Jump to content

Cold as Gasoline

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    504

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Cold as Gasoline

    Live! Tonight!

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    One of the best live shows I've seen in a long time. It's almost unfair how much talent is on that stage. It certainly helps that they're touring behind their best studio record. Highlights for me were the album opener "Familiarity" (can you even think of another band capable of writing a song like that?!) and also the Kid A cover that went into Wayside (Back in Time). Also, how about Gabe playing fiddle and drums?! They were on fire... Hoping to catch them again at Fresh Grass in Sept.

     

    I also think Phosphorescent Blues is (by far) their best studio album.  I'm partial to "Julep" and "Little Lights", but there's not a single clunker on it.  The addition of Gabe on drums as well as fiddle is a bold move, but I like it as long as the drums are sparing.  The cover of Josh Ritter's "Another New World" gave me chills.  They are just unmatched for musicianship; especially Chris T. and Noam are jaw-dropping.  Can't get enough Punch Brothers!

    TWEEDY — 3/7/15, Chicago, IL (Vic Theatre [Night 2])

    in After The Show

    Posted

    Quick thoughts:

    • Jeff was clearly MUCH better tonight.  He said last night was one of the worst "stage headaches" he's ever had, and you could tell.  So glad to see him feeling better.
    • The Minus 5 ROCKED!  First time I have seen them, and it was a nice kick in the pants to start off the night.  I was a massive REM fan in the 80s and 90s, so seeing Peter Buck play live so close up was a dream come true.  
    • Setlist for Tweedy band remarkably similar to last night's (unsurprising) with a few variations and a significantly longer Jeff solo set, which was lovely.
    • Banter tonight was top-notch.  My favorite wit of the evening was when Jeff introduced "Wait for Love" and said it isn't about abstinence.  Then he turned to Spencer and said "yes, it is."  He also said he wants someone on Etsy to make him a giant Baby Bjorn that he can carry Spencer onstage with. I'm not sure if the lighter guy really meant to mock Jeff, but it was still obnoxious and I'm glad Jeff told him to stop it.
    • Jeff asked everyone in the crowd to say hello to Susie, which they did vociferously, and he gave a heartfelt thanks to everyone for their support through the last year.
    • Remember the Mountain Bed!  Glorious.  And Love Like a Wire is one of those songs I cannot ever hear enough of. "It breaks every last bone in me.  It throws the earth on me." What a lyric.

    TWEEDY — 3/6/15, Chicago, IL (Vic Theatre [Night 1])

    in After The Show

    Posted

    Weird is the operative word for last night.  Jeff was clearly ill, as mentioned.  He and the band soldiered on and did a pretty complete show, with the exception of the very short solo set.  A few highlights:

    • first time I've heard them do "The Losing End" and thought it sounded great
    • banter highlight: a guy shouted randomly something that sounded like "should I be in jail?"  And Jeff responded that if you need to ask yourself that question, the answer is "yes."
    • the songs from Sukierae sound better every time I see the band play.  The band has gotten more comfortable with them and having a strong backing vocal makes a big difference too

     

    The opener must have been a love/hate thing, because where I was standing down on the floor people were openly laughing.  He seemed out of his depth.

     

    Looking forward to night #2 and hoping Jeff is feeling better.  Do we think there will be much variation in the setlist tonight?  The band doesn't have too much of a varied repertoire at this point, so I am guessing pretty similar.

    Son Volt

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    That is an ODD couple. Rhett is such a showman. Jay just stands there and plays songs.

     

    Maybe they are trying to balance things out :)  I did see Jay solo last year at City Winery and yeah, he pretty much stood there and played songs.  I'm still going!  He can stand there and sing songs for me all day long.  I'm good with it.

    Tweedy doing another U.S. leg; Santa Fe, NM in late March

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    What's wrong with me? I'm actually looking forward to standing in that line at the Vic. It's going to feel like old home week, hopefully just a bit warmer than for the solo shows last year. See you all there!

     

    Diane, you should just go ahead and move to Chicago at this point.  It would probably be cheaper and easier than "vacationing" here multiple times a year, even over the winter!  It is practically your second home already.

    So What are Your Ambitions for 2015?

    in Tongue-Tied Lightning

    Posted

    I'm gonna read Joyce's Ulysses. I've had a copy on my bookshelf for the past 25 years and I've never gotten any farther than the introduction and the first dozen pages or so. This is the year that I'm gonna do it.

     

    Oh, I also have 'Ulysses' next to my bed, a copy I bought at Shakespeare and Company in Paris 10 years ago.  The bookmark is on page 18  :ermm .  Hope you do better with it!

     

    Last year I met some long-term financial goals and finally feel like I can take a breath and not worry so much about money and job security.  In the new year, I want to keep practicing guitar every day and improve my (very basic) skills.  Also, make some new friends.  There's been some attrition in that department, and I really need to figure out how to meet more people I have something in common with and not be a loner, which is my natural habit.  And of course to see as much live music as I can handle.  Rock on in the new year!

    Newport Folk Festival 2015

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I really like the beaten folk path (especially when that includes artists as different as Benjamin Booker and Willie Watson and Lucius) and am happy to hear so many great folk and roots musicians over the course of the 3 days.  I'll be going to both SSF and Newport this year.  Both are unique and inspiring in their different ways.  The thing that makes these festivals fun is the sheer quantity of great music, much of it new to me, that lets me indulge in old favorites and explore something novel, all in the company of a few thousand music-loving strangers.

    Newport Folk Festival 2015

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I went to NFF last year to see TWEEDY, but the highlight of the trip was definitely The Wakins Family Hour show that we saw that evening. I still talk about that show to anyone who will listen. What a night!

     

    Not sure if I'll return to NFF this year. Maybe I'll buy a single Saturday ticket and hope for the best.

     

    All three of those shows were so good.  I've been reminiscing about them all year.  The Watkins show was probably the best one (great guests and Sara was an excellent MC), but every single one was something special.

     

    By the way, I did meet you briefly before the Tweedy set last year.  I had met TwoShedJackson and his family the day before and he introduced us.  You should go in 2015, if only just for the Saturday!  You know you want to.

    Favorite live shows of 2014

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I've pored over my spreadsheet (don't judge) and these were my faves of 2014:

     

    The Milk Carton Kids - New Year's Eve at Evanston Space

    Gillian Welch and David Rawlings - Thalia Hall, Chicago

    The Milk Carton Kids with Sarah Jarosz - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee

    The Jayhawks - House of Blues, Chicago

    Wilco - Winterlude night 4 at the Riviera, Chicago

    Wilco - Milwaukee Riverside

    Jeff Tweedy - Solo at the Vic in Chicago - night 2

    Jason Isbell - Barrymore Theater in Madison, WI

    Honorable mention: all three of the aftershows at Newport were fantastic.

     

    The only big disappointments I can cite are the Mavis Staples tribute concert at the Auditorium with its never-ending set changes and Robert Ellis at Space, who was pretty underwhelming after I'd heard so many good things about him.

     

    Good year for concerts!  Here's hoping for another in 2015.

    Newport Folk Festival 2015

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Got my early bird ticket this morning.  Last year was my first time going, and I had an incredible time.  Agree with the pros and cons listed above.  

     

    The best things are the absolutely stellar lineup (cannot be overstated!), the no-chair zone in front of the main stage, the easy-going music-loving crowd, and getting there via ferry from town on a beautiful summer day.  The difficulties are finding a place to stay that is in a good location and reasonably priced and trying to figure out what to do when 2 of your favorites are playing at the same time.  These are high-class problems to be sure.  The beer zone thing I am on the fence about.  It keeps the drunken asshat count down, but makes it a little bit of a pain to enjoy a beverage and not miss some of the musical action.

     

    Last year, I went to all three of the after-shows at the Jane Pickens theater in town, and that was a fantastic experience as well.  It may be too much of a good thing for some people, but for me, it was an absolutely perfect way to end each day in a cozy theater with a comfy seat, listening to a handful of amazing artists collaborate with each other.  And they were only like $25 each.  They also have a really good app for your phone that lets you figure out in advance what bands you want to see at what stages and what set times.  I didn't drive at all.  Stayed in town and took the ferry over to the fort, which I will do again this year.  Avoids much hassle, but expect to pay some bucks for a hotel.  Worth it though.

×
×
  • Create New...