The Calexico and Iron & Wine show ruled. How's that for verbosity? Calexico did a very short set of their best material then Iron & Wine followed with his updated Cat Stevens act(not nearly as bad as that sounds, and if it makes you feel a little better let's say Nick Drake.) Incredible make-out music I would suggest bringing a person of the opposite sex (or same sex if that's your thing) to sway with. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by Iron & Wine considering all the hype and not being that impressed by the few MP3s I downloaded. He has an incredible voice, great guitar picking skills, and a charismatic stage presence. Folksy songwriters tend to be dull or cliché or and at their worst intolerably pretentious and unlistenable but the quality of this man's material far exceeded any expectations or prejudices I arrived with. The highlight of the evening was when the two closed out the night together playing songs from their collaborative EP and did a handful of covers including You Were Always on My Mind and Wild Horses. I got to go to the after party and drink their beer, eat their cheese and hit on their girlfriends which was also fun. Needless to say I will not be invited back. But guys I love you anyway. A., I can't belive you got us in there, you fuckin' rule.
I highly recommend the collaboration EP
In the Reins by the two of them. It's a walloping set of sweeping sincerity and musical brilliance that shines like a beacon in the storm of irony and artifice that is today’s disposable music scene.