What concerts have you been to lately?

[Fresh Tendrils]

Friday night I saw Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires "open" up for Diarrhea Planet. I say open because while they were the opening act they actually played every bit as long as Diarrhea Plant.

Lee was great. He has the lyric ability and insight of the Drive-By Truckers, but romps and hollers like a real rock n roller. He was jumping around on stage like a punk Chuck Berry and running around through the front of the crowd whenever he could. He certainly channeled that classic punk feel. Just a kid with a guitar who has a fairly good grasp on the world and has a hell of a way saying it. I felt like he could be any neighborhood kid with a guitar coming out on stage with a dark navy hat with Alabama stamped on the back and sweat stains that formed a band around the lower half. It spent half of the night on the floor of the stage. Stump fingers hammered out chords and riffs with finger nails worn down to the numb. A short neck veined with every word of the lyric as the guitars and drums competed to drown him out.

Here's a taste for you guys:

Spoiler

Spoiler

In the beginning was the Word, and the small naked earth heard it.
Hollers and graves were carved out, men and mounds raised up from it.
Before long, strangers crossed oceans, and double-crossed every damn body.
And before long, the mounds were laid bare, and strip malls were put on top.
And the strangers brought others in the bows of their freighter ships,
And this fearful land was built under that whining infant nation’s whips.
Before long, they tried to tell these old boys down here just how to do things.
We dug in to our sin till we were drinking muddy water and eating shoestrings.
Let us now praise it—
What’s good and gone,
The screen door swinging,
The porch light on.
Let us now praise it—
What’s pure and past,
Folks being folks,
First being last.
And we, now, the sons of the hardened hearts who signed it all away,
And all the hardened heads who filled all those unmarked graves,
Will sip cold tea whose leaves were picked betwixt firing squads in Sudan,
Sweetened with sugar chopped by bleeding Brazilian hands, and say, “Ain’t life
grand!”
Let us now praise it—
What’s good and gone,
The screen door swinging,
The porch light on.
Let us now praise it—
What’s pure and past,
Folks being folks,
First being last.
So, gather around all ye wicked ones who wouldn’t touch the stuff you’re selling.
Come all y’all shallow-chested cowards who wheeze with pleas for proof.
Granddaddy taught unto me the difference between telling a story and
storytelling:
One is bearing false witness; the other is baring more truth than the truth.

Diarrhea Planet was a fun show, but its not something I would necessarily feel a need to listen to outside of a music venue since their music and energy feeds off the crowd and the crowd feeds off the band. I've never been one to find the appeal of mosh pitting. Headbanging imaginary nails I understand. Jumping up and down I understand. Jumping into and grinding against other smelly, sweat-sticky males is not really appealing to me. Truth be told there were only about 10 people attempting to pit, but apparently that's what this band creates in its audience. Unlike most mosh pits its not aggressive or really driven by any queue from the music that is really just straight up rock (pop punk if I want to be a dick), but "fun ." Sweaty, smelly fun. So, essentially they were a frat mosh pit band.

I enjoyed them a lot, but mainly because the show was fun and not necessarily because their music was fantastic. They had fun on stage and that found its way into the crowd. At one point towards the end of the show they started playing a cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The crowd got excited and started their mindless jumping and I just hung my head and tried to slip between the crack in the floor. At the end of the second chorus the lead singer stopped the song and told the crowd "this song is too hard for us." Like a dog discovering something new, my ears perk up and my head tilts to one side. They proceed to play Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life." That was easily one of the best sequences of a concert I've been to. I'd see them again, but I'm not going to run to the store for their albums.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Going to see Garth Brooks Friday night in Lexington. I'm pretty stoked

[Blzer]

Just went to Alter Bridge this past Saturday. They are equally as impressive live as they are on their album. Not a single damn note missed on any solo, anywhere! Myles' voice was angelic.

I have some recordings I might upload.

[Cutter15]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

Just went to Alter Bridge this past Saturday. They are equally as impressive live as they are on their album. Not a single damn note missed on any solo, anywhere! Myles' voice was angelic. I have some recordings I might upload.

Right?
10 char

[jasontoddwhitt]

Saw Garth Brooks last night in Lexington. What can I say, such an amazing show. Not much into the country scene anymore, but he was my guy when I was kid, and last night was totally worth it.

And Rupp Arena was rocking.

[dickey1331]

Damn he's old now

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by dickey1331

Damn he's old now

Yeah, but he still puts on a very entertaining show

[roadman]

The Rolling Stones are in their 70's and they still put on a heckuva show. Mick dances around the stage like he was in his 20's.