I have sadly failed to update a theme song for the month of March. It’s not because I don’t know good songs…I mean, come on. It’s because I haven’t seen a song that fit the mood of the month.
But then I found out yesterday that Tommy & The High Pilots are playing a show in Springfield next week. And that’s when I realized that I had the perfect song. “Only Human” is the title track to The High Pilots’ new album.
Happy belated March!
Only Human by Tommy & The High Pilots
Listen to the song here!
Band: Tommy & The High Pilots
Venue: The Outland
Location: Springfield, MO
Tickets: $3
Date: 10-7-12
Tommy & The High Pilots at The Outland Ballroom. From left to right: Steve Libby, Matt Palermo and Tom Cantillon.
First, I’d like to say that I am not stalking this band. It’s their own fault for (a) playing near enough that I can see them frequently and (b) inspiring manic enthusiasm in their fans.
Second, if you weren’t at The Outland last night, you missed a great show. As a wonderful surprise, The High Pilots actually played last and it was worth the wait.
Shall I count the ways?
Their song selection was spot on, as usual (though I really need to remember to request “The Limit” next time…haven’t seen that song performed since last November). They had a mix of covers, old stuff and new stuff. They’ve got a knack for playing sweetly moving songs then sweet songs designed to make you move.
I’ve decided to give you a retelling of the concert. In this story, you are me but I’m not you. Because I like being me and you will too. Here’s how it was:
While you’re savoring the last few strains of “Stand By Me,” the bands opening number, they move onto “Round N Round,” and it is impossible to keep still.
Your blood’s pumping, you’re smiling at Tom’s antics and they start playing “On The Line.” You look around at the audience and you see a couple of their fans closing their eyes and swaying to the music. Then you laugh when Tom introduces “Bluesy Floozy” as a song about a bitch who was a floozy.
They announce they’re going to play something new. You’re excited and scared. What happens is wonderful. They play a song called “Broken Down.” It’s sad and beautiful and you’re mad at yourself for not recording the song so you can listen to it until your iPhone tells you it’s time to move on (then you find the song on YouTube, so you don’t worry about it). Then it’s cover time.
“This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” by the Talking Heads. Tom’s voice is exactly right for the song. It’s a moment of clarity and the bar seems to be a little quieter. Except for the girl standing behind you. She’s a bit noisy. Talking at a concert in front of the stage seems like a weird place to talk, but maybe the band can’t hear her.
Tom announces that it’s another new song. You peeked at Mike’s setlist so you’d be prepared for this song. Because this song has been haunting you for weeks. You record “Devil To Pay” and proceed to listen to nothing but that song for the next day and a half. You also notice when watching the video that Tom definitely noticed the talkative girl. He shushes and gently chastises her. This has no effect.
They play another new song. “Here In My Hands.” You’re impressed with it, but know that it will take a few more listens before you can fully absorb it. The excitement of “Devil To Pay” hasn’t worn off yet.
Then it’s time for a real crowd-pleaser. Matt comes to the front of the stage, and they start on “Lorraine.” This song is about a prostitute. You cheerfully belt out the chorus and demand to know where your money’s gone. In this case, the answer’s the merch table.
Then they conclude with their most famous song. “Where To Start” takes you through troubling times, with the lesson that being in love is enough. You smile at that message and are delighted that the audience seems to know this song. You’ve all got this.
But wait! There’s time for an encore! They whip out a U2 cover of “Desire.” Tom comes down into the audience (not a terribly crowded one, but it’s still great) and the bar really gets into the song. Tom sits down in the middle of it, and chats with us. It was an energetic and well-executed cover that still sounded like The High Pilots. That is the sign of a great cover.
Then the concert is over. You snag a setlist, talk to the band members, buy another shirt (because 4 wasn’t enough…you needed 5) and tell them goodbye. You get hugs from everyone, excitedly hear that the new album is tentatively scheduled to be released at the end of February and walk out of the venue, pleased with the way this evening has gone.
The end.
Okay. Here’s the scoop. It was a great show, even if the turnout was small. This band deserves a huge audience with people lined up to see them. They’re worth it. I’ll support them always because I love their music and they will always deliver. They keep getting better, they’re great guys and I’m positive you should never play pool with them for money.
The setlist for the evening and my new shirt.
And, now that I took you through the entire concert, I’ll give you the score:
Concert: A
Venue: A
Drink Prices: A-
Audience: C+*
Overall: A
*As mentioned previously, a girl was talking THROUGH THE ENTIRE CONCERT. It’s one thing to talk at the bar or the back of the room, but she was close enough to the stage that the band heard her. They tried to get her to stop. She refused. To this girl, I have a message:
I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you never come back to a High Pilots show, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you do, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will spill a drink on you.
Hello dear ones. It’s been too long since I’ve given you new music to enjoy. So, have some!
Also, I’ve failed to put up the dance card for September. To be fair, it might be because I haven’t gone to any shows this month because I couldn’t really find any in the area that I wanted to see. I mean, Frank Turner in Lawrence, KS would have been nice, but I have a 8-5 job now, so it’s not as easy to get away during the work week (the concert’s tomorrow night).
But it could also be because October is going to be such a fantastic month. The first week of October alone I have two shows. Antennas Up on October 4th, and Tommy & the High Pilots on October 7th. That’s pretty serious business, you know?
But I digress. Here’s the setlist for tonight on Spotify and on Grooveshark.
And if you want to look at the songs by themselves:
“It Started With A Mixx” by Los Campesinos!
“Generator ^ First Floor” by Freelance Whales
“I Got No Time For You” by Yellow Ostrich
“Let’s Talk About Spaceships” by Say Hi To Your Mom
“A Girl, A Boy, and A Graveyard” by Jeremy Messersmith
“These Few Presidents” by Why?
“Ivory Road” by King Charles
Look for October’s calendar this week. I’ve decided you all need a heads-up for the awesome things that should be happening next month.
Good night, lovelies!
Happy Birthday!
Dear readers, the blog has now been active for a year. That’s 365 days.
I couldn’t be prouder, happier or more befuddled. It’s a strange but rewarding experience.
It’s been a fantastic year, and I couldn’t help but dwell on all the wonderful things that’ve happened.
September 2011
This was a once-in-a-lifetime show. Mister Heavenly is a supergroup that may or may not tour again. The sad part, really, is that the show I saw last year (a year and a day ago) will probably be the only show I ever see by the band. They’re great. That’s what makes it sad.
But it was still a great show.
October 2011
This was my first Ha Ha Tonka experience. It was singularly great. The boys are talented, charismatic and really nice. Even when I’m hunting them down in a parking lot…but that didn’t happen until this year. So it doesn’t count. Right?
November 2011
First time at the Firebird. Loved the place. First time I heard some new High Pilots music that should be coming out on their new album. That’s right. Come this November, I have been anxiously awaiting a new album from these charming and outrageously hilarious boys.
WANT.
December 2011
This was an experience. Everyone was wearing red and green with reindeer drawn on sweaters and balloons were everywhere and confetti and…just wow.
It was also the show that started the wonderful tradition of getting bands to sign my Allyson’s Setlist shirt.
January 2012
This was a wonderful local show. It served as a very important reminder that local bands are sometimes better than the big ones, because they’re still audience members themselves. They haven’t been corrupted with success and they play like it’s their last show.
It’s pretty moving stuff.
February 2012
This show was a dream come true. I never thought I’d get the chance to see them, but sometimes the Fates hear our pleas and arrange things.
The show was brilliant. The band is brilliant. This night lives on in some parallel universe where I never leave it and it’s brilliant all the time.
That’s how I feel about it.
March 2012
Of course the boys were great. But, more importantly, this is the show I got my Antennas Up hoodie at. That thing is the most comfortable hoodie in the world and it’s ridiculously good looking.
April 2012
Granted, this has nothing to do with the concerts I’ve gone to or the music I listened to. But I can’t resist bragging about it.
May 2012
New Antennas Up album. Have I mentioned I’m a fan?
June 2012
Excellent concert with some of my favorite people in the world. Also, finally got Gareth to sign my shirt. And they played one of my favorite LC! songs.
This concert was made for me.
July 2012
Death Cab For Cutie
I never actually blogged about the show. But it was great. My brother and I talked and sang and hugged. It was great.
August 2012
I can’t actually tell you how many times I’ve busted out with “Devil To Pay.” This song is, in my opinion, their best work. It haunts me and I’m not looking to exorcise the spirit anytime soon.
There’s a run down. I’ve done things and seen things and blushed and cracked my voice.
And things are just getting better.
Band: Tommy & The High Pilots
Venue: The Firebird
Location: St. Louis, MO
Tickets: $13 ($15 at door)
Date: 8-12-12
“Say everyone else was shitty, but Mike was great.” – Mike Cantillon
You know how you have that one band that you’ll listen to only when you’re in a specific mood, because their music is really only one dimensional?
Tommy & The High Pilots is not that band.
Tommy & The High Pilots. From left to right: Steve Libby, Matt Palermo’s arms, Tom Cantillon and Mike Cantillon. Photo courtesy the wonderful Nicole.
On Sunday, August 12, 2012, Nicole (one of my friends who has been in a lot of these posts with me…she’s cool like that) and I drove up to St. Louis to see The High Pilots. While driving, we had a discussion about why we loved this band and were willing to drive 3 hours one-way to see them. We concluded that it’s because their music is brilliantly everyday. And I don’t mean that in the sense of “it’s trite and like everything else.” I mean that their music is applicable to every minute of your life because they have music that makes every minute of your life better.
Feeling sad? There’s a song for that. Feeling happy? There’s a song for that. Horny? Triumphant? Contemplative?
They cover a lot of ground. But you already knew I loved their music. And their live performances always deliver up the goods.
“And I lust you. My grandma once told me that it takes 10 years for lust to become love…and I’m lusting the shit out of all of you.” -Tom Cantillon
First, I think it’s important to note how wonderful these guys make the sound check. I mean, Nicole and I were shifting about impatiently, wanting the show to start, and the guys are great about making the sound check something fun to watch and listen to. You really have to admire that.
Second, their set wasn’t long enough. This is my biggest consistent complaint about their shows. I never get the chance to see them when they don’t get cut off at 8 songs. 8 songs goes by fast. TOO fast. It feels like we’re cut off when they start hitting their groove.
Of course, they also happen to be great performers. They have memorable chemistry with the audience, and with each other. They frequently toss grins to one another and to the crowd. It makes them charming and irresistible. I kept hearing one of the girls in front of me, both of whom had never seen or heard the band before, say:
“Tommy, you are flawless. You are flawless.”
Without a doubt, their live performance always captures new fans and keeps them.
And yeah, they were on fire. I’ve seen them 6 times now (not that I’ve been counting) and I would say this is the best they’ve sounded. It might have been the venue, the crowd, the planet’s alignment. All I know is they were great. Despite some technical difficulties (like the mics not working at the end of the first song), the band had their act together. Good show, gents. Good show.
“Life’s full of ups and downs. When you’re happy, BE happy.” -Matt Palermo
From left to right: Nicole, Matt Palermo, me.
The High Pilots have been teasing us with talk of a new album for a while now. Luckily, the boys played some new songs to whet our appetite. And yeah. It was successful. Here’s a really good video of one of their new songs, “Devil To Pay” from their show at the Roxy in June.
Just listen to those lyrics.
“Tell me. Do you love me in the worst way still? Don’t ask me, ‘Do I need you?’ ‘Cause I plead you. And I know, you know, I do…Tell me. Do you love me in the worse way still? Don’t ask me, ‘Do I hold you?’ ’Cause I told you. And I know, you know, I will.”
I’ve always been a person first attracted to the lyrics of a song, and I can safely say that these give me chills. And when Tom kicks in with the guitar?!? It slays me non-lethally every time.
Safe to say this kid is looking forward to the new album anxiously. And I would like “Devil To Pay” to be released as a single sometime in the nowish. Cool?
“Don’t touch my cocktail. EEEEEEYAH. EEEEEEYAH.” -Steve Libby
Steve Libby is…the Most Interesting Man in the World.
The bottom line is that these guys are wonderful performers, musicians and guys. As well as I can know them from bothering them at shows, I can say that they’re sweet and earnest.
My mom loves this band, my friends love this band. There is no reason these guys shouldn’t be national icons.
So. Let’s make that happen.
Concert: A
Venue: A+
Drink Prices: NA*
Audience: A
Overall: A
*If you’ll believe it, we didn’t drink at this show. For some reason, a 3 hour drive makes me not want any alcohol in my system…I’m weird that way. Anyone want to let me know how prices are? Have they changed appreciably since the last concert I saw there?
You know how I’m crazy and get a lot of band shirts?
Yeah. Here they are.
1. Yeah. It’s Signed.
New Antennas Up shirt. Signed by the band. From left to right (then down): Bo McCall, Kyle Akers, The Ryantist and Jonny Universe.
This doesn't do justice to the awesomeness of the shirt. But it looks like the picture is puffing out the words "Antennas Up." That was too perfect for me to pass up.
The boys signed it and sent it to me. They get serious props for that. Oh, and the whole making good music thing. They get props for that too.
And now I want all of you Springfieldians to follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook, sign up for their mailing list and harass them until they come to Springfield again.
2. Yeah. It Rocks.
Ludo Concert Shirt that my friend Nicole made.
My friend Nicole made these shirts for us for the August 2011 Ludo concert (as the pictures tend to let you know…whatever). She made them the night before. It’s covered in glitter from us spraying each other with canned glitter…because we were sparkly alien creatures.
And, if you’ll remember from the Without A Face post, Henry Dillard signed the sleeve of the shirt.
It was such a successful night. Also, send your love to Andrew Volpe, lead singer of Ludo, and his wife. He just announced they’re expecting a baby!
3. Yeah. It’s Artsy.
The Decemberists 2011 "Popes of Pendarvia" shirt. Not, however, the official concert shirt.
This shirt means a lot to me for a whole bunch of reasons. First, it’s the Decemberists. You know how I feel about them. Second, it was my first Decemberists concert. My brother and my friend Brett (he of excellent arm reach from the Ludo concert last month) took me to it (it was my Christmas present from my brother) and we had an amazing time. John Moen, the drummer, sang me a song. He WAS singing to me.
And the shirt is awesome by itself. It’s a pic of Jenny Conlee, multi-instrumentalist for The Decemberists, and it’s just so…cool looking. I feel cooler wearing it. It’s like I add ten points of cool. Also, I think I lost all of those points for the future by acknowledging that said points exist. Damn.
4. Yeah. It’s Psychic.
Mister Heavenly shirt. See! It says "Out of Love"! That's their album title! So clever!
This just seems to encapsulate Mister Heavenly completely. A pinch of nostalgia, a sprinkle of raspiness, all mixed together with some honey and awesome drums…it’s not a perfect recipe, but it’s a tasty one. Assuming you’re a person who eats music. Which would be weird. Please don’t do that.
Anywho, Mister Heavenly’s great and so is this shirt.
5. Yeah. It’s A Propeller.
Tommy & The High Pilots shirt. It's simple and pretty great.
This is the High Pilots shirt I ended up getting after they didn’t have a different one in my size. And, you know what? It was divine intervention. Because this shirt is great and, in a moment of shameful immodesty, it looks pretty great on me.
And this shirt has a warm, fuzzy memory attached to it. Matt Palermo, drummer for the High Pilots, sold me this shirt personally. Man, I love those guys. That’s another band you all need to help me bring back to Springfield. Let’s make that happen. Flitter with them here, Book their Faces here, and peruse their site here.
So those are my band shirts. What? Those could be the only ones I have. YOU DON’T KNOW ME.
My Loot...errr...band shirts.
Oh. Those. Right. Well, if you want to get technical, sure. I have a few.
Inventory:
The Decemberists – 3 shirts, 1 hoodie
Tommy & The High Pilots – 3 shirts
Ludo – 3 shirts
Antennas Up – 2 shirts
Fun. – 2 shirts
Mister Heavenly – 1 shirt
Without A Face – 1 shirt
Ha Ha Tonka – 1 shirt
I’d say I’m done collecting shirts. But you know me better than that, don’t you?
Good night darlings!
PS: New contest announced soon (probably Wednesday). Be prepared (though not Jeremy Irons prepared…props to those who get the reference).
PPS: My quest to listen to Paste Magazine’s Top 50 Albums of 2011 is going well…there are some winners and some duds. I’ll be sure to release a full review list once I’ve finished. Why don’t you go ahead and get started? You’ve got a bajillion hours, right?
2011 has been a learning year. I’ve learned a lot about music, concerts, bands and life. But I’m not gonna give you any boring life lessons. Odds are good I’m not an authority on the subject anyway. But, I will provide the top 5 lessons I’ve learned in my music-listening, concert-going, band-stalking year. Some of these lessons were hard won. Others were passed on to me from sage minds worthy of praise (not that they’ll be getting any).
So, here are my lessons of 2011. Read them, learn from them, and don’t repeat the same mistakes I’ve made. After all, I made them so you don’t have to.
1. Try, Try Again
This will sound trite, but it’s true. Listening to a song/album/band once isn’t enough. Let me say that again. One listen is NEVER enough. One time will not tell you if you like the song, the lyrics or the band. It will give you a first impression that, admittedly, might be impossible to overcome, but it won’t tell you if you like the music. First time I listened to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, I was very not into it. I mean, weird voice, right?
The second time I listened to it, I was a little more interested in what he was doing with his voice.
The third time, I listened, I was sold.
Best solution I’ve come up with is to listen to something at least twice before you decide that you love it or hate it. Or indifferent it. It’s the only way to be sure it wasn’t a fluke.
Of course, I’m constantly teaching myself this particular lesson. I’m on my third listen to Bon Iver’s “Bon Iver.” It’s not that I dislike it, it’s just that I’m having a hard time admiring him quite as much as everyone else seems to admire him. That being said, the music of “Perth” is quite beautiful…but he’s not my favorite (apologies to the indie music scene).
2. The Opening Act
Always, always, ALWAYS get to the concert in time for the opening act. Firstly, it’s the only way you’ll get a decent place near the stage (Side Lesson: ALWAYS get a place near the stage). Once the opening act has started, people are pretty much set on where they’re going to be standing. The only times this isn’t true is if the venue is small or the crowd is small. Secondly, and most importantly, every opening act deserves just as much of your attention as the headliner does. Who knows? You could discover a new band you love.
Example? You know that Ludo concert I went to in February? That’s where I heard Tommy & The High Pilots for the first time. And, for those of you who have kept up with my blog, I’ve mentioned them a lot. Because I love them a lot.
Tommy & The High Pilots. Photo from http://keepingitsassy.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/tommy-the-high-pilots2.jpg
3. It’s Not What You Know…
I’ve been very fortunate this year. I’ve gone to shows where I’ve actually liked the people going with me. This is incredibly important. If you don’t like the people, odds are good you’ll feel a bit weird at the show. There’ll be no one to talk to about the awesome music, no one to giggle with about the band’s delightful banter, and no one to argue with about the merits of the band’s outfits (VITAL things, people).
In other words, it’s hard to enjoy the concert when you don’t enjoy the people.
My brother, James, and I at the Mister Heavenly concert in August.
I’m not saying that I wouldn’t have had a good time at the Mister Heavenly concert if I had been there with someone else, but it probably wouldn’t have been as good. Music is a way of connecting to people. You’ll like the music more if you like the people listening with you (Note: That’s the reason the audience is a factor in my grading scale for concerts).
4. Show Me The Money
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that them bands need to have access to a credit card machine. The reality, however, is that the merch table is often a cash-only place.
With that in mind, you should always have some cash on you. God forbid you can’t buy any merch because you don’t have any of the green stuff.
I recommend bringing a minimum of $40 cash. Concert shirts can run anywhere from $10-$25, so it’s best to be prepared. If you’re planning on getting posters or more than one shirt, bring more! Some venues these days accept credit cards (like the Pageant), but you can’t rely on that.
At the Tommy & The High Pilots/Antennas Up/Hey Penny show in August, I ran out of cash. I had to run to an ATM down the street. I like getting whistled at as much as the next girl, but good grief. I would’ve preferred staying at the bar.
Two shirts later, I think the run to the ATM was worth it.
Tommy & The High Pilots and Antennas Up band shirts.
5. What Not To Wear
When you go to a concert, you are going to battle. Make no mistake, friends. Tears will be shed, blood spilled and your enemies will learn to fear you…or mock you.
Does a soldier go into battle wearing 3″ stilettos? Does a warrior wear a skirt short enough to display the leg in its entirety? Of course not!
You’re going to be standing for hours (at least 3). It’s important that you’re wearing the appropriate footwear. Ladies, flats are my shoe of choice for concerts. You can take them off easily in the event of a lengthy car ride to and fro, they let your foot relax, and they’re cute (unless you have appalling taste). If it’s colder, I wear some Chucks.
My poison of choice for concert-goings-on.
Gents, I think you’ll be safe with some sneakers. I would definitely caution against dress shoes, but that’s only because you probably don’t own a pair as stylish as these:
Awesome Dress Shoes. Photo from http://www.tango8.com/data/t/dr3083.jpg
If you do own a pair like these, wear them. And call me. We should get together and…talk cobblers sometime.
Then there’s the matter of short skirts and short dresses. Ladies and the occasional gent, a concert is no place to wear one of the aforementioned articles of clothing. It’s impossible for you to bend over (while preserving your dignity) and it decreases your street cred. By a lot. I mean, when I see a girl at a concert wearing a mini skirt or short dress, here are my thoughts:
Who’s she trying to impress?
Quickly followed by:
She’s not here for the music. She is SO uncool.
Yeah. I know what you’re thinking. It’s impossible for me (uncool as I undoubtedly am) to judge coolness. And you’re probably right. But, my personal biases aside, it really boils down to a sense of comfort. Odds are very good you won’t be comfortable in heels and a mini skirt. And it’s a lot easier to enjoy music when you’re able to breathe and walk without worrying about showing everyone something they’re not supposed to see.
Of course, if you’re comfortable in heels and a short dress, knock yourself out (literally).
And those, darlings, are my top five lessons for 2011. Yes, I learned other things. But I can’t teach you everything. You, ducklings, must fly on your own someday. If I have to push you out of the nest to do it, I will.
And I promise I’ll only laugh a little.
All right. I owe you kids something like three playlists. I’m not a tease. So here are the playlists. I think the quality will make up for the incredible tardiness. Apologies.
But for real. There are some great songs here. Give them a listen, and tell me what you think.
Setlist the First:
Here’s the Grooveshark playlist and the Spotify one.
December 8a Setlist
“Raconte-Moi Une Histoire” by M83*
“The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future” by Los Campesinos!
“Riding On You” by Tommy & The High Pilots**
“Clementine” by The Decemberists
“Knocked Up” by Kings of Leon
“Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” by Stars
“Someday You Will Be Loved” by Death Cab For Cutie
*The video has nothing to do with the song, but it’s the only YouTube video I could find with the song…weird, right?
**Sadly, no YouTube video has the complete song. Listen on one of the playlists, if you are so inclined.
Setlist the Second:
December 8b Setlist
Here’s the Grooveshark and the Spotify playlists. Getcho listen on.
“Meantime” by The Futureheads
“Your English Is Good” by Tokyo Police Club
“Let’s Get Known” by The Unicorns
“After Hours” by We Are Scientists
“Cause = Time” by Broken Social Scene
“Straight In At 101″ by Los Campesinos!
“When Water Comes To Life” by Cloud Cult
Setlist the Third:
December 8c Setlist
And, surprise! Here’s the Grooveshark and Spotify playlists. Give them a listen. Make sure you pay attention to the songs that aren’t available on both, however.
“Home” by Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros
“Storm And Stress” by Bloc Party*
“One Red Thread” by Blind Pilot**
“Is This Love?” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
“The Bleeding Heart Show” by The New Pornographers
“Little Lover’s So Polite” by Silversun Pickups
“Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem
*Only available on the Grooveshark playlist.
**Only available on the Spotify playlist. Couldn’t find Blind Pilot on Grooveshark at all…anyone know what’s up?
Oh, and Ludo’s “A Very Ludo Christmas” is totally this Saturday. WOOOOOOOO!
Band: Tommy & The High Pilots
Venue: The Firebird
Location: St. Louis, MO
Tickets: $12
Date: 11-25-2011
This show was AMAZING. And sure. I hadn’t seen The High Pilots since August so I was more than a little excited, but I don’t think it was my imagination. The crowd went wild for them, and Tom, Mike, Steve and Matt went crazy for us. It was electric to be in that audience. I was standing right in front of Steve (an awesome place to be considering how great he is with the crowd) and had a clear view of Tom (and his new blond hair).
First, let me take this opportunity to thank The High Pilots for playing my second favorite song of theirs that I was sure I’d never see in concert: “Lonely Place.” FYI, if you click on the link, you’ll see a video I recorded. Ignore my bad vocals along with Tom’s. How could I not show my appreciation and sing along? Oh, and I haven’t edited it yet, so it still looks like it was recorded on an iPhone (which it was). Seriously, I think they knew how much I loved this song and they played it as a gift to me. That’s how I’m looking at it.
Then, in the sweetest surprise possible, The High Pilots PLAYED A NEW SONG. THEY PLAYED A NEW SONG. And it was great. It’s called “Young and Hungry” and I loved it. I recorded it but, out of respect to the boys, I’m not going to post it. Just trust me when I tell you that it was great. Oh, and Mike, Matt and Steve assured me that their new album should be out sometime this coming Spring. From what I heard at the concert, the wait will be worth it.
And I did, of course, talk to them after their set. Matt and Mike complimented my coat in a pair of adorable accents (the coat has since been nominated for best piece in my wardrobe…it’ll win in a landslide. The election is rigged.), Tom talked with me about the new song, and Steve won hero of the year. After they did not, unfortunately, have my size in a t-shirt, I settled on getting the show posters that I had not yet acquired. Having already purchased three High Pilots shirts, Steve gave me the posters for free (after telling me appreciatively that he saw me singing along to every song…I almost swooned).
The two High Pilots posters that Steve gave me.
By the way, I was totally at the Springfield show on the red poster. That’s where I saw Antennas Up for the first time.
Of course, The High Pilots were opening for Ha Ha Tonka. And, rest assured, Ha Ha Tonka was also splendid. I bought my first Ha Ha Tonka shirt to celebrate their awesomeness.
My Ha Ha Tonka shirt.
And, for those of you who see me this week, don’t be surprised if I’m wearing it.
Now, I want to get serious for a minute. The High Pilots are one of my favorite bands (seriously, probably top 2). I love their music. It’s always a surprise. For every gentle and romantic lyric you get in Tom’s crooning voice like:
“Maybe she’s someone I’ve made up. Maybe she’s somebody true. But I won’t rest until I know you.” (“Lonely Place”)
You also get the following line from their most popular song, “Where To Start”:
“I’ll be depressed when I am 40, getting horny, having no sex. Can’t catch a break, I’m too damn dirty. Wish I was 16.”
Like I said. It’s a surprise.
But it’s even more than the music. I love that they care about the fans. I love that they take the time to talk to those fans at their shows (I’ve harassed them enough to know this is the case, and they’ve never been less than delightfully charming). I love that they’re easy and relaxed on stage, and will banter with the crowd. I love that their performance isn’t about US, the audience, admiring THEM, the band. It’s an exchange of ideas. It’s a give and take. The audience feeds them the energy, and they throw it back at us. That seems like something every band should do in a live performance, but few that I’ve seen do it as skillfully as The High Pilots. I think it’s fair to say that I’m a fan and I’ll be staying that way.
And, of course, there was the added benefit of seeing Tim Convy at the show (moog, keys and vocals for Ludo, for those of you who don’t know…and if you didn’t know, shame be upon ye). I took an insanely blurry and dark photo with him and had the following conversation:
Tim: “Are you having a good time?”
Me: “Yeah! I’m loving it. Oh, by the way, I’ll be at ‘A Very Ludo Christmas.’”
Tim: “Really? Me too.”
Me and Tim Convy from Ludo. He was wearing an awesome cardigan. FYI.
He’s hilarious. He can’t help it. He also told me that the t-shirts for “A Very Ludo Christmas” were going to be a T-Rex wearing a Santa Claus hat. That sound you just heard was me counting out the dollars I’m going to be spending on merch.
That show should be epic. And, now that I’ve droned on about pretty much everything on my brain this fine but chilly evening, here is the score:
Concert: A+
Venue: A
Drink Prices: B+*
Audience: A-
Overall: A
*Funny story about the drink prices. We went to the bar and ordered four drinks. The bartender tells us the total is $34. We stare, astonished that the drinks were pretty much $9 each. She then says the total was closer to $22. Oh, math. Why have you forsaken us?
I know I said 7ish for the results. But, in my defense, I had to print some business cards, wash my hair and watch TV. Vital things, people. Oh, and if you haven’t listened to “Hello Sadness” by Los Campesinos! yet…do it. For real. This album is rocking my world AND I’M ONLY ON THE THIRD SONG. Don’t worry, chicks. An album review will be forthcoming.
But, before I get to excited talking about Los Campesinos! and my desire to stalk them and squeal like a little girl when I meet them, let’s get back to the contest.
The contest has come full circle (please hear that last sentence in a Darth Vader voice…it’s necessary). And there is, as it turns out, a decisive winner. But first, the up-runners:
Tying for 5th place:
Sleigh Bells and Linkin Park.
The Sleigh Bells shirt, entered by Jimmy Proszeck:
“I chose it because I think music should reflect pop culture, even if it feeds on itself, which actually happens a lot. So I chose the Sleigh Bells jersey because it parodies the old Chicago Bulls jersey basketball legend Michael Jordan wore.”
Oddly enough, I picked the shirt for the poll for the same reason that Jimmy picked it. I liked the throwback to Jordan’s jersey.
The Linkin Park shirt was entered by Ashley Gatlin, but she was unavailable for comment (Note: I love saying that. Unfortunately, she left her phone in Chicago in an attempt to evade my desperate attempts to reach her. I find this rude and shall immortalize that rudeness here. The perfect revenge!).
I picked the shirt because I loved the little video game-esque people on it. Made me giggle.
In 4th place:
Mister Heavenly.
The Mister Heavenly shirt, entered by Nicole Montgomery:
“The pineapple skinned Noriega, cause he had the nickname Pineapple…face? Something like that. For his acne scars. So, clever, clever shirt.”
I picked it because I thought it looked fun. After reading what Nicole sent me, I realized that I picked it for all the wrong reasons. I have been put ever so in my place.
In 3rd place:
Tommy & The High Pilots.
The Tommy & The High Pilots shirt, entered by Brett Zeiler:
“[I picked it] because I knew you liked the shirt and it would give me the best odds of making it to the final poll.”
Yeah. He pandered. Did it work? Yeah. But only because the shirt is really sweet. Oh, and have I mentioned that I’m going to a Tommy & The High Pilots concert this Friday? I have? Well, just thought I’d remind you.
And now. The moment most of you probably didn’t bother reading through the post to see…the runner-up is:
Regina Spektor.
The Regina Spektor shirt, entered by Katie Rauhoff:
“1. The shirt “name” is “No Surprises”
2. The proceeds of the shirt go to help Doctors Without Borders. Regina Spektor sold it at a Haiti Relief concert and continues to sell it for the cause of helping the good doctors.AND
3. The person with an unusual head is reading a book. YAY reading!
PS-The name is also a Radiohead song, “No Surprises” I like that it combines two musical talents.”
I loved this shirt. I mean, who sees shirts like that ever? Also, it was a refreshing change from some of the more bandcentric shirts on the poll. Of course, knowing that the shirt was named for a Radiohead song makes the winner that more fortuitous…
In 1st Place:
Radiohead.
Radiohead Shirt, taken by Sherrie G., available at her Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/people/optionthis/
The Radiohead shirt, entered by James Strickland:
“I picked [it] because it was a) clever, what with it being a cover for a body, (b) being rainbow tape for the In Rainbows shirt and (c) the running computer HTML language love affair.”
Have to admit, this was my favorite shirt on the poll, so I’m delighted that you all voted in accordance with my wishes. I mean, it’s SO clever. And adorable. I would wear that shirt. In fact, I’m currently lusting after it.
Congratulations, James! You win the $10 iTunes gift card! Huzzah!
And with that, I wish you a good evening. And take heart, lovelies. There will be another contest announced soon. I have too much fun with these.
Oh, wait! One more thing. Did I tell you about the Tommy & The High Pilots concert happening this week in St. Louis. Yeah. IN YOUR FACE (unless you made the right decision and are going…then you’re cool and we’ll hang out later). G’night!
