We Go To Some Concerts...

Last week was a crazy week. It was my last week in clinic before things close up for the rest of August. Nevertheless, I didn't exactly coast into the break. I was doing surgery all day everyday up until the last moment. On top of that, I went to concerts Wednesday and Thursday night. After Arctic Monkeys on Wed with some friends from school, Whit and I went to Fenway Park Thursday for an evening with Paul McCartney. Surreal.

Arctic Monkeys was a great show. A huge band in Europe with a good following here, the Monkeys are playing in small clubs for this US tour. A band that could easily sell out 2 nights at the Orpheum was playing a club that is more like a Cracker Jack box. Awesome! (except that despite my best efforts it sold out even before the pre-sale went public - what? And I was left with my worst enemy - Stub Hub) Regardless, it was worth it and a once in a whatever chance. They blew the doors off the place. Their new album, Humbug, doesn't come out until later this month. It was produced by Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme (amongst others), and it shows. Humbug is a candy over in the UK (I'm guessing like a Werthers) that requires some time to get through to appreciate (just like this new album - thanks Russian Mp3 site....). Here are some pics I took with Whit's camera (no flash allowed...) of the band, me, John Mayer, etc. I tell you about Sir Paul after the jump.

Hey, Hey, they're the Monkeys...

Me and John Mayer

Alex Taylor

We Go To Some Concerts II

Fenway Park is an American icon. Paul McCartney is simply an icon. Put them together, and I just black out. We are Beatles freaks (I know. Who isn't? Joe Pat....). We had a freakin Beatles cover band for our wedding. Obsessed much? Paul did not disappoint. He played for 2 1/2 hours with 2 encores! Plenty of Beatles hits were sprinkled throughout along with Wings and solo stuff that LBH, I was not down with. Highlights for me were "Back In the USSR" with communist/cold war paraphernalia flying across the screen behind him, "Something" on mandolin with a tribute to George (that's his song ya know - but apparently they wrote it together on mandolin - the one he played that night!), a solo "Blackbird" and an abbreviated "A Day in the Life" albeit sans John but amazing. Whitney really loved "Live and Let Die" with all the explosions and fireworks, "Paperback Writer", and "Drive My Car" (even though she wasn't revved up yet). Even "Jet" and "Band on the Run" were pretty good as far as Wings songs go.

Set List:

Drive My Car

Jet

Only Mama Knows

Flaming Pie

Got to Get You Into My Life

Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady

Highway

The Long and Winding Road

My Love

Blackbird

Here Today

Dance Tonight

Calico Skies

Mrs. Vanderbilt

Eleanor Rigby

See the Changes

Band on the Run

Back in the U.S.S.R.

I'm Down

Something

I've Got a Feeling

Paperback Writer

A Day in the Life / Give Peace a Chance

Let It Be

Live and Let Die

Hey Jude

Encore:

Day Tripper

Lady Madonna

I Saw Her Standing There

Yesterday

Curtain Call:

Helter Skelter

Get Back

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

The man was bouncing around and playing with the crowd as if he was a Twentysomething. Pretty sure my wife would have left me for him in a heartbeat.
He's a charmer!
It was a magical evening, and one for us that we'll never forget!
Here are some highlights.

Hey Jude

(Please excuse the tone deaf people next to us)

Well, I Bet that YOU Look Good on the Dancefloor...

(this is a teaser)

Last night's Set List @ the Paradise - more pics/videos/details to come

1. Pretty Visitors
2. This House Is A Circus
3. Brianstorm
4. Still Take You Home
5. Da Frame 2R
6. Dangerous Animals
7. Crying Lightning
8. Fluorescent Adolescent
9. Cornerstone
10. The View From The Afternoon
11. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
12. Leave Before The Lights Come On
13. Potion Approaching
14. If You Were There, Beware
15. Red Right Hand (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds cover)
16. My Propeller
17. Only Ones Who Know
18. Do Me A Favour
Encore:
19. Secret Door
20. 505


My finger was inadvertently over the mic
(&%$# &%$#!),
so sorry for the muted quality on this one....

Let Me Tell You 'bout My Town

I love that Dirty Water - Boston your my home!
Many thanks to my lovely wife who spent 2 hrs yesterday driving to Braintree to get our insurance stamp of approval and then spending another 3 at the DMV to get our new "fancy plates" - VERY NICE!


(Speaking of)
I was 0-2 on Red Sox games this year. We went 2 weeks ago with Jim "Moon" Burrough, and apparently he brought the golden horseshoe. The Sox dominated with a run filled explosion 12-8. We finally got to hear "Dirty Water". Here we are at the end.

Here is a shoddy wannabe bandstand with one of the worst lip-syncing jobs ever by the Standells, Boston's own little 60's garage band. Whenever the Red Sox win a game, this song plays promptly upon the last out.

You, Me and the 'Dise Makes 3

I've only been to 2 concerts in 2009. What a shame. At least both shows were worth the trip. One was back in March (NME) and the other was this past Wednesday (Phoenix). Thought I'd share some thoughts, stories, and horrible cellphone pictures....

This past Wednesday, I had a wonderful time at the (locally) infamous Paradise Lounge with the wife in tow. She goes to shows with me against her will sometimes. I hope she enjoyed this one (thank you, Whit for coming with me!). The French band, Phoenix, had a sold out gig just a mile from our house. I have long loved Phoenix's Hall & Oates meets the Strokes flavor ("Strokes & Oates" is patented to Ryan Doyle). They found their way onto a mixtape of mine in the fall of 2004 with "Run Run Run", but they stole my heart in 2006 with their album, It's Never Been Like That. After the Strokes' album had fallen flat months before, Phoenix filled the gap in my musical soul as they had gone less synth and more stroke. Earlier this year, Phoenix made a surprising appearance as the musical guest on SNL when their new album wasn't due for months. In even rarer fashion, they got to play 3 songs rather than the normal 2 - solid! Their new album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, came out last month and despite my reluctance to put it above INBLT, it may be their best album as critics the world 'round sing its praise. Check out "1901", "Listomania", and "Lasso".

Back on point - we had dinner a couple doors down from the club at Brown Sugar, a local thai restaurant. 10 minutes into our meal, I nearly knocked over my Singha as Thomas Mars walked in the door right in front of me (he's the lead singer for Phoenix and Sofia Coppola's baby's daddy) followed by the rest of the band. Pretty sure he could feel me staring bullets through him and was confirmed as Whitney turned to see him. I have nothing good to say to famous people, so Whit welcomed them/thanked them for coming to Boston when we left. "They were nice", she said. The show was good as they ran a tight ship. They have no accent to speak of and have NO fans in France, b/c they sing in English. People were packed in like sardines, and I'm pretty sure the fire marshal disapproved. They played all you could want hear with highlights from previous albums ("Consolation Prizes", "Long Distance Call", "Napolean Says") and the entirety of the new album.

The night was finished of with a 6 min version of "1901" (here's the 1st half) that had them stop and then pick back up their instruments for one last chorus clapping along with the crowd and coming into the crowd (security nightmare...). I was an old man with my ear plugs, but I took them off for that encore. What a show.

You, Me and the 'Dise Make 3 - Part II (but really part I)

At the end of March, I made my debut at the 'Dise. I went to see a pretty great rock show. What a bill of buzz! It was the NME tour, so you'd expect nothing less (NME is the "new music" rag from the UK that basically overhypes anything and everything - and backlash ensues). I went for the opening act. I knew the other 2 bands but had little interest other than 2 songs I knew by each of them. Regardless, it's rare that you get to see 3 bands like this for $20 bucks anymore.

The former group, The Muslims (now the Soft Pack), were the opening band. The San Diego quartet rocked out in all their minimalist glory. Their entire "Muslims" EP was basically performed. 2 things that made me even love them more: 1) the lead singer plays an old Fender Bronco guitar (which is awesomely awesome), 2) the drummer plays standing up (nice....).


The second group was White Lies (who represent all that NME stands for - HYPE). They were fine and forgettable (I largely don't remember anything noteworthy). They're supposed to be the next Joy Division (sorry that was Interpol). I did laugh a lot during their set, because they were wearing all black and had this over dramatic light show and were WAY too somber/serious. Oh, and they sounded like the Dracula musical from Forgetting Sarah Marshall ("Van Helsing!!! Die! DIE! Die......I Can't"). Basically, I leaned against the wall with the people I came with singing vampire songs and laughing...

Rounding out the night was the Friendly Fires. Now, I'll admit that I did previously bash them on here back in August or September as a group that Zach Braff would tout. Their live set made me a fan. If not for their music (which is nothing too groundbreaking), I had to respect the energy. The lead singer was moving like a pinball. The club responded en suite. If you have never heard their song, "Skeleton Boy", check it out. It was their 2nd single that came out around the beginning of the year. You can't help but wiggle when you hear it. I was full on noodling to it live.

I'm On a Boat - Part II

Look at me on that ___ ____ boat!!!

I'm the king of the world
On a boat like Leo
If you're on the shore,
then you're sure not me-oh
I'm riding on a dolphin, doing flips and ___
The dolphin's splashing, getting everybody all wet
But this ain't Seaworld, this is real as it gets
I'm on a boat, don't you ever forget!
Hey ma, if you could see me now
Arms spread wide on the starboard bow
Gonna fly this boat to the moon somehow
Like Kevin Garnett, anything is possible!!!

I'm On A Boat

I was - all day Sunday. Me, W, Sawyer, Claire and T-Pain along with 20 something Humpback whales and the cast of Slumdog Millionaire....stinky!
The whales....not the Indians...

yes, that is my picture
it's rare that I post a pic that is not
from google
more to come!

Walcott, Don't You Wanna Get Out of Cape Cod?

VACATION! Albeit, just for the weekend but VACATION nonetheless! We are headed to the Cape with team Sawyer this weekend, and I am fired up! Going to the Sox game tonight and Cape tomorrow! After the whale watching excursion on Sunday, expect the customary "I'm On a Boat" post. Time to get my seersucker on, grab a cotton cardigan, my Sperry boat shoes (no socks), and an ascott (chuck bass, what?!?). I'm going to be killing the Vampire Weekend all weekend and noodle dancing like there's no tomorrow!

"I'm on a boat and
It's going fast and

I got a nautical themed

pashmina afghan...."

I'm So Tired...

It's Monday, and I need to go to bed.....the weekend came and went, and I need more...
In 2 weeks, Boston's own, Passion Pit, will release their full length debut, Manners.

Sleepyhead

This song is almost a year old now, but it's the one that put them on the map
AND
it's how I feel today - Sleepy!

Check em out on May 18th all you Animal Collective weirdos!

Stupid Joggers

I just can't get over these people. You have a problem. You have an addiction. Seek help. We are expecting 8-18inches of snow today (depending on where you live in the Massachusetts Bay area). Yet, I still see this everyday. Even when it is 13 degrees with a wind chill of 5.........there they are! JOGGERS! Today, I saw something that I see quite often also: the dreaded walker/jogger with baby stroller in snow. Are you serious? Really? The kid is NOT A FREAKING DOG! You don't have to walk it!!! ERRRGGGHHH!!! That kid looks real happy. He'll be even happier after he get's pneumonia. Kill yourself, you crazies!

The Blues Walked In Our Town

Right after Whit and I moved here, we went and saw Rilo Kiley at this big club behind Fenway called Avalon. I'm pretty sure it closed the next day. Unbeknown to me, it has been refurbished to become a House of Blues chain. While it is nothing super special as most major cities have one now like a Hard Rock Cafe. Nevertheless, let's take a moment to pay respect to some of Belushi and Ackroyd's finest work. If you have never seen the movie....God help you. I have only been to the House of Blues once. It was the original in New Orleans, and I was 15....In town for a dental meeting with the parents, I hit Bourbon Street late night with "the men". Pretty sure I saw some tranis and was very confused. Sheryl Crow was playing there, and I had a minor crush on her in her "All I wanna do" days. Dr. Felts and my dad pretty much lobbied with the bouncer to get me in the door even asking me to instantly grow a mustache. We got inside but did not stay. I did get an all black T-shirt that resembles the picture above. Bloc Party is playing there when it opens next month.

Whit, you wanna go? Me neither.....