The Cure & The Twilight Sad @ Lakewood Amphitheater

So night 2 of The Cure saw Erik and I leave Charlotte around 11 am to drive down to Atlanta.  This is the first time I've done this drive (this way), and I gotta say - not sure how I kept awake the whole trip.  It is dull!  We checked into the Midtown Hilton and had a rest before the nights activities.  After a quick dinner at the Trader Vic's in the hotel, we drove the 8 miles down to Lakewood Amphitheater without the hassle of the traffic we encountered coming into Atlanta.  Not knowing the area we took a spot in a parking lot when Google Maps said we had arrived at the destination.  We were taken for $20 but later on tonight that will seem like a bargain.

Once inside we tried to see if we could get upgraded seats (which they were offering in Charlotte last night) but the show was sold out, so we went for our spot on the general admission lawn.  I didn't know that the tickets had gone on sale and this was all that was left by the time I got tickets.

We picked our spot about 3/4 of the way back, dead center, and made ourselves comfortable for the last half of the Twilight Sad.  Again I've heard nothing from this band that I particularly like, but it was good to hear how humble they were playing in a venue of this size, opening for the Cure.

 

The Cure came on as the sun was still out, which felt a little weird, protecting your eyes and trying to see them as they played.  We were in the same spot and had plenty of room to move and Erik and I didn't draw in our usual freaky crowd.  Tonight's set is a lot darker (a stack more from Disintegration) and not as poppy/fun as last night's.  But it's The Cure, so you know it's all good.  It wasn't until Lovesong that it was actually dark and felt like a Cure show.  Being directly in front (as compared to the side last night) gave a whole new perspective to the entire light and visual show.  Just Like Heaven got the whole crowd dancing for the first time and sounded just great.

For me, it all kicked off from the first encore.  Shake Dog Shake was one I wanted to hear desperately and it didn't disappoint.  With the flute tied to the Robert Smith's mike stand you knew when he picked it up, Burn was next.  An underrated song from the Crow soundtrack, I'm glad I got to hear it both nights.  Then my all time favorite, A Forest, finished it off.  Not the spine tingling moment I had last night, but such a great song.

A quick break, and the still heavily clothed Smith (it's not as hot as last night but we aren't under the aluminum roof like last night) spoke of feeling like he was playing an "out of tune radiator" each time he changed guitars, before launching into Lullaby, which got the loudest reception for the night.  Fascination Street and Wrong Number were splendid follow ups.

The 3rd encore started with The Walk, which was as good as last night.  And then the lively Doing The Unstuck, before the crowd went apeshit for Friday I'm In Love.  The mood of the crowd and the band was on the up all night and you'd think after 9 songs in 3 encores that would be a great way to end it, but no, there was more to come.

The Perfect Girl was the start of the end.  This Kiss Me song is not one I was familiar with, but there was no denying the beginning of Hot Hot Hot!!!  Man, it sounded so good!  Straight into Close To Me.  It was just one iconic song after another.  Why Can't I Be You was another smashing rendition, all to be closed out with Boys Don't Cry. Last night's show was out of this world fantastic and was always going to be hard to top, but tonight's show was great for many different reasons.  13 songs out of the 31 weren't played last night.  The cooler-ish weather made it more comfortable.  And just seeing a great band in a new venue/state was exciting.  If I didn't have a family, I would have seen a ton more shows on this tour.  I will have to settle for the next time around.  I can't wait!

The Crap Facts:

This is my 406th concert.
Lakewood Amphitheater is the 114th venue I've seen a concert in
Atlanta is the 49th city I've seen a concert in.
Georgia is the 13th state I've seen a concert in.
This is my 214th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Twilight Sad concert.
This is my 5th Cure concert.

The Cure & The Twilight Sad @ PNC Pavilion

Yay!! The Cure are touring again.  And less than 2 years since I saw them at Riot Fest in Chicago.  We had Erik and Shelley fly in from Vegas for a few days, specifically to come and see this show.  They had been to the Hollywood Bowl earlier in the tour, and were so excited.  It was infectious.  Also Mike & Laura were coming too.  It was to be a awesome night.

I had read some reviews from the previous nights show at the PNC Pavilion (Weezer) and all talked about the trouble everyone had with parking and taking forever getting into the venue.  Because of this we left for the venue early and with absolutely no trouble at all we glided unstopped into the venue.  So well before The Twilight Sad started we were able to get a beer to combat the 90 degree weather.

We met Mike & Laura at our seats and saw the start of The Twilight Sad.  I liked their first song - very Ride-ish.  However, the next 2 were relatively similar, and we left in search of food.  I could hear more of the same as we bought dinner and a shirt.

I was, however, definitely back in my seat and ready when the Cure came out on stage and I was spellbound from the first notes of Pictures Of You.  We were about as close as what we were for Riot Fest and the band looked and sounded great.  What I can't understand is the amount of clothing the band was wearing.  It was so hot in the audience, they must have been dying up there.  I can't remember the moment he said that they decided to do only singles (or should've been singles) tonight. It could only mean one hit after another and the Cure did not let down.  Just Like Heaven got the first real big cheer for the night, but for me every song was a stand out.  In Between Days is a favorite and the back to back Lullaby / Fascination Street, but my first live Hanging Garden was unbelievable. They then finished their set with my favorite song, A Forest.  I had a "hair standing on the back of my neck" moment hearing those first chords.  It happened again in the same song as Robert Smith screamed "Again and again and again and again.....".

I was beside myself and elated.  I had not felt this good about a show since The Cure at Coachella 2009.  A new song, It Can Never Be The Same, opened the encore followed by The Crow soundtrack song, Burn, which I'd never heard live.  It was as good as you'd expect.

The second encore had the appropriately names Charlotte Sometimes, another song I was hearing for the first time.  Straight into the upbeat Primary, you'd never imagine this show could get better.  But of course it did.

Another new song, Step Into The Light, before blitzing through Never Enough, alt.end and Wrong Number.  But wait the biggest songs were yet to come.

A 5-song-4th-encore.  Unheard of before. My first ever Lovecats opened this set and was as quirky as I'd hoped it would be.  By the time the 33 song night finally ended with Boys Don't Cry, I was spent, yet on such a high.  This easily enters the top 10 of all time concerts seen.  I have rated it above the Coachella set into number 4 (behind Cure 98, McCartney Coachella 09 and Nirvana BDO 92).  I know we aren't going to be as close to the stage tomorrow in Atlanta, but I am so psyched to be doing this 2 nights in a row (I wish I could have done more).

The Crap Facts:
This is my 405th concert.
This is my 2nd concert at PNC Pavilion.
This is my 47th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 52nd concert in North Carolina.
This is my 213th concert in the USA.
The Twilight Sad are the 479th band I've seen.
This is my 4th Cure concert.

The Wombats @ Amos'

Not sure if I'd consider myself a Wombats "fan" before this show, but This Modern Glitch was definitely a good enough album to come out and see them tonight.  And so glad I did.  After fluking a great parking spot in South End (I should've bought a lottery ticket straight away I was so lucky), I was kind of surprised entering a two-thirds full Amos (after such a poor turn out for Bloc Party last month).  I also only had to wait 5 minutes, after getting a spot half way back, near the mixing desk, for The Wombats to hit the stage.   I think a Wombats song definitely has a a distinct sound, a great combination of rock, with a synth sound that you rarely hear.  The enthusiastic crowd was having fun from the start, as was the band were in their element.  It wasn't until the 4th song, 1996, did I finally hear something familiar.  Patricia The Stripper was a fun song and I, as well as everyone in Amos, loved Techno Fan.  By the time they finished with Tokyo, the crowd and band were in full swing, and there was a great buzz about waiting for an encore.  The last song was the one I'd been waiting for all night, and one I'd have paid the price of admission alone to hear.  Lets Dance To Joy Division is 3 minutes of pop perfection.  A better ending to this show you could not have hoped for.

4 years ago I wanted to see The Wombats at the Book & Stage at the Cosmo in Vegas, but had taken my mum to see Santana that night instead.  I'm glad the chance came again for me to see them, and I'd definitely go again.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 404th concert.
This is my 2nd concert at Amos.
This is my 46th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 51st concert in North Carolina.
This is my 212th concert in the USA.
The Wombats are the 478th band I've seen.

Bloc Party, The Vaccines & Oscar @ The Fillmore

Where are you Charlotte?  It's Bloc Party!  I know it's a school night, but this turn out is feeble.  All the more room for the rest of us, but hope this doesn't stop the band coming back on the next tour.  I got to the Fillmore early (I think willing an early start so I could go and see Screaming Females at The Station afterwards) and the curtain blocked off half the venue, indicating not a lot of people coming to the show.

I stood near the back for Oscar.  The art-pop musician and his band didn't really do much to catch my attention.  Same goes for the Vaccines.  I had heard some hype about this English band.  But not unlike last weeks Silversun Pickups show, they put on a good show, but nothing that set them apart (again, for me only).

Because of the smallish crowd, I moved closer to the stage for Bloc Party and found myself a great spot, leaning against on the the posts,  people back from the band.  After Kele finally solved a feedback problem, the band launched into Only He Can Heal me from their latest Hymns album.  The audience listened intently, like they were sussing out how the new stuff sounded.  Then Hunting For Witches got the crowd in the right mood for the rest of the evening.  The band played a good mix from all of their albums.  Obviously a lot of new stuff with a new album to promote, but Positive Tension, Song For Clay (Disappear Here) and Banquet were fantastic.  And the four song encore was as close to perfection as you can get.  Waiting For The 7.18, Price Of Gas, Ratchet (fast becoming one of my favorite songs, and an absolute barn-burner live) and lastly the great Helicopter to finish of the night.

It had peen 4 years since the last Bloc Party show and their live shows are getting better.  Again I hope crowd numbers don't stop them coming back, because this is a great band who put on a show. Kele has a great stage presence, and the band is tight, and the music energetic and fun.

I left the Fillmore and drove over to the Station.  I'd heard it was more of a later night venue, and thought I may have been able to catch the Screaming Females, but as I got to the front door, the band had just finished up their set.  I, and they, were in Asheville last night.  I should have gotten off my lazy arse and seen them there.  I'm sure there will be a next time.

The Crap Facts:

This is my 403rd concert.
This is my 16th concert at The Fillmore.
This is my 45th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 50th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 211th concert in the USA.
Oscar are the 476th band I've seen.
The Vaccines are the 477th band I've seen.
This is my 5th Bloc Party concert.

Silversun Pickups & Foals @ The Fillmore

I dont really know Silversun Pickups, but they must be ok if a band as good as Foals are opening for them.

I caught the last song of opening act, Joywave, and wished I'd gotten to the Fillmore earlier.

The Foals came on to an almost full Fillmore and from the get go were a giant wave of energy.  I am only familiar with the Antidotes album so when Olympic Airways came on early in the set, I was in my element.  Red Socks Pugie was the only other recognizable song for me, but the whole set had great songs.  And the bands energy collectively was only surpassed by that of their singer, Yannis.  I would love to see him do more songs where he doesn't play the guitar, because it looks like he has a restraining belt on with it, and who knows what would happen if he'd just cut loose.  It is time for me to discover more of Foals catalog, because this is one great rock band.  I also love the fact that I've seen them in the Visulite and the Fillmore, after they have just completed a sold arena tour through Europe earlier in the year.

While I didn't get near the same vibe from Silversun Pickups, it was clear we were at their show.  The crowd were hanging on every word of every song.  I know not a lick of their stuff, though I was told I'd know Lazy Eye.  it was the last song of the set, and I didn't know that till I saw it on setlist.fm.  A good band who have a loyal fanbase, but for me the bands came on in the wrong order tonight.  Bring back Foals soon.

Silversun Pickups Setlist

The Crap Facts:
This is my 402nd concert.
This is my 15th concert at The Fillmore.
This is my 44th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 49th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 210th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Foals concert.
Silversun Pickups are the 475th band I've seen.

Kevin Smith @ Comedy Zone

So I stumbled onto this show by mistake.  Picked up a Creative Loafing at Laurel Market on Friday, which I'm at randomly on a Friday.  This was one of their highlights for the upcoming week.  New nothing of it.  They had only advertised an 8pm show, but that was sold out and this 10.15 show was added.  After a couple of calls to Mike we had 2 tickets and only had to wait the weekend to see Kevin Smith.

Not being 100% sure where the Comedy Zone was, Mike and I got there a little early, scoped out the sign and went and sat at La Revolucion and had a beer and a couple of tacos before the show.  Halfway through dinner a line started to form around the bar, for us to finally realize that to get into the Comedy Zone you had to go into the basement of the restaurant.  We didn't get in until 10.45, due to the first show running long.  It's gonna be a late night.

We were one of the last seated so it wasn't long after that Kevin Smith hit the stage.  Like the Jim Jefferies review from November, I'm not going to try and recreate jokes, but needless to say it was another funny night.  Unlike Jeffries, Smith just tells stories from his life.  And it's a (self-admittedly) good one.  He told us that he was going to tell a story to get comfortable on stage and then open the floor to questions, which he stated, due to his ranting tangents, would only be 2 or 3.

His opening story was about his texting relationship with his daughter and then the audience asked him about:

1) What he thought about, and what were the chances of him directing a blockbuster like Superman v Batman.  The movie he loved, the thought of directing something like that does nothing for him.  He prefers to shoot dialogue/feeling scenes rather than the explosions and effects that goes into a large budget movie.

2) How he works with his Directors of Photography.  He had a friend do it for the longest time until success came knocking, and Harvey Weinstein would only let him use a particular DP for Dogma.  It was great how he made a tragedy - telling his current DP and also girlfriend at the time (Joey Lauren Adams) that they would have no part in the movie.

3) What people he wished he could sit down and smoke a joint with.  While the answers of George Carlin and Alan Rickman were not surprising, the stories that went along with them were heartfelt and funny.

All those stories also had their side tangents.  I can't remember what went with each story, but anecdotes of Jason Mewes, directing the an episode of Netflix's Flash, getting Johnny Depp to be in Tusk, being an extra on Law and Order and Ben Affleck just made it all the more funnier.

I also liked the whole message that he had.  If you have a passion for something, take the risk and do it.  He wrote, self-funded, directed, shot and then tried to get Clerks released when he started.  All because he loved movies and comics and thought that no-one was making these things for his friends. That initial risk has paid off into, what Smith says, a life that not even he could have dreamed of. Definitely food for thought.

At 1.30 am we had laughed ourselves senseless and left the Comedy Zone for what had to be one of the funniest Monday nights in a long time.

Pearl Jam @ Bon Secours Arena, Greenville, SC

Man this is a good show, even better than when I saw them a couple of years back in Charlotte.  But in light of what happened a few nights later in Raleigh, I am a little bit disappointed in the band, and for their fans.

I drove down to Greenville amidst a family virus crisis.  One of the boys has had it, A and the other one got it today.  I need to get out of town (be as far away from the bug as I can) and have some fun - I'm sure my turn is soon.  

Greenville on a Saturday night is a madhouse.  I thought I'd sit at a bar and get some dinner, but there was so many people around I couldn't even get into Jersey Mikes.  I ended up walking the half mile to Bon Secours Arena and paying to much for barbeque inside the arena.

I couldn't believe my seat.  3rd row, on the side, about half way down the arena.  After talking with folks around me, it turns out I am sitting with Ten Club members, who have been for 16 plus years.  Ten Club tickets get sold in pairs, and with 17 seats in the rows, I scored a great seat with some hardcore Pearl Jam fans.  Just after 8 the band came on and opened with Corduroy.  They then went straight into Go, Animal and Daughter.  The crowd was delirious.  Because I'm not the huge fan everyone surrounding me is, it took Eddie Vedder to say, after Indifference, that they had just played the Vs album from start to finish.  Apparently never done before.  There were still 6 more songs to finish the set, topped off with an awesome Spin The Black Circle and Do The Evolution finish.  A quick break before the encore.  Highlight here for me was Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb.  If most band's finished with Porch, you would think you had just seen a great show.  But Pearl Jam weren't finished.  A second encore started with the band playing Last Kiss to the crowd sitting behind the stage.  Better Man was fantastic and obviously a crowd favorite.  Vedder is almost drowned out by the crowd when it comes to singing this song.  And the ultimate 1-2 Pearl Jam punch as they went into Alive.  For me this is one of the great live songs, the whole song is a spine-tingling event.  Someone in the crowd was holding a sign saying Alive saved their life.  Vedder left to stage to hug that person.  The Who's Baba O'Reilly saw the band winding down and fan's collecting tambourines thrown into the crowd by Vedder.  Yellow Leadbetter finished the night, and when the lights came, there was not an unhappy person in the 15,000 crowd.  Three hours of great music.  Pearl Jam still know how to put on a great show.

The Crap Facts:

This is my 401st concert.
Bon Secours Arena is the 113th venue I've seen a concert in.
Greenville is the 48th city I've seen a concert in.
This is my 3rd concert in South Carolina.
This is my 209th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Pearl Jam concert.

Post Script:
I mentioned a disappointing factor in the following days of the concert.  Unfortunately the current Republican run state of North Carolina has introduced a somewhat controversial, and in my opinion homophobic, bill aimed at taking away rights for members of the LGBT community.  The HB2 Bill has many opponents, and has been the media's controversy du jour for some time now.  This bill went into law, under a special session, on April 1 - two weeks ago.  On Tuesday, a day before Pearl Jam's show in Raleigh, the band cancelled the show in protest of said bill.  I think this is an extremely poor decision.  One thing I learnt last Saturday is the dedication of the Pearl Jam fan.  These are people who LOVE this band and will follow them to the ends of the earth, in a Grateful Dead-esque way.  Of the people I spoke to on Saturday, few were actually from Greenville.  Many had traveled far and wide to see the band, and were continuing to do so in Virginia, Raleigh and Columbia in the next week.  I feel that cancelling the Raleigh show would have really hurt these people.  Not the state government, they could give a flying fuck if Pearl Jam show up or not.  But those who have paid for flights, hotels, car rentals, not to mention all the staff that work the at the arena.  How much did the cancellation cost them?  This tour went on sale in January.  The bill had been passed for 2 weeks.  You wait til the day before to cancel.  Dog move!  And what is your follow up on this? Sweet fuck all!    Pearl Jam's protest will go the same way as the band's stance on Ticketmaster and their fees back in the day.  Didn't stop me paying $15.55 on top of the $71 advertised price of this ticket (or 21% extra).  If a band like Pearl Jam want to protest something like HB2, PLAY in protest.  Bands like Silversun Pickups, Bloc Party, Flag, Duran Duran and Against Me played in North Carolina with the next 3 months and made their voice and opinion heard by being inclusive of Equality NC, encouraging people to vote and expressing their opinions to their fans.  Pearl Jam missed a great opportunity to get that message to a larger audience still.

And I didn't even have tickets for the Raleigh show - imagine the rant if I did.

Disclaimer: I was happy when Bruce Springsteen pulled the same stunt a few weeks earlier, knowing some people who supported HB2 were making the trip from Charlotte to Greensboro to see him.  In hindsight, that spiteful thought was wrong.  Springsteen could've played and shoved it in their faces during his show.

Elizabeth 8k Road Race

Something I thought I'd ever do is run in a road race, but after my weight ballooning to 247 pounds in January 2015, I decided to go on a fitness kick.  I eliminated a lot of sugar out of my diet and started exercising somewhat regularly and have worked my way to running 5 miles / 8 kilometers.  Actually today was only the 2nd time I'd run that distance on the road.  Plenty of times had I done it on a treadmill, but only in the last month did I learn the difficulties of running on the road.

Today was the perfect day for the race.  Temperature was cool and I had hoped to get the race done in under 50 minutes.  I had also said that I didn't want to be overtaken by anyone pushing a stroller after the first mile (those fit moms can take off early, but after that.....).  Starting near the Rec Center on Hawthorne Avenue I made the rookie mistake of trying to keep pace with everyone, and when I hit the first mile in 9:01, I thought I might have a heart attack.  My 2nd mile was 9:04, but I'm sure I was boosted by seeing A and the boys cheer me on halfway day Greenway Ave.  I thought the 3rd mile I struggled, even though it was the long flat run along Vail Ave, but still pulled at 9:18 mile.  Mile 4 was the killer.  A few hills (minor, but this is me) but I wish they had of been earlier.  And then it happened.  I was passed by my first stroller.  I can't begin to tell you how deflated I felt.  And then moments later a dad passed me with a double stroller.  Bummer Days!  Near the end of Kenmore Ave (after a long, slow climb) I finally hit the wall and had to walk a little.  Fortunately moments later I turned onto 5th Ave and spotted my family again.  This was the inspiration to get me running the rest of the race.  As the race came close to an end near Upper Independence Park, I continued at the same pace - you know how you see people pick up the pace as they near the finish line - I call Bullshit!.  I had nothing more I could give and was just happy to cross the line (not before another stroller overtook me within the last 100 yards of the race).

My official time was 47:16, so a lot better than I expected and I came 418 out of 804 people.  And only 21:10 behind the winner (Ha!).  I felt good about the race, but realize things could've been better had I not taken a walk break.  Anyhow, I now have something to aim for in next year's race.  I want to get in under 45 minutes and finish in the top half of all contestants.  Lets just hope I can keep up the running and get fitter and leaner.

Book Of Mormon @ Belk Theater

Ohhhhh, I'm going to hell!  And there were a lot of people in the Belk Theater who are coming with me.

For Christmas I bought A tickets to see Wicked at Ovens Auditorium in January.  Because of Snowpocalypse 2016 the 1 show that was cancelled in the 3 week run was ours.  And due to A's work travel schedule, we were unable to get to another performance.  Ovens kindly refunded our money and we opted to use said money on The Book Of Mormon.  A show we'd both wanted to see for a long time.  As a fan of South Park, you knew this was going to be right up my alley, and I couldn't have been happier.

Oddly I had a near panic attack once we were in our seats.  Just left of center, 2nd row on the Mezzanine Level.  For the first time in a long time heights were making me uncomfortable.  It was a weird feeling to feel that way, while talking to myself about the illogical feeling.  Unfortunately it was a feeling that froze me to the seat in the interval, and didn't clear until after the show.

The show however is a scream, while in the same breath the most offensive statement publicly made about the LDS Church.  Now you know why I'm going to hell.  Yet, while the title suggests Mormon, all religions were metaphorically in the firing line.  I find comedy in general in a musical.  The fact that a normal conversation can lead to people breaking into song, sometimes the same song with different words on completely different tangents - just like real life.   When you throw in a topic as touchy as the one here, hilarity ensues.

I'm glad that this show is such a success.  Over the years I have stopped watching South Park, but the creators have taken elements of their cartoon and created a great musical.  Well worth seeing (even if it means going to hell).

Tool, Primus & 3Teeth @ Bojangles Coliseum

Tool don't tour enough as far as I'm concerned.  It's been 4 years since Erik and I saw them at Mandalay Bay, at least this time they have bought a bigger lineup, including the great Primus.  This was always bound to be an epic show.  I was fortunate enough to get one of the general admission tickets for the floor (and not general admission in seats).

I got in early enough to see 3Teeth, apparently handpicked by Tool to open.  This industrial-rock band did absolutely nothing for me.  Song speeds were the same and there was nothing in them to spark any interest for me.  However their sound was bigger than what it should have been.  I stood in front of the drummer who only had a small kit.  His intense concentration made for great timing, but he barely seemed to hit the drums, yet the sound was booming.

Once 3Teeth were finished it was less than 20 minutes before Primus was on.  There I was 7 rows from the stage right in front of Les Claypool.  Again I was trapped into watching him bedazzle on the bass.  While it's great, I hate that I forget how great the other 2 musicians are and I don't really watch them.  Claypool was not very chatty between songs, seemed like he was trying to get through as much music in the 45 minutes Primus were allotted.  As is the case with the last 7 times I have seen them, Primus were awesome, and their set got progressively better.  From the opening Damned Blue Collar Tweekers, to Too Many Puppies, with the Mr Knowitall interlude, to my favorite Primus song Mr Krinkle, to the always-there My Name Is Mud and the closing Jerry Is A Race Car Driver  every song was better than the last.  Again I mention how great the 3 gel as a band.  It is spellbinding to watch and see.  Personally I'd a preferred a longer set from Primus, but there will always be a next time.

It took Tool's crew about 40 minutes to clear and set up, before the band entered the arena and a SWAT-clothed Maynard took up his position in the dark at the back of the stage.  I had barely moved and was standing right in front of bassist Justin Chancellor.  I pretty much spent the whole show just watching the ease in which he handles these Tool songs.  Not easy, but to do so after Les Claypool has just killed it, is an awesome feat.  We know that Tool songs are long and complex and tonight there were only 12 songs over the 2 hours, so I was surprised they opened with a Led Zeppelin cover. Once in the swing this concert was a great as you'd expect.  Was overwhelmed to hear Opiate, as I have rarely heard anything from Undertow or earlier in the last 3 shows.  Ænema sounded amazing and the closing 46&2 was so powerful.  Not sure of the purpose of the intermission count down clock was.  Not sure why a band needs 15 minutes to come back for an encore, and then not be on stage and ready to go when that clock reaches zero.  Danny Carey opened the encore with a drum solo.  He is the drummer for Tool, so you know he's good, but again a back catalog as extensive as their's, I'd have preferred to hear one of those songs (Sober, Cold & Ugly, Prison Sex, Bottom......anyone).  Tool did finish with the incredible Stinkfist and the crowd was beside themselves.  Definitely the reaction of the night.

Another great concert, despite the complaints listed above.  Primus and Tool are a great pairing for a show and I would have loved to see both play longer.  Hopefully it doesn't take 4 years again.
  

 

The Crap Facts:

This is my 400th concert.
Bojangles Coliseum is the 112th venue I've seen a concert in.
This is my 43rd concert in Charlotte.
This is my 48th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 208th concert in the USA.
3Teeth are the 474th band I've seen.
This is my 8th Primus concert.
This is my 5th Tool concert.

Davidson vs Duquesne @ John Belk Arena

Another grinding win for Davidson.  I'm not sure if I am getting better at watching and understanding basketball, or the Duquesne were just so obvious in their foul play.  At 38-36 at half time, I thought Davidson may not be up for the battle, but fears were eased as they pulled away by 17 with 5 minutes to apply.  Official crowd was 3,321, but these may be Panthers counting numbers (every game sold out, only half the stadium full), as I don't think there were half the crowds in the stands compared to the last 2 games.

Basketball may not be in my realm of sporting knowledge.  Regardless, I am now 3-0 for the Davidson Wildcats.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Davidson Wildcats 77 (Aldridge 22, Gibbs 21, Watkins 14) defeated Duquesne Dukes 66 (Gill 18, Colter 17, James 11).

Crowd: 3,321.

Davidson vs East Washington @ John Belk Arena

Another night of college basketball, another night of sports bewilderment for me.

To me this game was very much like the one from two weeks ago.  I couldn't really keep pace with fouls being / not being called.  The irony is how long it takes to play the game.  So many time outs, so much minute by minute coaching required, so many deliberate fouls - where a played advantage would be more beneficial.  Maybe I'm not built for the sports America loves.

It was a pretty comfortable win for the Wildcats in the end. 10 points , but only because Davidson took their foot off the accelerator at the end of the game.  A may not know what is going on completely, but I am claiming 2-0 for Wildcats games I've attended.

What I did find surprising tonight was the amount of Australians in the East Washington team.  3 in the starting line up and 2 more on the bench.  I didn't even know 5 people in Australia played basketball, let alone would be good enough to be recruited by a US college.  And how does that happen?  How does anyone from EWU find out about players from Geraldton, WA?  And when did Victoria become a powerhouse in basketball? (4 in the team from there)?  Why aren't those big guys playing Aussie Rules?  While not the team I was supporting, always good to see fellow Aussies doing well.

Davidson Wildcats 96 (Gibbs 37 points, Barham 22, Sullivan 22) defeated East Washington Eagles 86 (McBroom 33, Jois 22, Bliznyuk 14).

Crowd: 3,714.

Davidson vs Mercer @ John Belk Arena

My neighbor, Aaron, is both alumni and a season ticket holder with Davidson.  It's normally a family affair, but school nights are hard for the kids to get to, so I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to see my first ever college basketball game.  So 30 minutes up the 77 and we are on the Davidson campus and entering the John Belk Arena.

Let me preface this review with the fact that I know the extreme basics of basketball (at a stretch) so this was definitely a learning experience for me (and probably a pain for Aaron, with all the questions).  We are seated 4 rows from the court behind the Mercer bench.  How much do I not know?  I had to ask where Mercer was.

The game itself was fast, too fast for me to keep up.  And without the help of replays I had no idea why fouls were being called and why the crowd was upset when they weren't being called.  What I do know is it was close, all game.  Davidson  took a 5 point lead into the half the break, and while there were a few scares, managed to hold Mercer off to take a 77-71 win. Shooting was far from accurate from both sides,  but this was definitely a good result for the Wildcats.

While I don't know much about the game, I feel I have learnt some things - if I can retain this knowledge is another story.  It was fun supporting the home team in a very one-sided crowd (maybe 40 Mercer supporters in the 3/4 full arena.  Was also great to see my mild manner neighbor get fired up for his team.  In comparison to Australia, where college sports are non-existent, American's definitely keep their connection to their schools, and it reflects in the difference in passion between college and professional sports in the US.  Hope I get the opportunity to see more.

Davidson Wildcats 77 (Aldridge 23 points, Barham 19, Michelson 15) defeated Mercer Bears 71 (Jelks 18, Lewis 10, Rivers 8)

Crowd: 3,861.

Willie Nelson & Devin Dawson @ Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC

This really was a last minute decision concert.  I waited until the afternoon of the show until I decided that I had the energy to drive down to Columbia and back to get my 2nd Willie show, and the first since Vegas in 2003.  Tried to have dinner with my nephew Mason, but he is out of town for the weekend.  I picked to Pawley's Front Porch, for a great burger and a beer, before getting back to the venue for 7.30pm start.

First show in Columbia means a new venue.  Found street parking about 3 blocks from the venue and really liked the layout of this 3,100 seat auditorium.  I was seated on the right of stage in the first level.  I usually can get good seats as a single, but this was great.  The seat next to me was vacant, due to it being a view obstructed by a support pole.

Had I known there was a support act, I would not have raced to the venue so early.  Devin Dawson is a young up and coming country artist, who was both humbled and excited to be opening for Willie Nelson (who wouldn't?).  But as someone who isn't really into the genre, I thought he sounded like (m)any other country artists.  His performance was enjoyed by his enthusiastic fans, and maybe a few new ones, but it wasn't for me.

Willie came on to a standing ovation, and deservedly so.  From the first strains of Whiskey River, for the next hour and a half, it was hit after hit from Nelson and his band.  Me and Paul, Crazy, Georgia On My Mind, Funny How Time Slips Away, Always On Mind, the list goes on.  Considering how little I listed to country music (I really have restricted myself to Nelson and Johnny Cash), it just amazes me how many great songs can come from one man.  Another highlight was the inclusion of family in the band.  A sister on piano, a percussionist son, and a guitar playing son, with one hell of a bluesman's voice.  

I definitely made the right decision to come to this show.  I was a little worried that he could never live up to that fantastic show I saw at the House of Blues in Vegas 6 months after we moved there. While this show didn't quite reach those heights, it wasn't far from it.  I don't think anyone who likes any type of music, could not like Willie Nelson, or one of his shows.  He is a true musician and a great showman.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 399th concert.
Township Auditorium is the 111th venue I've seen a concert in.
Columbia is the 47th city I've seen a concert in.
This is my 2nd concert in South Carolina.
This is my 207th concert in the USA.
Devin Dawson is the 473rd band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Willie Nelson concert.

Stevie Wonder @ Time Warner Arena

Was it because Stevie Wonder was so coveted on my bucket list? I mean, it's Stevie Wonder!  Or was it because it was the most expensive concert I've been to?  That and a combination of song choice made tonight a little disappointing for me.

The night after the shootings at the Bataclan in Paris, saw entry into Time Warner Arena take a lot longer than usual.  Security was on edge, but very thorough.  That delayed that start of the show.  Stevie was guided on stage by a back up singer and then spoke, at length, of the horrors of last night before sitting down at his piano's to perform his 1976 Songs In The Key Of Life album from start to finish.  I am not too familiar with a lot of this album, but considering last night's events the aptly named Love's In The Need Of Love Today.  It wasn't until Sir Duke that the packed arena was on it's feet as a whole.  Great song!  While not familiar with Pastime Paradise, I didn't realize it was the basis of the 90's rap hit Gangsters' Paradise.  The rest of the set, though, was pretty mellow.  And not even the 30 piece backing band could energize the show.

Wonder took a break after 12 songs, and upon return again somewhat lectured the crowd for what seemed an eternity.  He did, however, launch into the awesome Isn't She Lovely, which was definitely the highlight of the night.  The rest of that set, again, mellowed out.  I'd of thought at a Stevie Wonder show I'd be on my feet all night, but this was definitely not the case.  The other great song of the second set was his solo cover of John Lennon's Imagine, dedicated to those who had lost lived in last night's France massacre.

While we had already seen 2 hours, it wasn't until the final encore that things finally started to perk up.  Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours had everyone up instantly.  Straight into Living For The City.  And while a noise curfew threatened to end the show, Wonder decided one more song had to be done.  Superstition was the high energy, fun song I expected would have filled the rest of the night.  Was so great to see and hear such an iconic song, done by its legendary writer.  Definitely the right way to finish the show.

When I think back about the time Wonder spent talking to the crowd before his two sets, as well as the need to highlight every band member individually (for God's sake there was 30 of them - I understand they're talented - they work for Stevie Wonder - but that's not who I want to see perform), I feel that hour, yes at least an hour doing these things, would have been better spent performing other great songs of his.  Where was Master Blaster? Lately? My Cherie Amour? Higher Ground? I'd have even settled for I Just Called To Say I Love You.  Not to say I didn't have a good night, but it wasn't the mind blowing experience I had hyped myself up for. 

 

The Crap Facts:

This is my 398th concert.
This is my 4th concert at Time Warner Arena.
This is my 42nd concert in Charlotte.
This is my 47th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 206th concert in the USA.
Stevie Wonder is the 472nd band I've seen.