(it's gonna redefine you)

Yesterday afternoon I got to see a band that I've been a fan of for nearly a decade (close enough!) perform the entirety of one of my top five albums of all time. I almost didn't go, but I also knew that I would be sad in my soul if I played the loser card and stayed home.

The me of eight years ago, when I was really into The Posies, would have flipped at being directly in front of Ken Stringfellow. The me of eight years ago would have freaked out when he jumped off the stage and then climbed over the barrier next to me, to lead a handful of us like the Pied Piper over to where he and Jon Auer sold their merch, kneeling on the concrete. The me of eight years ago would barely have been able to look at them long enough to buy the vinyl of Nice Cheekbones and a Ph.D., much less say that I was glad I'd finally gotten to see them. Because the me of eight years ago would never have driven to Chicago to see a show alone, at all. Period.

Strangely enough, I never would have realized they were playing Taste of Randolph if Empires hadn't posted about performing at an after-event, because then I went "What is this Taste of Randolph thing?" and looked it up.

That was only on Tuesday. Sometimes the best things are the ones you find out about at the last minute.

Ordered: One copy of Wilco (the Album) on vinyl, due to arrive around June 30th. I am stoked for this.

(blue crush)

I think some of my pictures from that show are okay, but they need some touch-ups before I will actually post them.

My three shows of the Snakes & Suits tour were all fantastic, and it was great to see everyone again.

what the world needs more of

(no more boarding calls)

My favorites from the last few shows. I'm getting better, but it still mostly depends on what kind of light it is, and who the light is mostly on. Usually it's Sean, so I end up with a billion decent pictures of him and blurry dark messes of everyone else.

From Madison, 12/06...




Forgive Durden in Omaha, 12/07...





Empires in Omaha...

(by design)

(where i've been)

A few weeks ago in Iowa City, while Tom Conrad looked at me and the person who's become one of my closest friends in the past year like we were crazy for showing up, I said, "It's not just for your band, you know. I'm getting to go places I've never been before!". And it's true, true, true. Now every few weeks I get the roadtrip bug and just want to get in my car and drive. Fortunately for Speedway's profits, there's been someplace to go every few weeks. (I was really excited when gas prices dropped below $3/gallon here.)



Up until August, I was keeping a running list of all the shows I've been to. It's so much longer than I ever thought it would be when I started keeping track. From shows I went to because part of me needed to go, like Jeff Tweedy's solo show at the Vic Theater, where he sang two songs without the PA and it was so silent everyone could hear (because people who pay $100 to see something like that know how to behave), to shows I went to just for the hell of it, like Gym Class Heroes at Park West, there has been something amazing at all of them. Even when there have been stupid people in the crowd, or opening bands that fail to impress, there's been something amazing at every. Single. One.

So here's the full list so far:

1/26: Jeff Tweedy @ the Vic Theater / Chicago, IL

1/27: Empires @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

1/31: The Cab, Metro Station, We the Kings, Cobra Starship @ The Rave / Milwaukee, WI

2/15: Wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/16: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/18: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/19: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/20: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

3/5: Empires @ the Metro / Chicago, IL

3/18: This is Me smiling, Debello, The Hush Sound @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

3/20: Empires & the Ting Tings @ AV-Aerie / Chicago, IL

4/6: Bang on a Can All-Star with Glenn Kotche @ Pick-Staiger Concert Hall / Evanston, IL

4/10: Gym Class Heroes @ Park West / Chicago, IL

4/11: Beardog, Empires, Mark Rose @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

4/14: Charlotte Sometimes, The Cab, Valencia (and random Mark Rose), We the Kings @ the House Cafe / DeKalb, IL

5/14: The Cab @ Beaumont Club / Kansas City, KS

5/18: Walrus, Empires, Air Traffic @ Reggie's Rock Club / Chicago, IL

5/25: Phantom Planet, The Hush Sound, Motion City Soundtrack, Panic at the Disco @ Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee, WI

6/4: Jane Vinyl, Made in Hollywood, Chris Gutierrez, Empires @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

6/10: Empires @ Debonair Social Club / Chicago, IL

6/15: The Fabulous, The Rememberwhens, Beardog, walrus @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

7/11: Kindle, Apteka, Empires @ the Metro / Chicago, IL

7/13: Empires, Gavin Rossdale @ the House of Blues / Chicago, IL

7/18: The Cab & The Hush Sound @ the Rave / Milwaukee, WI

8/05: Empires (acoustic) @ Angels & Kings / Chicago, IL

8/07: Empires & Mark Rose @ Doug's Rockhouse / Aurora, IL

8/08: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Bluebird / St. Louis, MO

8/09: Walrus, State & Madison @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

8/19: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Grog Shop / Cleveland Heights, OH

8/23: Kim Clements, Par Avion, Paper Rival, Empires @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

9/26: Mark Rose @ College of DuPage / Glen Ellyn, IL

10/4: Walrus @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

10/9: Jane Vinyl, Last Fast Action, State & Madison, Mark Rose @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

10/11: Empires & Mark Rose @ Illini Union Courtyard / Urbana, IL

10/24: Empires & Mark Rose @ the House Cafe / DeKalb, IL

10/25: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Picador / Iowa City, IA

10/26: Rolligator, Par Avion, Mark Rose @ Coffee Nation / Bloomington, IL

Coming up: Cavashawn tomorrow, three Empires shows with Steel Train, Forgive Durden and Dear and the Headlights next weekend, with a Cab show right after, an Autumn Defense show that I am really excited about (it's two members of Wilco), hopefully making it to the Family Order record release show, some more Empires dates, and Mark Rose at the end of December. Leave me a comment if you're going to any of these things!

(PS: I take terrible concert pictures, but the one of Dmitri and Charlie is probably my favorite picture I've taken all year.)