Cold as Gasoline

Gary Louris tonight.

They were phenomenal together! Lyle was relaxed, funny, and super-chatty. John is more reserved, but he got off a few good cracks, and happily played several requests shouted out by the crowd. They are both old favorites of mine, and I've seen Lyle Lovett too many times to count, usually with his Large Band. It was my first time seeing John Hiatt, though I was reminded of how I used to listen to my cassette tapes (!) of Slow Turning and Bring the Family when I was in college. They both told lots of stories between songs and traded off doing tunes. Every few songs they'd do one together.

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt.

Thanks for the good taste validation I'm sure there is a certain amount of embarrassing guilty pleasure stuff in there along with the fruits of my Wilco googling obsessiveness, but feel free to browse away.

Don't get me wrong! The show was amazing and I felt so happy and lucky to have the opportunity to be there. It's wonderful to see Jason Isbell at the top of his game, and to see that he's conquered his demons, for the moment. It was a moment of joy, especially because I have such a fondness for Southeastern, which I think is genius. Jason seemed a little frustrated at first with the sound issues, but Amanda Shires lightened him up by telling him to smile (because he's so cute when he smiles).

Welllllll, the Concord has got to be (as I said to some lovely Bostonians standing near me) the crappiest venue in the greater Chicago area. Plus, I stood on a platform behind the "drunk and disorderly" section, where literally one uber-drunk guy fell on me 3x and another guy in the same group fell on me once. They did not seem to realize the irony behind drunkenly raising their plastic beer cups while Jason sang tortured lyrics about getting clean "When I sobered up, I swore off that stuff, forever this time." I saw him for the first time several years ago opening for Son Volt and he was

http://youtu.be/x668-BgXDMM Dave Rawlings Machine - Ruby I just love his playing. gah.

At Jason Isbell concert on Saturday, just before he took the stage, they played "I Must Be High" (irony! Isbell finished rehab about a year ago). Oh, also, not heard but seen. Jeff Tweedy and Susan Miller Tweedy were at the Lucius/Blisters/Alpenglow concert on Friday night! They roped off a little VIP section in the balcony.

I am also going to the Lucius/Blisters/Alpenglow show tomorrow at LH. Saturday: Jason Isbell at the new Concord Music Hall! Rockin' weekend.

http://www.npr.org/event/music/239097043/bottle-rockets-on-mountain-stage

This trailer looks amazing. Rushmore is one of my all-time favorites, but I'd put Moonrise Kingdom next. Love that Wes Anderson hyper-realism. His movies are a rare joy, along with the Coens' .

Had to google Dave Chandler, and you are correct!

I implore you to go! Many "Wow!"s were heard on the way out, I can tell you. Who else can do a Fiona Apple cover on mandolin where he essentially uses every part of the instrument as percussion and then follows it with a 15 minute Bach piece that got a 2-3 minute ovation afterward? Just amazing stuff.

Chris Thile.

Fantastic setlist. Anybody have a recap? Would love to hear how it was to be there.

Leagues tonight.

Fun! https://vine.co/v/hX57lP3Tm77 https://vine.co/v/hX5dlVIKaux

My first, too. I had no expectations, but you really don't hear a band flat-out rock like that these days -- in the 70s they would have been called Rock 'n Roll and in the 90s they would have been called country. I had seen PHOX over the summer at an outdoor venue and really liked them. They have such an ethereal sound, but the onstage antics and banter were irritating last night. LOVE Lincoln Hall. It's just a really comfortable place to see a show whether you want to dance on the floor or actually SEE the band from the balcony. And hallelujah, you can find legal street parking in that n

I love to cook, too, and like your choices, Kevin -- esp. Rick Bayless and the Cooks Illustrated bunch. Had a memorable birthday dinner at Frontera Grill in Chicago a few years ago when Rick Bayless came by to wish me a happy birthday. That and the smoky margaritas linger in my memory. My recipe contribution would be a recent triumph with a corn souffle that had my book club friends fighting over the remnants in the souffle dish. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Corn-Souffle

Guaranteed.

Let's make a list of things Ryan Adams does like. I'll bet that list is shorter.

Saw Canadian folk singer/songwriter Rose Cousins. Fellow singer/songwriter Edie Carey joined in vocals on a few songs and they sounded great together. Tiny room! Blitzen Trapper tomorrow with opener Phox. Should be good.

Nick Lowe!

Glad to hear Blitzen Trapper were good. I am seeing them next week! Saw Phox at the Mile of Music festival in Wisconsin a month or so ago, and really really liked their sound. The lead singer is something special. She has a subtle delivery that is rare in these melisma-riddled days.

(last night) The Milk Carton Kids opening for Over the Rhine.