The Live Music thread...

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:24 am

Seeing the Last Waltz 40th Anniversary show tonight at the MGM theatre or whatever it's called. Staying in Old Town Alexandria. Probably going to Lyft it back and forth because the National Harbor is currently without any Metro access.

I've heard good things about this performance, but I really wish it had been fronted by somebody other than Warren Haynes.

Rams Fanny · Post by **Rams Fanny** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:10 pm

Went to see Willie Nelson last night. If you are a fan and he is near you I would go see him as I'm not sure how much touring he has left. He played forty minutes of his hits then sauntered off stage for 20 minutes. The 20 minutes was filled by his "family" who played some honkytonk piano and instrumental western music. It was well done but the tickets were priced for Willie not them. Willie then reappeared and played 20 minutes or so of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard covers and that was it. He is 83 so it was amazing he did that much but he is pretty frail and it's hard to see him doing this much longer.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:15 pm

Avett Brothers last night. Great show, as usual. Opened with cover of George Harrison's "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)".

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:11 pm

Was going to buy tickets to see Depeche Mode at T-Mobile in September. Saw tickets were $50 so thought OK, with fees about $60. I can deal with that. Fucking $30 in fees for a $50 ticket. Fuck that. I do appreciate the truth in advertising that they have to break out all of the fees because if Depeche Mode was getting like $70 of the $80 I'd probably pay it, but Live Nation can suck a dick.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:12 pm

In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:15 pm

brian wrote:In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.

Yeah they're in Denver tonight but they don't quite cross my threshold for bands I need to travel an hour for on a weeknight. (Which are pretty few these days.)

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:28 pm

brian wrote:In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.

Dude, I'm jealous.

Saw Son Volt for the first time on Sunday. They were awesome as expected. Ha Ha Tonka this Sunday, then depending on how the tourney schedule shakes out, Conor Oberst and Felice Brothers on 3/17.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:43 pm

Giff wrote:
brian wrote:In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.
Dude, I'm jealous.

Saw Son Volt for the first time on Sunday. They were awesome as expected. Ha Ha Tonka this Sunday, then depending on how the tourney schedule shakes out, Conor Oberst and Felice Brothers on 3/17.

Yeah I haven't seen Son Volt in awhile, but they've always been great live when I've seen them. I'm jealous about Conor Oberst and the Felice Bros. I missed them in Vegas last month when I was on vacation.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:52 pm

brian wrote:
Giff wrote:
brian wrote:In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.
Dude, I'm jealous.

Saw Son Volt for the first time on Sunday. They were awesome as expected. Ha Ha Tonka this Sunday, then depending on how the tourney schedule shakes out, Conor Oberst and Felice Brothers on 3/17.
Yeah I haven't seen Son Volt in awhile, but they've always been great live when I've seen them. I'm jealous about Conor Oberst and the Felice Bros. I missed them in Vegas last month when I was on vacation.

Yeah, unless Baylor is playing that late game on Friday, I should be there. The venue is next to a bar that will have all the games on.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:57 pm

If all goes well, I'll be seeing Death Cab that night. Should be able to get some free tix. I've seen them like three times in the last two years so not feeling the need to pay, especially since I'm seeing Jason Isbell the night before.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:42 pm

I really wanted to make it out for that.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:39 pm

Giff wrote:
brian wrote:In happier news going to see Craig Finn and Japandroids on Saturday in San Diego (and fees for a $25 ticket were only $4).

Can't wait. Downtown San Diego and Japandroids should be a can't miss proposition.
Dude, I'm jealous.

Saw Son Volt for the first time on Sunday. They were awesome as expected. Ha Ha Tonka this Sunday, then depending on how the tourney schedule shakes out, Conor Oberst and Felice Brothers on 3/17.

I'm going to see Son Volt in early May, for about the sixth time (although this version of the band is different.)

Going to see Ryan Adams in early June.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 1:58 pm

When the Japandroids date was announced for here in Seattle, I was bummed because its a weekend that I have my kids. Then, after I decided "screw it, they're old enough to stay home by themselves", the concert was sold out. So I signed up for TicketBastard's "left me know if more tickets become available" thing. And then on Wednesday, I got the alert, but when I went to buy tickets, I could only get one, not two. So I didn't buy any, because I figured the GF would want to go. But then she said "No, you can go. I'm not that into the Japandroids. I'll hang out with your kids and watch a movie", and when I went to look for tickets again, none left.

Well, then yesterday, sure enough, more tickets available. So long story short, seeing the Japandroids and Craig Finn tomorrow night. Super excited.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:28 am

DaveInSeattle wrote:When the Japandroids date was announced for here in Seattle, I was bummed because its a weekend that I have my kids. Then, after I decided "screw it, they're old enough to stay home by themselves", the concert was sold out. So I signed up for TicketBastard's "left me know if more tickets become available" thing. And then on Wednesday, I got the alert, but when I went to buy tickets, I could only get one, not two. So I didn't buy any, because I figured the GF would want to go. But then she said "No, you can go. I'm not that into the Japandroids. I'll hang out with your kids and watch a movie", and when I went to look for tickets again, none left.

Well, then yesterday, sure enough, more tickets available. So long story short, seeing the Japandroids and Craig Finn tomorrow night. Super excited.

Not that it's any of my business, but I'd wife that woman if I were you. She seems awesome.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:43 am

Not to overhype it, but Japandroids were absolutely ON FIRE Saturday night. What a great show...high energy, loud, upbeat. Everything one could ask for in a rock show.

Craig Finn playing solo was interesting. I think someone in The Hold Steady must act as his editor, because his solo material is even more wordy, if you can imagine that. But still, great opener.

And he came back out and joined Japandroids for the "encore" (not really an encore, just the last song)...a cover of AC/DC's "If you want blood".

BSF21 wrote: Not that it's any of my business, but I'd wife that woman if I were you. She seems awesome.

Working on it. Probably won't happen until my kids turn 18 (She worries about my bat-shit crazy Ex trying to pull shenanigans).

Post by **brian** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 12:04 pm

So I saw Japandroids and Jason Isbell in the last week and was impressed by both for different reasons.

Japandroids was a little weird though because their music really is interpreted differently live as a two-piece since they do a lot of overdubbing on their albums. What they lack in technical ability they more than make up for in enthusiasm and pure energy though and it was an incredible show. And I was surprised how long they played. It was a solid 90 minute set when they played pretty much their entire catalog (about 19 of their 24 recorded songs if my math was right).

And then Jason Isbell. Jesus, what a show. This was my fourth Isbell concert and his third since he got sober and this was the best one yet by far and the others weren't bad. First thing I noticed is that the entire 400 Unit is really, really tight right now. It's obvious they've been touring behind Something More Than Free for awhile, so not only are all of the old solo and DBT songs solid, but everything is locked down tight in their live show.

Some highlights:

The crowd cheered LOUDLY during Cover Me Up after the lyric "I sobered up/ I swore off that stuff/ Forever this time" which surprised me because Vegas crowds can be both blasé about showing affection or emotion and sometimes there's a lot of comp tickets depending on the show so you don't have as many "real" fans as you would in Topeka or Omaha or wherever. I had also never seen that reaction to that lyric the other three times I saw him -- all in other cities, this was his first time in Vegas ever -- and he appeared visibly touched, smiling and nodding before the next verse.

I forgot how fucking funny he is. He's always good for some banter between songs (though never too much), but he riffed on all the gear for Steve Stevens backstage since Billy Idol was starting his House of Blues residency the night after Isbell's show. "When I was 10 years old, I thought a guitar that shot lasers was about the coolest fucking thing possible." Also, "Thanks for coming and seeing me and not Britney Spears." After the crowded booed, he said "Aw man, don't boo Britney Spears. She's Britney, bitch."

He actually stopped Elephant halfway through and didn't finish it because he was getting too emotional. Some people might have been disappointed, but I think that's why you want to go see live shows. Anything can happen. Also, it's nice to see performers show a human side sometimes instead of basically singing karaoke versions of their own songs.

And I'll catch a lot of shit for this comparison, but at this point in his career I basically think Isbell is a 21st century Johnny Cash, but in a world where it's about impossible for a country/rock act to have the kind of crossover success Cash did. Nashville has basically slammed the door on anything other than manufactured pop garbage like Kenny Chesney, which is too bad, but Isbell is a throwback to a different era I think, even down to marrying a fellow country artist himself like Cash did. (And then you have the dependency comp as well.)

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 12:47 pm

brian wrote:So I saw Japandroids and Jason Isbell in the last week and was impressed by both for different reasons.

Japandroids was a little weird though because their music really is interpreted differently live as a two-piece since they do a lot of overdubbing on their albums. What they lack in technical ability they more than make up for in enthusiasm and pure energy though and it was an incredible show. And I was surprised how long they played. It was a solid 90 minute set when they played pretty much their entire catalog (about 19 of their 24 recorded songs if my math was right).

About halfway through the show Saturday night, I switched sides in the crowd (wanted to be closer to the drummer...dude is amazing), and I noticed that the GuitarTech/Roadie guy was playing some rhythm guitar while standing off stage.

According to the set list (a guy had pulled it off the stage, and I took a picture of it) they played 17 songs (plus the one cover with Finn) Saturday night.

Post by **brian** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:04 pm

Funny because I had originally written (then removed) a suggestion that they consider touring with a second guitarist but I think that might change the dynamic of the band too much. Essentially they're kind of either damned if they do or damned if they don't (unless they have someone playing some rhythm guitar off-stage I suppose).

As far as Craig Finn, I really enjoyed the new songs he played and am looking forward to the new album now. I wasn't too psyched about his most recent solo album, but this one sounds a lot more promising. Alas, we didn't get the Craig Finn/Japandroids jam at the end of their set because Finn had to jet up to LA after his set apparently (at least according to Brian King), but they played a cover of Mclusky's "To Hell With Good Intentions", which was pretty damn awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbrT-_Ozm2w

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:05 pm

brian wrote:So I saw Japandroids and Jason Isbell in the last week and was impressed by both for different reasons.

Japandroids was a little weird though because their music really is interpreted differently live as a two-piece since they do a lot of overdubbing on their albums. What they lack in technical ability they more than make up for in enthusiasm and pure energy though and it was an incredible show. And I was surprised how long they played. It was a solid 90 minute set when they played pretty much their entire catalog (about 19 of their 24 recorded songs if my math was right).

And then Jason Isbell. Jesus, what a show. This was my fourth Isbell concert and his third since he got sober and this was the best one yet by far and the others weren't bad. First thing I noticed is that the entire 400 Unit is really, really tight right now. It's obvious they've been touring behind Something More Than Free for awhile, so not only are all of the old solo and DBT songs solid, but everything is locked down tight in their live show.

Some highlights:

The crowd cheered LOUDLY during Cover Me Up after the lyric "I sobered up/ I swore off that stuff/ Forever this time" which surprised me because Vegas crowds can be both blasé about showing affection or emotion and sometimes there's a lot of comp tickets depending on the show so you don't have as many "real" fans as you would in Topeka or Omaha or wherever. I had also never seen that reaction to that lyric the other three times I saw him -- all in other cities, this was his first time in Vegas ever -- and he appeared visibly touched, smiling and nodding before the next verse.

I forgot how fucking funny he is. He's always good for some banter between songs (though never too much), but he riffed on all the gear for Steve Stevens backstage since Billy Idol was starting his House of Blues residency the night after Isbell's show. "When I was 10 years old, I thought a guitar that shot lasers was about the coolest fucking thing possible." Also, "Thanks for coming and seeing me and not Britney Spears." After the crowded booed, he said "Aw man, don't boo Britney Spears. She's Britney, bitch."

He actually stopped Elephant halfway through and didn't finish it because he was getting too emotional. Some people might have been disappointed, but I think that's why you want to go see live shows. Anything can happen. Also, it's nice to see performers show a human side sometimes instead of basically singing karaoke versions of their own songs.

And I'll catch a lot of shit for this comparison, but at this point in his career I basically think Isbell is a 21st century Johnny Cash, but in a world where it's about impossible for a country/rock act to have the kind of crossover success Cash did. Nashville has basically slammed the door on anything other than manufactured pop garbage like Kenny Chesney, which is too bad, but Isbell is a throwback to a different era I think, even down to marrying a fellow country artist himself like Cash did. (And then you have the dependency comp as well.)

Isbell is great. He played here last night at Busch Gardens, but I just couldn't gather myself to pay $100 per person for entry to see him. I probably could have paid $110 or something and been able to get back to Busch Gardens for free for the rest of the year, but whatever. The two times I've seen him the sobriety line always got a great response/cheer. Kinda bummed I missed him, but I need to start saying no to things.

HDO45331 · Post by **HDO45331** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 8:01 pm

Kris Kristofferson on April 1st, at Belterra Casino. I first saw him in the spring of 1972-3 in Columbus. Great concert. Started out with two John Prine songs, after he said Prine was the next great poet laureate.

Jason Isbell on July 2nd.

Stoked for both.

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:22 pm

Going to go get my #shoegazing on this summer at a synagogue in DC.

Ride.

https://youtu.be/pVhNi5cU8mo

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:37 am

Deafheaven and This Will Destroy You tonight. Should be a ripper.

Post by **brian** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:20 pm

P.D.X. wrote:Deafheaven and This Will Destroy You tonight. Should be a ripper.

Yeah I had to miss that show when they were here four weeks ago because I was on vacation. Was pretty bummed about that.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:12 pm

All three of my boys are spending the night out tonight. Had originally planned to catch Get Out in the theaters tonight, then saw that St. Paul and the Broken Bones are playing at Jannus Live in downtown St. Pete. Anyone ever seen them? I like what I've heard from them, but have not listened to them very much.

Post by **brian** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:16 pm

govmentchedda wrote:All three of my boys are spending the night out tonight. Had originally planned to catch Get Out in the theaters tonight, then saw that St. Paul and the Broken Bones are playing at Jannus Live in downtown St. Pete. Anyone ever seen them? I like what I've heard from them, but have not listened to them very much.

Giff likes them a lot. Supposedly they kick some ass live.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:45 pm

govmentchedda wrote:All three of my boys are spending the night out tonight. Had originally planned to catch Get Out in the theaters tonight, then saw that St. Paul and the Broken Bones are playing at Jannus Live in downtown St. Pete. Anyone ever seen them? I like what I've heard from them, but have not listened to them very much.

Saw them for my birthday last year. They were great live. No way that voice should be coming out of that singer...

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:47 pm

I've heard they bring all the solo dads on stage and kiss them before the encore.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:54 pm

mister d wrote:I've heard they bring all the solo dads on stage and kiss them before the encore.

Leaving the wife at home then.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:48 am

Saw Kate Tempest last night. If you aren't familiar with her, she's a poet/spoken word artist from England who also mixes in Hip-Hop. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the show was fantastic. It was more performance art (not in the stereotype of the word) kind of thing, rather then just a straight concert. They did the entire "Let Them Eat Chaos Album", with spoken word parts which would then break in heavy hip-hop sections. Pretty wild stuff, unlike anything I've seen before. Certainly not for everyone, but very glad we stayed out late on a Monday night to see it.

(Oh, she asked people to respect the "Sacred Space" of the performance, and experience it live, with our own eyes, instead of through a screen on our phones. And almost every did...a few people snapped some quick photos, but that was it).

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:03 pm

I can't decide what's worse at a concert, people taking pictures or video on their phones or the assholes who then interrupt to tell you how awful it is that you're on the phone. Actually, that's a lie, it's clearly the latter.

Post by **brian** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:10 pm

Giff wrote:I can't decide what's worse at a concert, people taking pictures or video on their phones or the assholes who then interrupt to tell you how awful it is that you're on the phone. Actually, that's a lie, it's clearly the latter.

Well, yeah you really shouldn't do either. I don't really know WHY you'd want to watch/record a concert through your phone. The very act of having to record it essentially means you're trading experiencing it "for real" in exchange for maybe being able to re-watch it some time in the future. It's generally easier to just google YouTube videos where some other asshole (well, maybe asshole is harsh) has made the decision to record.

Still, neither of those is anywhere near as annoying to me as the self-absorbed assholes who carry on a complete two-hour conversation during the show about nothing having to do with the show.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:16 pm

brian wrote: Still, neither of those is anywhere near as annoying to me as the self-absorbed assholes who carry on a complete two-hour conversation during the show about nothing having to do with the show.

Yeah, that's what kills me. I don't go to concerts to hear someone yammering on about work/relationship/whatever...

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:06 pm

At that St. Paul show we went to last Friday, a guy and girl got right in front of us just as the headliners started. There was probably 6 feet of room between us and the next people in front of us before this couple arrived, and they left 2 feet or less in front of us (and 4 feet or more in front of them) after their arrival. The girl kept laughing and throwing her head back, completely invading our space, and nearly head butting my wife. I put my hand up to stop her once and said that she was coming too far back. She sneered at me for a good 10 seconds and said, "I'm just laughing". Needless to say, the next 4 songs or so, before they finally decided to leave were filled with me plotting ways to knock him out instead of enjoying the band.

I vote for them as worst.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:21 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote:
brian wrote: Still, neither of those is anywhere near as annoying to me as the self-absorbed assholes who carry on a complete two-hour conversation during the show about nothing having to do with the show.
Yeah, that's what kills me. I don't go to concerts to hear someone yammering on about work/relationship/whatever...

Agreed.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:38 pm

govmentchedda wrote:At that St. Paul show we went to last Friday, a guy and girl got right in front of us just as the headliners started. There was probably 6 feet of room between us and the next people in front of us before this couple arrived, and they left 2 feet or less in front of us (and 4 feet or more in front of them) after their arrival. The girl kept laughing and throwing her head back, completely invading our space, and nearly head butting my wife. I put my hand up to stop her once and said that she was coming too far back. She sneered at me for a good 10 seconds and said, "I'm just laughing". Needless to say, the next 4 songs or so, before they finally decided to leave were filled with me plotting ways to knock him out instead of enjoying the band.

I vote for them as worst.

We had a Frat-Bro dude next to us at Sturgill Simpson insist on trying to "two-step/swing dance" with his date in the middle of the packed floor space. That was the worst.

I remember seeing The Who way back in '81, and this dude in front of us was HAMMERED, and going bat shit nuts for the opener (Blackfoot...anyone remember them? Southern Rock, in the style of Molly Hatchet/Skynyrd), and then he passed out and slept through all of The Who. After the show we also discovered that a bag of weed and mushrooms had fallen out of his pocket. Bonus for us!

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:24 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote:
govmentchedda wrote:At that St. Paul show we went to last Friday, a guy and girl got right in front of us just as the headliners started. There was probably 6 feet of room between us and the next people in front of us before this couple arrived, and they left 2 feet or less in front of us (and 4 feet or more in front of them) after their arrival. The girl kept laughing and throwing her head back, completely invading our space, and nearly head butting my wife. I put my hand up to stop her once and said that she was coming too far back. She sneered at me for a good 10 seconds and said, "I'm just laughing". Needless to say, the next 4 songs or so, before they finally decided to leave were filled with me plotting ways to knock him out instead of enjoying the band.

I vote for them as worst.
We had a Frat-Bro dude next to us at Sturgill Simpson insist on trying to "two-step/swing dance" with his date in the middle of the packed floor space. That was the worst.

I remember seeing The Who way back in '81, and this dude in front of us was HAMMERED, and going bat shit nuts for the opener (Blackfoot...anyone remember them? Southern Rock, in the style of Molly Hatchet/Skynyrd), and then he passed out and slept through all of The Who. After the show we also discovered that a bag of weed and mushrooms had fallen out of his pocket. Bonus for us!

Yeah, clearing out a dance floor with your dancing isn't really welcome at a concert. On the plus side of my Friday night experience, after the obnoxious duo left, I asked the two girls behind us if we were invading their space, and they then moved in front of us and were cute as hell getting into the songs. It was clear they were fans, and knew some/most of the words.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:41 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote:
brian wrote: Still, neither of those is anywhere near as annoying to me as the self-absorbed assholes who carry on a complete two-hour conversation during the show about nothing having to do with the show.
Yeah, that's what kills me. I don't go to concerts to hear someone yammering on about work/relationship/whatever...

Yeh, I read an interview with Jeff Tweedy once, where he said he hates playing at any event where there are lots of music industry types in the audience, because they are the worst offenders of this sort.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:50 pm

sancarlos wrote:Yeh, I read an interview with Jeff Tweedy once, where he said he hates playing at any event where there are lots of music industry types in the audience, because they are the worst offenders of this sort.

That goes along with my theory that any show where there's a lot of comp'd tickets is going to have a shitty crowd.

Post by **brian** » Wed Mar 29, 2017 5:59 pm

Not sure how I missed this, but Old 97s and Ha Ha Tonka are playing a 500 person club in Las Vegas on Sunday. So I scooped up tickets to that.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 8:51 am

brian wrote:Not sure how I missed this, but Old 97s and Ha Ha Tonka are playing a 500 person club in Las Vegas on Sunday. So I scooped up tickets to that.

Awesome! Hope you dig the latter.