Doug doesn't always like to go to shows anymore.
I'll say "Hey this band is coming to DC. Wanna go?" and he says "Meh." Kind of a bummer for me because there are bands I want to see but he says meh.
I wanted to go see Counting Crows with Dashboard Confessional at the Merriweather.
He knew I'd been watching prices on the resale for this show, and I mentioned I wanted to go at one point. He was kind of "Meh" after seeing them in 2021. You can go read that adventure, and for good measure, you can also read about me getting all screamo at a racist in an elevator. A tale which still makes me mad for a lot of reasons...
When I got a free tickets offer from the Guster Board (thank you Dennis!) he agreed to come, which surprised me. We got there around 6, and went to Banditos for tacos and tequila (note to self, head to shows earlier to get in on the fooddrinkeries!). We spent a lot of money on 2 tiny margaritas each, a beer each, and 3 tacos each. Not sure I'd go there again to be honest, want to suss out the other foodrinkeries in the little planned community plopped down next to the concert venue. Which is another whole weird thing but. I won't write about it.
Opening act as mentioned Dashboard Confessional, and sadly, I gotta confess, neither of us were feeling them. Doug really did not enjoy them. I ... could take or leave it. I didn't think they were as horrible as Doug felt, but I had fun watching a few people in the crowd who were Total Fans. I thought about how I feel about Guster, and I was super happy for the fandom for DC getting their joy on.
Even though neither of us were into it (one a lot less than the other) we both agree though, their drummer was unbelievable. Just next level amazing. I could watch him all day. What an amazing musician.
Adam and the band took the stage and started off hard, fast, and strong, Hard Candy, St. Robinson, Mr. Jones. The setlist was unreal. It was so fun to sit and hear the audience sing and Adam just hold the microphone up and smile.
I didn't recognize "High Life," a song I know well, because of how Adam performs it anymore.
When they did Colorblind, one of my favorites, and a very heartbreaking song, it was amazing to hear the audience singing the "I am ready, I am ready, I am ready, I am..... fine" part. Adam just held his hands on his chest and allowed it to happen.
Please watch this video from 2012. Please watch it. Watch Adam. Listen to the song, and imagine thousands of people singing it with him loud and clear.
I am ready, I am ready, I am ready, I am fine.
The guy in front of me at the end of "Long December," turned around and grabbed the back of his seat, bent over and breathing hard. "Holy shit, what an ending!" he yelled and looked up at me.
"Oh honey no, they are not done," I replied, knowing there would be an encore. I noticed the lead singer from Dashboard Confessional in the wings and I knew he was going to come out and join them.
I thought about the show we saw with Frank Turner, how he came out and sang Hanginaround, and crushed the hell out of it. I kind of knew that was coming with Chris from Dashboard.
The guy in front of me asked me if I wanted to bet on the encore. I smiled. Well, the Counting Crows will do one of their own songs, and I pointed at the wings where Chris was waiting. I said I'd bet on Hanginaround.
He told me his girlfriend thought it'd be Time and Time Again or Sullivan Street. I told him those both sounded logical and I'd love to hear Sullivan Street. He smiled and we fist bumped but no like "wager" actually happened.
Counting Crows came out and crushed Time and Time again (good call, girlfriend of the guy) and he and I hi-fived over that. Then the entire band of Dashboard Confessional came out I was a little surprised to see everyone. Adam and Chris jawed a little bit about what to do. Chris said "Let's do Hanginaround," and Adam said "No, let's do one of yours."
Snap. Dude turned around victorious to me and I smiled.
They did So Long, So Long which Adam has performed with them before over the years. Doug looked at me as if to say "I'm not into this, get me out of here," and I read his mind and nodded. I patted the guy in front of me on the back and congratulated him on me being wrong. We hi-fived and smiled, and I caught up to Doug, who was already up the stairs.
We got towards the exit and I pointed to the bathroom saying I could use that before we head home.
I went in and while I was peeing, I got to hear the opening notes to Hanginaround and laughed. Ha. I was not totally wrong.
We were home in 25 minutes. Merriweather is a completely awesome location, and I need (after living here this long) to keep an eye on shows happening there.
Another note, they did all 4 movements of the Butter Miracle suite, which it seemed that a lot of people were clearly not interested in.
We saw them do it in 2021 and found it weird and slightly unnerving, very unlike all their other stuff. I was surprised they did all 4 parts. But having had listened to it a few times in the past couple years, I felt it. I saw it. Heard it. and am impressed by it really for the first time. Tall Grass really hit me, and I've gone back to listen to it again and again.
Once upon a time, Adam sang "I want to be Bob Dylan," but I feel like now he wants to be Adam Duritz, and he wants a full Broadway play, and he wants Bobby and the Rat Kings to be shining on stage like Anais Mitchell has brought Hadestown to the stage. Butter Miracle mixed in with some of the other Counting Crows songs like Round Here and Mr. Jones and whatever - this would make an epic stage show. With Adam at the center. Adam's story as the star.
I'd go and see it.
My only regret of the night was that I didn't buy the sweatshirt for sale in the Merch booth. They were selling "Somewhere in Middle America" with a map of Nebraska on it for the song "Omaha," which I love so much. And wow Oh my Goodness, do I ever love when Charlie plays the accordion and commanders the stage.
Here are a couple pictures. Not the best from where we sat, but, they are ok. And I have a video that I'm trying to figure out the best way to share, because it brings me great joy.
digits
exercise: 11/12 hours of 250 steps. Missed 4pm because of an emergency call and then talking to our mechanic. Lost track of time!
blood glucose:
9:30am: 167
5:30pm: 174
10pm: 178
food:
coffee, water
10:45am: pbj (low sugar) on 647 bread
12:30pm: Metformin
2pm: bowl of left over chicken thighs, tossed w/mayo in a lazy chicken salad
3pm: apricot
6pm: porkchop in spicy rub with apple onion sauce a la Geoff. Broccoli, metformin+jardiance
7pm: 1/2 small cantaloupe w/spicy sprinkles
8pm: oreo cookies; vodka tonic
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