Remembering the Encores

You know how when you get a hangnail, it's irritating but if you leave it alone, it's not too bad?  But, when you start to push the little piece of skin back and forth, it hurts?  And if you take your opposite thumbnail and push it into the hangnail, then it really really hurts?  Or, if you have a canker sore, it's really not that bad if you leave it alone, but when you start pushing your tongue into it or chewing on it, then it really hurts? I always push my thumbnail into the hangnail.  I always chew on my canker sores.  I don't know why. I think you can do the same thing with emotions.  There are some things that you feel that, if you ignore them, they aren't that bad.  But if you poke at them, you can make them hurt like hell.  Some people poke at that rawness by looking at pictures or putting on that one shirt you still have squirreled away that you won't admit you still have.  I poke at it with music (shocker). It's coming up on ...

Who: Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds When: July 6, 2010 Where: Constellation Performing Arts Center/ Canandaigua, NY With: Supposed to have been Steph but she wasn't feeling well, so it was just me Of Note: such a convenient concert experience! Dave & Tim announced a mini tour for mid-summer 2010 and had a date in Canandaigua. This was exciting news...and I managed to get tickets. I was supposed to go with Steph, but she backed out pretty last minute. I had worked from the Rochester office that day so I couldn't drag anyone from Buffalo. I sold the extra ticket on my way in to the concert, so it was no big deal. As I've gotten older, I've come to value convenience as an attribute of a successful live music experience. I'm not quite as mellow about traffic, drunk idiots, long lines, gross bathrooms, etc. as I was when I was younger. In addition to seeing Dave & Tim (Squee!), this was one of the most convenient concert going experiences ever. ...

Who: The Temper Trap with Oberhoffer  When: March 25, 2012  Where: Phoenix Concert Theater/ Toronto, ON With: just me Of Note: the most perfect falsetto ever, very convenient parking  I always feel like such a rock star when I find good parking near concert venues.  (This is how I know I'm getting old.)  I found free, on-street parking a block from the venue.  I knew it was going to be a good night. (Despite the fact that I hadn't slept more than 4 hours the night before.) (And had gotten up and wrecked a step class, mostly on adrenaline and bubblegum that morning.) (Because sometimes I like to pretend that I'm still 22 though I'm clearly not.) (I did nap in the afternoon though.)  I got to the Phoenix right around 8:30, just in time for the second opening act, Oberhofer.  I really liked that the lead singer beat-boxed through their sound check.  He had an incredible white boy 'fro.  They had a solid alt rock-ish sound. ...

Who: John Mayer with Train  When: August 10, 2010 Where: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center/ Darien Center, NY  With: Becky  Of Note: John commenting on signs, me screaming myself hoarse  So, my love for John Mayer is well-documented.  This night, during the summer of 2010 was particularly magical.  Touring to support his most recent release, 'Battle Studies', Mayer was in peak form- tearing through an awesome set list, making use of a fantastic screen behind the stage set up, and ending the set with one of my top five live music moments ever.  A perfect day of Darien Lake tailgating goes without saying. Train opened the show, just on the brink of their 'Hey Soul Sister' comeback madness.  I was struck by just how hard lead singer Pat Monihan worked for the crowd's affection.  He was strutting and preening and singing - going so far as to don a white t-shirt and tell the crowd, "We're going to get married!"  Then, he made a...

Who: David Wax Museum When: February 28, 2012 Where: Ninth Ward/ Buffalo, NY  With: Katie Of Note: Happy Birthday to Me!  Neil sent me an email at the beginning of February that said, "This is the birthday show," and told me that a band he liked was in the BUF on my actual birthday, if I didn't have any plans.  Since I had multiple parties before and a trip to Europe after my actual day of birth, I thought this was a great plan for that night.  Since it was at a new favorite intimate venue, Ninth Ward, and it was only $12 (roughly?), Katie consented to join me.  Other than a quick Google search that told me the band had won several folk and Americana awards in New England, I knew absolutely nothing going in.   The band's three members - David Wax, Suz Slezak, and Gilbert Glassman - took the stage and dove right in.  All three members were multi-instrumentalists, playing everything from guitars to mini guitars to fiddle to a donkey jawbone...

Oh, sad, neglected blog. I promise that I have new concert content ready for next week!  In the meantime, here are a bunch of songs I've been obsessed with lately: 'Need Your Love' - The Temper Trap (not yet available on YouTube) The second leaked song from the Temper Trap's upcoming album is amazing and perfect in every way.  I have listened to it hundreds of times since it was released to SoundCloud. Dave Matthews Band- 'Granny'  A few weeks ago, we had some unseasonably warm weather - 80 degrees in Buffalo in March?  Nothing says summer to me quite like DMB.  I dusted off my Central Park box set, opened my sunroof and grooved to 'Granny' for a full week. Carly Rae Jepsen- 'Call Me Maybe' This song is actual, legitimate bubble-gum flavored crack cocaine. Gotye- 'I Feel Better' Right, so everyone in America is on the Gotye train (and anyone who wasn't before this week got a 1-2-3 punch from NBC & Fox...