Blog Archives

Beck

8/15/14
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Map of Colorado, USA
4.5 Stars
Love this man. Seeing Beck perform live has been a Bucket List event for me for a very long time. But to check it off in such majestic fashion — a summer show outdoors at Red Rocks starring the band that recorded one of my all-time favorite discs (Sea Change) — just exceeded all expectations. As I had hoped, the set spanned Beck’s entire ridiculous and spectacular career, nestling some of his weirdest deep cuts (“Wave”) alongside his biggest hits (“Loser”) and balls-out rockers (“Debra”). The light show was bonkers and his dance moves were bananas. I have to knock a half-star off for the poor sound mix that plagued most of the show … but otherwise this one did not disappoint. I wanted it to never end. Setlist


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The Head And The Heart

8/14/14
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Map of Colorado, USA
4.5 Stars
Music a plenty. A good friend celebrated her birthday by inviting her squad to this show, a monster bill that featured Houndmouth, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) and this band, who at the time were quickly becoming a favorite of Aida’s and mine. The music was perfect for the merry band that assembled: upbeat and bluesy songs about family, friendship and love, with feminine energy to spare. By the time The Head And The Heart came out the place was glowing. Their three vocalists wove in and out of some expert musicianship, making for a long set filled with surprises. The number of killer songs these guys play belies their small catalog, and they didn’t hold any back. I can’t wait to see them again. Setlist


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Another Top 5 List TOP LIVE DISAPPOINTMENTS

  1. The Strokes | Distant and disrespectful.
  2. Page & Plant | Not all in.
  3. Widespread Panic | Just visiting, thanks.
  4. Oasis | My love, betrayed.
  5. The Cure | Out to lunch.


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Avett Brothers

7/12/14
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Map of Colorado, USA
2 Stars
I am nonplussed. Can these guys write great songs? Yes. Can they play and sing their asses off? Yes. Do I need to buy a ticket to see it every summer? No. Great company at this show though: a colleague of Aida’s flew in with his wife and we all had a fun time. Setlist


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James Blunt

5/12/14
Englewood, CO
Gothic Theatre
Map of Colorado, USA
3 Stars
Boy rocks gently. It’s hard to take a rock star seriously when he arrives onstage wearing an astronaut uniform. But James Blunt does have some good songs — and some monster hits — and he played them all at this undersold show attended predominantly by screaming girls calling for “You’re Beautiful.” His voice held up admirably, he brought some funny banter and he was genuinely happy to be playing for us. I wouldn’t need to see him again, but he was entertaining … for an astronaut. Setlist


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The Queers w/ Reno Divorce

Reno Divorce

The Queers

4/25/14
Denver, CO
Bluebird Theater
Map of Colorado, USA
2.5 Stars
One-two punch. The Queers, a goofy punk band from the Northeast, headlined this show, but I went for Reno Divorce. I had been hearing about them for quite some time; little did I know that their bass player is an old friend of an old friend. So off we went to my beloved Bluebird Theater. By no means is punk my cup of tea, but Reno Divorce has swagger — and chops — I can really appreciate. They weren’t just a great opener, they are a great band. And that friend of a friend is cool as a cucumber. The Queers did an admirable job but, being out of my comfort zone, I mostly just people watched during their set. It turns out punk rock shows are great for people watching.


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Another Top 5 List Top classic tours I wish I saw

  1. Led Zeppelin | North American Tour | May–July 1973
  2. The Police | North American Zenyatta Mondatta Tour | October–December 1980
  3. Pink FLoyd | United Kingdom Dark Side Of The Moon Tour | January–February 1972
  4. Jimi Hendrix | Fillmore East Band Of Gypsys shows | December 1969
  5. Duran Duran | Sing Blue Silver World Tour | 1983–1984


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Carnival time One Big Holiday

My Morning Jacket

The Flaming Lips

Mariachi El Bronx

Guest: Bob Weir

1/27/14
Riviera Maya, MX
Hard Rock Hotel
Map of Riviera Maya, Mexico
5 Stars
A concert experience. This event changed my life. It’s a festival hosted and curated by My Morning Jacket, launched near my 40th birthday when I was shopping for a festival to attend with my best friend Brian. It fills an all-inclusive resort for four nights: 3 for Jacket, 1 for the Lips, each ending with a dance party. I had never been on vacation with a buddy, without kids, among music-minded and adventurous adults, and it was fucking awesome. The fact that everyone in attendance was as friendly and as stoked to see MMJ as Brian and me was gravy. The whole thing pushed my capacity to follow one band to a level I didn’t realize was important to me, and introduced me to a fan community that is so filled with love and camaraderie that I can no longer imagine my life without it. Bonus: Bob Weir showed up as an unannounced guest and jammed a bunch with the boys. Setlist


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The National

9/17/13
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Map of Colorado, USA
2.5 Stars
Weirdo in front. Does Matt Berninger spend every show walking around the stage like an Autistic guy deserted in a movie theater? Is he always so uncomfortable in his skin when he performs? The frontman never stopped walking quickly back and forth across the stage and rarely looked at the audience. Is he always like this? Because it’s annoying. That was the unshakable thought nagging me the entire time The National was onstage. I really wanted to like this band’s concert — there’s a cinematic quality to their songs that I figured would be perfect for Red Rocks — but goddammit that guy made it a chore. My beloved Local Natives opened so there was that … but even their support couldn’t win over this ticket buyer. This was a strange one. Setlist


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Carnival time Lollapalooza 2013

Vampire Weekend

The Killers

Mumford & Sons

Jake Bugg

Family Of The Year

Local Natives

The Lumineers

Two Door Cinema Club

New Order

Knife Party

8/2/13
Chicago, IL
Grant Park
Map of Illinois, USA
4.0 Stars
festival-crazy chicagoans. My experience with festivals before attending Lollapalooza in Chicago’s beautiful Grant Park was limited to smaller regional stuff. This was my first big fest. The number of stages was a bit overwhelming but it offered an extraordinary range of experiences: from a little set in a cozy grove of trees to a massive, straw-covered meadow with no shade in sight; from a tiny stage set for a few scruffy rockers to a 100 foot-high DJ booth and light show. The lineup was plenty diverse, too, even if the constituency wasn’t (too many over-privileged college kids with painfully hip wardrobes). Aida and I caught huge sets from The Killers, Vampire Weekend and Mumford &Sons, and smaller ones from Ellie Goulding, Jake Bugg and Family Of The Year. We even caught an incredibly intimate set from the latter in a corner of the festival shop; we were 5 feet from the band and had a great chat afterward. And I managed to get a taste of some EDM from Knife Party, reminding me that I’m too old for this shit but still down for anything when it comes to live music. I’m not sure I need to do another big fest any time soon — too much strategizing and angling for space to be able to see your favorite artists — but the enthusiastic and welcoming local contingent (and their impressive skyline) made it worth the effort. Setlist


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