Music News Explosion!

With everything that has happened today in my little corner of the music world, I can't help but feel compelled to get some of these feelings out. New Fall Out Boy track. Postal Service tour dates. New Relient K track. My head is spinning.

First and foremost, the thing I am most excited about-Postal Service is touring. With Jenny freaking Lewis. (that might not actually be her middle name, but it should be.) When the Postal Service announced that they were re-banding to play Coachella, I was hoping, against everything that Ben Gibbard was saying, that they would do a tour. And then I was directed recently to an article on Spin.com about my girl Jenny Lewis, in which she stated that she had a new album in the works, but that she needed to tour with one of her other bands before we would see its release. Could it be? I found myself waiting with baited breath to hear about her tour.

Imagine my excitement when I happened to check my Facebook feed today and see that my friend LB posted, asking if anyone wanted to go to Brooklyn with her, with a link to an article about the Postal Service.  I didn't even read the article. I figured it didn't say anything other than they were touring and the dates, but someone else commented "Jenny Lewis is on the tour, too?" and I about lost my stuff. I was actually sort of flailing around in my desk chair like one of those wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men that one sees in front of car dealerships and the like. I am glad that I only had a few children left in the classroom and that they were busy working on puzzles and didn't see my reaction.

LB is off work when the tickets go on sale, and as the Brooklyn date is (at least as of right now) the only east coast tour date, I am hoping shes able to land these bad boys. I think its realistic to assume that a Philly date will be announced in the next batch, but I also don't trust that enough to risk not getting these ones. I will probably shed a tear if we aren't able to see this tour.

Next up, Fall Out Boy is back from hiatus and I can't say that I care. I am, though, peeved at a point brought up by someone on twitter, which was that this band has gone on and come back off hiatus before Brand New got off their asses and made new music. I am hoping for new Brand New sometime this year, but with Jesse producing one of Kevin Devine's new albums and Brian Lane being wrapped up (as far as anyone can tell) in this Shone business, I think its a long shot at best. But I digress.

Fall Out Boy has been trying to keep this under wraps for a week or so now, since it leaked over on Property of Zack but they haven't done a very good job, really. I mean, swearing up and down that you aren't back together yet having Jimmy Kimmel post your appearance on his lineup doesn't quite work, you know? There have been lots of (obvious) tweets coming from members of the band about a Skate & Surf appearance, all the while good ole Petey Wentz was trying to deny the whole thing.

Anyway, so the band made the announcement officially this morning, via a radio station in Chicago (of course) and also premiered a new song. It is awful. I just can't even.

Maybe I am just so far removed from today's popular music culture that I don't understand the appeal, but honest to God, every time Patrick screeches "FIIIIIIRRRRREEEEEE" I want to rip my ears off of my head. I also really don't understand the hype surrounding this 2Chainz fellow, and I really am fine with that. I am really disappointed though, because I expect a lot more from FOB, especially with Butch Walker  at the helm.

I am fairly sure that the Fall Out Boy tour is one that I will be skipping.

Thirdly, Relient K put out a new diddy today. Its not going to have a home on their next release; it was just something that they came up with messing around in the studio. I don't hate it, at least not as much as I hate the above-mentioned song, but its almost annoyingly poppy and I am in a bad mood today, so it did grate on my nerves a bit. The saving grace for this song is that it is literally a string of 90's pop music references (think "Taxi Driver" by Gym Class Heroes.) I think that, if i remember it exists, I am going to love the crap out of this song when the weather is sunny and 75 (see what i did there?)

One last note-WXPN announced today that The Lumineers are headlining the Xponential Festival this coming summer. This is worth noting because A) I am still obsessed with "Ho Hey" and B) I missed them last year at the festival because they played first (at noon) on Saturday. They have come a long way in the last year, and that is both awesomesauce and well deserved. You can bet that I will renew my membership so that I am able to see them this summer.

XPoNential Festival Day 3: Where I question my faith in my favorite band.

When I looked at the lineup for day three, I pretty much just figured it was going to be a wash of a day. The only artist I recognized was Counting Crows, and they were the last act of the night. Had I not been so anxious to get the upgraded seats (which meant needing to show up early in the day) I probably would have just waited and gone right before they even took the stage, but things being as they were, I was up and out the door early for the final day of the festival.

I actually woke up super early this morning, and I jumped up out of bed like a toy on a spring. I had a lot of time to kill before I left, but that is neither here nor there, really. Eventually I got around to showering and getting dressed for the day. I was considering jeans again, or jean shorts, but am glad that i went with a skirt, as the weather was MUCH hotter than forcasted.

After procuring my tickets for the Counting Crows (we already had access to the show, these tickets were just upgraded seats, out of the lawn and into a chair) I went inside, found a perfect spot for my blanket, and set up camp. The band that was playing was called Work Drugs and as I was walking in i recognized a few of their tunes from listening to XPN, so I hung out and watched the rest of their set. I really liked what these guys were throwing out there. Synth-y pop stuff, but really mellow, and it was absolutely perfect for sitting in the grass and baking in the hot summer sun.

Up next on the River stage was Carlos Diego, who I had never heard, but wasnt disappointed with, either. The band had a little bit of a salsa-y vibe to them, which I could absolutely dig. I watched a few of his numbers, and then decided that the sun was too much for me, and started walking around looking at the vendors and trying to stay beneath the shade of the trees.

There was a lot going on after his set, and most of that doesnt have to do directly with music, so ill skip it. I do want to share, though, that there is a really rather funny story about a record that fits into this time frame, and id be willing to tell you about it if you ask nicely. It involves the word "bastard" and me running. Thats all you are getting.

Back to the music.

The next act was some Cabinet of Wonder or some nonsense. It was just a bunch of different artists doing different stuff. Mostly I hated it. The one part we were on the blanket for was this dude doing a dramatic reading over some weird drum and bass. It just really wasnt my thing. at all. Mostly I just found myself wishing it was over.

Rhett Miller closed out the River stage this year, and I was a dummy for a while and forgot who he was, but remembered early in the day, and then found myself super excited to see him. I really like the Old '97s and knew this was as close to seeing them as I was getting, so I settled in on the blanket and danced around a lot for about an hour. This act was billed as "Rhett Miller and the Serial Lady Killers" so I didnt expect to hear any Old '97s stuff, but no sooner did we sit down then did the band start to play Singular Girl, and that smile I have been wearing all weekend found its way right back to my face. In fact, they played a LOT of Old '97s stuff, including one of the sweetest songs I know, Question.

So here I am, smiling like a wacko, and on my way to see one of the most important bands in my life, the Counting Crows. Whatever else had gone on that weekend was going to pale in comparison to what was about to happen when I stepped foot into the Susquehanna Bank Center (or the E-Center if you go by the sign in Wiggins Park. tee hee hee.) I should have been in a state of bliss for the rest of the night, but that was not the case.

I just was not feeling the Counting Crows' set tonight. They opened with Sullivan Street, which is a decent enough track, but everything was played a bit slowed down tonight, and for songs that are slow to begin with, well, it made for a hard time trying to stay awake during some parts of the set. As much as this band means to me, I havent spent much time with any of the newer material, which is what they played for a majority of their set. Honestly, at one point I caught myself nodding off. I tried blaming it on the fact that I had been out in the sun for the last three days but I cant deny the fact that I just wasn't into the set.

Another issue that I had was that the crowd in the seats where we were were just not into the show. At all. Barely anyone was up out of their seats, no one was singing along, and it was just kind of a boring atmosphere in our section. A large part of the reason I love live shows is the bond that you form with the others who are there and who are just as excited to be there as you are. Audience participation adds to or detracts a lot from any live show and its sad to say that in this instance, it was definitely a deterrent.

I am still happy that I got to see the Counting Crows, though. I mean, I did the math and I have been in love with that band for 18 years. That is more than half of my life. There is something about them that will stick with me forever. I can't turn my back on them for one less than desirable concert. I also think that had I not seen bands like Good Old War and the Hold Steady! earlier that weekend, I wouldn't be feeling quite as let down as I do.

Anyway, the setlist:
Sullivan Street
Untitled (Love Song)
Another Horsedreamer's Blues
Hard Candy
Hospital
Goodnight Elizabeth/Pale Blue Eyes (Sheryl Crow cover)
Start Again (Teenage Fanclub cover)
Meet On The Ledge
Four White Stallions
Mrs. Potter's Lullaby
Ghost Train
Long December
Return Of The Grevious Angel
Come Around 
Rain King/Washington Square

Encore (all the guys from all of the bands on the Outlaw Roadshow tour came out for these three songs)
Hangin' Around
You Ain't Going Nowhere
This Land Is Your Land

I forgot about Mrs. Potter's Lullaby. That made me really happy. I just really could have stood for one or two of my favorites, or Mr. Jones for Pete's sake!

Even if I was a little bit disappointed in the show, I still love and always will love this crazy man. Maybe I need to pay more attention to the newer material for the next time I see them, because four is an awkward number, so I will see them again.

XPoNential Festival day 2: Good Old War, The Avett Brothers, Wilco and more

Day two was the first of two long days at the Camden Waterfront. We arrived at Wiggins park around noon and, after making our way through the entrance and bag check and getting our wrist bands for the day, found a nice spot on the lawn in front of the River Stage to set our blanket and hang out for the day. There was so much to do, though, that we didn't actually spend much time at the blanket at all.

First up was Good Old War. I avoided listening to this band at first because I don't like being told what to do, but finally, after sooo many tweets about them from the artists I like and admire, I figured I would give them a chance, and I am glad that I did. I really like this band a lot, and I feel like you are doing yourself a grave disservice if you are not giving them a chance. Their set was too short, as is generally the case when one is watching a band that she adores, but the good news is that they are playing Philly again next month. They are a Philly-based band, so I suspect I should be able to see them again.

Immediately after their set, we rushed over to the "members only" tent to A)get refreshing beverages, and B)so that I could stand in line awkwardly and get a chance to meet the guys in the band. Meet and Greets are generally the most awkward things in the universe, and I know that I feel this way, yet every time the opportunity arises I find myself taking it. I was able to buy "Come Back As Rain" on vinyl while waiting in line so I got my record signed, which made me happy. (On a side note, when I came home last night I tried to put my record in the crate, and it wouldn't fit. Looks like its time for a third.)

After this I met back up with Mandy and we wandered around a little bit to see what kind of stuff there was in the tents that were all over the grounds, and while we were doing this, we were listening to Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing. I liked his set enough, but every song kind of sounded the same to me, and all of them sounded like "circles" which is the only Soul Coughing song I know. Even still, it wasn't a bad show.

We had a lot of time to kill between Mike Doughty and the next act that we had any interest in seeing, which wasn't until the Susquehanna Bank Center opened up and the main event for the night got underway, so we spent more time wandering around. We used this opportunity to go drop off some of our recently-acquired crap at the car (Thank God for re-entry!) and we also decided to take full advantage of what our wrist-bands granted us access, and spent some time in the Camden Children's Garden. There wasn't a ton of stuff to look at in there, but it was nice to get out of the sun and away from the crowds for a bit. Also, the lure of a toilet that flushed and running water was enough to make me want to check it out.

After this, we decided to hit up the food vendors (yay crab cakes!) and then head back inside the show. We walked around a bit more, and ended up sitting in the "members only" area again, taking full advantage of both the shade and the free drinks. We also spent some time parusing the craft vendors. I really wanted a Henna tattoo but she wanted 20 dollars for it and I didn't have that much cash left. I am considering getting it today. We will see. I figure it will be good practice for the tattoo I really want.

Eventually it was time to go gather our things and wait in line to get into the Susquehanna Bank Center so that we could see Dr. Dog, The Avett Brothers and Wilco. This was new this year, the incorporation of SBC, but it was an experiment gone so right, if my judgement means anything. We lined up by the Marina Stage, got to enter through the back gates, and when we got into the arena (before the regular ticket holders) there was an entire section, front and center, of the lawn sectioned off just for XPN members.

Dr. Dog came on first. I wasn't impressed. I thought I would like them more considering how much love everyone gives them, but really they just weren't my thing. I may have actually fallen asleep.

The Avetts took the stage after that and I was basically as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Their set was perfect. They sounded perfect. Even from the lawn they looked perfect. It was a good day. I was up dancing for a while, but by the time they got to January Wedding I just couldn't handle the standing anymore, so I laid down on the blanket and danced. I was up and down from that point on, but that was fine. Toward the end of the set, I leaned in to tell Mandy that I was going to be very disappointed if they didn't play Kick Drum Heart, because I really love that song. (Its my ringtone.) It was getting late and they were playing I And Love And You and introducing the band, and thanking everyone for coming to see them, and I could feel the disappointment creeping in. That song is their big one, and they were thanking everyone, I thought for sure that I wasn't going to hear my song...and then the drum beat changed.

I don't think I have ever gotten up off the ground so quickly in my life! I danced around and screamed along to Kick Drum Heart and was happier at that point than a pig in poop.

Dave Hause (from The Loved Ones) was playing on the side stage, so we ran over to check him out. I wouldn't have gone except that I knew that Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem (if you have been reading at all lately you know who they are) was playing guitar for him, and I wanted to see him if nothing else. I was thoroughly impressed. I find that a lot of times when attending something like this, you find your new favorite band, or at least your new "it" band. I figured Dawes was going to be my discovery of the weekend, but that's not the case, as I really liked the energy and sound of Hause's set. I will definitely be giving this guy some more attention.

Finally, we went back to the blanket on the grass to listen to Wilco. I had my ideas about what this band was going to sound like, but that wasn't what i heard at all. The first two songs were very Jack White-y in both sound and composure. I even remarked that the lead singer had a very Jack White look about him. I guess I can't fault the guy or the band-Jack White is pretty much a musical genius, so why wouldn't they want to be him? It just wasn't what I thought I knew about Wilco. The third song was a lot slower and a lot less experimental, which made it a lot more like what I was expecting from the band.

We only stayed for about five songs because by that point we were starving, tired, and ready to go. I didn't hate Wilco, though, and will probably listen to them a bit now, just to see if there is a groove I can get into.

After a shower and some rest, I am heading back over for day 3, the final day. I am so excited to see Counting Crows tonight, and I am definitely interested to see what else I discover this weekend.