This Rise Against show was a bit of a disappointment. They were the opening band not the headliner, parts of the setlist felt forced/jumbled, and most importantly, I was not able to share the experience as I was able to last time. That said, it was a Rise Against show, so it was still a rush. Moments of black joy shot up time and time again. Starting with… --- “Re-Education”!!! I was stuck in the back and middle during the opening two songs, where low-energy members of the crowd weren’t remotely “Ready to Fall.” Once I moved close to the stage, though, Rise Against greatness came back in a heartbeat – one that was POUNDING AWAY. :) --- “Satellite” featured a cool slow section, and “The Violence” was a solid new song, so more “Help [Was] on the Way.” --- HA at the fact that communication broke down around me during “Welcome to the Breakdown.” First, my phone flew out of my hand. Next, I tried searching for it IN A MOSH PIT. Then, when I found it, this guy came at me, insisting it was his girlfriend’s phone?! By the end of the song, though, when I pulled up photos showing the man he’d lost his mind, he said sorry and hugged me! --- “How we survive (who we are), that's what makes us who we are.” Exactly what I told the Rock Club kids!! --- The inspiration continues: “If you remember nothing else, resist the urge to bury your head in the sand.” YES. Mentions the GOP baseball field shooting from today. Appreciate him mentioning the GOP baseball field shooting from today. Love the rare moments when a band breaks the script of the rest of the tour. --- Beautiful tone shift with “People Live Here.” Haunting vocals.
--- Lol at most people not knowing “Wolves” and the awkwardly obvious images on the video screen. Nice scream at the end though. --- Whoa at all the new riffs during “Prayer of the Refugee”!!!! Best version I’ve ever heard of their best song. --- Without an intro, “Make It Stop” feels less powerful than last time. It’s as if, now that there’s less homophobia, they’re going through the motions. Sigh. --- “Savior” is much too calm to end on. Sigh. At least there’s still the sweet pause section. And it’s Rise Against, so next time, with other people / stronger songs, they’ll be back on top! Grade: B+
Friday, June 9 was the worst day of the school year – by a mile. There were not many bad days this school year, and I ended up getting over it, but I was not in a good frame of mind entering the show. On rare occasions that emotions make me ill, time is the only way I can heal. I try to distract myself with sounds and visuals I normally like, but it doesn’t work. Good things still feel bad. Waiting is the only effective medicine. I need time to feel better. Until Wilco. Little by little over the course of the show, the songs raised my spirit. The performance changed my mood. Jeff Tweedy, miracle worker – who knew? ;) Here’s how it all happened: --- “On and On and On.” Nice. Promising non-mechanical start. --- “Cry All Day.” Fitting for today. Ooooooh at the last verse. --- I'm flipping out at “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” It's not even a song of mine, but the discordant lashes are miles above whatever was on the last two albums. Plus, more importantly, the show is cathartic as hell. --- “Art of Almost”!!!! Lunacy. My body is jungle gym. Yes. --- Started out slow, but the non-Schmilco funk of “Pickled Ginger” grew on me. --- “We bring you tidings of great joy. And confusion.” HEE. --- So early for “Misunderstood,” but I'll take it. The catalogue is deep, and it's awesome. Kinda miss the violent “nothings” at the end, but the unpredictability points make it work.
--- Some useless new song. --- “Pot Kettle Black” sounds great by comparison. Yay. --- “It's such a beautiful night. Sorry to play all these depressing songs. Hope you're now depressed about something else.” HA, appreciate it. --- Still don’t like the crashes during “Via Chicago.” Nice when they come out of them though. --- Hehe, “that was all the finding-your-seats music.” --- “Box Full of Letters” oddly feels better than “Impossible Germany” and “Jesus Etc.” There are lower expectations, and it feels more original. --- “Theologians”!! --- “I'm Always in Love”! An official new rule tonight: small songs are better than big ones!! Aww, I look at the row in front of me, and this guy's like me – he’s flicking his head the whole time!!! --- “We have more. We have more.” Woo! --- Familiar works too!!! “Heavy Metal Drummer,” “I'm The Man Who Loves You,” “Hummingbird,” and “The Late Greats” all rock. --- Encore. “Ashes of American Flags” earns non-sellout points. It’s chill AND electric. So many sides, Jeff, so many sides. Don’t remember this riff ending. Nice!! --- Sickkkkkk shift into... --- “Spiders”!!!! Still the crown jewel. Endless reinvention. This time with crowd is given the “bababa” chorus. --- “California Stars” feels real smooth. Heh at the bouncing Motown girl in front of me. Another effortless shift. --- At the start of the show, I wrote a Facebook status. It was a shot in the dark I didn’t actually believe: “Time to lean on live music. I have faith. It will lift me up.” Incredibly, that’s what happened. Wilco saved the day. Grade: A+
I came to Explosions through Friday Night Lights. Their sound made the movie/show better, enhancing each scene it was in. The words Matt Saracen said to his dad, the words Coach said to Matt as his surrogate dad, what Coach said at State -- it all meant more with the band's sound in the background. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw572hRD1diCZUNXZ1N6cDV6RlU/view The sad difference, live, is that there were no words -- no scenes or stories either. I thought I could get past that, could love an only-instrumental band, but I couldn't. I had reason to hope: (1) Songs that feature extended instrumentals are usually in my top two or three for my favorite bands. (2) Explosions sounded great. (3) They looked stunning. And yet......it was hard to connect. All this arresting little moments...lost a moment later. Pensive one second, propulsive the next...and gone. It's the same experience I've had with classical music. It's my failing, not theirs. It made me realize, though, that I need some known structure, some emotional tether, for a show to work. When I get that, I'm satisfied -- I find meaning. I might be lifted up to heaven; I might be dragged down to hell. Either way, I go somewhere. I see more than scattered explosions in the sky... Grade: C+
I made a conscious effort not to overhype myself for this concert. This approach paid off, as I was hooked from the first notes. I wish the band had a video monitor, and I wish it used the “way-o” crowd call way less, but virtually everything else was great. --- Smart decision to have everyone join in on “Boulevard.” --- “If you're looking at me through your camera, you're not looking at me. We need to rub up against each other.” --- Hahah at Billie Joe Armstrong forgetting the lyrics to “Welcome to Paradise.” Hahahah at the talented kid on stage not forgetting anything. Exuberant pubescent profanity! --- “2000 Light Years Away” from 1991. Um, time for the t-shirt cannon... --- Brilliant D.C. MD VA poll!! Gauging where the crowd is from is easy to do, and seems like something the audience and performers would find equally interesting. [For the record, the most people were from MD.] --- “When I Come Around.” The woman to the left of me is amazingly animated and on point. The woman to the right knew EVERY lyric. Worth the price of admission. I also spoke to a fascinating female fan on the metro ride home, so wooo, women. --- “I've had this guitar since I was ten years old. Thanks, mom.”!!! --- “Minority.” Nice mini acapella launch midway. No connection to today: ugh. --- They connect the drummer to MD and VA. YES. --- “Are We The Waiting” into “St Jimmi”!!!! My calves, the nine hour pause before “and don't wear it out”: awesome!!! --- Lol at random jazzy sax. --- “A big hand for Against Me. For some of you, that band may change your life. Just like Operation Ivy, the band behind ‘Knowledge,’ changed mine.” --- “If they build a wall, we're going to scale it.” As close as we're to get to meaning. Awww at the girl's three chords! Natalie gets to keep the guitar?!!! --- “Basket Case”: melodddddy!!!
--- “King For A Day”: Jason Freeze on sax, from Nimrod, totally different/new. Interesting. Lol at the romantic badana-na-nuh. --- Lol at Billie kick line during “I Want You To Know." Meh at “Shout,” but the comedy is killer!! Fading lights and sax work well. --- “I want love and tolerance and compassion and joy. Stick up for the little guy. That might be me. We all come from these ----d up backgrounds. We can all come together and be ----d up together.” Amen. --- “No Satisfaction” into an amazing “Hey Jude”: judyjudyjude!! --- “Still Breathing”!! By way of Kelly Clarkson… “Somewhere Now”: strong! “Forever Now”: fine. --- “American Idiot.” Ugh, toothless....no wait....the whole apolitical thing's been a slow play....“---- YOU DONALD TRUMP!!!” I'm shocked how emotional it feels. Agree or not, they’re taking a stand, a prerequisite for punk. “Jesus of Surburbia”!!!! Epic glory. As usual, I wince at “retarded” – outdated/unacceptable. Overall, though, “Jesus” is a true pop-punk “Jungleland.” --- Structurally clever, emotionally right codas: “Ordinary World” and “Good Riddance.” Grade: A
The best part of this show was seeing it with Kevyn Allgeier. His love of music equals/surpasses my own, and we tried to get together for a show for years. The fact that it was for a band we’ve discussed for years, and I’ve seen for years, made it especially satisfying. There was barely room to move during the show (let alone type much), but here’s an annotated setlist from the night: --- “Get Right,” from the new Integrity Blues, was okay. Not as good as the pre-concert food and drinks at The Saloon. --- “Bleed American”!! --- “I Will Steal You Back” from Damages. --- “Big Casino.” Love the way he says “New Jersey success story.” --- “You With Me”: so different! --- Heh, covering “Last Christmas” by Wham. --- “Hear You Me” / “If You Don't, Don't.” --- “Pass The Baby (Here)” has creepy charisma. Woooo at the dananana half way though. --- “Just Tonight.” “Polaris.” “Blister”!
--- “For Me This is Heaven.” Shades of Friday Night Lights'Explosions in the Sky. --- Wooo at the “Goodbye Sky Harbor” edit!! So much better without a 10-minute bell ring… --- “You Are Free.” “Always Be.” “Through.” --- “My Best Theory”! “A Praise Chorus”!!!! --- “23.” Love the builds and Explosions-like drive. Surprise gem of the night!!! --- “Work”!! --- WHAT PLEASURE IN “PAIN”!!!! --- The encore of “The Middle” and “Sure and Certain” isn’t as good, but overall, for Kevyn’s sake, glad J.E.W. delivered. Grade: A
This Adele concert was one of the four worst concerts I have ever been to. Unlike the three other debacles, this had nothing to do with Adele. Givers, Bob Dylan, and Jack Johnson performed miserably; Adele did not. She was funny, personable, and sang a number of strong songs well. This had everything to do with the date: Tuesday, November 8, 2016. With each song, I got more texts from friends. With each song, I grew more confused and upset. Eventually, I left – more accurately, I fled – only the second time I have ever left a show early. Hearing people laugh and cheer when this was happening made the situation worse. Who throws a giant party during a funeral? Musically, it was a solid B+ and, if I had been there longer, on another day, it might have moved up to an A. This was November 8, 2016, however, and a concert cannot compete with a cataclysm. If someone years from now doesn’t understand what I mean by that, consider this. This is my Facebook status from later that night. I was not the only one who felt like this: Every time I try to come up with a coherent thought, everything moves. My mind reels; emotions spiral. Had not considered this actually happening. Eventually, there is always hope. For now, despair. Grade [my overall concert experience]: D- p.s.: The bullets below account for what the show was like before the dynamite was lit. What could have been…
--- Excellent windswept visual during "Water Under the Bridge." Not a top song, but I like the like mini safari crash section that leads to the chorus -- the bridge, if you will… --- Missed “Hello,” “One and Only,” and the underrated “Hometown Glory” thanks to not one, but TWO drunk rental-car GPSs. This led to the scariest drive ever – scarier nearly falling asleep on the way back from Bruce at UVA. *Somehow* made it. --- That car ride was the final stretch of a long, outrageous road to Adele. It started when, for the first time ever, asking for a single ticket on the day of a “sold-out” Verizon Center show did not work. The night before there were a number of single tickets available, but I was spoiled, decided I preferred night two, and was left with nothing. What I considered the only other viable show on the tour was in Nashville. So, five days later, I took a 21-hour Greyhound bus ride to Nashville! The night of the show, the Vivid Seats ticket person left me a voicemail and texted me, I went to the spot he said to go to, and HE NEVER APPEARED. Two straight hours of texts, emails, and calls later, Vivid Seats and I gave up. The company said they had never experienced something that happening before, someone communicating that night, and then effectively being kidnapped, never to be heard from again. They ended up giving me hundreds of dollars back, hence my ability to go to Houston, and I’m glad I got to tour Nashville, but still – what a trainwreck… --- “Skyfall”! HA, she keeps the Oscar next to her toilet. Brings back memories of Caleb Johnson! Don't know about the scary eye, but the light show and build was great.
--- “I have to warn you -- I talk a lot.” YES, talking makes the songs that follow better. --- “This is my 103rd of 107 shows. I have to drink the water in Houston.” Amazing crowd work!!! --- “A Million Years.” I’m already upset thinking of the Rock Club Jimmy Eat World debacle, and these election texts are not helping… --- “I'm Your Allison Krauss.” Awww, she found an Allison Krauss sign in the bathroom in Nashville. This makes me feel slightly better during “Don't You Remember.” --- Lol at her drunken shout out to Sia at her show in Austin. --- “Make You Feel My Love.” Flashlights. Nice restrained note at the end. It reminds me of what a writer Bob Dylan is what performers Straight No Chaser are. --- “Sweetest Devotion”: love the much-needed sun. The backdrop, her look, her sound!!! I didn't even like it on the album -- now I want it to keep going. --- I cannot keep going if people keep sending me texts like this. I hesitate to include scary election updates in the notes, but at this point, I can’t think of anything else. How is this happening? Noooooo. I have to leave. [Endnote: Thanks to James Porter and Hark that night, and the passage of time in the weeks after, I started to feel better. Next time, though, I'll be sure to bear in mind when I schedule concerts in November...]
This was a unique Bruce concert in that it wasn’t his concert. It was Stand Up For Heroes, a stand-up comedian fundraiser he was a part of. Jim Gaffigan, Jon Stewart, Louis C.K., and Jerry Seinfeld each did ~15 minute routines, and he closed the show with a five-song set. Every performer did themselves proud. War veterans and the Bob Woodruff Foundation could not have picked better people to represent them. Veterans themselves also appeared on stage and in clips and shared inspiring stories. The weak link was the host – or at least the hosting position – which turned a first-rate event into a 3am infomercial. Repeatedly prompting people for thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars felt…strange. Should money for vets really be raised the way money is raised for Shake Weights -- with the inflection used to sell Bowflex? Maybe it’s an impossible position to be in, but it felt awkward. Fortunately, the comedians all had strong routines, and when Bruce came on, it was lights out, as usual. A few quick hits appear below: --- Who knew Jerry Seinfeld would be the funniest? --- Bruce starts with “Workin' on the Highway”! Such pitch, pacing, clarity, and vulnerability. --- “I'll Work For Your Love”!!! Even better. *Tear.* --- Heh at the quick, funny, dirty stories involving an ATM and skiing that Bruce tells between songs. HA at him offering to sweeten the pot auction-wise by including all the hamburgers and hot dogs the person can eat. A guitar, a Cadillac, and an afternoon one-on-one with Bruce in Freehold would probably be the main draw, but it’s hard to argue with unlimited hot dogs. --- “Long Walk Home.” I need him to stay until 5am. --- “Dancing in the Dark”!! Rhythm shift, unprompted audience participation, magic. Grade: A
Wilco, The White Stripes, Dispatch, Muse, The Shins, Guster, Jimmy Eat World, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Ok Go, Foo Fighters, The New Rockers, Bruce Springsteen, Lifehouse, Nada Surf, Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, REM, Alkaline Trio, Alkaline Trio, Bruce Sprinsteen, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, The Offspring, Jack Johnson, Foo Fighters, Counting Crows, Ben Folds, Weezer, Cake, Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, Coldplay, The Who, Smashing Pumpkins, AC/DC, Oasis, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Jimmy Eat World, Ben Kweller, Tokyo Police Club, Girl Talk, Modest Mouse, Flogging Molly, David Cook, Death Cab for Cutie, Kings of Leon, Sister Hazel, The Decemberists, Alkaline Trio, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen, Tv on the Radio, Wilco, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Blink 182, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, Green Day, Jet, The Bravery, Blink 182, Weezer, Ben Folds, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen, The Get Up Kids, Bob Dylan, The Pixies, Weezer, Rock and Cole, Rise Against, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Alkaline Trio, Spoon, Ben Folds, Nada Surf, Vampire Weekend, The Protomen, Phoenix, Weezer, Arcade Fire, Spoon, The Presidents of the United States of America, Live, Naughty by Nature, Everclear, Third Eye Blind, Billy Idol, Rock and Cole, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Gogol Bordello, Girl Talk, Jimmy Eat World, Bon Jovi, DJ Pauly D, Carbon Leaf, Dropkick Murphys, Girl Talk, The Strokes, Lupe Fiasco, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Jack's Mannequin, Guster, Wilco, Smashing Pumpkins, Givers, Ra Ra Riot, Wu Lyf, Foo Fighters, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock and Cole, O.A.R., The Black Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Nada Surf, Guster, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Wilco, Motley Crue, Kiss, Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket, Bruce Springsteen, Alabama Shakes, Nas, ZZ Top, Jack White, Nas, Skrillex, Dispatch, Passion Pit, Of Monsters and Men, Rock and Cole, Fun., Mumford and Sons, Elliott Yamin, Crystal Bowersox, Rockapella ft. Carmen Sandiego, Alkaline Trio, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Grizzly Bear, The XX, Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Guster, Ben Folds Five, BN Ladies, American Idol Season 12 Tour, Jimmy Eat World, Imagine Dragons, The Flaming Lips, Franz Ferdinand, Alkaline Trio, Alkaline Trio, Elton John, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Kanye West, Rock and Cole, Rebelution, Young The Giant, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen, Alabama Shakes, Ben Folds, Queen ft. Adam Lambert, New Politics, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Phillip Phillips, OAR, Arcade Fire, Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, Zac Brown Band, Black Keys, Carrie Underwood, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Eminem, Taking Back Sunday, Ben Folds, Dave Matthews Band, Mumford and Sons, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Rise Against, OAR, Christina Perri, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Givers, Straight No Chaser, Melinda Doolittle, Muse, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Guns 'n Roses, Paul Simon, Panic! At the Disco, Weezer, Tony Bennett, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Weird Al Yankovich, Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Jimmy Eat World, Green Day, Explosions in the Sky, Wilco, Rise Against, Dispatch, Jimmy Eat World, Incubus, Sister Hazel, Regina Spektor, Ben Folds, Roger Waters, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Colony House, Mutemath, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Haley Reinhart, Dispatch, Franz Ferdinand,U2, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Game of Thrones: Live Concert Experience, The Pixies, Weezer, Gary Clark Jr., Muse, Snow Patrol. Ben Platt, The Rolling Stones, Ra Ra Riot, Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind, and The Mountain Goats, Sonic Castaways, Jeremy Eliot, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, Katy Perry, Wilco, Nada Surf, Jazz Trotters, Foo Fighters, Guster, Rise Against, Sleater-Kinney, Wilco, The Eagles, Noah Kahan, Laughing Colors, Up All Night, Guster, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Dave Tieff, Rage Against The Machine, Franz Ferdinand, Dispatch, O.A.R., The Killers, Broken Social Scene, 'Bruce Springsteen' at Paul Verbesey's 'Surprise' Party, Arcade Fire, Noah Kahan, The Struts, Spoon, Jimmy Eat World, Straight No Chaser, Van Morrison [Newmyer Flyer], Bruce Springsteen [Newmyer Flyer], Colony House, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen, Lauryn Hill, Dispatch, Jason Isbell, OAR, Goo Goo Dolls, Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, Hozier, John Legend, Wilco, Ben Platt, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, The Doors, David Bowie, Grateful Dead, Talking Heads, The Hives, Foo Fighters, Fitz and the Tantrums, O.A.R., Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Dinosaur Jr., The Flaming Lips, Weezer, Tonic, Violent Femmes, Girl Talk, Jimmy Eat World, Liz Phair, Dispatch, Rise Against, Bob Dylan, Laughing Colors, AC/DC, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. [Recaps still to come for Dashboard Confessional, Goo Dolls, and James Taylor.]
Upcoming Shows
Ian Tongi (Saturday, November 1, The Hamilton – DC). [There's literally never been a single entry on the Upcoming Shows list. If you have a good one in mind, lemme know.]
