That weekend sure went by quickly. Saturday was spent catching up with friends we hadn't seen in awhile, and staying up way too late playing Monopoly of all things! My first game since exiting childhood, and unlike back then, I didn't try to bribe people to keep playing with me. As is wont to happen with Monopoly, we started out with 5, and never did get down to a definite winner. Since EnergyChannel had a good 90% of the 500 dollar bills, though, we declared him the unofficial winner. I still think I could have taken him, if it hadn't been 2:00 a.m. 
This was one of the many reasons with didn't make brunch at 11:00 on Sunday. Sleep was too seductive, and the prospect of getting up early for brunch and staying up late for the Califone/Iron and Wine show was not appealing.
Speaking of, that show was fantastic. Sold out weeks ago, we bought tickets. A few days ago, we found out that EnergyChannel's brother had Califone put us on the guest list. No problem, as there are always people who want to buy tickets, especially to sold-out shows. We sold them at the show, for almost what we paid for them, and got in a line that snaked around the block waiting to get in.
Califone opened, and put on a great set of mixed longer songs and shorter ones. The wristbands we had enabled us to go backstage, so after their set, we went back to tell the guys how great they sounded, and were greeted by a sick Tim, who informed us that he'd just thrown up right before going onstage, and then again right afterwards. It sure wasn't evident in their set, and we wished him well and left him to curl up in a chair and sleep. I hope he's feeling better now.
The last time we saw Iron and Wine was about 2-3 years ago, at a much smaller venue, Holocene, and as a much smaller band. We jammed into the front of Holocene's tiny performance room, and basked in the wonder of the Beam siblings and co. This time, we got to stand comfortably next to the stage, and Sam is toting around 7 people with him now. He snagged Ben from Califone, and I think the guy from Calexico who makes all of the twangy noises on an instrument whose name I'm blanking on right now. Obviously doing In the Reins and touring with Calexico was more influential than we thought.
They were incredible, a good mix of more fast-paced stuff, and the slow and sweet stuff we all came to love them for. Sam is looking even more like a member of Skynyrd than ever, and even launched into 2 seconds of Freebird in case we hadn't noticed. I haven't heard their new album, so a lot of the set was unfamiliar, and even older songs had been reworked for the larger band. I spent a good portion of the show with a blissful smile on my face.
We didn't get a chance to see Sam after the show, but we found Ben and thanked him for putting us on the list. We checked on Tim, who was indeed sleeping soundly in a chair, and took our t-shirts and left. Sadly, after an awful night's sleep, I ended up calling in sick yesterday and spent much of the day feeling various amounts of icky. I'm all better now though, and work beckons.
Less than 3 weeks until we get to be in Eureka! My job may not pay much, but the fact that we have the time between Christmas and New Year's as paid vacation is really damn awesome.
This was one of the many reasons with didn't make brunch at 11:00 on Sunday. Sleep was too seductive, and the prospect of getting up early for brunch and staying up late for the Califone/Iron and Wine show was not appealing.
Speaking of, that show was fantastic. Sold out weeks ago, we bought tickets. A few days ago, we found out that EnergyChannel's brother had Califone put us on the guest list. No problem, as there are always people who want to buy tickets, especially to sold-out shows. We sold them at the show, for almost what we paid for them, and got in a line that snaked around the block waiting to get in.
Califone opened, and put on a great set of mixed longer songs and shorter ones. The wristbands we had enabled us to go backstage, so after their set, we went back to tell the guys how great they sounded, and were greeted by a sick Tim, who informed us that he'd just thrown up right before going onstage, and then again right afterwards. It sure wasn't evident in their set, and we wished him well and left him to curl up in a chair and sleep. I hope he's feeling better now.
The last time we saw Iron and Wine was about 2-3 years ago, at a much smaller venue, Holocene, and as a much smaller band. We jammed into the front of Holocene's tiny performance room, and basked in the wonder of the Beam siblings and co. This time, we got to stand comfortably next to the stage, and Sam is toting around 7 people with him now. He snagged Ben from Califone, and I think the guy from Calexico who makes all of the twangy noises on an instrument whose name I'm blanking on right now. Obviously doing In the Reins and touring with Calexico was more influential than we thought.
They were incredible, a good mix of more fast-paced stuff, and the slow and sweet stuff we all came to love them for. Sam is looking even more like a member of Skynyrd than ever, and even launched into 2 seconds of Freebird in case we hadn't noticed. I haven't heard their new album, so a lot of the set was unfamiliar, and even older songs had been reworked for the larger band. I spent a good portion of the show with a blissful smile on my face.
We didn't get a chance to see Sam after the show, but we found Ben and thanked him for putting us on the list. We checked on Tim, who was indeed sleeping soundly in a chair, and took our t-shirts and left. Sadly, after an awful night's sleep, I ended up calling in sick yesterday and spent much of the day feeling various amounts of icky. I'm all better now though, and work beckons.
Less than 3 weeks until we get to be in Eureka! My job may not pay much, but the fact that we have the time between Christmas and New Year's as paid vacation is really damn awesome.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
I wish I hadn't missed that show. Iron & Wine almost made me cry a couple of times.
i'm old.