whatbreesees

Sunday, August 4, 2013

State Theatre, Portland, Maine

I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to Portland for this show, but when my best friend called and said she needed me to pick her up at the bus station at midnight, I figured I’d make it happen. I’m really glad I did! Jimmy Eat World puts on a great show. I was happy to see what 20 years of being a band can do for a group’s stage presence and for the crowd’s engagement with the music. It was a good night.

I picked up my press pass and ticket from the ticket booth at The State Theatre (thanks, Chris and Big Hassle Media!) and ran into Zachary immediately. He graduated from Mt. Ararat in 2012. I was his class advisor for four years and am still close with a lot of people from his class. He took me down to the sixth row center where he, Nathan, Evan, Alden, and Nick were listening to the opening band, Royal Bangs. It was great to see all of them. Zachary, Nathan, Evan, and I went on an amazing senior trip to Eastern Europe in 2012, and talked about how much we’d all like to go back. If you’ve never been to Prague or Budapest, put it on your life list.

I liked Knoxville, Tennessee’s Royal Bangs. Their alt rock sound was polished, and I liked the predominance of keys in their music. They didn’t say a whole lot to the crowd, but were friendly and brought good energy. The drummer’s facial expressions were particularly fun to watch. Check out their videos for “Better Run” and “Fireball.”

I got a chance to talk with some of the people standing around me during the break between sets. I met a trio of nice guys who’d come up for the show from Connecticut, including Nick from New Hampshire who was busy befriending all of the ladies around us (well done, Nick!). I shouldn’t have thought to myself—“what nice people I’m surrounded by!”—because I totally jinxed it. Later in the night a couple with little body awareness or self control stumbled upon our neck of the woods and invaded our personal space and kept hitting us and my fancy camera. I can usually fix that kind of behavior with a little firm negotiation, but they were truly defiant and obnoxious. They even saw me on the way out and gave me a hard time about me trying to get them to lay off earlier. Ugh. Concert etiquette tip—don’t be an @ss&ole. Keep your hands to yourself. It’s something most of us got in Kindergarten.

Mesa, Arizona’s Jimmy Eat World took the stage promptly at 9 and I made my way to the front (in front of the barricade) to take pictures for the first three songs. The crowd against the barricade was super into the music and sang all the words. Jimmy Eat World sounded tight. They haven’t lost anything by not having toured much in the last few years. A fellow concert goer posted Jimmy Eat World’s set list on setlist.fm:

Zachary and I were so happy to hear “Hear You Me” early in their set. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs of all time—from Jimmy Eat World’s 2001 Bleed American album. Lead singer Jim Adkins told us that not only have they just released a new album, Damage, but also have a new EP out as well. He said the creative juices have really been flowing and they have been keeping very busy. Their iTunes Session is available here on iTunes and includes a cover of Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” that they played for us live as well. I was amused because we all knew the words to that song, too. It’s a guilty pleasure. I use that song to explain the breakup between the American colonists and the UK in the Declaration of Independence to my 9^th graders. It makes perfect sense, right?!

I thoroughly felt my age when a legit mosh pit broke out in front of me during “A Praise Chorus.” I took my fancy camera, glasses, and nice teeth back a couple of sections to join the old people and preserve myself. Crowd surfing commenced soon afterward. Am I getting old, or have I just become more accustomed to folk shows?

Jim didn’t banter a ton with the crowd throughout the show, but our familiarity with the songs really bonded the audience and made for a special night. When Jimmy Eat World left the stage, the crowd really rallied for an encore. I was elated to hear “23” (which I’ve loved since before I was 23) live. It’s another one of my favorite songs. “Big Casino” sounded great and amped the audience. Jim took a moment to tell us that they don’t take it lightly and really appreciate us coming out to support the band. He said it’s a huge compliment that we find parts of their songs to make our own. They wrapped the night with “The Middle,” which is probably their best-known song. The State Theatre was already hot and sweaty, but this song turned it into a sauna. Everyone danced. It was a great end to a great night. Jim even came over the barricade to give high fives to the very enthusiastic crowd (including a very happy Zachary—see the photo).

So glad I made it out to this show.

xo,

bree

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Johnson Hall, Gardiner, Maine

I had such a blast last night in the newly renovated space at Johnson Hall in Gardiner! My dear friend Andrea and I went out to dinner and the show to celebrate our one-year friendship anniversary! (Yes, I am a total sap). What a treat it was to see a show two minutes from my house! Johnson Hall is about to release a 24-show lineup for the upcoming year, and I am so excited about the caliber of music that’s on its way to teeny (and adorable) Gardiner, Maine.

Gardiner community organizer extraordinaire and friend Meaghan Carlson saw online that Lucy Wainwright Roche was looking to play some house concerts to create buzz for her upcoming solo album to be released in October. Meaghan approached Johnson Hall to see if we could have a house concert in their newly renovated space and Director Mike Miclon readily agreed. It was a full house last night and the first time the stage has been used for a performance. I’d say it was a huge success.

Lucy kindly answered some questions I had for her via email the week before the show. I’d seen Lucy play three other times, and each time was fantastic. She is part comedian and part singer-songwriter. You can be sure you’ll have a good time at a Lucy Wainwright Roche show—she is charming and hilarious.

I was really excited to see Lucy play with her talented and quite well known mom, Suzzy Roche. They recently released an album together called Fairytale and Myth that they recorded with their friend Ron Morsberger who had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Suzzy spoke about how bittersweet it was to work with their talented friend during his last days. They played his song that appears on the album, “Everyone Wants To Be Loved.”

Lucy kept the audience engaged by asking us questions and asking if we had any questions or concerns. People in the audience obliged and we had a comfortable, entertaining exchange all night long. She and Suzzy asked us how the sound was, and Suzzy adorably worried that maybe her microphone was louder than Lucy’s. It was sweet to see the mother/daughter duo on stage. They told us about their journeys around Maine on their mini tour and how they slowly saw Maine while driving up Route 1. They got stuck in Wiscasset for a long time around Red’s Eats. After their show at The Strand in Rockland, they drove back by Red’s and got in line. Someone popped back in line in front of them to add an order of onion rings, and it turns out it was the last order. Bummer. Lucy might also have figured out for sure that she actually really doesn’t like lobster, but I won’t out her. Not all Mainers like lobster, either. More for me!

I was happy to hear “Chicago,” and it was nice to have Suzzy play on Lucy’s song. I appreciated their jokes about how they take rockin’ songs and turn them into sad snoozers. One example is Lucy’s cover of Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend” that’s on her new album. The two versions are incredibly different. My friends joke that I only like depressing music, so I’m on board with the sad snoozers!

Lucy asked us if we have songs that we hear so often that we learn to hate them. We said  (of course) yes, and she replied, “Well, we’re going to play one of them now.” Suzzy and Lucy covered “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train. I so preferred their version! Lucy asked if we’d be okay with her bringing her dog on stage. We emphatically supported the move, and Lucy brought her sweet black pup, Maeby, on stage. She totally stole the show. Maeby (of Arrested Development fame) climbed up on the couch and napped for most of the rest of their set. She’s clearly used to the sound of her mom playing music.

Never shy with an audience, Lucy told us about her dying car and asked if everyone in Maine had the same car for a reason. I said, “Subaru?” and she joked that she assumed it was the official car of the state of Maine. The majority of the crowd agreed a Subaru would be a reliable choice for her next car. She asked if any of us was selling one. I was a little surprised that no one was, actually!

Suzzy and Lucy started to wrap up the show with “America” and then Suzzy joked that if they sold enough CDs than she wouldn’t have to sleep in the car because Lucy likes to have her own hotel room and they can’t always afford two—but “NO PRESSSURE.” I can see where Lucy gets her sense of humor. It was very endearing. Lucy told us that they wouldn’t be playing an encore because “it’s too much pressure,” so we should just imagine that they’d left the stage and this song was their encore. They finished with “When a Heart Breaks Down.” We offered a standing ovation and Lucy and Suzzy stayed to talk to everyone who wanted to say hello after the show. I chatted a little less because I was smitten with Maeby and spent my time doting on her. She’s such a cutie.

Thanks for coming, Lucy and Suzzy! What a lovely night!

xo,

bree

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Bank of America Pavilion, Boston

I always have a tough time seeing shows at Bank of America Pavilion. The venue is just too big for my liking. Even when I’ve had second or third row seats there, I’ve felt too far away from the stage. It’s important for me to see artists’ facial expressions while they perform. Otherwise, I’d rather just save the very long drive and listen to their album at home or in the car. I know that’s abnormal, but there it is.

I am teaching some this summer at Upward Bound at Bowdoin College, so it was a school night for me. I was visiting someone in Portsmouth for a couple of nights, and it was nice not to have to drive all the way back to Maine until the morning after the show. I explored pretty Portsmouth a bit before heading down to the show. I was able to score a single eighth row seat in the presale, so decided to go solo.

I grabbed a parking spot in the usual $15 lot near the venue (does anyone have any free parking tips for the waterfront area?!) and grabbed a caprese sandwich from J. Pace & Son before I heard the first strains of Brooklyn’s X Ambassadors as they took the stage promptly at 7:30. The lead singer played percussion and sax and was super excited to be on stage. He said, “We want to meet every last one of you after the show. I mean it!” Their music grew on me pretty quickly. I enjoyed the power and energy of the lead vocalist and their driving, percussive sound. I really liked their last song “I’ll Never Let You Go.” I’d definitely check them out in a smaller venue. They’re coming to Brighton Music Hall on August 9^th.

I’d listened to California’s alt rockers The Neighbourhood online, but didn’t enjoy them very much live. They mentioned that it was the first night of their tour, so maybe they were just working out the kinks. I felt like the songs were all really similar and the banter was awkward and riddled with profanity even though there were obviously a lot of young kids in the crowd. I was amused by the lead singer’s outfit—it was straight out of the 90s. He had on a baggy white t shirt, leather jacket, black ripped jeans, high tops, a backwards baseball cap, and a flannel shirt tied around his waist. It was Eddie Vedder means Joey Tribbiani from Friends. There were three guys on guitar and their sound was power ballad-y in places. I tended to like those songs fine. They also looked very young. I’d be shocked if any of them were 21 years old. There were a lot of young teenagers in the crowd singing every word to every one of their songs, so maybe I’m just too old to “get” The Neighbourhood? They also got a hearty round of applause at the end of their set, so check them out for yourself and see what you think. I knew I was ready for Imagine Dragons quite early on in their set.

I chatted with the two 12-year-old boys sitting next to me during the break between sets. One of them had been to two other concerts before, but the other one was at his first show! How exciting! As per usual, basically the tallest guy of all time got to his seat in front of us when Utah’s Imagine Dragons took the stage, so I moved so the boys could see because their view was completely blocked by him.

Imagine Dragons made a very theatrical entrance that involved some serious percussion. They had great stage presence and worked the crowd enthusiastically. Frontman Dan Reynolds told us that the other three guys in the band had all gone to Berklee College of Music in Boston, so it was a real treat for them to play in town. Dan was rocking an impressive mullet, too, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Dan spoke a fair amount (which I’m a fan of), and told us, “As cheesy as it sounds, I hope this music frees you tonight. We’re just regular guys so it’s the music that connects us. It’s everything to us. I hope it gets you out of your head. With that, I close with Boston Strong!”  The sold out crowd roared.

I was so glad I didn’t have to wait until the encore to hear “It’s Time.” It’s been my jam for well over a year now and I was pumped to hear it live. They played a song for Tyler Robinson, a fan that they were close with who passed away from cancer at 17, but smiled the whole time he was in treatment. It was a touching tribute and Dan’s falsetto was lovely. They played “Stand By Me” to kill some time while waiting for something to show up or get fixed. We sang along. I noticed that the event staff kept taking young kids from the crowd up to the front row to take a picture in front of the stage, which I thought was really cool.

I really wanted to get back to Portsmouth before it was too late, so I did the unthinkable—I left a show early. It doesn’t happen often and I have mixed feelings about it, but I heard “Bleeding Out” and “Demons,” so felt I’d heard all of the songs live I really needed to. Imagine Dragons had a lot of energy on stage and I’d love to see them someday in a general admission venue where I could get a lot closer to the stage. Eight rows away was too far for me!

xo,

bree

Saturday, June 22, 2013
Tipitina’s Uptown, New Orleans, LA

I had an INCREDIBLE first time in New Orleans. My dear friend Chelsea was a fabulous host, and her awesome friends were so welcoming and took great care of me. Chelsea knew I’d want to see some live music, so she got us tickets to see Soul Rebels on Saturday night. We saw a lot of street performers in the French Quarter and over at The Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street, too. I bought Yes Ma’am’s album in the Quarter, and we ran into them again at The Spotted Cat a couple of days later. NOLA is a small world.

I had a blast on the Saturday of the show. I am sure we went to Hansen’s on Tchoupitoulas for a snoball (one of many visits there) and had a delicious dinner at Alex’s made by his lovely housemates. Our TFA and Australian friends arrived, and the whole gang of us made it over to Tipitina’s for the show.

DJ Captain Charles kicked things off and by the time our gaggle of friends had taken over front row center, The Soul Rebels hit the stage. They were great—upbeat and fun—with a funk/hip hop/jazz vibe, and a killer horn section that stole the show. We danced all night long and stayed until the show was over and the room had cleared out.

I could mention the Super Moon and all of the chaos that happened that night, but instead I’ll just say that it was a ridiculous night that we all survived.

Thanks, NOLA and NOLA friends! I loved (almost) every minute (see above)! More pretty NOLA pics below.

xo,
bree

Saturday, June 15, 2013

The Big Easy, Portland, Maine

I had such a busy Saturday! I saw ZZ Ward’s Studio Z performance in the afternoon, went to her full show later that night with Swear and Shake, and then caught my college friend Sam’s late night set with his band Comanchero at The Big Easy. I totally slept in on Sunday.

I’d gotten home at 3 AM the night before after an AMAZING Lone Bellow/Swear and Shake/Ballroom Thieves show in Boston, so I thought I’d stay for a few Comanchero songs and then call it a night, but they are so much fun to see live that I stayed for their whole set and got home at 2 AM instead. Comanchero is “Boston’s Americana Jam Band.” If you’re in Boston or if they are headed your way, check them out! Some pictures from their set are below.

xo,

bree

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Port City Music Hall, Portland, Maine

I had such a busy Saturday! I saw ZZ Ward’s Studio Z performance earlier (here’s my interview with her, too), went to her full show later that night with Swear and Shake, and then caught my friend Sam’s late night set with his band Comanchero at The Big Easy. I totally slept in on Sunday.

I left Studio Z earlier in the day and ran into Brooklyn’s Swear and Shake walking towards the Old Port. I’d seen them open for The Lone Bellow the night before and chatted with Adam and Kari after the show. I said hello and we chatted as we walked for a few blocks together towards their tour van. Kari is such a sweetheart—my goodness. I told them I’d see them later. I grabbed some tea and then met up with my dear friend Michelle for dinner and drinks at Shay’s in Monument Square. My friend Tracy (who has three awesome kids and amazing taste in music) was there, too, and we got to catch up a bit. One of the most ridiculous things that’s ever happened to me in my dating life went down while I was there, and so I was late for Swear and Shake! Boo! I’ll spare you the details, but I’m laughing about it already. Mostly. Okay, not yet, but I will.

I made my way to the stage and was glad it was so crowded at Port City Music Hall. I got to a great spot in the front row and caught the last half of Swear and Shake’s set. The crowd was energized and singing along—mirroring the band’s enthusiasm. I thought they sounded even better tonight than the night before. I really like their songs, but “Brother,” “Marbles,” and “These White Walls” stuck out to me. Kari has a lush voice and is just a delight to listen to. They sound really cohesive as a band—it was a great set.

ZZ Ward and her band took the stage and rocked. Her smooth, bluesy voice is impressive, and her songs about heartbreak and wasting time on a failing relationship are incredibly relatable. She said her whole album, Til the Casket Drops, is about the same guy she spent waaaaay too much time on. Her song “Last Love Song” sums it up quiet nicely.

ZZ loves Etta James, and wrote “Charlie Ain’t Home” as a response to Etta’s “Waiting for Charlie.” She said it’s about being sick of waiting. She also did a sort of adapted cover of Son House’s “Grinnin’ In Your Face.” She told us “If I Could Be Her” is about moving from a tiny town in Oregon to LA. ZZ said she hoped we couldn’t relate to “Cryin Wolf,” because it’s about being with someone who drinks too much and always lets you down.

Here’s ZZ’s set list:

ZZ is heavily influenced by the blues and hip hop and really rocks on stage. There’s a depth to her that shines through during her live show. I was entertained from start to finish. ZZ interacted with the crowd with ease—telling us background about the songs, coming to the edge of the stage to dance with us, and asking us to sing along, too. I was really impressed with her live show. I was glad to hear “Blue Eyes Blind,” which ZZ left us with as her encore.

I’d gotten to meet ZZ earlier and realized I could make it over to The Big Easy to see my friend Sam’s band, so I swung by Swear and Shake’s merch area to chat for a few minutes before taking off. Kari spotted me coming and started chanting my name. It was a warm welcome. I had a long chat with Swear and Shake’s somewhat new drummer Benny who produced their first full-length album, Maple Ridge. When I said goodnight to him, he gave me a hug. Swear and Shake are some lovely, approachable (and talented!) folks. I chatted with Kari about how they met as students (mostly) at SUNY Purchase and I noticed their matching tattoos of maple tree seeds. She said, “Yeah—we really like each other.” So precious. Kari heard I had a long ride home and sent me away with both their EP (extended play) and Maple Ridge. I ended up liking the EP so much that I listened to it twice before moving on to the next CD. I especially liked the first song, “Being And Time.” I listened to it three times before I moved on to the second song. “Bones” is great, too. I love “Marbles,” “These White Walls,” “Moving Parts,” and “The Light” on Maple Ridge. That’s nearly half the album. I can’t help it. Thanks, Swear and Shake! You guys are fabulous.

What a night! It wasn’t even over yet! I’m off to New Orleans tomorrow morning (!), so it might be a week until I can post about Comanchero and the shows I’m hopefully going to see in NOLA!

xo,

bree

Friday, June 14, 2013

The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

I saw six bands in three venues in two states in just 28 hours over the weekend. I can tell it’s nearly summer vacation for this teacher! Here’s installment one of three.

My friend Andrea and I had tickets to see The Lone Bellow in April at Brighton Music Hall, but we weren’t ready to go to Boston just hours after the lockdown was lifted and the Boston Marathon suspects captured. My friend Bob was there and said it was a poignant night. He texted me a week later to let me know The Lone Bellow was coming back to Boston in June and I bought tickets that second. I don’t remember exactly when The Lone Bellow came into my life—probably very early in 2013—but life is better with their passionate, soulful music in it.

I gave a final exam Friday morning and hurried out of the building later that afternoon to meet Andrea to drive to Cambridge together. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we oddly encountered no traffic on our way to Harvard Square. We ended up parking directly in front of The Sinclair and the ease of travel and parking gave us a lot of unexpected time to enjoy Harvard Square. We walked around and listened to some buskers, caught Catie Curtis’ sound check while having a delicious dinner at Veggie Planet at Club Passim, and enjoyed chocolate coconut vegan ice cream from JP Licks. We checked in at The Sinclair about half an hour before doors opened and ran into Julie, who I met at an Audra Mae/Matt Nathanson show in January of 2012 and have seen again and again at random shows. She gave Andrea and I the rundown of The Sinclair. We were tenth in line to get in and they saved me a spot touching the stage while I picked up my photo pass at the box office (thanks, Tracy Zamot!).

Andrea, Julie, and I chatted with Kellen, Kristen, and Peter who were standing directly behind us. One of the things I most love about live music is its power to bring people together. Boston’s The Ballroom Thieves took the stage and really impressed. Martin on lead vocal and guitar, Rachel on cello, and Devin on drums brought a lot of energy, great harmonies, lots of crowd interaction, and I liked their songs, too. I’m listening to their EP The Devil & The Deep right now. I missed them in Maine a couple of months ago and won’t make that mistake again. I especially liked their new song “Anchors” and “Coward’s Son,” which is on the Boston Strong Music Compilation to benefit The One Fund. Andrea and I both wanted to grab their EP after the show and I discovered that Martin is also from Maine and we went to rival high schools. We’ve agreed to not hold it against each other!

Brooklyn’s Swear and Shake took the stage dressed to impress! The boys wore sharp suits and ties and Kari looked amazing in her black and white ensemble. They were happy to be back in Boston and reminisced a little about past shows around town, including one with my college classmate’s band, Kingsley Flood. I liked their song, “Brother,” which they made a music video for in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The band recently premiered the video there and the mayor gave them a key to the city. Kari broke a string, but played “These White Walls” with just five remaining strings to wrap their set. I met Adam and Kari after the show on my way out the door and let them know I’d be seeing them the next night opening for ZZ Ward in Portland, Maine. Kari was a sweetheart. For as much as I typically don’t like to talk to musicians (what if they’re not great in person and then you can’t like their music anymore?!), I chatted with a lot of talented and friendly folks at The Sinclair that night.

I nearly don’t have the words to talk about seeing The Lone Bellow live. It was overwhelming, powerful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring, amazing. Definitely one of the best shows I’ve seen. Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin were joined by Jason Pipkin on upright bass and Brian Griffin on drums. Their chemistry and closeness was obvious. They took already emotional songs and delivered with more desperation and authenticity than I thought could be possible. It was a magical night.

The force of the lyrics made more sense after I learned that The Lone Bellow came about after Zach’s wife was critically injured in a horseback riding accident. They were told she’d be a quadriplegic, and Zach poured out his feelings in a journal that he kept by his side while they lived together, surrounded by their dear friends, in the hospital. A friend suggested the diary entries would make beautiful songs, and when Zach’s wife miraculously recovered, the whole friend group packed up and moved to New York City to pursue their dreams.

I’m generally bad with song titles, but I’ve listened to The Lone Bellow’s debut self-titled album so many times that I recreated the set list from the night pretty easily:

1. “You Can Be All Kinds Of Emotional”

2. “You Never Need Nobody”

3. “Two Sides Of Lonely”

4. “Tree To Grow”—we were asked to sing along and Kanene gave me a thumbs up!

5. “Green Eyes And A Heart Of Gold”

6. “You Don’t Love Me Like You Used To”—a song Zach said was about marital strife

7. “Button”—a song Kanene sang for her dad who is from Boston

8. “Fire Red Horse”—Zach said they don’t often play this live and I was so happy to hear it!

9. Cover of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” that was dedicated to a couple in the audience who met at a Lone Bellow show a few years ago, fell in love, got married, and are expecting a baby

10. “Bleeding Out”—Kanene said her sister calls it their “empanada” song. Zach added that his daughter calls it the “banana” song.

11. One of Brian’s songs. “Water Over Us?” I didn’t catch the title.

12. A new song—“You Couldn’t Be True”

13. “The One You Should’ve Let Go”

ENCORE

14. Paul Simon’s “Slip Slidin’ Away”

15. “Teach Me To Know”

Zach spoke the most for the band and thanked us profusely for listening to their songs and making them our own. He seemed genuinely humbled and told us how beautiful it was to be in the room with us. There were funny moments during the show, too, like when Zach told us that Brian overheard him singing “Drops of Jupiter” in the shower years ago and told him he should really sing in front of people. They started playing a song, realized it wasn’t the one they’d meant to play, and joked that their songs “all sound alike.” They obliged a very engaged sold out crowd with a two-song encore. Kanene took the lead and blew me away with a fantastic, rich cover of “Slip Slidin’ Away.” They left us with heavily gospel influenced “Teach Me To Know.” I found myself singing the “Carried Away” refrain from that song for a long while after the show. I’ve rarely been so uplifted after a show. Andrea and I mingled in the lobby for a while afterwards and then hit the road for our three-hour drive home. I pulled into my driveway at 3:30 AM still energized after a beautiful night of music.

Oh, Lone Bellow, you are amazing. I introduced my dear friend Bartlett to The Lone Bellow and he saw them the night before me opening for Brandi Carlile in New Hampshire. He texted me later—“They’re so great. They stole the show. Thanks a million bazillion for suggesting them!” The Lone Bellow should be on your must-listen list (Bob Boilen at NPR suggested them in 2012, actually). Check out their NPR Tiny Desk Concert as a starting point. You will be inspired.

xo,

bree