way more into “Walk Away” because of the intro. Why more bands don’t include intros I’ll never know. 

--- Cool ~Waking Life swirls on the guitar during the song.

--- Joe Walsh’s intro to “Life’s Been Good”: “It’s not as extravagant as you’d think being a rock star. You still have to do the dishes and pick up dog doo. I just happen to also have a Maserati…I’m dedicating this next song to everyone who’s never had a song dedicated to them.” Awesome.

--- The boop beeps during the song show yet another side.  The way Walsh enunciates and moves his head adds a lot. Such charisma!!

--- “Already Gone”: there’s the peaceful easy feeling the earlier song referenced.

--- Awwww, an old guy from three rows over is standing and trying to commandeer others to stand. I stand, and he pumps his arms me. We make each others’ nights!!!!

--- “The Boys of Summer” has excellent build -- like the concert itself!

--- “Funk #49” has funk.

--- “Heartache Tonight” gets everyone out of their seats. Vince Gill is solid but no Joe. That said, I can’t remember seeing such a balanced band. Everyone has their moments in the spotlight.

--- Encore 

--- “Rocky Mountain Way” has an all-hands-on-deck excitement.  Walsh’s guitar reverb!! Another new thing!!

--- Aww at “Desperado.” Henley’s moment. The orchestra returns as well.  

--- Tear at the recent death of Don Everly of The Everly Brothers and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones. “See them while you can, ladies and gentleman.” Yes!!!!

--- Aww at the woman next to me singing “The Best of My Love.” It really adds to it. When I tell her, she says, “As much as your scream the whole night added to it.” Awww. Perfect ending.

Grade: A

251 -- Wilco -- Friday, August 20, 2021 -- Merriweather Post Pavilion -- Columbia, MD

--- “A Shot in the Arm”!!!! SO FITTING FOR THE ERA. 

--- “EKG”: ok, a Star Wars track is an automatic buzzkill, but hopefully that means they’re done with that album the rest of the night.

--- “Before Us”: same basic comment for this Ode To Joy, but if it was chosen because of what just happened in Afghanistan, points for that. I.E. “I remember when wars would end. Remember when wars would end? Now when something's dead, now when something's dead, we try to kill it again.”

--- “You Are My Face”!!  It speaks to how deeply Wilco’s albums are embedded that I didn’t remember the name, and I’d never heard it live, yet I recognized every note and loved it.

--- “Good to be back”: INDEED.

--- Oooh at the new ‘hello hello hello’ in “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”

--- Clever, seamless swirl into “Art of Almost,” which I first heard at Merriweather! Emotionally, I’d forgotten its power. I planted my legs, and it pulsed through me!!!

--- “If I Ever Was a Child” was played.

--- “Is this the first time you’ve been out to see a rock show since? Then it’s a great honor.”

--- “Impossible Germany”: awww, memories of listening to this with Rafael in the car at the start of the summer. I’d forgotten how organically it develops – and how it joins up with the rest of the band.  “Art of Almost” has pyrotechnics; “Impossible Germany” has soul!!!!

--- Awwwww, “you know I miss that.” My thoughts exactly!!

--- “Love Is Everywhere” has a nice message.

--- Heh, “now for the oldest song we’re probably going to play tonight.” I.E. “Box Full of Letters.” Awwwww: “I like to pick out one song every night from a poster. That guy had [‘Box’] on a poster.”

--- “Hummingbird”!!! By far my favorite version of it. In the past, it’s been a bit disappointing because it feels like a pandery hit. This time, he was so light with it, and the crowd seemed so light, that it felt real.

--- “Everyone Hides”!  The strongest track from recent albums. It’s both airy and insistent. Well done.

--- “Born Alone”: the lyric “I was born to die alone” is an outrageously depressing, but fortunately, the sound isn’t. Solid downward spiral at the end. 

--- HA at some guy in the crowd: “I want The Whole Love tonight.” Clever reference to the previous album.

--- Heh, “Jesus Etc” doesn’t get “Hummingbird”‘s bump. It’s still soothing on an album, rote live.

--- “Is everyone having a good time? Well, we’re getting close to running out of time. So we’re going to try to play as many songs as we can.”

--- “Theologians”!  Ooh, it’s a slightly more aggressive version. Nice.

--- Awwww, this song’s dedicated to everyone out there on the lawn. “I’m the Man Who Loves You”!  I don’t remember Jeff having such a solo at the end. Cool.

--- “Heavy Metal Drummer”!!!!  Bizarre/awesome spoken-word Doors intro and extra-energetic outro put this through the roof. Best version of “HMD” I’ve heard. 

--- “I’m Always in Love” is so damn happy -- especially with his “what can I say” riff.

--- Love that Merriweather said Wilco was ending at 10:45, and it’s 10:50, and they just started the encore!!

--- Hahaha at Nils hand prompting the crowd during “The Late Greats.”

--- “We always have a great time here. Thanks for coming out.”

--- “Outtasite”!!

--- Awwww at a tonally perfect “California Stars” finale. I swear I have not heard this washed-out electric version…..that……omg, becomes a banjo version!!!!  I wonder if they reacted to online criticism that early shows were too similar. I wouldn’t it past them adapting based on that. Personal best for “CS” as well.

--- I will now listen to songs the whole way home. YES.

Grade: A+

250 -- Sleater-Kinney -- Friday, August 20, 2021 -- Merriweather Post Pavilion -- Columbia, MD

To me, Sleater-Kinney’s main strength is their confidence.  They show no affectations, no pandering — they simply dive into each solid new song. It’s also cool to see a rock band led by multiple women. Plus, at Merriweather, everyone was clearly paying attention — no Opening Band blues.

My issue is, try as I might, live and on the album, most tracks leave me underwhelmed. If I could hear all the lyrics or read them, I’m sure I’d appreciate the poetry. Most of them end up getting lost though, swallowed in a midtempo malaise. To my ear, most tracks meander and then just…end. The generic crowd comments and sleepy delivery don’t help matters.

Fortunately, there were a bunch of bright spots:

--- “Shadow Town” has a lot more energy than “High in the Grass.” Love the dark vibe.

--- “It’s been a long road for all of us to come, tentatively, to create this sense of community we love.”

--- “Can I Go On”: the varied inflections on the line “my desire is contagious” is hilarious.

--- “Path of Wellness”: its drive is the strongest of any song so far. The repetition of “you can never love me enough” adds to it.

--- “This is for anyone who’s needed a little more help this last year.”

--- “Jumpers”!!  Now there’s a song!!  It has anger, restraint, and an actual arc. It can’t be a coincidence that this is the first ‘wooo’ I hear from the crowd.

--- “Bring Mercy”: a comforting message and rhythm -- what 2021 needs.

--- “Modern Girl”!! Its smooth electric vibe makes it a winner from the first note. The unlikely “sunny day” chorus adds to it.

--- “We’ve never been here to Merriweather Post Pavilion before. This place is amazing. You guys look amazing.” Better than nothing, but it’s undermined by the listless way she says it.

--- “Worry With You” has this knowing funk that makes me bob my head the whole time. Well done.

--- “Entertain” had the volume of a last song, but sadly, it did not fit the title.

Grade: C / C+

249 -- Rise Against -- Sunday, July 25, 2021 -- MECU Pavilion -- Baltimore, MD

 --- Ha, never would’ve thought I’d see a guy with a DuckTales shirt at a Rise Against show. 

--- I don’t even like “Numbers,” but the energy, lighting, and clarity DELIVERS!  If this is the start, strap in!!

--- “Heart beat pounding awayyy”!!! “Re-Education” remains amazing.

--- “How you feeling out there, Baltimore?” AMAZING.

--- “Satellite” is a great change of pace.

--- Aww at them actually waiting for hands to raise when they ask for how many is this their first show back. Such a bond.

--- “The Violence” off Wolves would probably be better if I knew it. It gives me time to catch my breath.

--- “Broken Dreams Inc”: Wow, Tim McIlrath is SO CLOSE. Oooh, sweet guitar solo. Heh at the title chanting section.

--- “Audience of One”!!  Love the change of pace and the mid-level surggggge. Also, one of my first RA songs. “Thank you, all.” Thank YOU. 

--- “Ready To Fall”!! Awww, DuckTales guy says, “That’s 100% correct” to my calves theory. I.E. The true measure of a great punk show? Sore calves.

--- I don’t see any gaps in the audience in the back. Impressive.

--- “I Don’t Wanna Be Here Anymore” off Black Market. Solid.  Cool smoky solo.  “This song is all about waking up and not being in the dark place we sometimes are. I want you to leave that place. Are you ready, Baltimore?” Awww, whole new meaning now, like “Forfeit”!!!

--- Aww they toured with Menzingers ten years ago. Full circle.

--- “Under the Knife”!  Being surrounded by pit enthusiasts is the BEST.

--- “It’s all about being able to see your faces, voices. This is for you.”

--- “Forfeit”: aww, the crowd treats it with no respect, but it was an awesome surprise on the album!!

--- “Swing Life Away”!! What a summer jam. “This is the time to soak in this moment, that we’re all here. This one goes out to everyone at the venue – and the crew.” He could have added Brody. Brody’s all about it. 

--- “Make It Stop” feels less urgent than it should.

--- “Prayer of the Refugee” feels as raw as the first time I heard it!!!

--- “Survive” has a slow build and a strong message: “That’s what makes us who we are.”

--- “We get to share the stage with legend, without whom we would not be here today.” Wow, this is The Descendants’ first tour in 20 years.

--- The whole pit loves “Worth Dying For,” and I barely remember it.

--- “Savior” slays. SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN A ZOOM CALL.

Grade: A

248 -- Guster -- Sunday, July 25, 2021 -- Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater -- Morrison, CO

 --- I’m about to see Guster at Red Rocks with James Porter. That’s three bullseyes, for my first concert in 543 days. Rock on.

--- The opening band, The Lone Bellow, sounds great. Make sure to check them out at the 9:30 Club on November 20. [Edit, a year later --> and . . . there was another shutdown. Oh, Covid.] 

--- “Do You Love Me”!!!!  Unexpected rushhh at hearing the first live song in forever. Heh at “wake you from you dream.” Guy in the crowd: “WE DID IT!” I played this song for Brody three days ago! I’m also surprised how nostalgic the act of typing notes in my phone feels. Frontman Ryan Miller: “I think this may be the first time in my life I’m at a loss for words.”

--- “Demons” is a great change a pace.

--- Hahaha, “we added wind noises in for dramatic effect. Red Rocks 2021.”

--- “Diane” is fine, but I hope this doesn’t preclude playing the far-superior “Amsterdam” from the same album.

--- “The Captain”!!!!  Rhythmmm, winddddd!  The screen is about to fling into the crowd.

--- Wow at the giant Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Heh, they ask “Yuni the badass head woman” if she can “play that a note over the hurricane thing maybe?”  Omg, the conductor’s name is Christopher Dragon. He’s “the coolest cucumber in Colorado.”

--- “Ramona” took the place of another worthier song.

--- “Long Night” is from the 2015 Evermotion album that I somehow missed! 

--- Aww, cool ukulele vibe shift with “What You Call Love.”  Adam trumpet time! Ooh, I get to rescue someone else’s phone!

--- “Two Points for Honesty”!! It starts out amazing --> I played it for Brody this week, it’s from James’ college CD, and it surges so much as a song. Then my spirit is crushed. The angle of the seats prevents me from dancing because it limits the view of the guy next to me. The guy is nice about it, but in the moment, it’s brutal. Not being able to move beyond a straitjacket sway at a rock show?! Tearrrr.

--- “Mind Kontrol” features the lines “come get me out of this hole.” I can relate…..

--- “Dear Valentine” is fine.

--- They talk about the last time they played the Fox Theater in Colorado. Aww, specificity.

--- Hahahaha at when Dragon’s excited. His bald head gets radiant, and it’s like the bouncing ball Ryan Miller saw as a kid.

--- “Lightning Rod”! The awesome moodiness of the song brings me back a bit.  Woo.

--- Hahaha, “it’s so fun to play it Red Rocks. When I said ‘ohohoh’ a minute ago, that was like a 12-year-old cream dream. Sorry, children. My children.”

--- Heh at acknowledging no one wants new songs. “Witness Tree” has this interesting…Russian…vibe?

--- First ever Climate Positive concert at Red Rocks.

--- “There’s No Way to Get to Heaven” was played.

--- “Fa Fa Fa”: aww/hahah at the drum solo is accent at the end. Go, conductor!!

--- “Hello Mister Sun”: heh at the rainbow hats, meh at the song. Going for a Sgt. Pepper’s thing. 

--- Awww, he comes out in the crowd for “Doin’ It By Myself” — he swings the mic as the crowd mass waves!

--- “Either Way”: amazing breeze, tender wonder. The orchestra makes is so much better. Newfound appreciation. I’m officially back!!!!

--- “Satellite”: orchestra FTW!!

--- “Come Downstairs and Say Hello”!!!!! The conductor was a MANIAC. Gotta look it up on YouTube.

--- “Julio Down By The School Yard”!!!! So raw.

--- “We’re able to grow old with you together. Well, maybe not old, but older than we were when we were sang it for the first time in a dorm room 29 years ago.” [!!!]

--- “Hard Times”!! So piercing and well sung. The opioid subject matter fits the melancholic tone.

--- “Hang On”: good message to end on.

--- HA, they’re wearing big heads. “Maybe you shouldn’t follow up on ideas when you’re high.”

--- “Barrel of a Gun”!!

--- Secretly coming out to the center of the center of the crowd for a second encore with “Jesus on the Radio” was awesome. Never seen that before!!

Grade: A- / A

247 -- Foo Fighters -- Saturday, November 14, 2020 -- The Verbicar House, The Peterson House, The Internet -- Annandale / Fairfax, VA

A living room Foo Fighters concert cannot compare to a live one -- not even close. It was better than nothing at the height of Covid, though, and I’m glad Sharon, Chris, Hark, and I got to share it. It was particularly satisfying because Sharon initiated it! I’ve enjoyed aspects of every class at Frost, but occasionally, IAs are window dressing – no introduction, no name the first day of class. That’s never been the case with Sharon, who saw the value of including from the beginning and asked to get together outside of class!

Once we worked through tech issues, there were a bunch of memorable moments: “All My Life,” “Rope,” “Walk,” and Dave’s speech about the importance of coming together. It was also funny to see Sharon’s son (my former student) bust out a TikTok dance (Lil Massive’s “Renegade”) halfway through. The best part of the concert, ironically, was afterward. The band played a lot fewer songs than usual, so we decided we’d play whatever songs we wanted!  Hark sang “Learn To Fly,” 1000 Italian musicians sang “Learn to Fly,” and both houses sang “Everlong” – all strong memories.   

Grade: B+

246 -- Jazz Trotters -- Saturday, August 8, 2020 -- Concert Hall: Facebook.com/SongwritersAndPoets

A virtual concert can't compare to an in-person one.  It was really satisfying, however, to experience live music last night for the first time in months.  It was even better because it was the band of a good friend performing for a good cause.  I knew of Heather Shue's skills in the classroom, but I hadn't known of her skills as a musician -- and the skills of the rest of the band.  Here's a recap of memorable moments from last night's Jazz Trotters concert...

 --- “Blackbird” is a clever, encouraging start.  It has a smooth sound and hooks listeners who may not know Jazz Trotters.  I like the white fade-in effect when transitioning between band members.  Glad those who can't be distant wear masks.   

 --- It's helpful that the ACLU woman describes what they’re doing as "police reform.”  It's less loaded than “defund the police.”  Wow, Heather shares a powerful personal example — of her friend from middle school who has been in jail for 38 years without clemency.  It reminds me of last year’s one-two cinematic punch: Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy and Alfre Woodard’s Clemency. Hope the money raised through the show helps improve the lives of those in similar situations.

--- I'm not able to hear much of the second song as my ten-month-old son Brody keeps trying to eat the computer cords. He is unsuccessful, thankfully, and I am able to settle down for Aretha.

--- The Aretha song includes strong back-and-forths between vocalists and a nice instrumental interlude.

--- Hehe, “Summertime” is a fitting song choice. The performance brings back memories of Fantasia Barrino.

--- “For those of you who know me, I promise this is water.”  HA!

--- Shue nails the last note of “At Last.”  I like that the song has moments for the guitar, keyboard, and double bass.  Each of the performers delivers.

--- Shue makes numerous statements about fireball.  I agree with them all.

--- Oooh, there's an intriguing change in tempo and vibe with Cassius’ “Sound of Violence.”  That's a new song to check out afterward.

--- “If I Ain’t Got You”: legit chills at the vocals.  Seamless transitions as well.

--- Hahahah at “a Bill lie.”  #FrostTalentShow2021?  I’d participate.

--- Even though the whole thing was online, seeing that colleagues like Mindy, Annelle, Krissy, Meg, Alex, Rachel, Jen, and Laura were there added to the experience.

I had two reservations. First, the mic volume made it hard to hear comments from musicians in the back.  Second, my son had the nerve to expect to go to bed an hour into the show.  I almost never leave concerts early, but what can I say? Infants are selfish...

Grade: A-

I am grateful to the band for a satisfying Saturday night.  The only sane decision these days is to stay apart, yet I’m glad this live stream brought people together. Fingers crossed, when everything gets back to normal, I look forward to checking Jazz Trotters out in person.  At that show, as a sign of appreciation for the invite, Heather, the first cup of water’s on me...