Thought maybe seeing BNL for the fourth time would be repetitious. No such thing! It was brilliant, lots of fun, they seem to get better every time around. Ed was really rocking out on the guitar tonight and the sound was great despite being in a huge arena with half of it blocked off/empty. They sang some of my old faves (Brian Wilson, Call & Answer, The Old Apartment) as well as lots of new stuff, some of which I liked so much better live than on the album mixes. Great concert.

Mike Doughty, on the other hand, as their opener seemed very lost. Don’t know if it was the space or the night or the crowd or what, but he made very odd song choices, did some weird band jamming, and had the most awkward stage banter I’ve ever heard from him. Third time seeing him; previously in smaller venues and as the headliner, he has been awesome. This time not so much. I kept turning to Rachel and saying “How bizarre. What’s with him tonight?”

Side notes to self:
a) there is no heat in the Allstate Arena. do not go there in the winter.
b) hellooooooo what are you doing buying tickets to Allstate when you have no car? it’s basically going to see a concert at O’Hare except the train stop isn’t RIGHT AT IT and the whole bus/train/bus commute is neither fast nor fun particularly on the way home.

To say it was breathtaking would be an understatement. She was beautiful and erudite and every bit as relevant as when she sang protest songs in the ’60s.

She did an a capella version of Finlandia that was just heart-rending. She sang old, old folk songs, and newer ones; even ones so new that she didn’t know the lyrics by heart yet. She sang songs by Merle Haggard, and Steve Earle (“Christmas in Washington” which I’ve never heard before and now MUST find a copy of), and of course by Bob Dylan. She even did a Dylan song (It’s all over name, Baby Blue”) where she sang a few verses in an imitation of Bob Dylan’s voice! So funny! She sang a song she wrote for her son, thinking about them together on a trip to Hawaii, called “Coconuts” that has since taken on all sorts of other meanings and has some truly hilarious double-entendres.

She had two young male musicians playing with her who both appeared extremely talented, and both blended into the background as the perfect complements, stepping up for solos / harmonies / etc. when needed. She said “It took me until I’m in my 60s to finally assemble a band that’s low maintenance!”

She had played Grinnell College the night before and said she wound up giving a history lesson as no one in the audience had even been born when she started out (her career started 48 years ago). She introduced one song by saying “Last night, I said “I played this song at Woodstock” and the crowd went wild. Some of the people in TONIGHT’s audience were actually around back then….”

It was an amazing concert. I can only hope I am as full of vim and vigor when I turn 65.
(Yes, some of this is a repeat of a post on the main blog. But that post won’t stick around for long, and this one will.)

This is the 7th or 8th time I’ve seen them live — I’ve lost track — but the first time in at least 10 years. So I didn’t know many of the new songs the concert was front-loaded with. But the old stuff sounded sweet as always. Their live show just FILLS UP THE ROOM no matter where they play.

And the crowd involvement on the oldies was loud, in tune, and uplifting. And gave even the performers huge grins on their faces.

Sadly boring in concert. Slowed down, droning on and on, every song sounds the same. He’s really good looking, IF YOU IGNORE THE HAIR. But better to listen to at home.