(no subject)
• Snow. In October. Wet, heavy snow that's making the lights flicker. Do not want. DNW all over the motherfucking place. Had to go out in it today to pick up some prescriptions from Walmart. Not fun.
• Tuesday started with a highway lamp post falling over just two cars ahead of me. Luckily it didn't land on any cars or hurt anyone. But, as it fell straight across the lanes, it was a seriously close call.
However, the day ended with the Civil Wars show in Philly. Much improvement!
Despite parking madness, we managed to catch most of Milo Greene's opening set. <3 Both desertgoddess and I picked up their tour EP and managed to get it signed by one of the band members (Andrew) after the show. But with the growing crowds and our combined lack of boldness, we didn't get any other signatures.
Anyway, brilliant folky poppy indie rock from Milo Greene with excellent male-female-male harmonies. They covered Sufjan Stevens ("Chicago," iirc) and did "Autumn Tree" and "1957" (the catchiest damn song - I've shared it here previously, but if anyone missed it, let me know).
The Civil Wars. What can I say? They are the most charming duo ever. Those beautiful songs take on new life in the live setting in a way that defies explanation. There's pure vivacity in their music... a joyfulness (and, seriously, could Joy have been better named?) that comes through in even the darkest songs.
John Paul and Joy's playfulness is almost as wonderful to experience as their music.
I'm afraid I'm useless at remembering the setlist. It included nearly every song off of Barton Hollow with, of course, the title track (which received a thunderous reaction from the crowd) and "Poison And Wine." There was one new-ish song: "Oh, Henry." They covered Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm" exquisitely... and chillingly, rendering it a murder ballad. The encore consisted of their covers of "Billie Jean" (ten bazillion times better than the original) and "Dance Me To The End Of Love."
We were rather far back in the audience - in front of the bar/food stand and a little behind the sound booth. But it turned out to be a rather decent location, as we were elevated above the main floor with fewer obstructions (i.e. my short ass didn't have to worry so much about tall people). Plus, the Troc isn't that big anyway. Besides, I know from experience that the sound at the Troc gets pretty muddy up front, or even in the middle of the crowd. For an acoustic act like the Civil Wars, that's not as much of an issue as it was for, say, Sleater-Kinney (who I've seen at that venue). However, I still think the sound quality was likely better where we stood than up front. Though standing up front would have been nice. Maybe next time. :)
Anyway: THE CIVIL WARS! ♥ ♥ ♥
• The boys' Leviathan doppelgangers were kind of awesome. I love the commentaries they made about Sam and Dean: both hilarious and revealing. Also loved how they forced the plot forward with Dean's secret about Amy. Although the split up at the end had me flailing my arms at the TV. I mean, clearly that separation won't last. But still. Again, boys?! And, Dean, you're just going to say "all right" to your mentally compromised brother and let him go? Really??
Some of the bits in the car had me cringing, but mostly I loved it. Especially Dean cutting down the My Little Pony thingy and throwing it in the back.
Air Supply. Oh god. *flashbacks to childhood* You know, my mom has excellent taste in music and mostly raised me right, with the Beatles, Stones, Jimi, Janis, Joe Cocker and so on. But Air Supply was one of those embarrassing groups she liked. And yet... I could relate to Dean's guilty pleasure.
I couldn't enjoy the Jody Mills stuff because the whole time I was suspicious of her, thinking she'd be a Leviathan version.
Jim Beaver acting against himself... he kicked ass.
Chet was delightfully snarky.
So excited to see Kevin McNally. Was spoiled about his appearance, but nothing else. Loved seeing that caliber of guest star on the show. And he played off the boys beautifully. Gibbs!
Crowley! So happy to see him again... and see some beasty capable of making him squirm.
Am interested in seeing how the boys reconnect next week and how they deal with each other. Hoping it's not another swept-under-the-carpet issue, and that there's a continuation/resurgence of the maturation theme that has been happening slowly over the past few seasons.
• Thinking if things go the way they have been, I'll have to drop out of the SPN 50_states challenge. I've no time to read let alone write. Write what? My brain cells have all abandoned ship.
• Work seemed fractionally better this week. However, one of the nicer people with whom I've been spending time turns out to be a bit a homophobe. Wonder how she'd react if she found out she's been hanging around with a bi girl.
• Tuesday started with a highway lamp post falling over just two cars ahead of me. Luckily it didn't land on any cars or hurt anyone. But, as it fell straight across the lanes, it was a seriously close call.
However, the day ended with the Civil Wars show in Philly. Much improvement!
Despite parking madness, we managed to catch most of Milo Greene's opening set. <3 Both desertgoddess and I picked up their tour EP and managed to get it signed by one of the band members (Andrew) after the show. But with the growing crowds and our combined lack of boldness, we didn't get any other signatures.
Anyway, brilliant folky poppy indie rock from Milo Greene with excellent male-female-male harmonies. They covered Sufjan Stevens ("Chicago," iirc) and did "Autumn Tree" and "1957" (the catchiest damn song - I've shared it here previously, but if anyone missed it, let me know).
The Civil Wars. What can I say? They are the most charming duo ever. Those beautiful songs take on new life in the live setting in a way that defies explanation. There's pure vivacity in their music... a joyfulness (and, seriously, could Joy have been better named?) that comes through in even the darkest songs.
John Paul and Joy's playfulness is almost as wonderful to experience as their music.
I'm afraid I'm useless at remembering the setlist. It included nearly every song off of Barton Hollow with, of course, the title track (which received a thunderous reaction from the crowd) and "Poison And Wine." There was one new-ish song: "Oh, Henry." They covered Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm" exquisitely... and chillingly, rendering it a murder ballad. The encore consisted of their covers of "Billie Jean" (ten bazillion times better than the original) and "Dance Me To The End Of Love."
We were rather far back in the audience - in front of the bar/food stand and a little behind the sound booth. But it turned out to be a rather decent location, as we were elevated above the main floor with fewer obstructions (i.e. my short ass didn't have to worry so much about tall people). Plus, the Troc isn't that big anyway. Besides, I know from experience that the sound at the Troc gets pretty muddy up front, or even in the middle of the crowd. For an acoustic act like the Civil Wars, that's not as much of an issue as it was for, say, Sleater-Kinney (who I've seen at that venue). However, I still think the sound quality was likely better where we stood than up front. Though standing up front would have been nice. Maybe next time. :)
Anyway: THE CIVIL WARS! ♥ ♥ ♥
• The boys' Leviathan doppelgangers were kind of awesome. I love the commentaries they made about Sam and Dean: both hilarious and revealing. Also loved how they forced the plot forward with Dean's secret about Amy. Although the split up at the end had me flailing my arms at the TV. I mean, clearly that separation won't last. But still. Again, boys?! And, Dean, you're just going to say "all right" to your mentally compromised brother and let him go? Really??
Some of the bits in the car had me cringing, but mostly I loved it. Especially Dean cutting down the My Little Pony thingy and throwing it in the back.
Air Supply. Oh god. *flashbacks to childhood* You know, my mom has excellent taste in music and mostly raised me right, with the Beatles, Stones, Jimi, Janis, Joe Cocker and so on. But Air Supply was one of those embarrassing groups she liked. And yet... I could relate to Dean's guilty pleasure.
I couldn't enjoy the Jody Mills stuff because the whole time I was suspicious of her, thinking she'd be a Leviathan version.
Jim Beaver acting against himself... he kicked ass.
Chet was delightfully snarky.
So excited to see Kevin McNally. Was spoiled about his appearance, but nothing else. Loved seeing that caliber of guest star on the show. And he played off the boys beautifully. Gibbs!
Crowley! So happy to see him again... and see some beasty capable of making him squirm.
Am interested in seeing how the boys reconnect next week and how they deal with each other. Hoping it's not another swept-under-the-carpet issue, and that there's a continuation/resurgence of the maturation theme that has been happening slowly over the past few seasons.
• Thinking if things go the way they have been, I'll have to drop out of the SPN 50_states challenge. I've no time to read let alone write. Write what? My brain cells have all abandoned ship.
• Work seemed fractionally better this week. However, one of the nicer people with whom I've been spending time turns out to be a bit a homophobe. Wonder how she'd react if she found out she's been hanging around with a bi girl.