Best Concerts, Part Two

As a continuation of Patrick's previous post (with due appreciation given to Elaine's simultaneously terrifying & hilarious post), here are my five favorite concerts & honorable mentions:

The Favorites (in no particular order)

Nickel Creek, Wright Center, Samford University, Birmingham, AL, 10/25/2003. Just an indescribable display of artistic fortitude. Highlight: I, along with the rest of the entire audience, was lulled to sleep by a song they introduced, "She Can't Complain," and then they exploded into beauty. And for the encore... 3 Elliott Smith songs. Wow.

Elton John, Gaylord Entertainment Center, Nashville, TN, 9/30/2005. Patrick, Sarah Murray, Three Hours of Glory, and I. I was growing upset when he played 8 songs off his new album to open... then he played for two more hours.

Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Workplay Theatre, Birmingham, AL 2/24/2007. First date with Erin & the greatest guitar player I've ever seen. So much fun. I've never felt such an energy coming from the stage.

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 10/28/2007. If you EVER get the chance to see Ben Harper, go. If you don't like him, I'll personally refund your money. Perfect concert to follow our Ryan Adam's debacle. Not only was he the most gracious musician I've ever seen, he played the lap-steel like a fiend, played beautiful piano, and sang a capella and filled the Alabama Theatre.

Bright Eyes/Feist/The Magic Numbers/Gillian Welch w/David Rawlings, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 11/14/2005. Pre-Cassadega Bright Eyes (when he still drank himself stupid every show) was incredible, plus I heard Feist & Gillian Welch for the first time.

Honorable Mentions

Josh Ritter & Ingrid Michaelson, BottleTree Cafe, Birmingham, AL, 5/4/2008. Ritter was, as I've said before, the smilingest man I ever did saw. So enjoyable. Plus he told me the story behind "The Temptation of Adam" after the show.

Fleet Foxes & Frank Fairfield, BottleTree Cafe, Birmingham, AL, 9/29/2008. The Fleet Foxes were near-perfect. Frank Fairfield was born 3/4 of a century too late.

Sufjan Stevens & My Brightest Diamond, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 9/11/2006. Pat's number one... Great show. I closed my eyes & got lost in "Jacksonville." Later I closed my eyes in embarrasment as Pat put on his John Wayne Gacy mask.

Guster & Graham Colton, Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA, 3/05/04. Guster is so goofy & high energy. How can you beat ping-pong balls & strobe lights to "The Airport Song"?

John Mayer, On the Bricks, Atlanta, GA 05/24/02. Say what you will, he is one of the greatest performers on the planet. If only he hadn't gotten so popular, I could afford to go see him again.

Man Man & Yeasayer, Workplay Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 05/02/2008. I went with a ninth-grader to see two psychadelic bands. Great. Man Man was just hilarious. Totally bizarre. They wore masks; everyone played percussion; they wore facepaint & threw things at each other throughout the show; and, lastly, they randomly yelled throughout their songs...

Jump Little Children, Workplay Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 9/28/2005. As far as I can tell, this was Jump's last show. Terribly sad. And it was my 21st birthday. Thank you Josh Bradford.