Bright Eyes Ring In My First Concert of 2005
2005-01-18 @ 3:25 p.m.
Conor Oberst makes me want to have passionate sex on the living room floor of my future city apartment.
Oh yeah.
So, last night was just genuinly a lot of fun. Natalya and I got a ride to the Riv from her Dad and Mom, who make quite the pair, let me tell you.
We arrived and realized that it was colder than a witch's tit outside. Still is too. Anyway, as usual, I almost fell down the stairs on our way to the washroom and coat check. (By the way, way cheaper than HOB, two bucks at the Riv, four at HOB.)
Natalya and I found our way to the stage area and worked our way up as close as we could get. (Which was somewhat hard, as many Bright Eyes fans were extremely stoic in their stances.) Tilly and the Wall were opening, and might I say that they were really great. I certainly enjoyed their set a lot more than Cocoa Rosie, who, while they were good, are probably more fun to listen to when you're about to go to bed, or, alone or something. They had a tap dancer helping out the percussion section, and, yeah, they were really lovely. Their voices harmonized so well, and the music was beautiful. I really enjoyed their last song about being in high school and doing stupid stuff. Or at least, that's what I think it was about, high school none the less.
After Tilly and the Wall we stood, squeezed up a bit, and conversed in an amusing way. During Tilly and the Wall a very, ahem, pretty boy was standing next to Natalya and he seemed to be kept in our thoughts for a bit. ;-) Anyway, Cocoa Rosie were next.
Might I just say, they were really confusing. I respect their attempt at being artsy and stuff, but, I don't think the crowd was too into it. I did like the sound though, and if I wasn't so adrenaline pumped then maybe I would of dug them more. Or, maybe if the guy Brandon, that we just met, had shut his trap for a little bit. That's okay though, he was entertaining. Apparently he and his friend came up, or down, or left, or right from Waukeegan, which isn't in Wisconsin(a total 'doh' moment right there), to see the show. Brandon liked to talk about black power a lot, that was kind of funny. He was there with his friend, and, who we later found out, their girlfriends. This we figured out when they were swaying together to Bright Eyes, and, to our eyes displeasure, making out.
I really do love the people I meet at concerts. You never forget them. Well, maybe some of them.
During Cocoa Rosie there was a guy in a red shirt with spikey blond(is there an 'e' after the d? I can never remember) hair and his cute girlfriend. They had a lot off fun making fun of Cocoa Rosie, and we had a lot of fun laughing with them. They made me smile.
I think Natalya's first concert experience was a go, and I really do hope she enjoyed it. I think the little glitter in her eye when Bright Eyes took the stage may have shown that she did. I had a blast, and I was so excited afterwards that I couldn't sleep. Finals what?
Anyway, after standing around some more, and trying not to inhale certain illegal substances being smoked around us, a guy with a really long grey beard came out and read us a poem. It was a lovely poem, and I thought that was really neat. Something I really wasn't expecting.
Then, Conor and his band took the stage. And now, I, am wondering if I am spelling his name right, oh well. I think I am. They played a solid two hour set, and it was really beautiful. I don't remember exact song titles, except for 'Padriac My Prince', but I really liked them all.
At some point some pushy guys came up and sort of squirreled their way around Natalya, but the short girl standing in front of this cute guy(of course, with a lip ring), pulled her back up. No way was she going to let Natalya get moved around. That was pretty neat. I haven't been to such a polite show in a while.
They played a song, or rather, Conor did about the President and God. I really, really, really, liked that song. For me that's kind of odd, because I don't usually enjoy politically themed songs, but Conor made his song different and special, and I really enjoyed it. 'When the President talks to God, does God tell him to rape our women's rights....?!' Boy, that was a doosey.
As I said before, there was only one song that I really knew, despite a few 'Something Vague' requests. Conor played 'Padriac My Prince' and Natalya and I did our very best to keep up and sing along. We also swayed, booty-bumped, and did whatever necessary to see over the tall people. (The tall people seemed to disperse a bit before the encore.)
I also liked a song that went something like 'Walk away, walk away..' What was even better though, was when Conor sort of snubbed the front row girls who were singing along poorly. That really made me giggle. He stopped a bit into the song, and took a drink(this is after he said 'oh shit' into the mic before the song started when he realized he was missing something on stage), and said 'Sorry about that, sometimes you know, it just throws you off *look right**glare at left* when people sing like that.' Or something like that. Oh man, that was fantabulous. Don't hold back Conor!
Conor said his thank you's and left before the encore, returning with 'Aw thanks, that was really sweet of you to stay..' only, sort of mumbling it in this sarcastic, 'I'm so talented' kind of way. Something I'll only let him get away with, because, as I've said, he is truly talented. Not just vocally, but instrumentally.
They played a few more songs, and ended with a rather gnarly song. Conor really got into it and on the last note flung his electric guitar into the air leaving it to land harshly on the stage. That was really great. Believe it or not, but that is the first time I've seen that happen at a show. It kicked ass.
So, with our last glimpse at Conor, and his band(I really, really, liked the dummer), we stood like cattle waiting to exit the main area place(I totally forgot what to call it), before being ushered out a different way. Then we waited in the hallway, and I navigated Natalya to the washroom stairs, and, to the coat check of course. Good thing we didn't use the washrooms, I think any pee we had left in us probably kept us a tiny bit warmer outside.
We waited for our coats(handed to us by a guy with an intersting species of dreadlocks), and excited the building.
Much to our non-existing glee, we encountered a lady with a *gasp* television on her chest! Was it showing us recaps of the concert? No, rather, cattle slaughter, and just, sad scenes in general. I totally forgot that this was an 'active' concert. Conor's been a vegitarian for a while, and went vegan for two years but got sick, and then went back to being a vegiatarian. OF COURSE PETA was going to be there. I'm so slow sometimes. Some homeless guy was handing us fliers while asking for change, and he and Natalya(who lent me her gloves, thank goodness, my little pinkies would have fallen off or something)had a really entertaining conversation. It's not that I'm against vegetarianism, really, I've actually been considering it for some time now, but there was no need for that. It's like a bunch of people in fur coats handing out fliers for a new coat factory in town. Really, respect everyone's opinions. Just because I don't want your flier doesn't mean I hate you, it just means I enjoy meat.
Woot woot.
While waiting for my dad to come pick us up we danced, huddled, I blew warm bad breath onto her face, sang, and felt bad for the poor kid trying to get inside the venue. He only had blue flannel on and a hat, and was begging to be let inside until his ride came. Poor guy. I almost wanted to take him home with me, but, that wasn't a good idea. :-P
We rushed into the car, pet my dog, dropped Natalya off, stopped at Johnny's for my sister(even though I got a little something too :-P), and went home.
Last night was a lot of fun. It wasn't exactly how I expected it to be, it was better in retrospect I suppose. Natalya has officially proved herself a good concert buddy next to friend. \m/ Rock on.
If I could do it all over again, I definetly would. It was a very enlightening experience.
Bright Eyes opened my eyes. Haha.
-SaM
Last 5
Cool Kids, They Belong Together - 2005-03-16
Sleep Soundless - 2005-03-14
The Best Thing I Need - 2005-03-14
To All Of Ye Good Men - 2005-03-13
The Black Label Society are Blasting My Ears So Good - 2005-03-11