I was excited for this one ... the Boss on the eve of my birthday. My wife and I had dinner at Etch beforehand (pretty good, though I'm not crazy about how they combine sweet and savory on everything - fruit on every dish, etc). We sat right next to Peter Frampton, which was kind of crazy.
We made it into the Bridgestone and were in the general admission, standing room floor section. We were close enough, but once the show started, there was no moving or going to get drinks, etc.
The Boss came out around 8 PM and launched into "High Hopes." On this tour, he has a large band including backup singers and a full horn section. I found it to be too much and a bit bombastic at times. Honestly, this show didn't do it for me all that much ... a bit hokey (lots of singing with children), 10 of 28 songs off the last few records (not my favorites), too much going on, songs that went on ... and on ... and on ("The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "41 Shots" stand out as ones that could've used some editing).
On the flip side, when he pared things down like he did on an absolutely killer "I'm On Fire," he sounded amazing. That's what I want from my Springsteen show ... pared down, downbeat. But I'm in the minority, as most people loved it and were thrilled, The Scene included.
Sadly, we left during the encore (during "Point Blank," a personal favorite - we were just dead tired and not feeling it), missing his first US performance of "Born in the USA" in 5 years. My wife and I were in the minority, but this just wasn't our show.
High Hopes
Badlands
No Surrender
Death to My Hometown
Hungry Heart
Spirit in the Night
Burning Love
Satisfaction
Atlantic City
Johnny 99
American Skin (41 Shots)
The Promised Land
Because the Night
I'm on Fire
Downbound Train
Shackled and Drawn
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Ghost of Tom Joad
The Rising
Land of Hope and Dreams
---
The Wall
Point Blank
Born in the U.S.A.
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Shout
Thunder Road (solo acoustic)
Friday, April 25, 2014
Superchunk, Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN - 04/11/2014
Whoa ... this show was amazing. We have been on a roll (Real Estate, Television, now friggin' Superchunk). This is a band that I first got into when I originally "got into" music as a young teen - 7 inch records, zines, the whole bit. They have always killed it live, and I've found that their newer stuff (especially 2010's Majesty Shredding) is as good as anything from their "golden era."
Well, they brought it all. My wife and I started the night at a wine tasting (always a nice way to start an evening) and then made it over to the show, meeting up with friends and getting ready for the rock. I hadn't jumped around at a show (as far as I can recall) since seeing Wolf Parade play "Shine a Light" a few years back; well, I jumped around a few times at this one. They sounded great, played a fantastic mix of tunes and seemed to have fun. Great crowd - into it but not crazy, full but not I-can't-breathe packed ... just perfecto ...
Photos and writeup from The Scene ...
Driveway to Driveway
FOH
Learned to Surf
Detroit Has a Skyline
Punch Me Harder
Void
Out of the Sun
Watery Hands
Crossed Wires
Low F
Animated Airplanes Over Germany
Mower
Me and You and Jackie Mitoo
Digging for Something
Slack Motherfucker
Precision Auto
---
Hyper Enough
Throwing Things
Well, they brought it all. My wife and I started the night at a wine tasting (always a nice way to start an evening) and then made it over to the show, meeting up with friends and getting ready for the rock. I hadn't jumped around at a show (as far as I can recall) since seeing Wolf Parade play "Shine a Light" a few years back; well, I jumped around a few times at this one. They sounded great, played a fantastic mix of tunes and seemed to have fun. Great crowd - into it but not crazy, full but not I-can't-breathe packed ... just perfecto ...
Photos and writeup from The Scene ...
Driveway to Driveway
FOH
Learned to Surf
Detroit Has a Skyline
Punch Me Harder
Void
Out of the Sun
Watery Hands
Crossed Wires
Low F
Animated Airplanes Over Germany
Mower
Me and You and Jackie Mitoo
Digging for Something
Slack Motherfucker
Precision Auto
---
Hyper Enough
Throwing Things
Television w/ Tristen, Exit/In, Nashville, TN - 03/31/2014
Of shows that I've been pumped to see, this has got to rank right up there - a band that made one of my favorite records in all of history playing an uber-historic club a couple of miles from my house. So what if they may be past their prime or not with their original guitarist? It's Television - godfathers of post punk. You can't miss a show like this.
This was a boys-only show for friends and me. We met up and headed over en masse to see Tristen getting started, totally solo and sounding quite good. After a brief intermission and with little fanfare, Television came out with fairly stark lighting and about a 5-minute noodle/tune up session. (They tune by ear, which is not something you see everyday.)
They launched into "1880 or So," and similar to the Real Estate show I'd seen 48 hours earlier, the sound was phenomenal: very clean with monstrous bottom end, perfect tones, just sick. Jimmy Rip's solo on that first tune was monstrous. The first 5 songs or so were just off the chart great and one of my best recent concert experiences. Toward the middle/end, things dragged a bit and got somewhat wonky. They came back together for "Marquee Moon," though that felt slightly perfunctory to me.
Hard to overstate how epic this show was. The Scene felt so, too (photos there); another good write-up here ...
Intro/Tuning
1880 Or So
Prove It
Elevation
Glory
Torn Curtain
Venus
Little Johnny Jewel
See No Evil
Persia
I'm Gonna Find You
Marquee Moon
---
Guiding Light
Psychotic Reaction
This was a boys-only show for friends and me. We met up and headed over en masse to see Tristen getting started, totally solo and sounding quite good. After a brief intermission and with little fanfare, Television came out with fairly stark lighting and about a 5-minute noodle/tune up session. (They tune by ear, which is not something you see everyday.)
They launched into "1880 or So," and similar to the Real Estate show I'd seen 48 hours earlier, the sound was phenomenal: very clean with monstrous bottom end, perfect tones, just sick. Jimmy Rip's solo on that first tune was monstrous. The first 5 songs or so were just off the chart great and one of my best recent concert experiences. Toward the middle/end, things dragged a bit and got somewhat wonky. They came back together for "Marquee Moon," though that felt slightly perfunctory to me.
Hard to overstate how epic this show was. The Scene felt so, too (photos there); another good write-up here ...
Intro/Tuning
1880 Or So
Prove It
Elevation
Glory
Torn Curtain
Venus
Little Johnny Jewel
See No Evil
Persia
I'm Gonna Find You
Marquee Moon
---
Guiding Light
Psychotic Reaction
Real Estate w/ Pure X, Exit/In, Nashville, TN - 03/29/2014
This was one of the first shows that I hit up with a large group of friends in a while. We all met up at our house and had some beers (and a very nice 2012 Migration Chardonnay - Split Rail Vineyard) before heading over the show.
Pure X were doing their very ambient, smooth thing when we came in. Pretty good, if not that memorable.
Real Estate then came out and were just flat out great. They sounded amazing - truly impressive how fleshed out and full the whole thing came off. They did most of the outstanding cuts from Days, though they didn't play "Out of Tune," which was a major bummer for me. No setlist on this one, so I'm not sure of the whole thing. They played almost all of the last record, which sounded great live. Even the vocals, which I was nervous about, sounded great.
Nice writeup from The Scene available with some photos ...
Pure X were doing their very ambient, smooth thing when we came in. Pretty good, if not that memorable.
Real Estate then came out and were just flat out great. They sounded amazing - truly impressive how fleshed out and full the whole thing came off. They did most of the outstanding cuts from Days, though they didn't play "Out of Tune," which was a major bummer for me. No setlist on this one, so I'm not sure of the whole thing. They played almost all of the last record, which sounded great live. Even the vocals, which I was nervous about, sounded great.
Nice writeup from The Scene available with some photos ...
Sunday, March 30, 2014
The French Laundry, 1/23/2014
My wife and I took a trip to San Francisco/Wine Country in January, joined by her parents, sister and brother-in-law on the Wine Country portion. It was highlighted by multiple activities (running the Golden Gate Bridge on a gorgeous, fogless day, visiting Muir Woods), visits to wineries/labels/brew pubs (Sojourn Cellars, Silver Oak, Schramsberg, Stags' Leap Wineries, Frog's Leap, Russian River Brewing, Mikkeller Bar), fantastic lodging (Argonaut Hotel, the Chauvet) and, especially and most importantly, food. There were multiple great experiences ... Boulevard, Tartine Bakery and Gary Danko in San Franciso, the Rutherford Grill and Mustards Grill in Napa, the Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma (where the smoked duck breast sandwich is possibly the greatest sandwich I have ever eaten in my life).
Nothing, though, could quite compare in terms of overall experience and sensory overload to the French Laundry. We have by now done a few Michelin rated, tasting menu-centered places and kind of get the gist of it. The French Laundry, though, has a reputation that surpasses even the other great restaurants we have tried.
In preparation, I had called 2 months to the date (11/23/2013) in advance to make a reservation. Right at 10 AM PST, I started dialing. I got through on my 70th attempt. They were very nice and polite and had seatings for 6 available at 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30. We went with 7:30 and e-mailed out the good news that we were even able to get a reservation at all.
We spent the day of 23rd tasting at Silver Oak and Frog's Leap. After freshening up, we headed to Yountville with some time to spare. The French Laundry is a very unassuming, two story cottage-style building in Yountville. We almost drove right past it, honestly. I dropped everyone off and drove off to park, as there's no parking lot or valet. It's very low key.
On entering, we were warmly greeted and taken upstairs to a table for six. Our server (who was impeccable) was very professional and, honestly, a bit off-puttingly formal at first. We were a bit nervous just being there, and he wasn't helping. We started the evening with a bottle of the Schramsberg Cuvee French Laundry Blanc de Blancs, and things loosed up nicely. He warmed up and really helped guide some decisions, including wine selection, as their wine list is a bit intimidating.
We had two menus from which to choose:
Nothing, though, could quite compare in terms of overall experience and sensory overload to the French Laundry. We have by now done a few Michelin rated, tasting menu-centered places and kind of get the gist of it. The French Laundry, though, has a reputation that surpasses even the other great restaurants we have tried.
In preparation, I had called 2 months to the date (11/23/2013) in advance to make a reservation. Right at 10 AM PST, I started dialing. I got through on my 70th attempt. They were very nice and polite and had seatings for 6 available at 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30. We went with 7:30 and e-mailed out the good news that we were even able to get a reservation at all.
We spent the day of 23rd tasting at Silver Oak and Frog's Leap. After freshening up, we headed to Yountville with some time to spare. The French Laundry is a very unassuming, two story cottage-style building in Yountville. We almost drove right past it, honestly. I dropped everyone off and drove off to park, as there's no parking lot or valet. It's very low key.
On entering, we were warmly greeted and taken upstairs to a table for six. Our server (who was impeccable) was very professional and, honestly, a bit off-puttingly formal at first. We were a bit nervous just being there, and he wasn't helping. We started the evening with a bottle of the Schramsberg Cuvee French Laundry Blanc de Blancs, and things loosed up nicely. He warmed up and really helped guide some decisions, including wine selection, as their wine list is a bit intimidating.
We had two menus from which to choose:
 |
| Meat Eater's version |
 |
| Veggie option |
My wife and mother-in-law went veggie; the rest of us went meat. It was a four hour affair, with unreal service and one dish after another. Unlike our visit to Alinea, which I photographed and noted in detail, I let this one wash over me. We enjoyed all this with a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir (Evesham Wood) and then a (reasonably priced) Bordeaux from the late 1990's. A few highlights below ...
 |
| "Oysters and Pearls" - Pearl tapioca with oysters and caviar |
 |
| "Carnaroli Risotto Biologico" - a risotto doused with freshly shaved black truffles - unreal |
 |
| Scallop |
 |
| "Candies" being offered to my sister- and mother-in-law |
I will add that the beef dish toward the end of the main lineup was the single best piece of meat I've ever tasted in my life. The whole thing was a knockout, worth every penny and all the effort to make it happen and simply unforgettable. It was not far out or crazy like Alinea, just superb and often almost simple or rustic.
A few other highlights from the trip ...
 |
| 7-miler to Golden Gate Bridge |
 |
| Restaurant Gary Danko |
 |
| Tartine Bakery |
 |
| Muir Woods |
 |
| Silver Oak |
 |
| Silver Oak |
 |
| Sunflower Caffe |
 |
| Stags' Leap Wineries |
 |
| Stags' Leap Wineries |
 |
| Stags' Leap Wineries |
 |
| Russian River Brewpub |
 |
| Schramsberg |
Fresh Start for 2014 ...
I've gotten way, way, way behind on keeping up with postings, and by now the memories may be a bit too faded to do the respective shows any justice. For the sake of posterity, the latter half of 2013 was rounded out with some good ones as well as some duds:
- 5/29/2013 - Steve Martin and Edie Brickell w/ the Steep Canyon Rangers, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN (super fun, great show)
- 6/13/2013 - She & Him, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN (very long, 32 songs, fun show)
- 6/15/2013 - The National w/ Local Natives, LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH (uptempo show, very fun)
- 8/25/2013 - Huey Lewis and the News, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN (went on a lark, had a blast)
- 9/5/2013 - Local Natives, Live on the Green, Nashville, TN (went w/ a bunch of friends, sat in the VIP area, very fun show, they played "Warning Sign")
- 9/8/2013 - The National, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN (downbeat show that never clicked for me, much different than the OH show in June, did not enjoy this one a whole lot)
- 9/15/2013 - Phosphorescent, 3rd & Lindsley, Nashville, TN (totally awesome, one of my top 3 shows of the year)
- 9/21/2013 - Renee Fleming, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN (once in a lifetime chance to see someone of her stature in this type of setting, unmiked, very cool experience)
- 10/4/2013 - Phoenix, Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN (not their best set we've seen, but always a good live show)
- 10/30/2013 - Noam Pilkeny and friends, 3rd & Lindsley, Nashville, TN (unreal bluegrass show with Bryan Sutton just killing it)
- 1/9/2014 - Alive Hospice benefit at the Bluebird - this was just cool and featured the main dudes from Better than Ezra (awesome), Spin Doctors (meh) and Sugarland (not my thing, but very talented) playing acoustic/in the round ... very cool
Alright, palate cleansed ... ready to get back on the horse for 2014 ...
Monday, December 30, 2013
The Steeldrivers, Station Inn, Nashville, TN - 05/10/2013
My wife and I took her parents to see the Steeldrivers and arrived at the Station Inn about 45 minutes before 9 PM. Already, we could scarcely find space, so those of us who could sit did while some of us stood up at the back. But they were great, and seeing shows at the Station Inn, while a bit of a pain in the neck in terms of needing to get there early, etc., is very special. They played a long, great set, and we stayed through the whole show. Worth checking out ...
The Men w/ Diarrhea Planet and Organs, The Stone Fox, Nashville, TN - 04/30/2013
My buddy and I headed over to the Stone Fox for this one (great venue) with high hopes. I really loved Open Your Heart and was excited to see the Men. Openers Diarrhea Planet were shockingly good and a lot of fun with a pretty full house for their set. The Men were very, um, intense, but it just wasn't a very "on" night. I also think that this is a show that I would have loved at a younger age but just wasn't up my alley. We left after about 6 songs, just not feeling it. And it was loud. Alas ...
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds w/ Sharon Van Etten, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN - 03/16/2013
Finally getting things updated before the end of the year. Ugh. So this was a winner, definitely top 2 or 3 shows that I saw this year. Sharon Van Etten was very stripped down, didn't do any older songs that I knew like "Peace Sign" or "A Crime," but sounded great.
But Nick Cave blew the doors off the place. No photos from this one. The Ryman was packed (this sold out in an hour or so), and people were losing their minds when he launched into "From Her to Eternity" and the other older stuff that came after. Certain songs were as good as you'd imagine ... "Red Right Hand," "The Mercy Seat," etc. Some of the new stuff really came off well, too. He's still got it ...
We No Who U R
Jubilee Street
Wide Lovely Eyes
Higgs Boson Blues
From Her to Eternity
Red Right Hand
Stranger Than Kindness
Jack the Ripper
Deanna
Your Funeral... My Trial
God Is in the House
The Weeping Song
The Mercy Seat
Stagger Lee
Encore:
Tupelo
Push the Sky Away
But Nick Cave blew the doors off the place. No photos from this one. The Ryman was packed (this sold out in an hour or so), and people were losing their minds when he launched into "From Her to Eternity" and the other older stuff that came after. Certain songs were as good as you'd imagine ... "Red Right Hand," "The Mercy Seat," etc. Some of the new stuff really came off well, too. He's still got it ...
We No Who U R
Jubilee Street
Wide Lovely Eyes
Higgs Boson Blues
From Her to Eternity
Red Right Hand
Stranger Than Kindness
Jack the Ripper
Deanna
Your Funeral... My Trial
God Is in the House
The Weeping Song
The Mercy Seat
Stagger Lee
Encore:
Tupelo
Push the Sky Away
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Trip to Germany, 03/2013
The wife and I spent two weeks traveling around Germany (Wuerzburg, Munich, Bamberg, Berlin and Frankfurt/Cologne) in the first half of March, 2013. It was pretty awesome. I'm going to try to put some pictures and random thoughts from that time up here rather than necessarily an exhaustive rundown of the trip, though it might turn into that if I'm not careful. Just getting the ball rolling here for now ...
Menomena, Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN - 02/23/2013
I had not seen Menomena since All Tomorrow's Parties a few years prior when they were still a three-piece. Some pals and I made a last minute decision of sorts to check this out. The expanded four-piece was a bit more rocking and certainly tighter. I really have not kept up with this band since their debut album, so I was really only familiar with "Muscle N' Flo" (which was pretty dang spot on) and "The Pelican" (which is great live). It was a fun time, and they sounded really great. Just not a band that I make a huge soul connection with.
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Exit/In, Nashville, TN - 01/26/2013
Some friends, the wife and I went to check out the JSBX, choosing it over Yo La Tengo as it had a higher potential for being pretty rocking. And rocking it was ... a lot of big hits, including "Bellbottoms," "Two Kindsa Love," and "Flavor" (with Judah Bauer doing Beck's rap toward the end). I saw the JSBX on the Orange tour back in 1995 or so at Rockafella's in Columbia, SC. That show was legendary. They've certainly aged a bit, though they can really bring it/channel it pretty dang well. Not life-altering, but a fun way to spend a Saturday night.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Trip to Chicago, IL - 01/18-20/2013
This is a food-related post, so prepare thyself. The wife and I (but mainly me) decided to take a quick weekend jaunt to Chicago for some good food and time away together. I had been dying to eat at Alinea for a while now, especially after we had taken a trip to Napa during which I was sick for the vast majority of the time. We barely made our flight out of Nashville but make it we did and were in the Windy City by Friday evening.
After getting squared away at the hotel and having a cocktail at Sable, we took the L up to Alinea, walking through a nondescript but modern exterior into a crazy anteroom with weird jungle sounds and pine trees with heavy pine fragrance. We found our way into the lobby, had our coats taken and were given the first course (hot chocolate) on the menu seen below:
Keep in mind, we were not given a menu until after the meal was over, so everything was a surprise, though I knew a few things that were certain to be coming out. The hot chocolate was kind of amazing, for what it's worth.
We were seated on the first floor near a front window which was fairly soundproofed and opted to go with the wine pairings (which are also listed on the menu). The next things that came out were large (bigger than a softball) ice chunks with a column cut down the center into which a reduction of spices were sitting. A clear straw with squash and other flavorings were then added, and one sucked the whole thing up in one big sip:
We were loving this by now and starting to go with the flow. We followed the "butternut" with the three seafood items (oyster leaf, sea urchin, lobster) served on a huge piece of actual driftwood - bonkers, but delicious:
I know I may end up missing a course or two, as it was kind of overwhelming at times, plus I didn't want to just be snapping photos nonstop during such an experience. The "otoro" was also very memorable, served in a fishbowl with a zesty lime-based addition:
A refreshing bite of halibut was brought out while rocks were flaming on the table for an as yet unknown reason:
The "maitake" was an amazing broth poured over hot rocks. I think I was pretty close to licking the bowl ... tough to explain or photograph, but exquisite to taste:
I did not get an actual photo of the "hot potato" dish, but it is an Alinea signature that has been photographed many times. It tastes more beautiful than it looks, if that's possible (photo from www.seductionmeals.com - yes, that's really the website's name):
The lamb dish (fish for the wife) was described by the waiter as a "choose your own adventure" course, and 84 different flavor combinations were placed in the middle of the table for mixing and matching with the meat/fish:
A pork dish (not sure what the wife's was ... maybe fish again?) was next and seemed almost superfluous after the adventure that had preceded it:
A palette cleansing ginger selection came next, which was fun and airy:
The desserts were amazing, possibly surpassing some of the magic that we had just enjoyed. First was the "carrot" dish, which was a combination of ice cream and honey with a warm tea in an inset fishbowl at the bottom of the serving platter:
Next was "balloon," a green apple, fruit roll-up type of thing filled with helium. It was kind of incredible and completely, including the string, edible:
Lastly was another Alinea signature, the "dark chocolate." They bring out a covering mat for the table:
Then they spoon out different toppings all over the mat and follow this with a coconut-sized ball of chocolate with all kinds of crazy fillings inside, which they mallet open on the table:
You eat it right off the table. It was the coolest. It was after midnight when we had finished our meal. We received our menus in a black envelope at the conclusion of the meal. They seemed pretty shocked that we declined a cab and took the L, but that's how we roll.
We started the next day with some very good food and excellent beers at Revolution Brewing, which I highly recommend for eating and drinking. Dinner was at the Publican, a Belgian-style beer and seafood mecca that was outstanding. I was able to try Three Floyds' Zombie Dust for the first time (nice!) and had an excellent seafood stew as well as a ham sampler that was outstanding:
We also saw them bringing out a seafood tower (though we certainly did not order quite this much goodness):
We capped Saturday night off with a performance of The Book of Mormon, which was hilarious and quite ribald.
Sunday included minimal running around, as we had to catch our flight home midday, but lo and behold, we got on the L (red line at Grant/State) and ran into the two leads from the night before, Nic Rouleau and Ben Platt. They were very gracious and let us grab a photo:
A trip (and a meal) worth documenting ...
After getting squared away at the hotel and having a cocktail at Sable, we took the L up to Alinea, walking through a nondescript but modern exterior into a crazy anteroom with weird jungle sounds and pine trees with heavy pine fragrance. We found our way into the lobby, had our coats taken and were given the first course (hot chocolate) on the menu seen below:
Keep in mind, we were not given a menu until after the meal was over, so everything was a surprise, though I knew a few things that were certain to be coming out. The hot chocolate was kind of amazing, for what it's worth.
We were seated on the first floor near a front window which was fairly soundproofed and opted to go with the wine pairings (which are also listed on the menu). The next things that came out were large (bigger than a softball) ice chunks with a column cut down the center into which a reduction of spices were sitting. A clear straw with squash and other flavorings were then added, and one sucked the whole thing up in one big sip:
We were loving this by now and starting to go with the flow. We followed the "butternut" with the three seafood items (oyster leaf, sea urchin, lobster) served on a huge piece of actual driftwood - bonkers, but delicious:
I know I may end up missing a course or two, as it was kind of overwhelming at times, plus I didn't want to just be snapping photos nonstop during such an experience. The "otoro" was also very memorable, served in a fishbowl with a zesty lime-based addition:
A refreshing bite of halibut was brought out while rocks were flaming on the table for an as yet unknown reason:
The "maitake" was an amazing broth poured over hot rocks. I think I was pretty close to licking the bowl ... tough to explain or photograph, but exquisite to taste:
I did not get an actual photo of the "hot potato" dish, but it is an Alinea signature that has been photographed many times. It tastes more beautiful than it looks, if that's possible (photo from www.seductionmeals.com - yes, that's really the website's name):
The lamb dish (fish for the wife) was described by the waiter as a "choose your own adventure" course, and 84 different flavor combinations were placed in the middle of the table for mixing and matching with the meat/fish:
A pork dish (not sure what the wife's was ... maybe fish again?) was next and seemed almost superfluous after the adventure that had preceded it:
A palette cleansing ginger selection came next, which was fun and airy:
The desserts were amazing, possibly surpassing some of the magic that we had just enjoyed. First was the "carrot" dish, which was a combination of ice cream and honey with a warm tea in an inset fishbowl at the bottom of the serving platter:
Next was "balloon," a green apple, fruit roll-up type of thing filled with helium. It was kind of incredible and completely, including the string, edible:
Lastly was another Alinea signature, the "dark chocolate." They bring out a covering mat for the table:
Then they spoon out different toppings all over the mat and follow this with a coconut-sized ball of chocolate with all kinds of crazy fillings inside, which they mallet open on the table:
You eat it right off the table. It was the coolest. It was after midnight when we had finished our meal. We received our menus in a black envelope at the conclusion of the meal. They seemed pretty shocked that we declined a cab and took the L, but that's how we roll.
We started the next day with some very good food and excellent beers at Revolution Brewing, which I highly recommend for eating and drinking. Dinner was at the Publican, a Belgian-style beer and seafood mecca that was outstanding. I was able to try Three Floyds' Zombie Dust for the first time (nice!) and had an excellent seafood stew as well as a ham sampler that was outstanding:
We also saw them bringing out a seafood tower (though we certainly did not order quite this much goodness):
We capped Saturday night off with a performance of The Book of Mormon, which was hilarious and quite ribald.
Sunday included minimal running around, as we had to catch our flight home midday, but lo and behold, we got on the L (red line at Grant/State) and ran into the two leads from the night before, Nic Rouleau and Ben Platt. They were very gracious and let us grab a photo:
A trip (and a meal) worth documenting ...
The Del McCoury Band w/ Keller Williams, Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN - 12/31/2012
I don't have a ton to say about this one but am including it for the sake of completeness. The wife and I decided to do something different for New Year's and had been wanting to see Del McCoury for some time. We arrived fairly early and quickly noticed the strange generational split between older, long time fans, most of whom were in the seated section of the club on the left, and the younger, hippy-vibe fans who were standing on the right. Not totally what I expected.
Keller Williams came out and did his thing, opening with a song of his that I actually know ("Breathe") and doing some cool Dead covers including "Cumberland Blues" and "Bird Song." The latent Deadhead in me loved it.
Then the full Del McCoury Band came out and just tore it up. It was pretty non-stop but, being as it was a long set, kind of loose by bluegrass standards with a lot of request taking and things of that nature. The sound wasn't that great, which can be such a killer at a bluegrass show. We were probably there for almost 3 hours and then decided to head home before the show was over, mainly because we are old and can't hang anymore. Fun time ...
Keller Williams came out and did his thing, opening with a song of his that I actually know ("Breathe") and doing some cool Dead covers including "Cumberland Blues" and "Bird Song." The latent Deadhead in me loved it.
Then the full Del McCoury Band came out and just tore it up. It was pretty non-stop but, being as it was a long set, kind of loose by bluegrass standards with a lot of request taking and things of that nature. The sound wasn't that great, which can be such a killer at a bluegrass show. We were probably there for almost 3 hours and then decided to head home before the show was over, mainly because we are old and can't hang anymore. Fun time ...
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Tomahawk, Exit/In, Nashville, TN - 10/27/2012
Not a lot to say about this show, as I'm not super familiar with the band. I am super familiar with Duane Denison, though, so that and the fact that this was the first Tomahawk show in 9 years got me here in the first place. A buddy and I made our way in to a pretty darn packed Exit/In with a ton of Mike Patton super fans and fairly well enjoyed a tight set from the band. I couldn't name one song they played but, similar to the Melvins earlier this year, enjoyed the onslaught and seeing Patton live. Pretty amazing performers.
The Walkmen w/ Woods, Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN - 09/27/2012
Then came the titans of good music themselves, the Walkmen. They age like a fine wine and just continue to impress. It was a typically great show with some truly noteworthy moments (like the encore).
The Love You Love
Heartbreaker
Blue As Your Blood
I Lost You
On The Water
In The New Year
Line By Line
Seven Years Of Holidays
Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone
Angela Surf City
Love Is Luck
All Hands & the Cook
Juveniles
We Can't Be Beat
Heaven
Encore:
138th Street
Wake Up
While I Shovel The Snow
We've Been Had
Built to Spill, Exit/In, Nashville, TN - 09/14/2012
It's hard to overstate my love for this era of indie rock. I'm a nostalgist, and judging by the list of shows I've seen in 2012, that's pretty obvious. That being said, few bands have had the crazy awesome output of the 1990's as Built to Spill, and the level at which their music holds up is hard to contradict.
Some pals and I met up for drinks at the Corner Bar and then made our way in for the show. As usual, the band just kind of sauntered out, tuned up, and launched right into a fairly insane set (note that, again, I missed "Time Trap," which I'm apparently destined to never hear live):
Some pals and I met up for drinks at the Corner Bar and then made our way in for the show. As usual, the band just kind of sauntered out, tuned up, and launched right into a fairly insane set (note that, again, I missed "Time Trap," which I'm apparently destined to never hear live):
Traces
In the Morning
The Plan
Made Up Dreams
Velvet Waltz
????
Reasons
Sidewalk
Nowhere Nothin' Fuckup
Car
????
In Your Mind
Carry the Zero
Encore:
Crimson and Clover (Tommy James & The Shondells cover)
????
Virginia Reel Around the Fountain
I'll simply say that Made Up Dreams -> Velvet Waltz was sublime; that as much as I love it, I could go the rest of my life not hearing them play "Car" live again; and that "Carry the Zero" live is beyond awesome. The main set was so good that the encore was truly a bit of a letdown, I think. A sloppy version of "Crimson and Clover" rather than "Untrustable" or "Going Against Yr Mind"? Just weird. But moments of this show were simply towering ...
Guided by Voices w/ Turbo Fruits, Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN - 07/26/2012
Oh, GBV ... much like the last time I saw them on their reunion tour (which has become never-ending, I guess), the magic just wasn't there like before. My wife, her sister, her sister's husband and I had a pre-show dinner at City House (awesome) and headed over to this show. The venue easily holds 1,000 folks, and it felt eerily empty for this show, which was sad. We missed the openers, had a couple drinks, and then out came Bob and the boys.
They proceeded to play a set leaning heavily toward their newer material (which I admittedly don't know at all) and sounded quite sloppy, which was once a virtue but now just felt, well, off. I'm clearly yearning for something that can't be replicated (like seeing them on the Alien Lanes tour in 1995 and having my teenage mind blown). We left after about an hour and a few nuggets (notably "Shocker in Gloomtown" and "Exit Flagger"). Hate to be so half-hearted on a band that I once adored so, but it's just how I feel.
They proceeded to play a set leaning heavily toward their newer material (which I admittedly don't know at all) and sounded quite sloppy, which was once a virtue but now just felt, well, off. I'm clearly yearning for something that can't be replicated (like seeing them on the Alien Lanes tour in 1995 and having my teenage mind blown). We left after about an hour and a few nuggets (notably "Shocker in Gloomtown" and "Exit Flagger"). Hate to be so half-hearted on a band that I once adored so, but it's just how I feel.
Roger Waters - The Wall, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 06/19/2012
I'm playing big time catch up on my 2012 shows toward the end of the year. Working in the real world gets super busy. Sadly, over almost 6 months, I only have about 5 shows to report. I really am getting old, I guess.
First up, the wife and I paid a bit too much for some really good tickets to what I would best describe as a Broadway spectacle reworking of an album that is very near and dear to my 12 year old self. I did see John Prine sitting a few rows in front of us, which was beyond cool. He's kind of short in real life.
So it was a huge production with all the explosions and frills one would have expected. We "ran like hell" (sorry, couldn't resist) right around the end of "Run Like Hell" and didn't stick around to the very end. All in all, it was cool in the way that a crazy musical with lots of staging and effects is cool but not very "rock." It left me a bit cold, all in all, though I'm not sure what I was expecting otherwise. I should probably just stick to the club-sized venues.
First up, the wife and I paid a bit too much for some really good tickets to what I would best describe as a Broadway spectacle reworking of an album that is very near and dear to my 12 year old self. I did see John Prine sitting a few rows in front of us, which was beyond cool. He's kind of short in real life.
So it was a huge production with all the explosions and frills one would have expected. We "ran like hell" (sorry, couldn't resist) right around the end of "Run Like Hell" and didn't stick around to the very end. All in all, it was cool in the way that a crazy musical with lots of staging and effects is cool but not very "rock." It left me a bit cold, all in all, though I'm not sure what I was expecting otherwise. I should probably just stick to the club-sized venues.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Chavez w/ Endless Boogie, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY - 05/18/2012
I made it up to NYC for a boys' weekend, as most of my best friends from college reside in Manhattan. Seeing Chavez, who have blown my mind for years, was the motivating force for this (as if one needs a huge motivation for a weekend in the city). I first saw Chavez open for Silkworm in 1994 at the now defunct Columbia, SC, spot Annie's, and they absolutely killed. I saw them many more times in the 90's including opening for Guided by Voices on the Alien Lanes tour in Atlanta, GA, and headling Cat's Cradle when they were touring Ride the Fader. I even made it up to Brooklyn to see them at the also defunct Warsaw in 2006 for an incredible reunion show. Needless to say, I was pumped.
I flew into LaGuardia and took the M60 in, which my friends think is crazy. We all met up and grabbed dinner at Mexican Radio before heading to Bowery Ballroom for the show (which, oddly, I had never been to before). I was feeling pretty good about things when I saw Kim Gordon and J. Mascis just hanging at the bar having drinks.
While I wanted to check out Endless Boogie opening the show, I was too busy catching up friends to tear myself away. Believe me when I tell you that we were upstairs and ready when Chavez took the stage and proceeded to blast through all of Gone Glimmering, most of Ride the Fader and absolutely killed their first single, "Repeat the Ending." These songs are Emerson, Lake and Palmer levels of complex, and they just killed them song after song. I was blown away, I got drunk and I wanted to talk to some of my indie rock heroes but (thankfully) thought better of it. (Great writeup of this on Brooklyn Vegan with videos, too.)
Nailed to the Blank Spot
You Must Be Stopped
Break Up Your Band
Laugh Track
You Faded
New Room
Unreal Is Here
Tight Around the Jaws
Peeled Out Too Late
The Ghost By The Sea
Pentagram Ring
"Untitled/New Jam"
Wakeman's Air
Our Boys Will Shine Tonight
The Flaming Gong
Relaxed Fit
Encore:
Top Pocket Man
Repeat the Ending
The next morning was painful, but we did manage to grab some awesome food at Katz's, watch the already historic Chelsea-Bayern Munich soccer match and end the evening with a bevy of good beers at Jimmy's No. 43. I was sad to leave Sunday but needed to give my liver a timeout.
This will be another tough show to beat for 2012 and is certainly a top 3 so far.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
