islands, return to denver!

This is an album that I've been listening to a lot lately. It was actually released back in April and has been residing on the iPod for quite some time... but it's like a full time job to try to keep up with all the fabulous new 2006 music!! So I only heard it for the first time a week or so ago. Islands was formed last year by Nick Diamonds and J'aime Tambeur, both members of The Unicorns (J'aime is no longer with Islands).

This record is a treasure. It's as though Islands set out to incorporate as many different musical genres into one album as is humanly possible. You've got some calypso, some folk, some country and even some hip-hop.

I fell in love with the record on my first listen and immediately set out to see if Islands are touring. Turns out they are. Turns out they were playing Denver on November 14. Turns out I already had my Decemberists ticket for that night... poop.

So return to Denver, Islands! Just make sure that you don't come back the same night that The Decemberists will be here. Colin has promised us something extra special... :)

Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby

bones bones brittle little bones
it's not the milk you seek
it's the sun you need
and the sleek sleek skeleton i hold
where are the hidden folds
where's the meat that you eat

total boy
tells me stories
sometimes they make me sorry
i need another
i need another
sugar doughnut and muffin baby
this world is going crazy
i think i'm through listening to you

bones bones brittle little bones
it's not the milk you see
it's just the sun you need
and the sleek sleek skeleton i hold
where are the hidden folds
where is the meat that you eat

gonna make some plans
wait and see
turn it off
turn me on
open your eyes look around you
fuck what you heard
you were lied to

sweetheart
sick body part
sickheart
sweet body part

bones bones brittle little bones
it's not the milk you seek
it's the sun you need
and the sleek sleek skeleton i hold
where are the hidden folds
where's the meat that you eat

july, july!

Caught The Decemberists in Denver tonight. It was my first live Decemberists experience; I was so excited for the show, it really couldn't come soon enough. I spent yesterday listening to the Decemberists catalogue in reverse chronological order. Obsessed? Yeah, just a bit... :)

The opener was a Scottish guy by the name of Alasdair Roberts. I only caught the last few songs, but he was good. The sound was too low, and it was difficult to hear him though... I can't remember the last time that was an issue! The crowd was pretty good for his set, people paid attention for the most part.

Leah and Laura were at the show, but our seats weren't together. Luckily, I sat next to a couple, Melissa and Michael, who said they'd be my friends for the evening... :) They drove down from Fort Collins for the show, and Melissa told me that the only reason Michael was there was because she made him go. Awesome. So we chatted during the break, which was surprisingly short.

The Decemberists came on stage at 9:00. Hey, I actually have a setlist! Ha ha, OK, so I used my phone to take some notes, but I have a setlist, dammit.

The Crane Wife 3
Colin - "I have a severe head cold, and the altitude isn't helping. But I'm going to do the best that I can." :(
July, July! w00t!!!!
We Both Go Down Together
The Engine Driver
Colin - "If this becomes too much of a travesty let me know..."
The Perfect Crime 2
Yankee Bayonet
The Crane Wife 1 & 2
Colin - "What it means when this happens is that we owe you. The next time we come to town we'll do something extra special... As soon as they build a venue a mile under the surface so we can play at sea level and our colds don't turn into the krakon being released." (ummm, am I going to be at the next Decemberists show in Denver? Fuck yeah I am!)
O Valencia!
Colin apologizes and thanks us for being understanding. One more song is all that he thinks he can "croak through". Awww...
Sons And Daughters

The crowd continued to applaud, even though I'm sure we all knew in our hearts that nobody was going to come back out on stage. The house lights came up after a minute or so, and everyone started filing out of the theater. Melissa told me that she thought the reason they didn't come back for one more was because Michael didn't clap. Funny, I thought it had something to do with Colin losing his voice, but I'd rather blame Michael... lol.

So. The show clocked in at just under an hour. It seems like I should be disappointed, but I'm really not. July, July! made my night, and despite Colin being sick it was a great show. His voice started giving out during the third song, but I see the cracking and croaking as part of the whole live show experience. By the time he apologized before the last song he could barely even speak. I'm amazed that he could still sing.

Now I'm listening to The Crane Wife. Again. This is such a great album. If you want an indescribable aural experience, go listen to The Crane Wife 3 through your headphones. No, not those damned iPod ear buds... the good headphones.

Get well soon, Colin.


And under the boughs unbowed
All clothed in the snowy shroud
She had no heart so hardened
All under the boughs unbowed

Each feather it fell from skin
'Til threadbare while she grew thin
How were my eyes so blinded?
Each feather it fell from skin

And I will hang my head, hang my head low
And I will hang my head, hang my head low

A grey sky, a bitter sting
A rain cloud, a crane on wing
All out beyond horizon
A grey sky, a bitter sting

And I will hang my head, hang my head low
And I will hang my head, hang my head low

the ben lee experience

Well. Before we delve into that, can I just say that "our love is the best love". Air hump. Kick.

OK, it's not that I like to start a concert review with an inside joke, but it seems appropriate. Ben Lee at the Fox tonight with two openers. There was a bit of confusion about this, as the Fox website advertised the show thusly: "Ben Lee & Rooney with John Ralston". Are there three bands? Is Rooney playing with Ben Lee? These are the questions that we didn't have answered before the show.

As it turned out, John Ralston played first, then Rooney, then Ben. I arrived shortly after the John Ralston set started. I admit, I didn't pay attention. I chatted with Leah and her friend whose name I think is Andy, but really I'm not that sure. I'll call him Andy and if that's not right, well, who will ever know? Yes we chatted through the first set, and discovered that none of us really were all that fond of Rooney. So when they took the stage we went out to the lobby and chatted some more. And had some drinks. It was great. We ventured back to the theatre with a couple Rooney songs left. We had some fun watching the Rooney fans. I still don't like Rooney all that much. Meh.

Then Ben Lee took the stage in a gold lamé suit. Really. Oh, wait... I mean a gold hemp lamé suit. Because he's in Boulder, you see. Now, firstly you must know that Ben Lee played Boulder on the very same night that Nickelodeon was in the midst of a 24-hour Spongebob Squarepants marathon. That's some severe competition. Secondly you must know that my entire knowledge of Ben Lee is this: he has a song on the Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack. Oh, and Leah told me that once he toured with Ben Folds and Ben Kweller. Awesome. Not that I have issues with going to shows where I'm not overly familiar with the artist... I do that all the time. It's just that Ben Lee was not really what I was expecting at all.

I had a good time, I did. But I can't help but feel that I would have had a better time if there had only been one opener and Ben had come on at 10:00 instead of after 11:00. We left before the encore. Yes, I'm old.

Anyway, I'm not familiar with Ben's music so I can't possibly come up with a setlist. Sometimes it's more fun to talk about fans. There was one guy who really seemed, at times, to think that he was at a hoedown. He was clapping his hands, stomping his foot, and really really into it. Then there was the group of women who we spotted partway through the set who were dressed in skin tight pants, boots, and bare midriffs a-plenty. I often wonder what people expect when they come to a show. Maybe that's how they dress in real life, what the fuck do I know?

So... I decided to forego the Spongebob marathon for the show. There are many times where I don't go to shows when I know that I should. This I do know about myself - very very rarely do I regret going to see an artist play live. And this night was no different. I really did have a good time, and I can always put my Spongebob DVDs on later... I can even say that I would see Ben Lee again. But not Rooney.

Wow. That was a clusterfuck of a review. At any rate, what I'm listening to right now:



If you don't already listen to The Hold Steady, you should. Trust me, they are fabulous.

"She said always remember never to trust me.
She said that the first night she met me.
She said there's gonna be a time when
I'm gonna have to go with whoever's gonna get me the highest.

She said I won't be much for conversation if we go and do the rest of this.
She said I've never been much for conservation.
I kinda dig these awkward silences.
She's got those bones brigade videos.
She knew them back and forth.
She's slept with so many skaters.

She had the place to herself.
She had a couple hundred bux.
And he had nothing but the number.
She said I like the guy who always answers the door.
He never asks you what you came to his house for.

She said I won't be much for all this humbert humbert stuff.
I've never done so much of this.
I have to try so hard not to fall in love.
I have to concentrate when we kiss.
She mouthed the words along to "running up that hill".
That song got scratched into her soul.
He's never heard the song before.
But still he gets the metaphor.
He knows some people that switched places before.

She said I really like the crowds at the really big shows.
People touching people that they don't even know, yo.
I guess the heavy stuff ain't quite at its heaviest
By the time it gets out to suburban minneapolis.
We were living up at nicollet and 66th.
With 3 skaters and some hoodrat chick.
Drove the wrong way down 169.
Almost died up by edina high."

Also, they're on Jimmy Kimmel Live tomorrow. Or tonight. November 10, whatever. Watch it, dammit.

Then I need to get some sleep. I do have to work tomorrow. But I'll probably watch a couple episodes of Spongebob first... :)

9

Damien Rice is a bit of an anomaly... despite his songs being featured in oodles of movies and television shows this side of 2002, he still seems to have some street credit left with the indie music snobs. After what has felt like an eternity, he is releasing his sophomore effort, 9, on November 14 (the 6th in the UK). It has been a long hard road for Damo fans since O was released, but in this reviewer's opinion, the fruits of his labor are more than worth the wait.

So, say you're Damien Rice. You release your debut album to torrential critical acclaim. How in the name of all things holy do you follow that up? Very, very carefully. Let's be honest... Damo didn't exactly do himself any favors by waiting nearly five years to release O's successor. Expectations have been building to a fevered pitch, systematically decreasing the likelihood of acclaim anywhere near that of O. Is it possible to build on what made O so astonishingly beautiful - minimalist instrumentation, tortured vocals, and lyrics that don't just tug at your heart strings, but sever the damn things right in two? The answer lurking in the 10 tracks of 9 is a resounding "yes!".

When I first heard the reports of a new Damien Rice album, my reaction was pure joy. I had to consciously restrain myself from getting my hopes up too high; that's how much I love O. In the long run it helped to NOT expect another O, but to take 9 for what it is. The album gets off to a rather unexpected start with 9 Crimes when the first voice you hear is not Damien, but Lisa Hannigan, long-time member of Damien's band. My first spin of the album left me pleasantly surprised. It's packed with trademark Damien crescendos. You know the ones... the songs that start off quite mellow but build to a fierce mass of emotion then back down again (see - or rather, hear - The Blower's Daughter or I Remember on O; Elephant, Rootless Tree or Me My Yoke And I on 9). Further spins have undeniably seen this new album digging it's emotive claws right into my skin and refusing to let go.

It's difficult not to compare the old with the new... Take Cheers Darlin' vs. Rootless Tree for example. Although very different in tempo and intensity, both are unequivocally "fuck you" songs. How about Cannonball vs. Accidental Babies? The "please take me back" songs. One more - Delicate vs. Elephant: both essentially about settling for what's comfortable. I guess these comparisons are the crux of this review - that more of the same isn't necessarily a bad thing in Damo's case. Cannonball (the original version, mind you, not the radio edit rubbish), in my oh so very humble opinion, is one of the best songs recorded in modern times. So when Accidental Babies comes along with lyrics, vocals and instrumentation just as genuine and just as moving... who can complain?

After all is said and done, O and 9 really aren't all that different. 9 does have the feel of an album more accessible than O. Gone is the glass clinking of Cheers Darlin', the Gregorian chanting of Cold Water, and the operatic singer of Eskimo. Both albums do leave me wondering if this man's poetry is rooted in fiction or if he does indeed live the most dejected life ever...

porcupine or pineapple?

Brakes have been one of my favorite bands ever since I was turned on to their astounding debut album - last year's Give Blood. The new album The Beatific Visions is due out November 6 in the UK; as of yet no release date has been set for this side of the pond. If these gents make only one thing clear with TBV, it's that there will be no Brakes sophomore slump, to be sure.

Hold Me In The River jump-starts the album with 30 seconds of crescendoing guitar riffs leading right into Eamon Hamilton's distinctive vocals. Over the next 29 minutes TBV weaves a tapestry of country-jangle punk-tinged tender-ballad 60's-infused rock n' roll. These guys can cram more into 2 minutes (the length of your average Brakes song) than most bands out there.

Personal highlights:

°Mobile Communication - A sweetly delivered tune about the pitfalls of cellular phones. Brilliant.
°Porcupine Or Pineapple - One minute and four seconds of angry politicking.
°Cease And Desist - The fate of the world is at stake when God and Satan sit down to some whiskey and poker.
°No Return - This beautiful track makes an analogy between love and visiting a record store. Could be the Brakes' longest song ever at a whopping 4:57!!!

The two criticisms I have about this album are minor:

°The thing clocks in at just under 29 minutes. I understand the "leave 'em wanting more" philosophy, but I want more, dammit!
°I love No Return, I just feel that it's a real downer to end the album. This could be a marketing ploy, however, as what I usually want to do after No Return is go right back up to Hold Me In The River and start the whole ride over again... :)

All in all, TBV is a very solid album that will undoubtedly make it to many Best Of 2006 Lists (mine included, I daresay). At present I can't necessarily proclaim that TBV is better than GB... I'd say it's more of a continuation. A bit more polished, a bit more political, just as much fun. In short, what these Brakes are doing with their music isn't being done by anyone else in the indie rock world. Safe to say if you are a fan of GB, then TBV surely won't disappoint.

Brakes Homepage
Brakes at MySpace

white people dancing is funny...

Well. I saw Bob Dylan for the first time ever last night at the Fillmore in Denver. I wasn't really sure what to expect... I've heard stories of people leaving his shows partway through because the show was so poor. I've heard stories of people who insist he still has it. Last night, Bob had it.

Our night started with the task of finding parking. Usually when I go to the Fillmore I'm able to park on the street. However, usually the Fillmore isn't sold out when I go. We managed to find a lot just a couple of blocks away for $5. Not bad considering we saw a lot not much closer for $20. $20!!!!!! Insanity. While circling the theatre we caught a glimpse of the line to get in. Holy shit. People stretched back and around the corner... I think we were a good three or four blocks away when we got to the back of the line. It moved pretty quickly though and we were inside before 8:00.

Getting a decent view was a different story. We tried hanging out on the side, a bit raised up from the floor, but were pretty thoroughly obstructed by people. And poles. When the show started we actually moved down to the floor, toward the back, and were able to get some glimpses of Bob and the band through the crowd. Plus, there was some good dancing room back there which was good both for dancing and for watching other people dance. Lots of good entertainment for when the stage view was blocked. We also got to see two really really wasted guys get kicked out. After one of them tried to take on the incredibly tall security guard, he fell down and was promptly ushered out, his friend right behind. Good times.

The band came out about 8:40, only 40 minutes late. But there was no opener, which I was really happy about. Here's the setlist... no I didn't remember this all by myself, it's courtesy of Bob Links.

Absolutely Sweet Marie
Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis
Blues Again
Under The Red Sky
Honest With Me
Joey
Workingman's Blues #2
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
This Wheel's On
Fire
Shooting Star
Things Have Changed
Masters Of War
Rollin' And Tumblin'
(encore)
Thunder On The Mountain
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower

Becky met a guy while I was in the bathroom. He bet her $50 that Bob would play until midnight. He still owes her the $50. I told her to collect it in beer. He also complained that Bob played "too much from the new album". Hmm... 3 of 16 doesn't seem like too much to me. He may or may not have been drunk though... we were never quite sure.

Anyway, it was a really great show. The band was on fire, and by the end of the show, everyone was dancing and having a good time. I am very pleased that Becky enjoyed the show... since I feel a bit like I dragged her along. But seeing Bob Dylan is something that everyone should do, at least once in their lives... :)

hotel cafe tour!

Caught the Hotel Cafe Tour in Boulder last night. Check out more about the project here:

Hotel Cafe Tour

First, let me say I discovered that I definitely DO spend too much time at the Fox Theatre... see my Ben Kweller review for a bit of background. I went to pick up my ticket at the box office last night and the woman working said something about how I should enter their Halloween contest, with as much money as I spend there... I was going to ask her about this Halloween thing, but there were several people behind me and I thought I'd be polite. I figured I could learn about it on their website, but I can't find anything. Oh well, I'm sure I'll be there again before the end of the month.

I have been in charge of my sister's kids this week, and they tend to wake me up before 7:00 in the morning so I decided not to drink last night. Well, my favorite bar wench came by 3 or 4 times to see if anyone needed drinks. After telling her I was OK the last time she came by, she said "well, that's surprising!". Ha ha. I swear I am not a drunk. I just love the Fox.

Anyway, tonight the Hotel Cafe Tour featured 6 artists. There were no set breaks, and everyone got about a 25 minute time slot. Except for Brett Dennen, who went for about an hour.

First up: Schuyler Fisk. As soon as she came out on stage a feeling came over me that she was so familiar. Then Leah told me that she's Sissy Spacek's daughter. It's pretty obvious, she looks just like Sissy. But still, I really thought I recognized her from somewhere, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe I was thinking of Carrie... I mean:

Schuyler -

Sissy -

Nevertheless, I couldn't help but IMDB her when I got home. Sure enough, she was in an episode of Law & Order SVU last season. She's also acted in a lot of other stuff, but I'm certain that SVU is where I recognize her from. Yeah, I watch SVU. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

I enjoyed her set - nothing earth shattering as far as her songwriting, but she has a fabulous voice.

Next up - Joshua Radin. I like Josh, I really do. I think he's a good singer-songwriter. But his songs put me to sleep. I don't mean that in a bad way, but he's so mellow... he did 20 minutes of music that really did make me want to sleep, then a great rendition of "Cecilia" with Brett Dennen.

Next was Cary Brothers. That's Cary Brothers, not THE Cary Brothers... lol. Guess you had to be there. Holy shit, that boy has a set of pipes. I was introduced to him via the Garden State soundtrack and promptly checked out his EPs from last year - All The Rage & Waiting For Your Letter. Good stuff, but he's so so so much better live. As it should be. I enjoyed his set a lot.

It occured to me that the first half of the show could have easily been called the "Zach Braff Soundtrack Tour". All 3 artists have been featured on the Garden State soundtrack, the Last Kiss soundtrack, and/or Scrubs.

After Cary was The Weepies. I was not familiar with them at all. Apparently they had a song featured in Grey's Anatomy. They were a fun, folksy duo.

It was during The Weepies set that we migrated over to a spot that would have been perfect if not for the crazy dancing woman in front of me. Now, I have no issues with people dancing and having a good time at a show. But. This woman seemed to feel that she was entitled to a 3 foot radius in which to dance. I started out standing a good two feet behind her, yet she still managed to step on my feet no less than 3 times, hit me with her elbow at least half a dozen times, and back right up into me several more times. On top of that, she never even acknowledged the fact that she kept hitting me!! I don't even think she was drunk.... unless she has really really good drunken balance.

Anyway, after The Weepies was Joe Purdy. His set was great, really rocking. More of the crazy dancing lady invading my personal space.

Last up was Brett Dennen, his last night on the tour. He put on a great show - got the crowd involved and was clearly having a great time. Cary came out about halfway through his set and talked him into doing the "Galapagos Turtle". It took Brett a moment to get into character (Terry, the Galapagos Turtle) then he proceeded to eat corn chips out of Cary's hand. I can't really describe the spectacle, but as Leah said, that alone was worth the $15... lol.

So, the Hotel Cafe Tour was fabulous. And for a good cause. Hooray.

clap clap clap clap... yeah.

This will be a very short review - I have to get up early in the morning. Ugh.

Tonight was Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ the Gothic! w00t! There were two opening bands, but I missed the first. I did catch Architecture In Helsinki though, a band from Australia. They were amazing. There were 6 of them (sometimes 7 even), and it seemed that everyone in the band played on at least 8 instruments. They had a trombone and lots and lots of percussion. They had a lot of fans there already, but the whole theatre was dancing and really into the show by the end of their set.

CYHSY were tight, they sounded really good. I won't even attempt a setlist, but I think they played nearly everything from CYHSY plus a handful of new songs. I really like the new stuff, can't wait for the album!

And that's pretty much it. Pretty pointless, I know, but what the hell.....

Now playing:

tim is an asshole

Ben Kweller gets to be my top friend for the day... for many reasons:

1) The kid puts on a fucking great show! I don't think he's even old enough to drink yet. Just kidding. Barely.

2) He wrote Penny On The Train Track.

3) This YouTube video - I mean, blood spattered guitars & keyboards AND a tampon up the nose. Now that's rock n' roll, baby.

4) "She goes above and beyond her call of duty. She is a slut but her ex thinks it's sexy. Sex reminds her of eating spaghetti. I am wasted but I'm ready!"

5) It knocks Tim off my top 8 friends for at least a day. Because, as you are now aware, Tim is an asshole.

So, for some reason, tonight was my first Ben Kweller show. Ever. I don't really know how this happened, as I've been a fan of his for... well, I guess since Sha Sha came out in 2002. It's been so long I can't even remember how I was introduced to him. I'm fairly certain that it was somehow Guster-related though.

I got to the Fox earlier than usual - I really wanted to get to my favorite spot at the railing. Mission accomplished. I love the Fox because they have a... ummm. server I guess who comes around and takes drink orders. I don't know what I'd call her. Waitress? Bar wench? Anyway, it's nice if you're by yourself you don't have to worry about losing your spot to hit the bar! Before the show she tapped me on the shoulder to see if I wanted anything. I turned around, she looked at me and said "Oh - ginger and whiskey?". Ummm, yeah. Heh. So it seems I spend quite a bit of time at the Fox Theatre in my favorite spot. Or it could be that she got me 2 whiskey & ginger ales just on Sunday night. Yeah, we'll go with that.

Oh - also, I somehow managed to drop my phone and spill my drink at the same time. It took talent, I'm telling you. My phone was OK, but my damn drink was almost full!!! I went to pick up the ice cubes to minimize the spillage and realized that among the whiskey and ginger ale sacrifice was a remnant of a joint. So I had the pleasure of intermittent wafts of whiskey and wet pot all night. Ha ha.

The show - it was amazing. Like I said, the kid puts on a helluva show. He's got some great moves for a skinny white boy too. The band was obviously having a blast and they sounded great, except for the awful speaker noise when Ben hit the keys too hard. Here's what I remember of the setlist:

Run (Ben solo - guitar)
On My Way (Ben solo - guitar)
Thirteen (Ben solo - keyboard)
How It Should Be (sha sha) - band joins Ben
the rest is completely out of order, just me looking at my CDs and trying to remember...
Wasted & Ready
Family Tree
Commerce, TX
Walk On Me
Make It Up
I Need You Back
My Apartment
The Rules
Nothing Happening
Sundress
Penny On The Train Track
Magic
encore:
Hospital Bed
In Other Words

I'm probably missing a couple, but oh well. I love that Sha Sha was nicely represented. Even the songs from On My Way sounded great. I realized it's been forever since I listened to that album, as there were a couple songs that I didn't even recognize. A great show, the crowd was really great and really into it. I did feel extremely old though, with all the college kids milling around. But I spotted a few other older folks, so all is good.

Yay Ben.

the prostate don't discriminate...

I love Matt Nathanson... not only is he quite adorable with a fantastic voice, but where else can you hear beautiful songs only to have the singer banter between songs with gems such as this blog subject? (subtitled "a finger in the ass is a finger in the ass"). He and his guitarist also spent much time talking about alternate words for "vagina". The one I remember is "gorilla salad". Yikes.

Early in the show, for no apparent reason, some fan decided to yell out the CU Buffs record (0-5). Matt was confused. When he finally figured out that the guy was talking about sports, he said "I don't know about sports. If I knew about sports I wouldn't be here. I'd be playing sports and sexing up some women." I, for one, am SO glad that Matt doesn't know about sports..... When he heard the team was the Buffs, he asked if it was a bunch of bodybuilders...

It was a fun night. These are the songs that I remember (in no particular order):

Sad Songs
Bare
Curve Of The Earth
Angel
Lucky Boy
Dancing With Myself
Blister In The Sun
Pictures Of You -> I Saw
Little Victories

He may also have done Bent and Weight Of It All... I'm confusing myself because I listened to Beneath These Fireworks at least 5 times in the past few days and everything's getting jumbled in my brain. lol.

There were a lot more - he played for nearly an hour 45 minutes. I think there was an eminem cover... not sure what it was as I don't listen to eminem... And a lot of songs that I wasn't familiar with. Some new, some old, all fabulous.

The downside of the night was that I had two drunken assholes behind me who would talk during every song then yell asinine things between every song. Partway through the set Matt did a handful of songs solo. One of the assholes said "oh, solo... this is the BEST part!". Then they proceeded to talk through the entire solo set as well. If it's so great, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!! I have no problem with yelling stupid shit between songs. Matt was pretty much encouraging it anyway. But I don't get why people have to talk through songs. Not like it was a particularly quiet show either, and they were still incredibly annoying. I can't believe people pay $15 to do that shit. Here's an idea: pool your money, skip the concert, get a case of cheap beer, and get drunk at home. Talk all you want through the songs. Yell asinine things at each other. Fuckers.

Hmmmm... the cursing seems rampant tonight. Just the aftermath of a Matt Nathanson concert I guess. Apparently he said "fuck" 32 times. Before the encore. Yes, there was actually someone counting.