Concerts of 2009!

I'm rather pleased with this list! Hoping 2010 holds as many or more!

1/29 - Kings of Leon at MSG - I only knew Only by the Night at the time, my seat was essentially behind the stage so all I could see was their backs and I was by myself, but I still had a great time. I think seeing them at this point is what really got me loving them so much.

3/19 - Fleetwood Mac at MSG - Pretty much twelve years in the making, as it was my first time seeing Fleetwood Mac, even though I had seen Stevie and Lindsey solo. Very cool to finally do that!

4/20 - Tinted Windows at Mercury Lounge - Things went from "What, Taylor's in another band?" to being in the fourth row for said band's CD release very quickly! Lots of fun, loved seeing James Iha and watching Bun E. Carlos drum is a total joy. Good times.

4/26 - Matt Nathanson and Jack's Mannequin at Marist - Maybe the last Marist concert? I say that every year. Always fun to going up there for a show, always fun seeing Matt, enjoyed Jack's as well.

5/15 - Sister Hazel at Tulsa Mayfest - They played eight kickass and amazing songs and then an Oklahoma thunderstorm came and showed us all who's boss.

5/16 - Hanson at Tulsa Little Theatre - Member's only event, debuting eight songs from the upcoming new album and recording them live to become what we now know as the Stand Up Stand Up EP. Really awesome and intimate show, with four bonus songs from fan club membership kits.

5/24 - David Cook at Toad's Place in New Haven - David played close to home so I had to go! Loved Ryan Star's opening set, lots of fun seeing David again. He played "A Daily AntheM" too!

5/31 - Matt Caplan at a bar - Matt had a gig! He played "Sideways" and "Tempted" and laughed at us when we were excited. Such is.

6/11 - Fleetwood Mac at MSG - I bought a ticket in the front section and managed to snag a spot right at the stage, directly in front of Lindsey. Basically, my life was made and he sweat on me.

6/16 - Matt Nathanson at Summer Stage - My friends and I went and sat in the wood chips outside of the venue and listened to Matt's set, then went and ate barbecue.

6/17 - Locksley/Tinted Windows at Highline Ballroom - Locksley was awesome and it was fun seeing Tinted Windows again so soon. Taylor the front man and that Bun E., man.

7/19 - Jonas Brothers at Nassau Coliseum - And Honor Society and Jordin Sparks. I still love that this happened. They put on such a fun show!

8/15 - Matt Nathanson and O.A.R. at MSG - Matt in an arena! And my love of O.A.R. returns ten times stronger than ever.

8/20 - Marc Broussard at The Gap - Short acoustic set but still great to see him, especially since he played "Home"!

9/12 - Kings of Leon at Izod Center - This time, I knew every single song they played and it was that much more awesome. Love these guys.

9/21 - Green River Ordinance/Serena Ryder/NeedToBreathe at Highline Ballroom - Finally saw GRO, whom I love, and my love of NeedToBreathe was completely solidified by an absolutely awesome show.

10/15 - Steel Train/Hellogoodbye/Hanson at Nokia Theatre - First experience with Steel Train, realizing I might like them. Realized I really do love Hellogoodbye even though they can be a little obnox. Hanson put on a pretty great set, there was an Isaac solo and Taylor was kickass despite having the flu.

10/16 - Sherwood/Steel Train/Hellogoodbye/Hanson at Northern Lights in Clifton Park - Love of Steel Train and Hellogoodbye was officially confirmed. Hanson shows in general make me very happy and the amount of upbeat songs made me even more so.

10/18 - Hanson at Madison Hotel in DC - Member's only event. Some fun and random songs made an appearance. Most of all, Zac played "Devil's Nachos".

10/24 - Pat McGee/Sister Hazel at Irving Plaza - Yay, a full Sister Hazel show! Played all my faves, love seeing these guys. Still a little weirded out that Drew was missing though.

11/10 - Joe Perry at Irving Plaza - Won tickets, definitely cool to see him. We won't talk about what happened after I left a little bit before it was over.

12/30 - Steel Train at Maxwell's in Hoboken - These guys are so fun. Awesome mix of originals and covers, super energetic. Enough so that they will be my first show of 2010!

Band of Brothers: Jonas Brothers and NeedToBreathe

Jonas Brothers
Brothers: Kevin Jonas (guitar), Joe Jonas (lead vocals), Nick Jonas (lead vocals, guitar, piano, drums)
Other Members: None

Ohh, Jonas. What can I say about these three? Mostly, I love them. And they have some really great songs that get overlooked because of who they are and how popular they are and their fanbase. I love me some catchy pop and that's not even all they offer. "A Little Bit Longer" anyone?

While I love Kevin and Joe, I am always quick to admit that Nick is the talent. Not to say that the older two aren't good at what they do. Joe is an amazing and energetic frontman and Kevin has so much heart, but so much lies in Nick. He plays three instruments, he writes a lot of their songs (though sometimes with his brothers, also sometimes alone) and he sings about half of the leads. Their group started because of Nick, who was signed as a solo act and then ultimately, the idea of the group of three brothers came along. I'm curious what is going to happen with these three as their fame starts to dwindle, as it inevitably will. I really, honestly hope they end up like Hanson, still making music and having a close following even when they aren't so much in the limelight because I do think they have a lot more talent than people give them credit for.

I still adore this song:


NeedToBreathe
Brothers: Bear Rinehart (lead vocals, guitar), Bo Rinehart (guitar)
Other Members: Seth Bolt (bass), Joe Stillwell (drums)

I'm still pretty new to NeedToBreathe but it's safe to say that they'll be sticking around on my list of favorites. Their music is more faith-based than any other I listen to, based mainly on Bear and Bo's father being a preacher and their upbringing. What I love about them is that while they do have those songs that are very obviously about their faith and they're clearly very in tune with each other through that, it doesn't define them or their music. Some of my favorite songs of theirs are those, especially since Bear tends to sound just a little bit more awesome (see below) but their regular old rock tunes are flat out amazing as well, and catchy to boot. I mean, "Girl Named Tennesse"? Love it.

Bear has such a soulful rock voice and Bo's is so smooth and they blend together so ridiculously well, in that way that only brother's voices can. Listen to these two:

Band of Brothers: Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon
Brothers: Nathan Followill (drums), Caleb Followill (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jared Followill (bass)
Other Members: Matthew Followill - cousin (lead guitar)

One of the first things I read about Kings of Leon, after hearing Only by the Night, was that they exist because Caleb wanted to be a singer. Nathan, who was set to go to college, decided to not go to school and instead help his younger brother out getting a music career going. They eventually decided that a band would be best and bought a bass for 14-year-old Jared and told him to learn how to play it. The band was born.

These are four guys that want this. The fact that they went from guys who weren't even an official band to having the success that they currently do in just a matter of years says a lot about their drive and their talent. They don't just get by, they are amazing. They create music that I love to pick apart because each element is just that good. I love pounding out Nathan's beats, singing along to Jared's bass lines, wiggling my fingers to Matthew's solos. And Caleb's voice, Caleb's words, are just haunting and amazing and incredible in every way. This band creates a whole that completely exceeds the sum of its parts, yet those parts are so huge on their own.

Listening to their albums is an experience as well, as you can pretty much hear them get better and better and their style grow and develop. Youth and Young Manhood almost sounds like a different band from the one on Only by the Night. But if you listen to the two in the middle, the sound is so clearly progessive. You start to hear elements of Aha Shake Heartbreak in songs on Y&YM. There are songs on Because of the Times that would fit in on Aha Shake as well as they would on Only by the Night. They've said themselves how fun it is to play songs from the earlier albums now that they've improved as musicians because those songs sound like they always wanted them to. Yet, some of those early songs, like "Trani", were pretty kickass even back then.

The media loves to jump on these guys, saying that they're fighting backstage, they aren't getting along, they're breaking up. This is a band who have already done the cliche rock star thing. They did the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll route, they're already on their way back from that. They're brothers. They're family. They're going to fight. But watch any interview with these guys and you see how much they want this. You see how much they support each other. They've all sacrificed to make this happen. They've reached something so huge because they've just been plugging away. They don't always get along. Caleb gets a lot of the glory because he's the only lead singer and that's just the way it works. Nathan steps up a lot, maybe because he's the oldest and has kept it all together for so long or maybe because he just likes to put himself out there. They seem paired off some of the time, Nathan and Caleb are more the leaders, Jared and Matt hang in the back a little more. But when all's said and done, they're four boys from Tennessee who make some awesome music and put on great live shows. I really don't doubt they're going to be doing that for a long time to come.

This makes me laugh:

Band of Brothers: Hanson

Hanson
Brothers: Isaac Hanson (guitar, lead vocals), Taylor Hanson (piano, lead vocals), Zac Hanson (drums, lead vocals)
Other Members: None

One of the things that fascinates most about Hanson is how young they were when they started. Isaac was 11, Taylor was 9 and Zac was 6. So essentially, being a band together has been their life. They started out just singing and added instruments by the time they recorded their first major label album. Listening to that album now, as someone who was a fan of it at the time and became a bigger fan of the band years later, is mind-blowing to me. They were so young, yet it is so good. Only Isaac sounds exactly the same then as he does now, Taylor is a slightly higher (and purer) voiced version of his current self and Zac sounds like an 11 year old who can sing and barely sounds at all like he sounds today.

The thing about these three is that they made it work. It's something that, given their age, was likely started for them, yet they have embraced it since those early days. Any time they are posed with a question about their early start or what they'd rather do or what they'll be doing ten years from now, it always goes back to how much they love creating and sharing music. Like the Bee Gees, it hasn't been easy for them. Their first hit is a song that has stuck them with an image that even now, they can't shake though it's starting to finally be driven home that they are so much more than that one song. The struggle they had with their label led to them owning and running their own independent label. They basically do it all themselves.

I think Hanson is also a great example of how individuals can be different, yet compliment each other so well. They truly balance each other out. Their voices, while quite different from each other, blend so well that it's sometimes hard to pick the harmony apart, even when you know who's likely singing what. Isaac is always the lowest, with his rockier, bluesy tone. Taylor tends to sing the middle, his harmony voice blending with his brothers way more than his unique and soulful lead singing voice might have you believe. Zac, with the crystal clear falsetto, usually tops the harmony. Their voices together are truly gorgeous. The lead singing has gone from mostly Taylor to a pretty fair share of Zac as well, with some (not enough!) Isaac thrown in too. They've all gotten more versatile instrumentally, with Zac sometimes playing piano on songs where he did the primary songwriting or sings lead, Taylor covering drums or adding an additional guitar, Isaac playing some bass and Zac has started to incorporate more variety in his percussion instruments for acoustic sets. Their range of styles has been apparent since Middle of Nowhere ("Look at You" vs. "With You in Your Dreams" anyone?) and I love that that has continued to be such a signature part of their albums. They even balance each other personality-wise, a dymanic that is clear in their documentaries and podcasts. Isaac, the oldest, wears his heart on his sleeve, tends to be most pessimistic in the studio, but shares his excitement just as easily. Taylor is the peacemaker, the one who keeps things moving, the most optimistic. Zac is the youngest, still somewhat the goofiest but also the one who sees things the most as they are and just wants to get it done. At the end of Strong Enough to Break, the three are sitting in a hotel lobby and Isaac says, "I just realized something." He points to himself. "Pessimist." Points to Taylor, "optimist". Points to Zac and he and Taylor both say "realist." It's such an interesting and necessary dynamic that makes watching them work almost as entertaining as listening to the product of that work. Of all the brother bands, they are the ones who will likely be doing this for the rest of their lives, with the least amount of baggage or drama within them. They love it and I love them for it.

I also love this:

Band of Brothers: The Bee Gees

The Bee Gees
Brothers: Barry Gibb (lead vocals, guitar), Robin Gibb (lead vocals), Maurice Gibb (guitar, piano)
Other Members: None

The Bee Gees are the first group I found on my own, which is funny in and of itself, considering it was 1997 and they'd already been performing professionally for over 30 years. They were kids when they started singing around Australia and Robin and Maurice were still teenagers when their first single hit big.

These guys went through a lot together. Their early footage is fun to watch, if only because it's an adult-sized Barry and a kid-sized Robin and Maurice (aka the twins who couldn't look less like twins). After their first round of fame in the late 60s, they kind of self-destructed. Robin quit the band and went solo, Barry and Maurice tried to carry on without him and they all got married, got addictions and fought with each other via the press. But, they got it all sorted out and then 1975 happened and with it came the Bee Gees most people know today. They didn't invent disco, but they were such a signature sound of that era that they may as well have. In 1978, five of the Top 10 songs were written by the Gibbs. They got so famous that it blew up in their faces and the hype turned into intense backlash and yet they stuck through. When it was obvious that people no longer wanted the Bee Gees (I think they might have figured that out from the Bee Gee Free Weekends on radio stations and the mass burning of disco records), they started writing for other artists like Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick. They never stopped working. They never stopped going with the flow and incorporating contemporary sounds with their signature style. They always sound like the Bee Gees but you can always tell what decade they're in. I personally love their 80s and 90s albums and the range of styles they explore. I love that they refused to give up, even when they could have just said "well, guess our time is up". Their success in the late 90s was so much fun for me, as a new fan, to watch and be a part of. I can't imagine my mid-teen's without Still Waters and "Alone" and so many of their songs.

Their dynamic was always interesting as well. Barry, the oldest, is the leader, the one who talks the most and is the most passionate when discussing their career. Robin is the quirky, quiet one. Maurice is the down-to-earth, funny, snarky one. They're more based on vocal harmony than any other group here, in the sense that only Barry and Maurice played instruments live and even then, the majority of the sound came from a backing band. Their voices are distinct. Very few people sound like Barry, no one that I know of sounds like Robin and Maurice, who rarely sang lead, balanced those two unique voices out perfectly. They create absolutely amazing harmonies. Their work as producers and the sound they created for themselves is incredible. They write awesome songs. And they always, always share the credits. Pretty much every single Bee Gees song is credited to all three brothers. It's always clear in interviews that they loved their crazy delinquent childhood, that they enjoy having spent their lives working together and that while they don't always get along, they appreciate each other as people and musicians.

Like the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees have a sad ending too. Maurice died about six years ago and that pretty much ended everything, and understandably. While the Beach Boys could continue to function eventually, I can't imagine the Bee Gees as they were without Maurice. It makes me sad to think what else they could have gone on do but I respect that they haven't forced it and that if eventually Barry and Robin do work together, it will be because they are ready to and want to. A good thing is gone though, and I miss it.

This video blows my mind. They're SO famous here, their little brother Andy is in the height of his own career and they're all just on stage, being ridiculously famous together. So awesome:

Band of Brothers: The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys
Brothers: Brian Wilson (lead vocals, piano), Dennis Wilson (lead vocals, drums), Carl Wilson (lead vocals, guitar)
Other Members: Mike Love - cousin (lead vocals), Al Jardine - friend (rhythm guitar), Bruce Johnston - friend (piano, guitar)

Sometimes talking about the Beach Boys now depresses me because of how it all turned out in the end. The two I like the best and who's talents were vastly underrated simply because Brian exists, are dead. Dennis died before I was even born, so it's always felt a little bizarre that he's my favorite. Brian was the genius, and then he became the tortured genius. Dennis was the rebel middle child, the wild spirit. Carl was the baby, the gentle one with the angelic voice. It wasn't until Brian started declining that Carl and Dennis really started to shine and in my opinion, it was Carl that held it all together after Dennis died. Once Carl died, it all kind of fell apart. Brian, who really didn't perform as a Beach Boy much at all even when his brothers were still around, started performing on his own. Mike and Bruce started performing as The Beach Boys with a myriad of other people and Al was left to just do whatever. It's always strange to speak of them so darkly, but that's how it is. Their early music is sunny and happy, their history, not so much.

That said, the brothers really are the root of this group for me. Mike did sing lead quite often and essentially took on the "leader" role but he probably had the least talent of them all. Al had a few tunes to sing lead on but for the most part, was the sidekick friend. Bruce was similar and was essentially brought in as a replacement for Brian. My favorite Beach Boys album is 1970's Sunflower which features a lot of songwriting from Dennis and proves his strength in that area. Carl has one of my favorite voices in music and I especially love when he's singing a song that Dennis wrote (such as "Only With You", one of my alltime favorite songs in the universe and "It's About Time", the most kickass Beach Boys song you will ever hear). It's because of my love of their contributions that I tend to love that music more than the early 60s music that most people know the Beach Boys for, though of course, I love and appreciate that as well. I'm a sucker for harmony and they really had some amazing vocal arrangements throughout their career (see below). The three brothers are extremely different, though, and played very different roles in the group and saw both of those things affect their lives in very different ways. Brian, the crazed musical genius and the one largely behind the signature sound of the group, was in and out of the live group for years and a perfectionist in the studio. He performed only when he was stable enough to, yet he's been performing the music pretty consistently in recent years. Dennis, the wild drummer, was a drug addict and alcoholic, had Charles Manson living in his house for a time and recorded a brilliant solo album before his accidental death in 1983. Carl performed with the group until his death from cancer in the late 90s and to me, was the real heart and soul of the Beach Boys in their later years.

The thing about the Beach Boys is that while so much of the group is based on the Wilsons, the fact that they are brothers kind of stays in the back of my mind, even though their early family life and the way their father treated them played a large part in the dynamic among them. I think part of it is because they were from a different era, they aren't a group that I can watch interact with each other all that much. Still, a large part of what fascinates me about bands of brothers is that there is that much talent among them and that they are able to turn that talent into amazing music and that plays a large part in why I love the Beach Boys so much.

And of course, there's the harmony. Please love this:

Band of Brothers

I love bands that are comprised of brothers. I don't seek it, really. My first favorite band included three brothers. My second favorite band included three brothers. Two of my current favorite bands include three brothers. And there are at least two other bands I actively listen to that have at least two brothers involved. Never, for any of those, did I say "oh hey, a band made of brothers, I will like them". Around the fourth one, I started to be a little amused at the trend and now, I just embrace it.

What is it, exactly, that appeals these types of groups to me? Their music isn't necessarily all the same. They aren't even all from the same era. There is just something about a group of people who know each other so well creating together. It's a quality that, while it may be mirrored in bands made of close friends, can't be created out of nothing. It's there simply from working with people that they have known their whole lives, who they've made music with from an early age and grown up with in the same circumstances, who don't necessarily have as much room to walk away. The sounds are tighter, the individuals compliment and balance each other, the dynamics within the band are more natural and genuine, and the drama is more intense when it does come.

I have decided to deconstruct the Bands of Brothers that I love a bit, to discuss what about their music and their brotherliness makes me love them as much as I do, each in their own entry.

Top 100!

I'm re-setting my play count tonight. My iPod, Jackson Braddock, is almost a year old. Considering how I feel about play counts, this is a fairly big step for me to take. However, it is time. But, because I am me, my Top 100 Listened To tracks, from late October 2008 to late October 2009:

100. "Everybody Finds Out", Fleetwood Mac, Say You Will
99. "Must Be the Water", Marc Broussard, Must Be the Water
98. "The Beauty of Letting Go", Green River Ordinance, Way Back Home
97. "To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts", Matt Nathanson, Some Mad Hope
96. "Save Me", Marc Broussard, Carencro
95. "Mandolin Moon", Sister Hazel, Absolutely
94. "Will You Be There", Michael Jackson, The Essential Michael Jackson
93. "17", Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
92. "Got Me Going Crazy", Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer
91. "I Have You to Thank", Gavin DeGraw, Gavin DeGraw
90. "Oh Well", Fleetwood Mac, Live
89. "The Stuff You Gotta Watch", The Band, Jericho
88. "One Man Show", Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer
87. "In the City", Hanson, This Time Around
86. "Thirteen", Stephen Kellogg, Bulletproof Heart
85. "Something Coming Over", O.A.R., Live from Madison Square Garden
84. "Dying to be Alive", Hanson, This Time Around
83. "Eyes of the World", Fleetwood Mac, Live in Boston
82. "Black or White", Adam Lambert, American Idol
81. "What Christmas Means to Me", Hanson, Snowed In
80. "I'm On a Boat (featuring T-{Pain)", The Lonely Island, Incredibad
79. "BB Good", Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer
78. "Where's the Love", Hanson, The Middle of Nowhere
77. "A Daily Anthem/Kiss on the Neck", David Cook, David Cook
76. "Mission Responsible", Michael Tolcher, I Am
75. "Great Divide", Hanson, The Walk
74. "Where You Are", Marc Broussard, Carencro
73. "Arizona", Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
72. "Change in My Life", Hanson, Take the Walk
71. "Faker", Everybody Else, 1 1/2
70. "Silver Springs", Fleetwood Mac, The Dance
69. "It's About Time", The Beach Boys, Sunflower
68. "Ophelia", The Band, Northern Lights - Southern Cross
67. "Georgia", Hanson, The Walk
66. "Madeline", Hanson, Middle of Nowhere
65. "Charmer", Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
64. "Wait Here For You", Hanson, Hanson.net 2009
63. "Never Going Back Again", Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
62. "Rock 'n' Roll Band", Boston, Boston
61. "You Are the Best Thing", Ray LaMontagne, Gossip in the Grain
60. "Something Going Round", Hanson, The Walk Tour Live
59. "Summertime", New Kids on the Block, The Block
58. "Kiss and Run", Fleetwood Mac, Tusk [Bonus Tracks]
57. "The Shape I'm In", The Band, Stage Fright
56. "Change Your Mind", Sister Hazel, Before the Amplifiers
55. "All For You", Sister Hazel, Before the Amplifiers
54. "Someday I Suppose", The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Don't Know How to Party
53. "Golden Slumbers", The Beatles, Abbey Road
52. "Starfish", Sister Hazel, Before the Amplifiers
51. "Bold as Love", John Mayer, Continuum
50. "The Longest Hour of My Life", Everybody Else, Everybody Else
49. "Hungry Heart", Bruce Springsteen, The River
48. "Glory Days", Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A.
47. "Stumbling Through the Dark", Trevor Jackson, Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor Are...
46. "Say Goodbye", Everybody Else, Everybody Else
45. "Oh! Darling", Dana Fuchs, Across the Universe
44. "Crazy Beautiful", Hanson, Underneath
43. "Meat Market", Everybody Else, Everybody Else
42. "Oh! Darling", The Beatles, Abbey Road
41. "Bus Song", Trevor Jackson, Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor Are...
40. "Love Me", Taylor Hanson, Live in Poughkeepsie NY 10/25/08
39. "The Wanderer", Marc Broussard, Carencro
38. "Milk", Kings of Leon, Aha Shake Heartbreak
37. "Love Bug", Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer
36. "China Grove", The Doobie Brothers, Best of The Doobie Brothers
35. "River Song", Dennis Wilson, Pacific Ocean Blue
34. "Be Somebody", Kings of Leon, Only By the Night
33. "Camaro", Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
32. "Second Hand News", Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
31. "Not Down With That", Trevor Jackson, Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor Are...
30. "Dreaming with a Broken Heart", John Mayer, Continuum
29. "Rock 'n' Roll Razorblade", Hanson, The Best of Hanson Live and Electric
28. "Sweetest Goodbye", Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Glassjaw Boxer
27. "Rich Girls, Poor Girls", Everybody Else, Everybody Else
26. "I Am", Hanson, The Walk
25. "One Man Band (of Brothers)", Trevor Jackson, Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor Are...
24. "Ragoo", Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
23. "Been There Before", Hanson, The Walk
22. "Swan Dive", Sister Hazel, Chasing Daylight
21. "Long Train Runnin'", The Doobie Brothers, Best of The Doobie Brothers
20. "Love Runs Deeper", Lindsey Buckingham, Gift of Screws
19. "Every Word I Say", Hanson, The Best of Hanson Live and Electric
18. "Get Up and Go", Hanson, Underneath
17. "Sweet Sophia", Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Glassjaw Boxer
16. "Lost Without Each Other", Hanson, Underneath
15. "What Did I Get Myself Into", Kyle Riabko, Before I Speak
14. "Sex on Fire", Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
13. "Gift of Screws", Lindsey Buckingham, Gift of Screws
12. "Down", Hanson, 2.0 Membership Kit
11. "Faker", Everybody Else, Everybody Else
10. "Makeup", Everybody Else, Everbody Else
9. "Watch Over Me", Hanson, The Walk
8. "Running Man", Hanson, The Walk
7. "Bleed to Love Her", Fleetwood Mac, The Dance
6. "Manhattan", Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
5. "Notion", Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
4. "Something Going Round", Hanson, The Walk
3. "Use Somebody", Kings of Leon, Only by the Night
2. "Fans", Kings of Leon, Because of the Times
1. "Fire on the Mountain", Hanson, The Walk

Hansoning 2009

I love concerts. I am pretty obvious about that. When it's one of my two favorite bands that I just saw? I have much to say.

The Hansons were around this week and thus, Hansoning commenced! I like turning Hanson into a verb. I also really like going to see Hanson. Because I love Hanson.

The first show was on Thursday. It was rainy and nasty that day, but I still ducked out of work to do the walk in my own city since I failed at it last year. After picking up my friend at work, we ate and then headed over, hoping to have skipped at least two openers but only succeeding in skipping one, since they started late. It was all good though because I really liked Steel Train! Way more than I was expecting to! The songs were catchy and the guys in the band were endearing, so yay for that, their set went by nice and fast thanks to how enjoyable they were.

Hellogoodbye were the co-headliners on the tour so they played for about an hour or so. I like Hellogoodbye's music, and I'm surprised I do because it's not really the kind of music I usually like, but since I do, I pretty much enjoyed their set. They talk too much. But when they finally do play their songs, they sound pretty good, so I enjoyed them. They at least played all my faves of theirs, including "Call and Return", "Bonnie Taylor Shakedown", "All Time Lows" and "Oh, Is It Love".

Then it was Hanson time, yay! Ok, so the first thing that needs to be said is that Taylor Hanson is one dedicated showman. The dude had the FLU and still went out there and did his thing. I had a cold this weekend and didn't even feel like walking to the subway so the fact that Taylor did an hour and a half long set, three nights in a row, just blows my mind. He's a trooper, that one. And what's more amazing is while it was clear he was under the weather when he spoke, it really wasn't obvious that he was so sick. He still sounded good when he sang, still had some energy, all of that. So much love for him trucking through when he had to have felt like utter shit and giving us such a great show. He amazes.

This was the set list:
1. World’s on Fire
2. Great Divide
3. Where’s the Love
4. Minute Without You
5. Running Man
6. Get Up and Go
7. Been There Before
ACOUSTIC
8. Carry You There
9. I Will Come to You
10. Use Me Up (Zac solo)
11. Hand in Hand (Isaac solo)
BACK TO ELECTRIC
12. This Time Around
13. Crazy Beautiful
14. Penny & Me
15. MMMBop
16. Something Going Round
17. Gimme Some Lovin’
Encore - Great Divide a capella

Highlight of the set was definitely Isaac's solo "Hand in Hand". I love Isaac but I'm always reminded most of my Ike love at tour time. I love that the guys occasionally do solos during the acoustic set because it's fun to see that individual really shine, away from his brothers. I've seen quite a few Zac solos (he does one almost every show), I've seen three Taylor solos but I had never seen an Ike solo and I was so excited when he came out alone with the guitar. He owned it! That song is so badass and builds in such a way that by the end, he's up there screaming "Say goodbye, say goodbye now!" and I was stomping along with him. So intense!

I was SO excited that they played "Get Up and Go"! That is one of my favorites of theirs and one of my only faves I hadn't heard live yet and it was so much fun to bounce along to. I always love some "Running Man" just because I do not understand how drummers can sing and drum like crazy at the same time. Love singing the "na na na" part of "Been There Before" so much. They've played that song every time I've seen them and it doesn't get old! It was a great set. Nokia has a curfew so, like last year, they had to cut it short, but it was still an awesome show and much fun was had!

Yesterday, they were in Albany! It was quite a nice drive, right up 87. It was supposed to be snowy and wet and cold all day but once I got halfway there, the sun came out and it was totally gorgeous, especially with the changing trees. Yay for that! I got there around 12:45, checked into my hotel and then headed to the venue for the walk. Zac and Isaac were in charge since Taylor was still sitting it out to rest up for the show. It was a little weird walking without Tay since he's very much the leader when he's there but Zac gave the mid-walk speech and did a great job with it. He also made sure we all walked back the way we came and not over the grass like Ike wanted because "there are no shortcuts on the walk!" Ha.

After the walk, I went to get some lunch and explore Clifton Park, which is the suburb of Albany we were in. It looked like a suburb, haha. But it was nice and they had an amazing selection of eateries that made me jealous. The venue itself was in a strip mall and while it was cold, it wasn't freezing so I ended up waiting a bit for doors to try and get a good spot. Northern Lights is basically a bar. A bar in a strip mall. So it's not very deep and the ceilings are pretty low. The stage was tiny and short and in the corner on a diagonal. I ended up around sixth row on Isaac's side but we all kind of merged around as the openers went on and off and a few people left after Hellogoodbye. I had a pretty great view by the time the acoustic set was over.

The first opener, Sherwood, was pretty good though I don't regret not seeing them on Thursday. I still liked Steel Train a lot, even though it took them 15 minutes to get started once they were on stage due to some sound issues. They have one song that they sing in five part harmony that is totally cute and wonderful. I was really into Hellogoodbye too, partially because it's easier to be than not when you are confined to only the amount of space your body takes up, just so you aren't focusing on that lack of space, but also because I really do like them. I think I'd go see them again on their own, even! But it did help that after their set was Hanson time again!

Set!

1. Worlds on Fire
2. Great Divide
3. Where's the Love
4. Runaway Run
5. Got a Hold on Me
6. Get Up and Go
7. Been There Before
8. This Time Around
ACOUSTIC
9. These Walls
10. Cecilia
11. A Song to Sing
12. Use Me Up (Zac solo)
BACK TO ELECTRIC
13. Carry You There
14. Minute Without You
15. Waiting For This
16. Crazy Beautiful
17. Penny and Me
18. If Only
19. Mmmbop
20. Something going round
Encore - Lost Without Each Other

I love the first four songs ("Runaway Run"!) but the real excitement of the show started to hit me around "Get Up and Go". I had been focusing on Taylor, who just seemed really happy to be there and by then Isaac was all warmed up and I was just totally in it. The acoustic set was pretty fabulous. I will say, "A Song to Sing" followed by "Use Me Up" was pretty brutal, even though I love both songs. Zac's voice on "Use Me Up" cuts right in and those words just hit me really hard. I think it'd be hard to find someone who doesn't relate to that song in some way. Amazing song.

They kicked back into electric with "Carry You There", which they hadn't done electric until last night! I loved what the full drum kit and electric guitars did to the song, brought it to another level. After that, it was a total rock-out till the end of the show. By this point, I could see all of Zac and his kit and loved getting to watch him go at it. SO happy they did "Waiting for This", as it's currently my favorite Hanson song. It's perfect for a live show, with the built in crowd participation and it's exactly the kind of Hanson song I always tend to love the most. Watching Ike and Tay bounce around during "If Only" is one of my favorite things, so glad we got "Something Going Round" again and "Lost Without Each Other" is the perfect song to end a show with. Awesome show and totally worth going up for!

I do love Hanson time. It's going to be sad if they aren't on tour next October because now that it's been two years in a row, it feels like the October thing to do! Unless, of course, they're on tour BEFORE October. Yes, please!

Happy birthday, Lindsey Buckingham!

In honor of Lindsey Buckingham's 60th birthday, I will post my Top 20* most listened to (so essentially, favorite) Lindsey SOLO songs!

20. It Was You, Under the Skin - Will is here! Leelee's here! Stella's here! Love the shout-out to the fam in this one.

19. I Must Go, Go Insane - I love the chorus for this song.

18. Surrender the Rain, Out of the Cradle - Seeing as OOTC was the first Lindsey solo album I owned, this song had the honor of being my first favorite Lindsey song. I love his vocals on this one.

17. Wait for You, Gift of Screws - Awww, shuffle riff! I love when this song goes into the "no one knows my name!" bit.

16. Don't Look Down, Out of the Cradle - Another early fave. I always think of my brother, who sings the lyric like "I don't who cares!" Heh.

15. Underground, Gift of Screws - Just think this one is gorgeous.

14. Down on Rodeo, Under the Skin - I really like the style on this one, there's something about it that sold me right away, though I still can't put my finger on it. It probably helps that Mick and John are the rhythm section though.

13. Turn It On, Out of the Cradle - I love yelpy Linds?

12. Bel Air Rain, Gift of Screws - The closest to "Play in the Rain" there's ever been and that's all the explanation needed.

11. Bang the Drum, Go Insane - Love the musical similarities to "Eyes of the World".

10. Try for the Sun, Under the Skin - Always a sucker for the type of guitar work featured on this one. Just really pretty.

9. Play in the Rain (Continued), Go Insane - LOVE it. I always end up singing the non-vocal parts, too!

8. That's How We Do It in L.A., Law & Order - Most of my faves on this album are because I think they are oddly hilarious and this is not an exception.

7. Johnny Stew, Law & Order - See above. The "Gift of Screws" of its time.

6. The Right Place to Fade, Gift of Screws - STILL convinced he is saying "Twist of Fate". Loved this one for years and years and that love has not decreased one iota. Love the guitar on it and the speediness of the lyrics. It rocks!

5. I Want You, Go Insane - Love it, plain and simple.

4. Great Day, Gift of Screws - It's kind of badass and intense, plus has that nifty guitar thing going on. I was sold from the first listen.

3. Love From Here, Love From There, Law & Order - This song amuses me SO much. I always want to line dance to it.

2. Love Runs Deeper, Gift of Screws - Possibly my actual favorite Lindsey solo song of all time. It's addictive and that last minute of guitar at the end is one of my favorite things ever. It never fails to get me all worked up with giddiness and glee.

1. Gift of Screws, Gift of Screws - But this is the most-listened to because it is a. hilarious, b. ridiculous and c. amazing for both of those reasons and more. Plus, I am a sucker for in-song instructions.

Yay, happy birthday Lindsey! Hope to add another album to this list someday!

*Count is based on the past year, for that is how long this iPod has been around.

through everything we've learned, we've finally come to terms. we are the outsiders.

Tonight I went to go see Green River Ordinance and NeedToBreathe! GRO was exciting because I've been listening to them for awhile now, like them a lot but still had never seen them. They even opened for David Cook, but I missed the NY show because it was while I was on vacation! So I was happy to see them. They only played five songs but one of them was "On Your Own" and another was "Come On", so I was happy. They sounded great and they are pretty tight. Hopefully they'll get some longer sets in the near future, now that they've been featured on So You Think You Can Dance and all!

NeedToBreathe was exciting because they are awesome. End of story. I'm kind of on a roll lately with finding some new things to listen to and having them click right away. Giving this band a try, mostly because I was seeing their name coming up amongst fans of other bands I like, came at the right time. They just released their third album The Outsiders and the whole album is incredible. I love the flat out rock of their harder songs, the reflectiveness of their ballads and am finding the handful that are more rooted in their faith to be hitting me harder than I expected they would. Bear has that southern rocker boy grit to his voice that I'm getting addicted to (he sounds kind of like a peppier Caleb Followill, which, can't go wrong there.) When he and Bo harmonize, the sound of their voices mixing is absolutely incredible. A few songs also have their bassist Seth on harmony too and that full sound completely compliments Bear's style of singing. It's amazing.

The show tonight was one of the most fun shows I've been to in awhile. It was mostly stuff from The Outsiders with a few songs from The Heat. Opened with the title track, into "Streets of Gold", then into "More Time", which really summed up the vibe of the show and how awesome they are. It's the only song I took the camera out for and I barely got two full minutes because I just wanted stay in the music, but I'm glad this is the one it was out for because awesome Bo moment!


It's so fun watching Bo bounce around! The other opener, Serena Ryder came out to sing "Stones Under Rushing Water" which was pretty. I forget how much I like that song until I hear it. The set really started to build after that with the hard rocker, "Prisoner", then "Hurricane", then freaking "Girl Named Tennessee" which is ridiculously awesome and fun and one of my favorites. "Lay 'Em Down" mellowed it out a bit and sounded so awesome. That soulful sound is so addicting and it was perfect going right into "Washed by the Water". I feel like those songs touch me so much because they remind me of how much more there is to believing than the aspects I've fallen away from. It's a feeling I've missed having and I found myself completely transported during those two songs. Last was "Let Us Love", which is perfect for closing a show with the built in sing-a-long and extended ending and Bo and Bear going head to head with the guitars and stomping around. So fun and amazing. The encore was my favorite song of theirs, "Something Beautiful", done acoustic and completely unplugged. Bear just stood at the edge of the stage, his feet even with my waist and sang with no mic, accompanied by Bo on guitar and harmony, Seth on tambourine and Joe the drummer playing a guitar case. SO simple and beautiful and being so close and hearing it so perfectly was amazing.

I love when a live show makes you love a band even more than you thought you did. I love when live music makes me feel the way I did tonight. It's one of my favorite things to experience and I know part of that is why I'm getting into more bands and going to more shows. I really, really love it. These guys are flat out awesome and I'm so glad to add them to my list of favorites!

make me feel like I'm the one who's movin' you

Saw Kings of Leon tonight! Twas amazing and they are awesome. And I wasn't behind the stage this time, which was a plus.

A few brief and late-night highlights:
- Opened with "Closer" and "Crawl", which makes it go from creepy to kickass immediately.
- Is "Charmer" so early in the set to ensure that Caleb can shriek as banshee like as possible?
- Gaaaah, "Fans"! Favorite. Love love love.
- Current obsession with Aha Shake Heartbreak made "The Bucket" and "Slow Night, So Long" particularly awesome.
- I need to take this moment to be a total geek. I know and love these songs, I listen to this band so much, but tonight I realized even more than I already knew just HOW distinct and incredible each component of their music is. I sometimes find myself patting out Nathan's beats or singing along to Jared's bass line or wiggling my fingers to Matthew's guitar and I just LOVE that. I love that the whole is so huge, yet the sum of the parts completely lives up to it. Just the fact that there are songs where I can sing the bass line better than the words because it's that clear is unreal. Love it.
- Singing along to "Knocked Up", oh oh oh oh oh ohhhh! Then having Caleb tell us he hadn't heard it quite so good in a long time.
- "Be Somebody"! "I Want You"! Pretty much ALL of Only by the Night except "17"!
- Ok, "Trani" is not a song I listen to a lot, probably one of the few I usually skip but holy crap. I think I need to spend more time with it because that was ridiculous. Starts slow into total rock out, with Caleb and Matthew facing off and Nathan somewhat resembling an octopus he was so all over the kit. Plus, the screaming made "Charmer" look tame.
- I love "Sex on Fire", it's an awesome song and without it, I'm not sure I would have ever given this band the attention I have since hearing it. That said, tonight reminded me that there are at least ten songs I love more than "Sex on Fire".
- Related, I love "Use Somebody", it's an awesome song and without it, I'm not sure I would have ever given this band the attention I have since hearing it. I continue to adore it, over a year later, and I'm convinced I will never tire of it. Hearing it live tonight was amazing.
- Closed with "Black Thumbnail", which gave them all one last chance to rock out and shine. Kick ass!

Before the concert was over, Caleb thanked us again, then said happily. "It seems like some of you have more than just the latest record!" Huge cheers. "It's about fucking time!" There's only so much I can say, being a newer fan myself. I only got into them because of Only by the Night. The other three albums were quick to follow, though, and I can see where their frustration lies with people only knowing the two hit songs and even just the most recent album. Caleb isn't shy about letting on that he wishes people knew more of the music and I'm glad that the older songs are starting to go over so well with the bigger audiences. They're awesome songs!

After the show, we waited for the bus back to the train and laughed at the drunk guys behind us in line and re-wrote "Use Somebody" to our needs and then waited too long at the train because the train schedule does not coincide at all with when the concert gets out/buses drop off. But all told, it was a great experience, I really liked the Izod Center and will go back there for a concert in a heartbeat and of course, it was great to see those Followill boys. Can't wait for what's next from them.

listening trends

In my constant fascination with my listening trends, I've had the ambitious idea to start a series in this blog where I log my 20 most-listened to tracks of my 20 (or so) most listened to bands. It's an ever changing list, of course, but seeing as I've had my current iPod for almost a year, I think it would be fun to grab them all now and share a few thoughts (and possibly samples) of the tracks. I'm going to sit on this idea for a little while longer but expect this blog to actually have some (arguable) substance in the near future.

when we get there, you better be ready to rocksteady

One thing I freely admit about myself when it comes to finding new music to listen to is that I'm lazy. I'm not the type to just try whatever in hopes that I might like it, I don't really like weeding things out. I love the things I love and every now and then, something else gets added to that list, but I'm impatient and usually want to try things that I think I'll at least have a shot in liking. Sometimes, it's a suggestion from a friend who knows my tastes and thinks I would like a particular band. A lot of the music I try, though, is in some way related to what I already listen to. Whether it be solo/side projects of band members, opening acts from concerts I've been to or bands/musicians who run in the same circles and are recommended by mutual fans and the bands themselves. I know it's not the most adventurous way to find new things to try, and I realize there's probably a lot that I could be missing out on because of this mindset, but for the most part it works for me. I'd have a nice looking web if I were ever to sit down and figure out the actual pattern of liking what I do and I think that's pretty cool. Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Everybody Else, Sister Hazel, Green River Ordinance and Trevor Jackson are all recent examples of bands I probably wouldn't have paid as much attention to if they hadn't somehow been related to other stuff I was into and I can barely remember a time when I didn't love any of them.

Not too long ago, I listened to Marc Broussard for the first time. His name had been coming up a lot in a few different circles and I figured he'd be a good one to give a shot. I downloaded a song I'd heard buzzed about quiet a bit, "The Wanderer". I was immediately sold. Like, immediately. I got my hands on his first album, Carencro, and I couldn't stop listening to it. He's the kind of rock that's really rooted in soul and blues and has that kind of feel to it that is completely irresistible. It's catchy and it's sexy and it's raw and it's so damn good. One of my favorite songs quickly became "Home", which sums up a lot of what I love about him. That voice, that style, the way the song builds into total awesomeness. Not all of his songs have the southern feel this one does, but it's one of the reasons why I love it so much. I just love that kind of grit sometimes.

I was pretty surprised and excited when I looked up Marc's tour schedule a few weeks ago and saw that he was doing a short set in NYC tonight as part of The Gap's 40th Anniversary celebration. It was just Marc and a guitar, which was a cool way to hear him, since a lot of his songs have solid percussion and a few even have horns (which, please. I love brass instruments! Instant points). He only played a few songs but I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. He played "Saturday" with a sample of "A Lovely Day", which was cool, and he did "Real Good Thing" from his most recent album. His last two songs were the best, though. I'm a total sucker for songs that musicians write about missing their young children while they're on the road. Stephen Kellogg's "Father's Day" absolutely kills me, I can't listen to Peter Cetera's "Daddy's Girl" without crying and Marc has one song for his older son, "Gavin's Song", about staying strong for his mama while he's gone, a peppy and adorable one about his younger son "Gibby's Song" and one for his youngest child, "Evangeline Rose", about missing his baby girl, who's growing so fast and looking beautiful in her ribbons and bows. It's so gorgeous and so sweet and it was really nice to hear him play. After he finished the song, he told a goofy story about how since they've started calling her Evie, she refuses to be called Evangeline and he tells her "But that's your whole name! That's why I wrote a song called 'Evangeline Rose!'" Gah, I don't know why these kind of songs hit me so hard, but they do! And then he closed it out with "Home", which was really kick ass. Everyone there was clapping along and rocking out and helping with the harmony. It was really cool to get to see him, especially since I can't make his show later this year. I have a feeling I'll be sticking with this one though. He's a good one.

I say of, you say a, I say revolution and you say jah

The first time I heard Matt Nathanson's "Come On, Get Higher", I was standing on a stool at The Cutting Room. I remember my knees getting a little weak as he did his little hip wiggle thing and if the opportunity to make out with someone, anyone, had come up at that moment, I would have full on taken it. That's the kind of song it is.

Last night at Madison Square Garden, the size of the stage alone was probably about as big as the Cutting Room. If not that, at least the size of The Living Room, where I also saw Matt perform the song. This time, MSG was pretty much full to the rafters with people, the majority of whom were singing along. Now, I love intimate concerts. I love being close to the stage or in a small room full of people who really know the music. However, it is beyond fucking cool to be in an ARENA and see someone you've only seen in fairly small venues rock that joint and have SO many people be into it. The best thing about it is that he's still Matt. Sure, the set is shorter and a little more geared to an audience who may not know him as well. But he's still that hilarious guy that starts out PG-13 (ICE CREAM!) and quickly turns R ("I want to be there while you're having sex tonight. Even if you're having sex with yourself. I want to be there.") who also has amazing songs. He started with "To the Beat of Our Noises Hearts", played "Princess" complete with full-on "Jessie's Girl" sing-a-long, "Still", "Wedding Dress", "Car Crash" with a little bit of Prince thrown in and of course, the hit single. The reaction, it was amazing. He had them all. He's like the king of openers, he's everything that I personally love in an opening act, so it's no surprise that he's opened for a gazillion different people (five this year alone). Now, sir, it's time to headline your own damn tour again. He's amazing.

And O.A.R. The first time I ever heard "Crazy Game of Poker", I was 18 and had just moved into college. My roommate and I lived next to two girls on the swim team and they would blast the song daily. We loved it every time they did. We'd always sing along. It wasn't for awhile before I found out who sang it and started to become a fan. I saw them live for the first time in 2006 and had a great time and really started getting into them around then. They're just SO fun, especially live. It's weird, I don't always have a whole lot of patience for long songs and it surprises even me how into their jam songs I am, but I just love them. They go and on and build and are just so kickass! And there's saxophone! They have such great grooves and hooks and sort of manage to be relaxing and energizing at the same time. It was awesome being toward the side of the stage last night and being able to see everyone rocking out. Marc was a bit overwhelmed by the size/excitement of the crowd and I always think it's cool when the band is kind of like "holy shit, we have THIS many fans?" Awesome.

Setlist:
1. About Mr. Brown
2. About An Hour Ago
3. Untitled
4. Conquering Fools
5. Something Coming Over
6. I Feel Home
7. Love And Memories
8. What Is Mine
9. On My Way
10. Shattered (Turn The Car Around)
11. Black Rock
12. City On Down
13. Lay Down
14. War Song
15. Whose Chariot?
Encore:
16. Fool In The Rain
17. This Town
18. That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker
19. With A Little Help From My Friends

I was super excited about "About an Hour Ago", "Conquering Fools" and "City on Down". I'm more a fan of their older stuff, though I'm getting into the new stuff too, and those songs are particularly awesome and faves of mine. Loved "Something Coming Over", "I Feel Home" was really cool because it was just Marc solo and yet he managed to have the attention of the whole audience, "Love and Memories" is a great song and one of their first more mainstream tunes, I've come to accept "Shattered" way more than I had at first (it's just SO different from their old sound), "Lay Down" is awesome and there was a kickass drum contest in the middle that I couldn't tear my eyes away from, "War Song" was intense with a really strong bass sax line and "Whose Chariot?" was a great closer, especially since Jerry the sax player relocated to the back of the arena, which caused pretty much everyone to flip out. And the encore! Robert Randolph came out to join the guys on a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Fool in the Rain" and is there a song with a deeper groove? Don't think so. "Poker" was epic, as it always should be, I think it clocked in around 12 minutes. That's the song that essentially everyone knows and it was just so awesome to hear everyone just screaming along as confetti guns sprayed playing cards and spade and clubs shaped confetti (not even kidding). And then holy crap. Ok, so the Woodstock reunion is now, essentially, and to celebrate, Marc called out Robert Randolph again, the DJ who mixed on "This Town" and Matt. The first second of organ, I knew what it was because Joe Cocker's cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends", especially the version from Woodstock is one of my favorite things ever in the world. And this was absolutely KICK. ASS. Marc took the first verse, Matt took the second and actually did the Cocker wail while falling to his knees, I seriously almost lost it. SO awesome.

I love Matt Nathanson and I love O.A.R. Period. I have seen Matt in eight venues now and I will continue to see him any chance I get. O.A.R. is also now on this list. They put on an amazing show, I didn't stop moving the entire time and I love their sound. And both know and appreciate where they came from, how they built up to be where they are now and that is one of my favorite things about them. Awesome guys, awesome music, awesome shows. Holy crap, I love concerts.

music's in my soul, I can feel it every day, every night, it's the one thing on my mind

I am not going to pretend that my first impression of the Jonas Brothers wasn’t less than stellar. I distinctly recall saying something like “Is this them? I am not impressed.” This was a little more than a year ago. Since then, I have obtained all of their albums. I own Camp Rock, starring Joe Jonas and featuring Nick and Kevin. I saw The Jonas Brothers 3D Experience in the theater. Twice. I willingly admit my apprehension to liking them was because I thought that I shouldn’t. Clearly, once I let myself, I realized that I kind of loved them. I masked it as a bit of a joke at first. Then I just embraced it. I love them. A lot.

So last night, we ventured out to Nassau Coliseum to see them in concert! We got there pretty early and hung around outside amidst many homemade Jonas t-shirts, shorts, socks and every other type of attire. I love seeing this kind of dedication, not even joking. Not to the point of participating to that level (though, ok, I did put on the shirt I purchased) but just the effort and how much fun everyone must have planning their outfits and making everything so that everyone knows how much they love the Jonas Brothers. I don’t know if it’s because there’s a little part of me that’s like that without the clothing or if it’s because I never really acted that way when I was that age or if just because I have that kind of appreciation for fan communities, even when they’re crazy, but I love it. I find it fascinating and fabulous! While waiting to get in, the guys of one of the opening acts, Honor Society, wandered by. People were not caring nearly as much as I thought they should, so I enthusiastically said “Hi!” as they passed and got an equally enthusiastic smile and greeting in return from one of them! Awww.

The opening acts were all pretty fun. Honor Society had a few catchy tunes, this weird girl group came out and sang a song that had about three words and then Jordin Sparks! Who kicks ass and takes names! Really loved getting to see her, all sassy and strutting around in heels and a glittering outfit. That girl can sing!

Then the lights went down and the glowsticks started waving and the screaming persisted for a very long time as "We Will Rock You" played and then there they were! Highlights:
- I love when Kevin spins and spins and spins like a top!
- Joe was on our edge of the catwalk, started sprinting up the ramp, over the stairs and leapt onto the piano. Amazing.
- Since Joe doesn't play any instruments, he spends a lot of time dancing with the other band members. Pretty hilariously, too. Sometimes, they act out skits.
- A bit into the set, Nick was left alone at a white grand piano. He started playing “Black Keys” for a bit, then went into “A Little Bit Longer”. After a verse or so, he stops playing and starts talking about how a few years ago, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, ending with something that I found dramatic, amusing, inspirational and amazing all at the same time. He started listing all of his accomplishments since being diagnosed. He then just started screaming, “Did I let it slow me down?” The crowd cheers and he screams “Did I LET it SLOW me DOWN?!” It was so amazing and I may or may not have reenacted various versions of it along the ride home. While Nick’s preacher voice makes me laugh, I truly think it’s wonderful that kids with diabetes have someone like Nick to look up to. It can’t be easy having to adjust your life around a disease like that at such a young age and knowing that Nick went through it and is still dealing with it but is living the crazy and exciting life he leads must really be a great thig for these kids to see. He is the new Stacey McGill, only far cooler. And an actual person.
- Kevin played piano! Such pure genuine joy this brought me!
- They sang the song from Camp Rock while rising into the air on a pedestal that eventually stopped about 30 feet in the air? I was afraid they'd fall off, especially since they had some extra band members up there! "I gotta fiiiind you!"
- They sang "Sweet Caroline" so that the parents could show they are into it too. Unfortunately, there were children that were young enough to be my kids, so I took that as a sign to go to town with this one as well. Even if it's the Red Sox song.
- We were dancing around in our seats and occasionally the 8 year old next to us with her own sidekick would stare like we had two heads. Old people like Jonas too, okay?!
- Live to party, bust your move!
- Kevin and Joe hosed down the entire right side of the audience with a massive fire hose. While Nick nonchalantly sat on stage playing drums.
- During "Love Bug", it started "raining" on our side of the stage. Eventually, I noticed that there were somehow shapes in the rain. Little hearts, the words "love bug", and then the silouettes of the Jonas Brothers! How? I do not know. Magic.
- Jordin came back out at the end of their set and sang her new hit single "Battlefield" with Joe, Kevin and Nick and it was ridiculously awesome. "Better go get your armor! GET YOUR ARMOR! Get your armor!" Also, she lovingly caressed Joe's face.
- I won't lie, I got a little sad at the end when they were bowing to the instrumental from "When You Look Me in the Eyes".

It really was a great set! I was kind of surprised at how mixed it was, I was expecting primarily stuff from the new album with just a few others thrown in, but they got a lot of the faves from the past two albums in there too! There was "Paranoid" and "Poison Ivy" and "Much Better" and "World War III", but there was also "BB Good" and "Tonight" and "S.O.S." and "Burnin' Up" and "Hold On" and "That's Just the Way We Roll". They are so energetic and put on such a great show. I got tired just watching them! And while it might be a little odd to love a group who's primary audience is young girls, they really do have some legit good music and they're super fun and what the hell, I'm a teenybopper at heart. I'm so glad we went!

MJ

The death of Michael Jackson is one of those things that just makes you think. Take this person out of the world and where would we be? How many singers, performers and entertainers would not exist without the influence of this man? How many peoples lives were shaped and helped because of his talent and music?

I have specific memories attached to much of his music, though I was only a casual fan. "Man in the Mirror" is one of my favorite songs, to this day. He was a fabulous performer and created some amazing and timeless music. But most of all, he was huge. He was a presence. They don't make them like this anymore. His music will live on, but he will be missed.

lightning strikes. maybe once, maybe twice. and it lights up the night.

About three songs into last night, I'm staring up at the person towering over me. I notice after a few seconds that he's looking directly at me and I keep my gaze on him as he keeps playing, ever slightly moving forward. Then I realize my fingers have found their way onto the stage, only a few inches from his boots. I let out an exaggerated "oops!" and a second later, the booted foot is pounding the carpet where my fingers were just innocently resting.

In a lot of ways, that sums up the evening. I've gone on about what it's like to see a favorite band quite a few times in here. I'm starting to think that that feeling is always going to be there. There are certain things that just don't lose their awesomeness and being within an arms reach of Lindsey Buckingham might be the top of that list for me.

When I got to MSG, I went to the seat I purchased on the floor. Within minutes, I realized that there were people mingling around the front of the stage. I did not want to push my luck, but figured if they were standing around up there, I could at least go check it out. I went up there, casually parked myself just to the right of Lindsey's microphone, in between his monitor and the speaker. I assumed eventually someone would come and tell me I couldn't stay there, but no one ever did. So there I stayed. For the majority of the evening, he was right there, just to the left. From time to time, when he didn't need to sing for awhile, he'd swoop into that spot between the monitor and the speaker, fingers flying over guitar strings. The spot right in front of my face. I'm not sure it can get much better than that.

Due to the monitor, I could barely see Stevie, but I was okay with that. I adore her but not to the level I do him and I was able to stretch back and make sure to catch my favorite moments. She looked gorgeous and sounded absolutely fabulous, especially on "Gypsy" and "Gold Dust Woman", which was so intense. Lindsey is kind of a ham during her songs too, which was a bit too entertaining (I really should be trying to watch HER during her songs, no?) During "Stand Back" he was just dancing around, mouthing the words, interacting with us like he was just another Stevie Nicks fan, only he happened to be on stage and playing guitar. Watching him zone out and just play on the less complicated songs, seeing what second nature it is for him, was pretty cool. And of course, having the moments of amazingness where it was just him and the guitar were totally awesome. "Big Love", "Never Going Back Again", "Oh Well", I could watch him play those for days. An extra perk to the spot was that Mick was directly in my line of vision, so I had a few chances to just focus on him going at it and there's nothing like watching an amazing, kickass drummer let loose. His crazy faces never fail to amuse/terrify me!

The last song of the show was "Silver Springs" and as it wound down, Stevie sounding fabulous, both of them in that state the history of the song and their relationship puts them in, I found myself totally transported. There's nothing like being in the moment with your favorite people, creating right in front of you. It's amazing, it's awesome, it's thrilling and I don't think it can ever get old.

what you've got to realize, what we're doin' is not a trend

Lately, I have really been embracing the fact that pop music makes me happy. Those who know me know that I really love the separate entities of music. Good lyrics, impressive guitar work, solid bass and drum lines. Basically, I love the parts as much as I love the whole. With pop though, it's all about the catchiness, the simplicity, being able to get away from overthinking and just giving yourself over to the fun of it. I am a firm believer that a song doesn't need to be all that well-crafted to be fun, in fact, sometimes it's more fun when it's NOT that good. Sometimes all it needs is a hook and some not-too-deep lyrics, but, of course, I also appreciate the fun, catchy songs that do have a little more than meets the eye as well. Basically, if it makes me want to roll down the windows and blare it and sing along, it's good.

My friend and I went to see Jonas Brothers 3D on Friday. I think when I first heard this was happening, I wanted to go to laugh at it. My place with the Jonas Brothers is a little weird, mostly because I think I am too old to like them as much as I do. I actually put off listening to them because I was afraid I would like them and then would have to figure out what to do with that like. I finally did it anyway and from the first day I was familiar with them, I could not begrudge them. Say what you want about their voices, their image, their corporate Disneyfication, they are three guys who write their own songs, play some of their own instruments and put on a damn good show. I started to love certain songs of theirs because listening to them made me happy. I spent so much of the actual age of boybands listening to Fleetwood Mac and REM, but I also spent an awful lot of time listening to Middle of Nowhere and N'Sync and it would be a lie if I said that I didn't buy Millenium the day it came out and even have a Backstreet Boys poster up in my room for a short time. That little bit of pop fan that lived in me when I actually was 15 is still a part of that 15 year old that refuses to exit my system and can't deny the Jonas Brothers.

And yet I still went to this movie with the mindset that I was only going because I was curious. Like, oh my God, this movie exists and I can go and pretend I love them and dance around to all the songs that I happen to know because I only like them ironically. It only took a few minutes for me to realize that I may actually legitimately love them. I think it was around the third laugh at Kevin Jonas. The first two were closer to the camp of ""OMG KEVIN JONAAAAS!" because he was being hardcore dork and I was like, seriously, what are you doing? Then they just started to be closer to "OMG KEVIN JONAAAAAS" because he was being hardcore dork and I was like, omg, I love you, the pop world needs more of you, marry me. Then Joe and Nick started doing back flips and when they pounded drums, water came flying up into our 3D glasses-wearing faces and then I almost got hit in the head with Nick's drum stick and I reached out to touch Joe's hand and Kevin spun around four times fast while still playing guitar chords and I kept realizing what a freaking frontman Joe is (and how he can sing better than I thought) and then they all stood around in Central Park and Nick played a white piano and Joe wore a red bowtie and pigeons flew at me and I think that's when I declared that I was having the most amazing experience I'd ever had in a movie theater. Totally cheesy, I'm going to act like I'm twelve years younger than I am, fun.

What's really great about a movie that takes place at a concert is that because you kind of want it to be an actual concert, it starts to become one a little bit. We'd clap along when Kevin told us to, sing when they pointed the mic in our faces, cheer when the best songs started up and cheer some more when they ended. By the end, there were even a few people who would stand up and dance for a few seconds before sitting back down. I can see this thing becoming a little out of hand as far as the participation goes, yet if it does, I'd want to be there for it! My favorite was when one little girl in the front stood up to touch Joe, as if he was really right there, prompting all these people to yell "sit. DOWN!" Amazing.

And I mean, there is a reason why these guys have the devotion of the amount of people that they do. People put down pop acts because of a lack of depth or musicianship but that's not what it is about. These are performers. If you're lucky, they happen to write their own music or play an instrument and be more than just a pretty face. Sometimes they dance and harmonize, sometimes they play their own guitar parts, sometimes they really do just run around the stage looking good and getting people psyched up, but they put on massive, entertaining shows. It's funny too because I've seen fans of classic rock acting like this concept of people who have limited writing/playing experience and mostly just sing and perform is purely generational and this wave of it is so baffling. This genre of music has existed for a long time, maybe not as corporately pushed as it is now, but the quality and style of music is nothing new. Leif Garrett, the Bay City Rollers, David Cassidy and the like all existed at the same time what we now consider classic rock was being created. Tiger Beat was launched in the 60s and it's main purpose was to give teenage girls/fans more info on their idols. So the concept has been kicking around for awhile. And really, if the worst thing a 12 year old girl is doing is finding singing/songwriting/purity-ring wearing Nick Jonas to be the best thing since sliced bread, well, that's better than a LOT of other things.

If only my weekend of pop music ended there, but no. I went to a friend's for the weekend and we ended up watching N'Sync's PopOdyssey in its entirety, which just furthered my love for the genre and proved even more so how powerful it can be. I mean, these guys knew how to put on a SHOW. By this point in their career, it was bordering on ridiculous, with the set changes and the costumes and props (and mechanical bulls?), but even aside from all of that, they do not stop the entire time. Just running around, full out dancing, singing and sounding great. That moment where Justin falls to his knees during "Gone" is one of my favorite moments in entertainment history. It's just a world of its own. A world that I am happy to visit from time to time.

While I'm on the topic, if you like insanely catchy pop songs, check out Tinted Windows' "Kind of a Girl". It took me a few listens to decide how I felt about this song but I have settled in with "Holy crap, this is a catchy song!" and I've even started my usual deconstruction ("this guitar solo is so crunchy!") But at the end of the day, a catchy, fun pop song and I'm digging it!

bye-bye virgin

I can't even begin to say how depressed I am about the Virgin Megastore in Times Square closing.

It's been awhile since the news was released but the liquidation "sale" (I put that in quotes because everything is 20% the list price, which is actually more than a lot of stuff usually is!) started this week. Just the whole "Going out of Business!", "Everything Must Go!" aspect of it all is really sad! I've gotten so much stuff in that store, killed so much time in that store. I've run there on lunch breaks to pick up CDs on the day they were released, I've gone there before shows to browse, I've checked certain sections so many times in hopes of random stuff being there and succeeded. I've gotten attached to having a place to go to buy a CD or a book or DVD. With this Virgin closing and the one in Union Square not far behind, there's hardly anywhere to do that anymore. It's not even that I actually purchase a whole lot there anymore, which says a lot as to why it's closing because I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I like that it is THERE. It's my first big NYC institution that is closing!

I went to the Union Square one this afternoon, just to browse and ended up getting a Cheap Trick CD for $5 and Tales of the Beadle Bard for $10 (I'm so behind on that!). Then I decided to go to Times Square just to see what the sale was doing and ended up buying Season 6 of ER for 20% off, which was actually a good deal since I've never seen those discounted before. That's my favorite season! Seeing Carter this week made me want to watch him in all his glory. I was just going to add "His NON-DYING glory" and then realized that Carter actually spends some of Season 6 trying not to die too, so that doesn't even work!

But it is sad. I do not want it to go away!

hi, i love this band

So, I have liked Kings of Leon for awhile now, thanks to a friend recommending them to me not too long after their most recent album came out. I think she said something along the lines of "they actually make real rock music and it's good" or something along those lines and so I gave them a shot. Ever since seeing them live last week, I've been even more into them, as I tend to do. You've all met me. Anyway, I decided they should be introduced properly, for they are awesome (and, this just in, GRAMMY-WINNING!)

This is them, from the Grammy Red Carpet tonight!


L to R:
- Caleb Followill, 26, lead singer/rhythm guitarist. If you've heard any of their songs without knowing it, he is the one who thinks your sex is on fire. He also wants to use somebody. He has a voice that is like a mix of all the most amazing things in the world of music. It's all rugged and raw and so freaking sexy. Also, he's hot.
- Nathan Followill, 29, drummer. I love drummers, as a fact of life, but Nathan earns his love. In some great combination of his talent and the mix of their albums, his drum lines are so present and vivid and pounding in every song and it makes them even more addicting. I was also able to get myself an okay view of him when I saw them live and he was just awesome to watch. I think he has like, three floor toms, amazing. Also, despite being the opposite of most things I find attractive in men, he's hot.
- Matthew Followill, 24, lead guitar. Matthew looks 15 and for that alone, I love him. It kind of makes him stand out among the three brothers (he's their cousin). Oh, also, he plays some pretty awesome guitar. Never too overwhelming or show-offy, just well-placed and usually quite exciting.
- Jared Followill, 22, bass. Like Nathan's drums, Jared's bass lines are so present in each song, so much a part of what makes each song work so well and makes them so addicting. Really, really awesome stuff, he does.

Liking this band has been pretty fun for me. First of all, they possess a lot of classic rock-like qualities that I have always loved but have not been able to find in many bands of my own generation. They are music. They are solid guitars and drums and bass and vocals and words and they create an amazing sound. I tend to love bands of brothers (seriously, four of my favorite bands are comprised of brothers/family) and I think part of that is because I love the quality of music that comes from people who have literally been doing this together their entire lives. That quality can't be created out of nothing. I love the tightness of the sound, the creation that's allowed and the dynamics of the band that comes from that kind of circumstance. It's also fun to love a band that's just hitting big as we speak. I was at their first sold-out arena show in this country, despite the fact that they've been putting out albums for six years. They are huge in the UK and Australia for years, but they are just now hitting here and it's exciting to watch happen, even if there's that every present missing of the boat feeling that I always have. It would have been cool to be into them prior to this, but to be honest, I'm not sure I would have loved them as much if I hadn't heard Only by the Night first. I love the earlier stuff now but it helps that I know what it led to and what it led to is more my style. And now, they're winning Grammy's and announcing spring stadium tours and people are bitching that they've changed from that down home southern band from Tennessee, but hot damn, they're amazing all around, now and then, and I'm really excited to like them so much! They are kickass, for real.

For a nice taste of the band, watch these!
Sex on Fire
Use Somebody
Fans
Notion