A New Not So Miserable Experience

As you may have heard, last week I won tickets from www.vita.mn to see the Gin Blossoms perform at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. This was my first time seeing them live, as well as my first time dining at the Dakota Jazz Club. Overall, the experience was incredible. The age of the audience members ranged from gray hair to bleached blonde.  We were located about 5 tables from the stage and enjoyed a great performance. The size of the club provides an intimate setting and the sound of the band playing the acoustic versions of their songs made it feel as if I'd plucked them from a stage and set them in my living room. Frontman Robin Wilson, or "Bif" as he referred to himself, has an amazing voice and is welcome to sing in my living room any time. 

My only complaint, I would have liked them to perform longer (what female doesn't wish this at one time or another?). The show started at 7pm and was done by 8pm. They were performing again at 9:30 but with an hour and half of driving ahead and work the next morning, staying for the second performance was sadly not an option for me. I was elated to hear them play many of their old singles including "Til I Hear it From You" and "Hey Jealousy" but I think my favorite song of the night was "Lost Horizons".  Listening to those songs again reminded me of high school days gone by and the very next day I ordered their New Miserable Experience CD.  So if you see a red Honda Accord driving down the road and hear the song "Found Out About You" blaring through the open windows, there's a good chance it's me behind the wheel.  Oh, by the way, for all you Gin Blossoms fans, the band has a new CD titled No Chocolate Cake coming out Sept 28th and you can pre-order it on Amazon RIGHT NOW.

As for the Dakota Jazz Club, the food was pricey but about what you would expect in downtown Minneapolis.  More importantly, it was gooooood.  I started my three course meal off with Bay Scallop Seviche for the appeteaser (scallops w/ avocado, serrano chile, coriander) this was the first time I'd ever had scallops cold.  My main course was steak and fries, (what can I say, I'm a meat and potatoes gal).  The 10 oz sirloin was tender and delicious.  For dessert, Hubbell (my blog name for my husband) and I enjoyed the Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie, very yummy and highly recommended.  All in all, four thumbs up. 

Singing Hey Jealousy

If there is one thing I have concluded from this experience, it is that I NEED a new camera!!

Play it Forward

Good evening, Folliers!
For someone who LOVES to write, I haven't been doing much of that on here lately.  I plan to make more of an effort from this day forward (just like me to make mid-year resolutions).  I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to Twitter.  If I could just cut my Twitter time in half, I would have so much more time to blog.  BUT I do have to thank Twitter because if I wouldn't have been scrolling through the tweets of the 283 people, businesses, etc. that I follow, I wouldn't have won tickets to see the Gin Blossoms tomorrow night!  I also want to thank www.vita.mn because they were giving the tickets away and I won them by simply tweeting "tickets, please!"  If only everything in life could be that easy. 

I'm hoping to have a good seat so I can snap a few pics and post them on here for my 2 folliers to enjoy.  Also, they're playing at the Dakota Jazz Club (Minneapolis) and I've never been there and have always wanted to go (doubly excited).

Since we're on the subject of music, I feel the need to share the songs from my mixCD of the summer, which I cleverly titled "June 2010".  The songs (purchased off iTunes) have been on constant rotation through out the summer.  I found myself wondering if years from now, when I hear one of the songs from this mixCD, if I will think of the summer of 2010 the way I think about the summer of '93 when I hear Hey Jealousy from the Gin Blossoms.  I love that music has that power (even bad music), to pull you back to certain moments in your life (even the bad ones). 

So here's the list of songs I've been listening to a lot this summer (besides Atmosphere) and I feel you should get to know these bands (if you don't already).  I owe 89.3 The Current a HUGE thank you as well because if it wasn't for listening to that station every day, I'm not sure I would have been introduced to such amazing music.  Note: not all songs are new, as in released this year, but they are ALL good and that's what matters.

1. Free Energy by Free Energy - no this is not a misprint, the name of the song and the name of the band are one in the same.  This song reminds me of youth.  Pure and simple.  Best line:  "and I'm so disconnected, I'm never going to check back in". 

2. American Slang by the Gaslight Anthem - this band has been around for years but I hadn't heard of them until The Current started playing this song.  I was hooked.  I like some of their other songs too but THIS one is my favorite.  Also, I love Brian Fallon's voice.

3. Kick Drum Heart by the Avett Brothers - ahhhhh the Avett Brothers.  I don't think I've ever heard a song from them I don't like but this one made the cut for this mixCD. 

4. Crystalised by the XX - you know those songs you like, you can't explain why, you just do?  Well that's how I feel about this song.  Favorite line: "I'll forgive and forget, before I'm paralyzed".

5. Don't Haunt this Place by the Rural Alberta Advantage - another song about a break up, you ask?  yes and it's a good one.  I like quite a few of their songs but again, this one made the cut. 

6. Set me Free by The Heavy - you've probably heard their song How You Like Me Now on that Kia commercial but this song is better.

7. Running with the Wolves by Cloud Cult - what can I say, I'm a sucker for MN bands.  AND they make great music.  Favorite line: "I need to feel something different for just a little while".

8. The Ends by Halloween, Alaska - Since they're a Minneapolis band, I'm hoping this means I'll be seeing them play live in the near future.  Best line: "No matter what today pretends, no matter how you see the means, these are the ends".

9. Low Rising by the Swell Season - See previous post Better than Swell

10. The Cave by Mumford and Sons - this band just blows me away.  First song I ever heard by them was Little Lion Man and I fell in love.

11. These Tears Ain't Mine by Roma Di Luna - another Minneapolis group!  Supportin' local music y'all.  I missed the chance to see them perform last week and I'm still kicking myself. 

12. Setback by the Constellations - I REALLY like this band.  Their beats, their lyrics.

13. Shadow People by Dr Dog - Never heard of this band until I heard this song.  Check under music tab for further details.

That's it, Folliers.  Good night and happy listening....

Better than Swell

I have been known to spend hours on YouTube watching Damien Rice perform live at various locations.  Add too much caffeine to the mix and you will find a thirty something woman hugging her computer monitor while crying like a baby.  Years ago, when the scruffy, little Irish man came out with his song "The Blower's Daughter" I became obsessed with his voice/lyrics/music/him.  If he ever plays a concert in the states again, you can bet I'll be there. 

Enter new scruffy, little Irish man that moves me to tears: Glen Hansard from The Swell Season.  The first time I heard the song Low Rising on the radio I became an instant fan.  I should mention the other member of the group, pianist Markéta Irglová.  She is to Glen what Lisa Hannigan is to Damien Rice.  Her voice not only compliments his, but tangles with it perfectly, producing something so moving, I am blown away when I watch their live performances on YouTube.  You can feel the passion and energy that Glen Hansard exudes and the raw lyrics add to the many reasons why I adore them.

Love this performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFDfJsNY_2E