Ushering in Rocktober

I kicked off Rocktober this weekend by doing what any good music loving snob would do.
I went to 3 shows, barely slept, and drank energy drinks to sustain myself.

This weekend was seriously action packed. From the minute I left work on Friday to late last night, I was in a constant state of motion. Like an atom or space matter.

Friday started off with what I thought might be a bang. Unfortunately, I was very wrong.
Exhibit A:
Brandi Carlile.
Man, I had such high hopes for this show. The opening band was A Fine Frenzy, who've been getting a lot of good press lately, but the stage presence wasn't really enhancing their semi-weak sound. The vocalist had this brilliant red hair and was a very soulful singer, but it was clear that they were still not completely comfortable in front of a large crowd. And it was a large crowd that showed up for Brandi.
Brandi, why must you torment me? Your voice - it's amazing. It's so rich and deep and you totally could channel Janis Joplin. But you don't.
I think the thing with Brandi Carlile is she plays the same song over and again, just with different words. Her voice is what sets her apart, but she really plays it safe with everything. I would definitely recommend buying her next CD, in the hopes that she would've developed her sound a bit more. Maybe she wrote these songs for the label -- I'm not sure. But I would love to see her take a few more risks and really explore her voice. That being said, the best part of the show was this song, which I think showcases her voice very nicely:
We left the show early because it was that boring. Got some cheap Chinese food and ate it on the street next to a very talented street musician playing the saxophone. Totally made up for the crap concert.

Saturday TH and I woke up at 6:30 am to get to the garage sale at REI. We had to get in line early for the big sale. The merchandise that is sold at these garage sales are things that have been returned. Some have minimal damage (like a broken strap that can be replaced) or just a little wear. I scored a Thermarest for $30, a laptop case and some rock climbing shoes. All that for less than $85. Not bad.

We got a delicious breakfast at Wegman's, which is a ridiculously huge supermarket. I don't think I'll be going there anymore. It's too big and I feel overwhelmed. It seems wrong and strange to have so much perfect looking food under one roof. It was like a Martha Stewart sponsored grocery store, only without all the prison stuff.

Lunch was at Checkers. I ate fries, which is about all I can eat there, unless you count cherry coke, then I also ate that. So good, but so gross.

After a very hectic morning and afternoon (keep in mind I'm running on about 4 hours of sleep) we ran over to 9:30 club to see my boy, Sam Beam.
Sam Beam, of Iron and Wine
This is the 3rd time I've seen my boyfriend, Sam. We have a great relationship, it's just long distance because he's always on tour, you know. Iron and Wine just came out with this great new album, The Shepherd's Dog. Check it out, ya'll. The honey laced, gentle voiced Sam Beam leads the 7(?) piece band, with backing vocals done by his sister, Sarah. I love his new songs - Boy with a Coin, Carousels, and Love Song of the Buzzard are all beatifully melodic. But his older songs are the ones that really resonate with me. He sang a quicker version of Upward Over the Mountain and I actually cried. The song is directed to a mother, written from a son's perspective. The part where he slowed down had these lyrics:

Mother remember the night that the dog had her pups in the pantry
Blood on the floor and the fleas in their paws
And you cried 'til the morning

So beautiful and haunting. My love affair with Sam continues.
Oh, the opening band for Iron and Wine was Arthur and Yu. Check them out. They're a Seattle based band, and actually labelmates with the band we rushed over to see after Iron & Wine had finished playing.

This is probably the longest post of my life, and maybe yours. But there is only one more thing.
Le Loup. They had their CD release party on Saturday at the Black Cat! Finally! I have been waiting for their CD since I saw them in the spring at the Velvet Lounge for their first show.
I've seen them at the Black Cat before and the sound there is unparalleled. They were amazing on Saturday. It's easy to see the confidence they've gained after playing many shows around town and as far as the midwest to open for Andrew Bird! They sounded so powerful, even during the slow moments of the songs. At one point, the keyboardist/french horn player started chasing around the lead guitarist with her drum sticks. The band was having a blast and we were all so excited to see how well they've developed as a band, and how quickly they've cemented their place on the DC music scene. The Black Cat was totally packed. Nicole and May sold me their CD. They are both adorable and totally cool girls. Can we hang out sometime, guys?

The show was amazing, but I have to say, reluctantly, that the CD doesn't really showcase their talent like I hoped it would. It still sounds like Le Loup, but very bare. Still, you can download their music on iTunes, and I totally recommend you do. But definately get to their show to get the real Le Loup effect. Thank me later.

I'm so excited for Rocktober. If you don't like music, you might not enjoy reading my blog for the next month. But - deal with it. I hope you will check out some of these new and emerging artists. I'll totally help you stock your iPod.