Category Archives: Music

Vic Theater: Ben Harper

Photo Jun 30, 9 54 15 PM.jpegPhoto Jun 30, 10 28 24 PM.jpegPhoto Jun 30, 9 26 25 PM.jpegPhoto Jun 30, 6 57 34 PM.jpeg

Ben Harper played the Vic Theater last night in support of his new album Give Until It’s Gone. The show was great, I went for my usual balcony seats which I think is the only way to see a show at the Vic. The crowd was good, one or two guys yelling out stupid shit (a theme, I know) but that was about it. The show didn’t start late due to the storms passing through which knocked out the power to the theater. It was touch and go for a couple minutes when I thought we’d be standing in line during a down pour but we managed to get inside before the storm started.

The show kicked off with Burn One Down and included covers of Jeremy and Billy Jean. It was really just an all around great show.

Chicago Theater: Eddie Vedder

Chicago Theater: Eddie VedderPhoto Jun 29, 11 02 57 PM.jpegPhoto Jun 29, 10 53 38 PM.jpeg

Last night I went to the Chicago Theater to see Eddie Vedder on his solo tour. The show was good but not nearly as good as the last time around.  I could complain about the beer being split on me, the crazy old lady in my row or the grown men who feel the need to scream in a primal way at a man playing a ukelele but I won’t.  Overall it was solid and it’s always nice to be in the Chicago Theater.  I wonder if when people from other generations go to see their acts in theaters are there still people screaming?  For example Neil Young played at the same venue earlier in the year, were there guys screaming at him during his show?  I just wonder at what age this ends?  Does the experience ever change?

Side Notes:

Eddie Vedder at the Chicago Theater tonight w/ special guest @julierubes on iPhone - #pearljamChicago Theater lobby for the Eddie Vedder concert - #pearljam

* This was my third time in the Chicago Theater, the first time was for a tour and the other was to see Conan O’Brien.

San Francisco: Bridge School Benefit.

Bridge School Benefit.Photo Oct 26, 10 55 09 AM.jpg

This past weekend I headed out to San Francisco for the Bridge School Benefit show with Jack & Eddie.  Of course the weather was what one would expect when I travel to your city.*  We had initially planned to attend both nights but considering the weather, personal wellness and Jack & Eddies’ pre-dawn flight on Monday we skipped out on the second day.

The way the Bridge School is setup is each group/performer has about 20 minutes on stage which usually translates to about four or five songs and then they break to reset the stage.  The first band up when we got there was Modest Mouse which I’ve never seen before and I was really interested in how they were going to play their songs acoustic.  They just rocked.  Nothing more to it than that. We also got to see Billy Idol perform the closest thing he’ll ever get to an acoustic set.  Needless to say it was amazing.**  I think one of the first non Ice-T cd’s I have ever owned was Rebel Yell so there was a lot of fist pumping.

I thought Pearl Jam’s set was really good, a good portion of the songs I’ve never heard.  This is the entire setlist:  Last Kiss, Unthought Known, Santa Cruz, Nothingman, Dancing Barefoot, Better Man, Walk With Me, Just Breathe, and Black.  Santa Cruz I guess is a song Eddie Vedder has done on his solo tour and Walk With Me is from Neil Young’s new album Le Noise.  I thought those two were the best songs we heard all night.

Besides the rain and the $10 non-premium beers the only other complaint I have was Elvis Costello just dragging on his set.  I last saw Elvis Costello back in Columbus when he toured for his ‘When I Was Cruel’ album.  What he’s up to now is not for me.

Side Notes:

* Last time I went to San Francisco it was an unseasonal 90 degrees and I received one of the worst sunburns of my life.  This time around it didn’t stop raining for more than an hour my entire trip.  This is how I roll into your city, with blatant disregard for seasonal norms.

** The one issue with seeing a show like this with such a range of musicians is different people are in to different groups and they can be total assholes when some one they don’t care about is performing.  In other words, don’t talk when Billy Idol sings.