show review: the gaslight anthem in Asbury Park, 5/26/13 (also known as take 2.)

"this song is about, well, about right here."

All day I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to go back up to Asbury Park and set things right. I felt like I left on bad terms last night, and that if I went back, things would be better. I went about my business during the day, but as I was leaving my brother and sister-in-law's house around 5:30 I just couldn't shake the feeling that I just needed to make this happen.

I texted my friend Manda and asked if she was up for an adventure. I didn't tell her right away what we were doing, just that she needed to dress warm and that we would be gone for a while. She wasn't doing much of anything, so the request to accompany me on my adventure was met with an enthusiastic yes. I changed out of the Gaslight shirt I had been wearing (because, you know, I couldn't be "that guy") and headed over to pick up Manda.

We got up to Asbury just as The Felice Brothers were finishing their set. We heard a little bit of one of their songs as we were driving through to find a parking spot, but I have never heard them and honestly didn't really care to start listening to them tonight. I just wanted to find a parking spot for my car so that I could find a parking spot for my booty.

Eventually all of that was settled, and we located a bench with a perfect view of...the ocean. But no worries...sitting backwards wasn't the worst thing we could have done. We were joined on the boardwalk by several other people who were interested in listening to the band, which was nice. What amazed me, though, was how quiet everyone was. Maybe it was just because the sound carried so well, I don't really know, but I couldn't hear anything but the band, which was amazing.

The sound was probably better on the boardwalk than it was inside the venue the night before. Brian's voice was clearer and the instruments blended together nicely. The only downfall was that we were really far away, so it looked like ants were playing on stage, but considering last night I couldn't see anything from inside, I figured it wasn't such a bad thing.

The setlist was slightly different from last night, which I figured would be the case, and I got what I was itching for, so I left much happier tonight.

High Lonesome
Handwritten
'59 Sound
The Diamond Church Street Choir
Biloxi Parish
We Came To Dance
Howl
Here Comes My Man
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts
45
Film Noir
Blue Dahlia
Meet Me By The River's Edge
The Queen Of Lower Chelsea
Wooderson
Great Expectations
Keepsake
*************
She Loves You
Mulholland Drive
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Mae
The Backseat

I left with a smile on my face tonight. I am chalking that up to A) not being wet from the rain, and B) getting to hear Blue Jeans. Now that I have heard that song (and everyone everywhere screaming when
Brian sings, "I'm gonna buy you that house on Cookman") in Asbury Park, all is again right with the world.

One thing that was consistent over the course of the two shows was the awesome moon. We watched it rise over the ocean tonight and it was beautiful. Also, while looking at Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury all lined up, we saw a shooting star, and then another on the drive home. Even the sky was happy that Gaslight played Blue Jeans.

show review: The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady, The Stone Pony, Asbury Park. 5/25/13

The Gaslight Anthem on the Asbury Park beach. This had the potential to be perfect.

What it was, however, not.

I was so excited for this show, which lately hasn't really happened. I couldn't wait to get up there and hang out with my old friend and see two of my favorite bands, together, in one of my favorite places, which also happens to be basically TGA's "hometown." (I know they aren't from there, but if you listen to their stuff you understand where I am coming from.)

I met up with a friend from my WC days, her husband, and two of her friends, and we had dinner at a place in the Berkley Hotel. It was nice, and I really rather like this whole eating a nice meal before a show thing I seem to be doing lately. It definitely beats starving through a set.

While we were inside, the rain came down like crazy, but it was tapering off as we started down to the venue. At this point, though, the sun was down and it was getting really cold. We all ended up bundling up a little more and then headed down...as we were walking, Ben came back and said, "we are missing the hold steady." We thought their set started at eight, but they were finishing their last song at 8:17 so obviously that wasn't right. I did get to see a few songs, and we heard a few while waiting in the STILL RIDICULOUS line to get inside.

By this point we were all bundled up, a little bit wet from the rain that had just passed through, and anxious for Gaslight to take the stage. I find myself wondering if all of that anxiousness was for nought. I find that shows that I drag my feet about attending are generally kick-ass, and the shows that I build up as SUPERAWESOMEHAPPYFUNTIMES in my head tend to leave me wanting more.

First, the crowd sucked. A crowd makes or breaks a show for me, and this one definitely broke it. I guess ill just never understand why anyone would pay concert ticket money, not to mention ticketmaster fees, just to stand around and talk over the band. I maybe get it with an opener, because its less likely that anyone is there to see them specifically (though I realize that people do sometimes go for the opener) but the headlining act? It would be much cheaper to invite your friends over, buy a few bottles of wine and play the records in the comfort of your own home. At least then you aren't
 wasting money or distracting anyone who actually wants to hear the band.

Not only could I not hear, but I could not see anything. When I held my camera up to snap pictures, I could see through the lcd screen, but mostly I was just looking at the backs of the heads of the Jolly Green Giant impersonators that were standing up ahead of us. So, at this point, I cant see the band or hear the band, and that was when the guy behind me decided he was going to start grabbing my butt. After elbowing him a few times, punching him once or twice, and moving away from him, I just couldn't take any of it anymore and told the people that I was with that I was going to the back of the venue.

I ended up buying a tee shirt and dancing around by myself in the back until the show was over.

I was also really disappointed that they didn't play "Blue Jeans and White Tee Shirts." It is literally a song about sleeping on the Asbury Park beach and buying a house in AP, and I havent heard it live yet because I got into Gaslight too late, I guess. I am almost betting that they will play it tonight, though, along with the other few songs that I was really hoping to hear.

The setlist wasn't bad, though.

Handwritten
Old White Lincoln
American Slang
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Casanova, Baby!
The Diamond Church Street Choir
Biloxi Parish
Angry Johnny and the Radio
45
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Blue Dahlia
Too Much Blood
Miles Davis and The Cool
Meet Me By The River's Edge
Mullholland Drive
Great Expectations
Keepsake
****************
She Loves You
The '59 Sound
Here's Looking at You, Kid
The Backseat

I guess the setlist is pretty kick-ass, I just wish I would have been able to enjoy it better.

(I just made the mistake of looking at the setlist from THS last night. I am really disappointed that I didn't get to see their set.)

I can feel it in my bones that Gaslight will play "blue jeans" tonight. I almost want to ride up there and sit on the beach to listen, but that kind of seems silly, I guess.