If you ask me how a show was, most often I will say "great!" or "amazing!" or "awesome!" or "spectacular!" or something else filled with wide-eyed praise. It's a very rare occassion (or never) that I will say "it was OK..." or "eh...so-so..." or "it sucked."
This is the fatal flaw in my vain attempts to portray myself as a music snob. I'm too much of a fan, especially of live music. I'd like to be that guy who can find 15 different problems in a band's execution of a certain song. And then be able to snarkily express that on the internet in a blog post, tweet it in 140 characters, and post my disgust on Instagram (maybe a burnt orange picture of me grimacing in a trucker cap and checkered shirt).
But if I'm seeing a show, there's about a 99.9% I'm already a fan of the headliner. And there's a 99.9% chance I'm going to say "awesome!" afterwards. I just don't have that critical eye to be able to pick out what went wrong with the set; I'm too busy having fun. If I like a band, I'm all in. And that also applies to bands I don't like.
This week was a great example. I saw Wilco twice, Keane, and The Avett Brothers (all with opening acts). I've already blathered on enough about Wilco; need I say both shows were "stunning?"
I'm completely in the tank for The Avett Brothers. Not only am I big fan of the roots/folk/bluegrass/Americana/string style they draw from, an Avetts' live show is exciting, emotional, and a hoot. The audience went from estatic pogoing with the brothers to complete silence during the quieter songs. "Ten Thousand Words" as 9,000 people are practically holding their breath on a cool Colorado night? Holy shit. We'll put that show in the "awesome!" category. Besides, have you ever really seen a cellist like Joe Kwon?? The guy rocks.
Keane is the interesting one of the bunch this week. It actually reminded me of my fatal flaw of non-critical thinking. I say that because by all accounts, I should not like Keane. Self-absorped piano based pop alternating between loathing and hope? Not really my cup of tea. And if you Google "Keane reviews," it's not pretty. Most of what you'll find is critics doubling up on the snark when it comes to Keane.
When I saw they were playing Tuesday night in a park right next to my hotel in Salt Lake, I figured I wouldn't go. I didn't know their music and the scathing online commentary made me think twice. Then I thought about the idea of a show right outside my hotel window. Could I sit in the room watching bad TV? I wouldn't be able to really hear the music through the unopenable window, but I'd know live music was going on right THERE!! I asked a friend who knows their music if I should go - she said I had to go. So, I went.
And?
It was great. The crowd was about as insane as I've ever seen with a band, singing along with every song, fist pumping with every Tom Chaplin fist pump. The music was catchy, the performers were earnest, and the whole experience was a great time. I was right near the front of the stage and definitely the odd duck out as I didn't know the words to any of the songs. In fact, I swear Chaplin looked at me a few times with a look of "why doesn't he sing along with the songs? EVERYONE sings along at a Keane gig!"
Not only do I bring a fan's perspective to shows of bands I already like, apparently it's true of bands I shouldn't even like. I'll most likely give Keane's albums a listen. Oh, the humanity! I'm sure I'll have to turn in my The War On Drugs NBA logo t-shirt (more on how superbly great that is band later).
This really is a fatal flaw. I have a feeling I've lost three-fifths of my audience with this admission (which in reality means I've lost 1.23 readers - hell my wife doesn't even read this). And, did I mention the opening acts this week (Dr. Dog, Blitzen Trapper, Kiev, and City and Colour) all were REALLY GREAT too...?
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