Death Cab Rocks Millenium Park

Sarah and I saw Death Cab For Cutie play Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park last night. Severe thunderstorms were predicted, but that didn't keep a sea of people from showing up. Lucky for us, we didn't get a drop of rain. I joined the Death Cab fan club to get access to good seats, so we were in the 13th row (and for once, I took this picture insteading of stealing one off Google images).

Rogue Wave opened and they sounded really good, kind of like a more rock and roll Death Cab/Shins sound. Death Cab played for about an hour and 45, getting to almost all my favorites from all their albums. Ben Gibbard sounded great, his choir boy voice sounded exactly the same as on the albums. They played 4 or 5 songs from Narrow Stairs, the new album. In my opinion, Narrow Stairs is good, but not great. But then again, I'm usually overly critical of new albums by my favorite bands and then they grow on me.

Anyway, it was a great show. If you don't already own them, I highly recommend Death Cab's previous two albums, Plans and Transatlanticism, as well as Give Up by the Postal Service (Ben Gibbard side project).

Bright Eyes - Chicago Theater

Sarah and I saw one of my favorite bands (and one of the few Sarah and I both like) at the beautiful Chicago Theater last night. Bright Eyes sounded great, they played a good mix of old songs and stuff off Cassadaga. Unfortunately, Mike, their usual guitarist/violinist couldn't be there. I saw them kick off their current tour at the Metro in February and the violin sounded really great on songs like "Four Winds" (click here to see the music video). Cassadaga is really growing on me lately, but I still like I'm Wide Awake It's Morning the best. Andrew Bird opened and he was amazing. In his solo act, he builds each song by adding layer after layer with his violin, and while they are played back, plays guitar and sings.

Golf, Concerts, Little Blogging

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been busy. I went up to northern Michigan with some college buddies for our annual golf trip. 90 holes at Boyne and then my favorite course - Arcadia Bluffs. I played much better than last year, but not exactly good. I came back to a three day evaluation at the regional office. I finished just in time to see Wilco play a great show at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park. The lawn was packed, but we had some great seats in the reserved section. What a great venue!

White Stripes Update

The White Stripes have announced that they are rescheduling a lot of their fall tour dates, including the dates in Chicago that I mentioned earlier. I will keep you posted.

Jack and Meg at the Aragon Ballroom

The White Stripes have announced some U.S. tour dates in support of their upcoming album. They will play September 4 (Tuesday) and 5 at the Aragon Ballroom. No word yet on when tickets go on sale or on the opening act. Jack White is done carousing with the Raconteurs for the time being as Icky Thump is scheduled for release on June 19. I feel like each of their albums is better than the last and can't wait for both the concerts (I hope to go to both) and the album. Let me know if you can handle this much rock and would like to go.

Ben Gibbard Rocks the Metro

Sarah and I were at the Metro in Wrigleyville to take in a great show: solo performances by David Bazan (pictured below from Pedro the Lion) and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie, Postal Service). Oh, and Johnathan Rice. Pedro the Lion (now defunct) is one of my favorite bands and David played a lot of Pedro songs, as well as songs from his new EP and a cover of Bob Dylan's "The Man In Me." Unfortunately, most of the crowd was only there for Ben and talked loudly throughout Bazan's acoustic set, which really annoyed me. Ben Gibbard was so good, playing an hour and a half long set featuring mainly Death Cab and Postal Service songs. While sitting at the piano, he announced he was going to play a cover from a "relatively obscure band from my hometown [Seattle]" and then launched into "All Apologies" by Nirvana. He had a great time with the crowd, telling funny stories and handling the incessant requests with grace. I was happy to see his interactions with the crowd because I had heard he can be an elitist snob (from Mancow) but he seemed to be nothing of the sort. Apparently David and Ben are good friends. Their lyrics definitely come from very different perspectives on faith. Bazan is a Christian and often sings about the highs and lows of Christian faith with refreshing honesty, as on "Secrets of an Easy Yoke: "could someone please tell me the story of sinners ransomed from the fall? I still have never seen you, and some days I don't love you at all." Ben, on the other hand appears to be agnostic. In Death Cab's wildly popular "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," he gives insight into what I find to be a very depressing view:

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles brusied by a lady in black
And I held my toungue as she told me "Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If heaven and hell decide/That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you/When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

I highly recommend both of these artists. Must haves are Pedro the Lion - It's Hard to Find a Friend and the Postal Service - Give Up. Also check out Death Cab For Cutie - Plans, Transatlanticism, and Photo Album.