Best of the Decade (2010s): Concerts

Here are my favorite concerts of the decade:

1. Mumford & Sons at Buckhead Theatre (Atlanta) - November 7, 2010
2. Jonsi at The Tabernacle (Atlanta) - October 31, 2010
3. Sufjan Stevens at Cobb Energy Theatre (Atlanta) - November 5, 2015
4. Lone Bellow at Eddie’s Attic (Decatur) - April 3, 2013
5. Kings Kaleidoscope at The Loft (Atlanta) - April 26, 2019
6. Sufjan Stevens at The Tabernacle (Atlanta) - November 6, 2010
7. John Mayer at Lakewood Amphitheater (Atlanta) - September 8, 2010
8. Mumford & Sons at Red Rocks Ampitheatre (Denver) - August 29, 2012
9. Johnnyswim at The Roxy Theatre (Atlanta) - May 11, 2019
10. Patty Griffin at Red Clay Theatre (Duluth) - October 12, 2012
11. Arcade Fire at Verizon Wireless (Alpharetta) - August 11, 2010
12. Matthew Perryman Jones at Red Clay Theater (Duluth) - October 26, 2012
13. Avett Brothers at Verizon Wireless (Alpharetta) - May 17, 2013
14. Garth Brooks at Philips Arena (Atlanta) - September 20, 2014
15. Over the Rhine at Eddie’s Attic (Decatur) - March 8, 2010
16. Jump Little Children at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta) - September 21, 2019
17. Civil Wars at El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles) - June 15, 2011
18. Johnnyswim at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta) - September 26, 2014
19. Rosie Thomas at Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles) - April 29, 2012
20. Switchfoot at The Wiltern (Los Angeles) - October 11, 2011
21. Ben Rector at The Tabernacle (Atlanta) - October 18, 2013
22. Avett Brothers at Chastain Amphitheater (Atlanta) - September 10, 2010
23. William Fitzsimmons at Smith’s Old Bar (Atlanta) - July 23, 2010
24. Lone Bellow at Terminal West (Atlanta) - October 22, 2013
25. Tyrone Wells at Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles) - October 30, 2011 

Heading Home

After 2,341 miles or driving spread out over a week on the road, I finally made it back to the place I like to call home, Alpharetta, GA. Here are some of the adventures I had along the way,

My first stop was lunch at a restaurant called Olives at the Bellagio. A friend recommended it to me and since it was my first time in Vegas, I decided to make it happen. Great view, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see the fountains in all their glory.

I stayed in Richfield, Utah the first night. I think the sunset lasted about two beautiful hours.

I stayed with my parents in Denver the next two nights. Shortly after arriving I found out one of my favorite bands was playing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre those two nights, twenty minutes from my parents' house. I couldn't not go, so I talked my dad into going over there with me. It was an epic night seeing Mumford and Sons in such an incredible venue.

They filmed the show I was at and here they are playing the first single off their upcoming album.


I also got to stop by Nashville to see some friends of mine, the McHughs (thanks for hosting!) and the Ballards.

Evan and I hit the town for some good times (which means dancing was obviously involved).

I came home to these men (among others). I love them and am excited to be doing life together.
"In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.” (CS Lewis, The Four Loves)

New Swithfoot Album: Vice Verses

Last Tuesday night, I saw Switchfoot perform at the Wiltern here in LA. It was the first time seeing them in concert, despite having been a fan of them for the last 13 years or so. It was an excellent show with tons of energy and creativity (including a spot on cover of Sabotage by the Beastie Boys!)

I'm amazed at how they seem to get better and better with each album, and heir latest album, Vice Verses, continues that trend. I highly recommend getting it ($8.99 on Amazon). Here are just a few of the songs that I'm really digging:

The War Inside:

Yeah, it's where the fight begins
Yeah, underneath the skin
Between these hopes and where we've been
Every fight comes from the fight within

Thrive:

I come alive when I hear you singing
But lately I haven't been hearing a thing
I get the feeling that I'm in between
A machine and a man who only looks like me

I try and hide it and not let it show
But deep down inside me I just don't know
Am I a man if I feel like a hoax?
The stranger in the mirror's been wearing my clothes...

No, I'm not alright
I know that I'm not right
Feel like I travel but I never arrive
I wanna thrive not just survive

Where I Belong:

On the final day I die
I want to hold my head up high
I want to tell You that I tried
To live it like a song

And when I reach the other side
I want to look You in the eye
And know that I've arrived
In a world where I belong

Favorite Concerts of 2010

1. Jonsi - October 31 at the Tabernacle
It was THE most beautiful concert experience of my life. Simply stunning.

2. Mumford & Sons - November 7 at Buckhead Theater
Absolutely love their album. This show unleashed their energy found on the album. I've never been to a concert with that much crowd participation and energy. One of the most fun concerts I've ever been to.

3. Sufjan Stevens - November 6 at the Tabernacle
I saw him in 2006 and loved it but wasn't too sure how I would enjoy this one, because I wasn't exactly digging his new album. I'm glad I decided to go. He is so creative and he made the album come alive for me.

4. Arcade Fire - August 11 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
My first time seeing the band "you have to see in concert." Like with Sufjan, I preferred their earlier stuff, but the concert help me really get into their album. They play with a ton of energy and look like they're having a blast. This one might have been higher if it would have been a smaller venue and I was closer to the action.

5. John Mayer - September 8 at Lakewood Amphitheatre
Probably the eighth time I've seen Mayer. Not his best, but still pretty dang good. I love that he loves and is extremely good at playing the guitar.

6. Avett Brothers - September 10 at Chastain Amphitheater
First time seeing these guys. They are crazy energetic on stage, so that was fun. Great to sing along to the many songs I knew. It was also my first time at Chastain and I was NOT a fan of the crowd. Most people around me seemed disinterested, so that hurt the overall concert experience.

7. Over the Rhine - March 8 at Eddie's Attic
Second time to see them play in this venue. The first was maybe a slightly better show, but I love the sweet melodies of Karen (the lead singer).

8. William Fitzsimmons - July 23 at Smith's Olde Bar
Glad I finally got to see him. He's funny and his songs are good to hear live. His songs put you in a very chill mood (because they're all pretty depressing) and make you want to contemplate life.

Who I've Seen in Concert the Most

I really enjoy going to a good concert (You can see my favorite concerts here). I’m going to a few in the next couple months that should be quite epic. And several of them will be my first time seeing the particular band/artist (Arcade Fire, David Gray/Ray LaMontagne, The Avett Brothers).

This got me thinking, “I wonder who I’ve seen in concert the most?” And because I like lists, I decided to make one with every artist I’ve seen at least three times, and then I figured out who I’ve seen the most. Here it is:

Derek Webb (solo) = 7
John Mayer = 7
Caedmon’s Call = 6
Jump, Little Children = 6
Dave Barnes = 6
Nickel Creek = 4
Shane & Shane = 4
MuteMath = 4
Guster = 3
Martin Sexton = 3
Matthew Perryman Jones = 3
Mat Kearney = 3
Ari Hest = 3

(I should also give a special shout out to former roommates Evan McHugh and Nicholas Alan who’ve I’ve probably seen close to 50 times combined.)

So there it is. Counting Derek Webb’s involvement with Caedmon’s, he is the obvious front-runner. I also realized that the times I’ve seen a certain artist doesn’t necessarily correlate to the amount that I like them. Cost and amount of local shows are also big factors.

Now I’m curious. Who have you seen in concert the most? What would your list look like?

Favorite Concerts of the Decade

Following the lead of Paste Magazine and many others, I decided to recap my ten favorite concerts of the decade.

10. Over the Rhine/Rosie Thomas (Eddie's Attic - October 23, 2007) - My buddy Bailey got me to come to this show. I had listened to some of Rosie Thomas and had never even heard of Over the Rhine. I was blown away...by both. Though I can now really appreciate the talent of OVTR, that concert caused me to become forever hooked on Rosie.

9. Bon Iver (Variety Playhouse - June 7, 2009) - I had only heard bits and pieces of their breakthrough album For Emma Forever Ago. Every song was absolutely captivating. Here's Justin performing Re:Stacks:



8. Dave Matthews Band (Sept. 10 2000) - This was their last tour before they started putting out crappy albums. I loved these guys in high school and will definitely remember their great live shows. Also got to see the young and unknown John Mayer for the first time live (on the dinky little side stage).

7. Derek Webb (Smith's Olde Bar - Sept 22, 2009) - I was completely surprised by this one. I had seen Derek probably 20 something times (counting Caedmon's days). I had come to know and love him as an acoustic singer/songwriter. His album Stockholm Syndrome had just come out and I liked it okay, but I just wasn't too sure about how good a show it would make. He played the album front to back in its entirety (with a four song acoustic set in the middle) and I loved every minute of it. Here he is performing The Spirit vs. the Kick Drum and What Matters More.



6. Counting Crows (The Tabernacle - October 31, 2002) - It was Halloween night. Graham Colten opened and the CC were all decked out in costumes, including Adam in a big pink bunny suit. Hard Candy had just come out that summer (still one of my favorites by them), and they played an incredible set.

5. John Mayer (40 Watt Club - January 20,2001) - It was a little hard to pick my favorite Mayer show. However, this show was the one that made me a huge fan. Inside Wants Out was his only album out at this point, which was a staple of mine my freshman year.


4. Radiohead (Lakewood Ampitheatre - May 8, 2008) - Sadly, I had not heard much of their stuff before this show (or else it would probably be higher). I bought In Rainbows a few months before, liked it, but mainly bought the tickets as a b-day present for Roy who was a huge fan. After a very close call, almost not making the show, we ended up with great seats to watch arguably one of the greatest bands of our time put on a phenomenal show.



3. Mute Math (Variety Playhouse - March 24, 2007) - It had been a couple of years since I had seen them last. Their self-titled album had helped to make these guys one of my favorite bands. Their thoughtful lyrics combined with their energetic sound made me excited to see the show. I wasn't disappointed at all. Their energy and use of lights rivals most any other concert I've seen. Here they are performing Break the Same on Conan:



2. Coldplay (Philip's Arena - October 28, 2005) - My dad snagged a couple of seats in the box. Bailey was the grateful recipient of ticket #2. X & Y had recently come out so they had three great albums to produce an sensational show. I'll remember the countdown to begin, the yellow balloons falling from the ceiling, and Chris Martin skipping all over the stage. Oh yeah, they also played an acoustic set of Johnny Cash songs. AND the encore was an extraordinary performance of Nightswimming with none other than Michael Stipe.

1. Sufjan Stevens (Fox Theatre - September 20, 2006) - Epic. That pretty much sums it up. After a great performance from My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan and the gang (consisting of a twenty something piece orchestra) came on to the stage wearing wings and bird outfits. They proceeded to blow us away with a set list that was a thing of beauty. A crazy moment happened during the fourth song (The Trangsfiguration) when the sound went nuts and caused everyone on stage to stop playing. A friend who was a couple rows back later told me how she heard Sufjan exclaim "awesome" during the disruption. That's one reason I appreciate him. He sees even the screw-up moments in performances as significant in creating his works of art.

Best Concerts I Saw in 2008

4. Red Mountain Music - March 29 @ Christ Community Church, Athens, GA
If you've been around my blog for a while, you'll know that this was a treat for me. They're so good at bringing old hymns alive.

3. Coldplay - November 11 @ Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Not quite as good as the year before, but still pretty entertaining

2. John Mayer - August 29 @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
This was the first time I had seen him in many years. It was a treat to see a guy that used to be so good at playing small acoustic shows at Eddie's Attic and the 40 Watt be able to rock it out on the big stage. He is sick on the guitar, his lyrics are incredibly thoughtful, and his melodies are captivating.

1. Radiohead - May 8 @ Lakewood Ampitheatre, Atlanta, GA
Great band, great lights, great company, and great seats. All because of our great story. This show made me a Radiohead fan.

Now you can have plans for New Year's Eve Eve

These guys are so funny. Go get your tickets now. Evan McHugh and Garrett Moore at Eddie's Attic, December 30th.

Coldplay last night

It was a pretty cool show.
Here's a view of Scott and Rachel from our seats (down with all the rest of the common people).

Radiohead

Roy and I went to see Radiohead last night. In short, it was an incredible show. But, there's a great story from the night that should be told. (This will a little longer than most of my posts...if you're into the quick version, check Roy's blog)

About a week ago, I bought two tickets via a third party internet site, for Roy and I to go to the show. Radiohead is one of Roy's favorite bands, and it worked out to be a birthday present for him. So, I get the tickets in the mail Monday. There are four sheets of paper in the envelope I received, and two of the sheets are the tickets (this will become important very soon).

Fast forward to last night. I grab two sheets of paper from my cluttered dresser right before we're heading out. The top copy is definitely a ticket and I see that I'm holding two sheets of paper, so the other must be the ticket (nope). I'm not really sure why I didn't take the extra half second effort to indeed confirm it was the ticket...I just didn't.

Roy asks me in the car, "Do you have the tickets?" And of course I reply confidently that I do. After getting down there, parking, and getting about 50 feet from the gate, I pull out my two sheets of paper...and my heart sank. The second sheet of paper was merely a receipt of some kind that does us NO good. I begin thinking I have absolutely ruined our night, just becuase I wasn't a little more careful. It was not a fun feeling. After standing there for about five minutes completely bewildered that I could have been so careless as to not double check myself, we moved toward the box office to see what our options were.

After confirming with a lady at the ticket window that she couldn't track my order that I had actually purchased two tickets, Roy and I stood there and contemplated our options. It looked like Iron Man was going to be our evening activity. And I remember praying and asking God to help me not freak out and just trust His sovereignty in this situation. And sure enough, one of the next voices I hear is from the ticket window: "...ever since this morning I haven't really wanted to go...could you just mark that I picked it up and just give it away to someone..." Roy and I looked at each other, and five minutes later we had the ticket! Thank you ticket lady, wherever you are.

My ticket was maybe 40-50 rows back on the very right side. It turns out that Roy's new ticket is dead center, maybe 15 rows back! And because there were a bunch of empty seats around him, five songs into the show, we were both rockin' out not 30 yards from Thom Yorke himself. The lights were great, the music was fun, and Thom was very querky. Even the people around us were really nice. One nice young gentlemen offered us some weed : )...to which we politely declined.

The phrase of the evening was "Happy Providence." If I had never have left the extra ticket on my dresser, we would have had mediocre seats and would have been without a cool story. Instead, we got to see God at work in the most random of ways, and allow us to have incredible seats to an incredible show. I don't think it was accident at all that I prayed yesterday that I would be able to worship God in the midst of a Radiohead show. He is in control of every dice that's rolled and every single atom floating around and every situation going on in our lives. And He showed me that last night. He didn't have to. He still would have been sovereign. But He chose to, and I was able to worship Him for His sovereignty. I thank Him for this bit of happy providence.

Anyway, here are some pics:

Evan McHugh at Smith's

Clear your calendars for Friday, May 23rd. Evan McHugh, good friend and current roommate, will be headlining at one of Atlanta's best musical venues, Smith's Olde Bar. And as a bonus, you'll get to hear Matthew Perryman Jones open up for him. Check them both out on Itunes or on their myspace pages.

Here's what CDBaby has to say about Evan:

Evan McHugh is poised to take the singer-songwriter genre and elevate its every aspect. Upon listening, it is clear that his songwriting sets him far apart from the current influx of mediocre peers. Though never one to discount the current music landscape, Evan has a gift that has already shown itself to be ahead of the curve.

With a background in graphic design, Evan's efforts have turned to the pursuit of the song, his voice, and his message. Learning a thing or three or four from his sister, Eryn, a passion for songwriting has motivated Evan from the first time he picked up a guitar at 17. He now stands at the onset of an unfamiliar yet skilled pursuit.

His debut LP, "From the Second Chair" welds together pieces of his person, his fiction, and his imaginative word smithing to create a captivating sound scape that is equaled only by his live performances. It was produced by Glenn Matullo (Shawn Mullins, Indigo Girls, John Mayer) at Orphan Studio in Atlanta, GA and will certainly be remembered as Evan's ground-breaking first effort at the end of his should be promising career.

You can find Evan touring in support of this debut around the East Coast; soon to be country.

Robby Seay and Brandon Heath

Robby Seay and Brandon Heath are playing Tuesday night (10-2) at Perimeter Church. It should be a great night. Everyone in the area, be sure to make it out.

Garrett show Thursday

For those of you within a 300 mile radius of Atlanta, GA Thursday night, you won't want to miss Garrett Moore performing at Eddie's Attic. The show starts at 8. Tickets are $10 now, $12 at the door. He rocks my face off and I know he will rock yours too.