Mike Errico - 01.22.10

Mike Errico - Rockwood Music Hall

January 22, 2010 - New York, NY

I couldn't bring myself to tell Mike Errico that I was the "douche girl" . . . maybe next time ;)

1. 1000 Miles
2. Free
3. Ever Since
4. Someday
5. Everybody Knows
6. Johnsburg, Illinois (Tom Waits cover)
7. You Could Be Anywhere
8. Underwater
   

Kevin Devine - 01.21.10

Kevin Devine - The Crazy Donkey

January 21, 2010 - Farmingdale, NY

This was actually probably the most enjoyable show I've ever attended at The Crazy Donkey - the crowd wasn't obnoxious, the venue kept the show moving, and, well, Kevin Devine performed!   So naturally that makes everything better.  My first show of 2010 was a great one.

1. Brother's Blood
2. Noose Dressed Like A Necklace
3. Keep Ringing Your Bell
4. Another Bag of Bones
5. Carnival
6. [New Song]
7. Cotton Crush
8. Ballgame
   
9. Yr Damned Ol Dad
   

Song of the Week - 01.17.10 - 01.24.10

Sleepyhead by Passion Pit.  I was a little late to the party with this one - I've been a fan of The Reeling for a while, but I hadn't heard Sleepyhead until my friend Pat put it on his 2009 Mix.  This song instantly puts me in a good mood.  I don't even know what the hell the singer is singing, but everything about it makes me happy.  Don't believe me?  Listen for yourself!

To download Sleepyhead, click the iTunes link below

Song of the Week - 01.10.10 - 01.16.10

Gateway Drug by The Spill Canvas.  I've grown to believe that The Spill Canvas can do no wrong.  From their lyrics to their album titles ("No Really, I'm Fine" and "Honestly, I'm Doing OK" . . . love it!!) to their live shows, these guys have never disappointed me.  Their latest EP, "Abnormalities", is no exception.  Gateway Drug is one of only three songs on the album, but I've loved it from the minute it was first released on the Spill Canvas's MySpace page a month or so ago.  Can't wait for their next full length.


You are my gateway drug
You pull me down
You mess me up
You are my gateway drug
You give me a taste for the harder stuff
And I don't wanna stop


Click the iTunes link below to download Gateway Drug

Maroon 5 - 02.24.08

Maroon 5 - The Apple Store, SoHo

February 24, 2008 - New York, NY

Mary and I went to a free Maroon 5 show at the Apple Store in SoHo tonight (thanks, Keely) and they played their entire "new" album and we sat in the fourth row (the entire first row was full of a group of eight-ish year-old boys and one little girl, who I hypothesized were all of Adam Levine's illegitimate children - I'm kind of a terrible person) and by the end of the show, Adam Levine's two shirts were soaked with sweat (he did not cave in to the incessant "TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT!" screams, despite his repeated complaints of how hot it was - he was literally the hottest person in the room, haha) and we were able to see his nipples the whole show and make out what looked like a teddy bear tattoo on his right shoulder. He was really funny and I loved when he would try to explain what the songs were about or when they were written before he sang them. He seemed like a genuinely cool person and not at all like a total ass, like I'd expect him to be. I like when bands seem genuine in their gratefulness for their fans, as opposed to coming across as "we're doing you a favor by letting you listen to our music."

But anyway. The highlight was when I took my eyes off the stage for about 5 seconds in between songs and suddenly I felt something hit me in my lap and fall on the floor at my feet - their guitarist, Jimmy Valentine (the second coolest J. Valentine "musician"), had flicked a pick at me. I've been going to concerts for 12 years and I've never gotten a pick, a drumstick, or even a setlist - it was pretty exciting. It says "Maroon 5" on one side and "Jimmy V." with a heart on the other side - I love it. 

 

The only downside is that now I feel a little guilty for referring to Jimmy V as "The Caveman" since Mary and I saw them at MSG in October.

 

But not too guilty.  Note to Jimmy: get a haircut.

Setlist:

1. If I Never See Your Face Again
2. Makes Me Wonder
3. Little of Your Time
4. Wake Up Call
5. Won't Go Home Without You
6. Nothing Lasts Forever
7. Can't Stop
8. Goodnight Goodnight
9. Not Falling Apart
10. Kiwi
11. Better That We Break
12. Back At Your Door
    

To download songs from this performance, click the iTunes link below:

Song of the Week - 01.03.10 - 01.09.10

Brighter Discontent by The Submarines.  Towards the end of the 4th Season Finale of Nip/Tuck, this song is used in a montage, with each of the main characters lip syncing along in their respective locations . . . it was pretty neat. I downloaded the song that same day and it's been on repeat for most of this week - I absolutely love it.

"Brighter Discontent" on Nip/Tuck . . . the lyrics are on the screen

To buy "Brighter Discontent" for yourself, click the iTunes link

James Blunt - 02.29.08

James Blunt - The Beacon Theatre

February 29, 2008 - New York, NY

with Sara Barreiles

1. Give Me Some Love
2. Billy
3. High
4. I Really Want You
5. Carry You Home
6. I'll Take Everything
7. Goodbye My Lover
8. No Bravery
9. Annie
10. Breakfast In America
11. You're Beautiful
12. Shine On
13. Out Of My Mind
14. Wise Men
15. So Long, Jimmy 

Encore

1. One Of The Brightest Stars
2. Same Mistake
3. 1973

 

Straylight Run - 03.01.08

Straylight Run - The Crazy Donkey

March 1, 2008 - Farmingdale, NY

(I know, this is lame, I hate it when they don't give actual tickets at concerts!)

1. Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)
2. The Miracle That Never Came
3. Take It To Manhattan
4. Existentialism on Prom Night
5. It's For The Best
6. Mistakes We Knew We Were Making
7. Tool Sheds & Hot Tubs
8. Hands in the Sky
   

Kevin Devine - 04.20.08

Kevin Devine - Music Hall of Williamsburg

April 20, 2008 - Brooklyn, NY

Put Your Ghost to Rest Record Re-Release Show

Kevin Devine did not disappoint. Even though I'm an idiot and dragged Becky with me to get there for around 7 when, I soon discovered, Kevin didn't go on until 10.  So we walked around Williamsburg aimlessly for nearly an hour, where Becky pointed out how suspicious we probably looked and that a cop might have a reasonable suspicion that criminality was afoot if they saw us that would justify them stopping and frisking us.  I've never seen so many Thai and sushi restaurants in such a small area.

Long story longer, I have a total crush on Kevin Devine.  He is absolutely my favorite person in the world with my initials!  Highlights:

• He played "Put Your Ghost to Rest" in its entirety.  As I guess could have been expected seeing that it was the re-release party.  But it was exciting nonetheless because I don't know that I've ever heard him do "Go Haunt Someone Else" live.
• Brian Bonz playing EVERY INSTRUMENT KNOWN TO MAN (ok, not really, but kinda really)
• "Take me to prom!" "I'm a grown ass man, I can't take you to prom! I can DRIVE you to prom!"
• Kareem Abdul Jabar! He made his mom cover her ears.  I'm not sure why. But it was cute.
• His "you know any Dave?" story . . . I fully appreciate anyone who doesn't think that Dave Matthews is God's gift to music. Which may be because I am convinced that Kevin Devine is God's gift to music
• "People Are So Fickle"! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that song.
• Super seriously, I loooooooooooove Kevin Devine.  So severely.

* setlist needed . . . obviously all of Put Your Ghost To Rest, but the order and the rest would be nice :)*

Elbow - 04.26.08

Elbow - Webster Hall

April 26, 2008 - New York, NY

1.  Starlings
2. The Bones of You
3. Leaders of the Free World
4. Great Expectations
5. Mirrorball
6. Red
7. Grounds for Divorce
8. Forget Myself
9. The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
10. The Stops
11. Newborn
12. One Day Like This

Encore

1. Puncture Repair
2. Station Approach
3. Grace Under Pressure 
   

Song of the Week - 12.27.09 - 01.02.10

November Was White, December Was Grey by Say Hi.  This song sums up a lot of how I've been feeling for the past couple of months - "Someday soon, when the spring brings the sun, I'll finally sleep, I'll finally feel better when the winter's gone.  I'll feel better when the winter's gone."  I stumbled across this song by accident when reviewing best of 2009/best of the 2000s music blog posts, and I'm glad I did.

Mike Errico - 12.17.09

Mike Errico - Joe's Pub

December 17, 2009 - New York, NY

My first Mike Errico holiday show since 2006 - another one that didn't disappoint.  I hadn't seen Mike since he did a free show at Rockwood Music Hall in April, and I forgot how much I love his live shows.  He's incredible.

The setlist was fantastic, although I would have loved to have heard When She Walks By and Strawberry Song:

1. Skimming
2. Daylight  ("I heard laughter during the 'woman #2 line' . . . that can only mean one thing . . . new blood")
3. Springtime
4. Ever Since
5. Johnsburg, Illinois  (Tom Waits cover)
6. 1000 Miles
7. Count to Ten
8. Grace
9. Free
10. [unknown]
11. Underwater
12. Someday

Encore

1. Happy (during the omen distribution)
   

After a VERY brief exit from the stage (i.e. - 10 seconds, tops), Mike came back with the instructions to "release the omens".   In the past I've gotten a men's shaving kit, a magnifying stick, and cologne in a cigar shaped bottle, so I was kind of nervous to see what I'd get this time around.  "You don't choose your omen; your omen chooses you."  Awesome.

Thank you Mike Errico. 

*EDIT* - More thanks to Mike Errico for actually tweeting about this post -  totally made my day!!

When I Fly Solo I Fly So High - Kerri's 2009 Mix

Just a quick disclaimer - as you'll notice, most of these songs aren't even from 2009.  But my mixes aren't about the "best" songs of the year, they're about those songs that defined my year.  Maybe I heard them for the first time in 2009, maybe I saw the band live for the first time, maybe the song was first released - it could be any number of things.  Either way, here's my 2009 mix.

1. Time To Pretend - MGMT.  I don't remember if it was late 2008 or early 2009, and I forget what movie or TV show I was watching that I first heard this song on, but it was one of those songs that instantly made me run to a computer so I could look it up and download it immediately.  Something about this song just instantly cheers me up.
2. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon.  Can't go anywhere without hearing this song these days, but the first time I heard it was January or February or so, on Music Choice and I loved it.  I've always *wanted* to like Kings of Leon more than I actually did, but they got it spot on with this one.
3. May: The Summer of Boats - Local H.   I have nearly 12,000 songs on my iPod, and more often than not, when I have it on random (as I almost always do), I don't recognize the songs that come on.  I usually skip them 'til I find one I know, or one that sounds interesting.  But every so often, one comes on that I don't recognize, but that stops me in my tracks.  This was one of those songs - from the first line, I was absolutely hooked.  The 'chorus' had me nearly in tears, even before I could relate to it.  "Life was perfectly sad, it's perfectly sadder now."  
4. Tomorrow's Just Too Late - Kevin Devine.  I knew this song long before it was formally released on Kevin Devine's "Brother's Blood", and I was even fortunate enough to hear it live, as it should be, with Jesse Lacey on background vocals, again long before the CD was released.  But I never truly appreciated it until one May afternoon when it came up on the ipod and I heard the line "you've got a choice to make, shut him out, save himself, or sit and wait" and then I repeated the song and listened where that line left off, and I repeated it again, and again, until I'd made a decision.  It was the wrong one, of course, but I thank Kevin Devine nonetheless for getting me to that point.
   
5. Poker Face - Lady Gaga.  What's not to love about Lady Gaga??  It was tough to choose between this one and "Paparazzi" for the 2009 mix, but ultimately "Poker Face" won out for being the song that made me a Lady Gaga convert.  Fun, catchy and all around awesome.
   
6. Degrassi: The Next Generation Theme Song - When Briton and I randomly caught an episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation by chance over the summer we were studying for the bar exam, I never thought I'd end up hooked.  But with the realization that I had "The N" (which later became "Teen Nick"), and with their "every episode ever" marathon, how could I not?  The show provided an awesome escape from reality, and the theme song, cheesy as it is, is still kinda inspirational - "whatever it takes, I know I can make it through."
   
7. The Artist in the Ambulance - Thrice.  Here's another oldie that long pre-dates 2009, but I never developed the Thrice appreciation that I have now until this year, and this song is hands down my favorite.  It's occurred to me this year (maybe for obvious reasons) that I should make a morbid "Car Crash mix" - this one would be the most positive addition to the list. 
   
8. Sometime Around Midnight - The Airborne Toxic Event.  If I did make a "Best Songs of 2009" mix/list, this song would hands down be #1 on the list.  I first heard of this song through a Starbucks free download.  A few weeks later, I was going through my old Entertainment Weekly magazines and throwing out the ones I didn't want to save, and went on a kick of downloading all their recommended rock/indie/alternative songs.  This was one of them.  I recognized the name of the song from the Starbucks download - I played it - my life was changed.  I don't know if it's enough to simply say that this was the best song of 2009.  This song has made me revisit my "favorite songs ever" list. It is rare to find a song that moves me the way this one did, the way it still does EVERY TIME I HEAR IT.  It's been more than six months since I discovered this track - I think I got the Starbucks download card in April, actually - but I still get moved to tears every time I hear it, sometimes uncontrollably.  The desperation in Mikel Jollett's voice and the lyrics as the song progresses gets me every time.  If you can't relate to this song (or if you couldn't relate to this song at some point in your life), you haven't lived.  Incredible song.
   
9. 1901 - Phoenix.  Right before I left for London, I was driving my dad's car while my Cabrio had some repairs taken care of, and Sirius's Alt Nation started playing this song fairly regularly.  By the time I got back, I was hearing everywhere about this great new "French band" and this song was showing up in car commercials and everywhere and I just loved it - Alt Nation's Top 18 countdown for the year described this song as "retardedly catchy", and I can't think of a better description.  I finally picked up a copy of their CD last week - haven't listened yet, but I have high hopes.
   
10. We Are Golden - Mika.  To say I "loved" Mika's "Grace Kelly" when I first heard it is an understatement, as is saying that I loved his "Life in Cartoon Motion" cd.  The second I saw in Entertainment Weekly that he had a new cd coming out and a new single, I had to run and download it, and this one was no disappointment.  I feel like a little kid when I listen to Mika - the excitement and the childlike quality to his songs can make any bad day better, any sadness fade.  Now someone just needs to make a Sylar video with this song ;)
    
11. Life Is A Show - Cassie Steele.  There was a lot of good music this year, so it's kind of embarrassing to have *two* Degrassi songs on my mix.  But truth be told, from the minute I first started seeing Degrassi Goes Hollywood commercials with this song in the background, I knew I'd love it - I looked forward to that movie all summer, and my eyes teared up a little for Manny when she sang this song from the bus and Jason Mewes yelled down to her "Manny, you ARE the part."  It's one of those uplifting, "I'm not going to let life get me down" songs that makes me smile every time I hear it.  I love Degrassi!
    
12. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas.  The irony is that the first time I heard this song, I was driving with Becky to grab the train from Westbury for our birthday party in the city . . . the night was anything but a good night, and every time I heard this song I can't help but think about the *bad* night that I had when I first heard it.  But it makes me think of Becky, a bright spot in a bad year, and it makes me smile.
13. At The Bottom - Brand New.  The first single from Brand New's long-awaited fourth album, Daisy, this was the first song I'd heard (other than "Bought a Bride", which I'd heard live a few months earlier when it was still being referred to as "Trees" or "Brickhouse") from the album, and I was drawn to it right away.  It's not my favorite song on the album, but it's classically awesome Brand New and I love the lyrics. 
    
14. White Horse - Taylor Swift.  I laughed when I was explaining this mix to my friend the other day and told her that so many of the songs were upbeat and cheerful until I hit around track 14, ha.  I guess that's not entirely true, but "White Horse" coincides with the downward spiral I hit towards the end of the year.  I read an interview with Taylor Swift where she said that she finds the songs that most people relate to the most are the ones she wrote while she was going through something terrible.  I'm sorry that anyone ever has to feel that way, but I'm glad that Taylor Swift felt that way long enough to write this song.  "I'm not your princess, this ain't a fairytale, I'm gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well . . ."  If I could sing, this would definitely be a karaoke song.
    
15. Quote - Evans Blue.  Another old song, but a new discovery to me in 2009.  It's not my favorite on the CD, but the lyrics hit home during my downward spiral at the end of the year.
    
16. Come Downstairs And Say Hello - Guster.  This one's another oldie - it's been years since "Keep It Together" was released.  But it wasn't until the Lost and Gone Forever show, when they closed out the show with this one (well, before the "Jesus on the Radio" acoustic performance), that I really listened to it.  "Tomorrow I start in a new direction . . ."  It's a good one.
    
17. Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast.  I still haven't seen the pilot episode of Glee . . . but having seen every other episode of the show and bought both soundtracks, I think it's one of the best shows out there.  Although I didn't see the episode where this one was performed, it's one of my favorite songs and this is an awesome version of it.
    
18. I Can Barely Breathe - Manchester Orchestra.  When I saw Manchester Orchestra open up for Brand New at the biggest concert of my year, I recognized this song right away as one of their few that I had downloaded.  But the lyrics didn't get to me until that night - "if you knew I was dying, would it change you?  If you knew I was dying, would it change anything?"  And of course, my title lyric - "when I fly solo, I fly so high." 
    
19. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead - Stars.  The first time I really recognized hearing this song was during the season finale of the fifth season of Degrassi: The The Next Generation.  It was playing during the graduation scene, at the end of the episode, and I looked up the lyrics that I heard and realized that I actually already owned this song - on one of the soundtracks to The OC.  I adored the song instantly, and it was on my 2009 mix long before its chronological placement as #19.  The song is so sad to me - I think that the line "all of the time you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name" might be the saddest lyric ever.  But anyway. Like I said, I knew this song would be on my 2009 mix, but it wasn't until I went to burn the first copy, when I realized that something wasn't right with the mix and that something seemed like it was missing, that I realized that I had to place this song last.  It makes me cry and it makes me terribly sad, but there's no better way to conclude 2009 than by realizing: "There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave. You were what I wanted, I gave what I gave. I'm not sorry I met you.  I'm not sorry it's over.  I'm not sorry there's nothing to save.  I'm not sorry there's nothing to save."  This song is one of the things that got me through the last few months of 2009.  Thank you for that, Stars.