I updated just a minute ago, but I was just thinking that I should start keeping track of music shows I go to. I've gone to a few lately, and I don't want to forget who I have seen live...
December 8, 2008: The Cold War Kids and Franz Ferdinand @Crystal Ballroom. I went with my British Boyfriend. Even though I had already seen Cold War Kids twice, I wanted BB to see how great they were live (since I introduced him to their music). I also am a F.F. fan, and I wanted to see them. This was one of the most amazing shows I have been to. I insisted we arrive when the doors opened, and we ended up getting the best spot ever. We were in the corner right at the divider on the drinking side, so we had the best view possible from the drinking area. I really don't like drinking at shows because I like the memory of the music to be clear and not fuzzy because of alcohol. BB likes to drink, however, and wanted to be on that side. The Crystal Ballroom has some major sound issues sometimes, which pisses me off because they have all the best bands play there. So fix your sound system! Besides that, though, it was a great show. Cold War Kids were amazing as usual, but they didn't play my favorite song (that song about Robbers). Luckily, I've already seen them sing it in the past. Franz Ferdinand was even better than I expected and put on a show that matched Cold War Kids' energy. The drawback was that BB got really drunk and kept trying to grab my boobs. Then he was really annoying because he was drunk and got that thing where you can't hear due to the concert, but I guess he has never had that happen and was freaking out about it. He kept me up way too late with his drunken behavior, and I had work the next day. I forgave him because we have all been there and acted ridiculous when drinking! :)
November, 2008: The Decemberists @Crystal Ballroom. I didn't really want to go to this show. I have seen The Decemberists before and although I like them, I don't love them. My British Boyfriend got us tickets. I had a good time, but I wasn't blown away.
October 9, 2008: Weezer @ Memorial Coliseum. My British Boyfriend originally got the tickets for me as a part of my birthday present because they had a special one-day sale that made it ten dollars. I love one of the opening bands, Tokyo Police Club, so that was part of why we wanted to go. Unfortunately, we hit horrible traffic and needed to eat dinner, and apparently TPC played a really short set. We missed them completely. I was really really sad, especially because we didn't realize it until Weezer actually came on. I've never been a huge Weezer fan, but they played a really fun show. What was the worst was the band that opened for them--Angels and Airwaves. Wow, I knew that I didn't like them from the one song I had ever heard, but they were TERRIBLE. And the worst part was the lead singer and the things he was talking about. He was totally like one of those Panic! at the Disco! types. He kept swearing and telling stupid stories to seem cool. He said they were from San Diego, Fucking, California. Wow, so cool! Even worse was this dumb story he told about the first time he saw a naked girl. I was like, "Is this really happening?" Weezer was really good, though, and I realized I liked more of their songs than I knew. I also thought it was really cool because they had this contest for their fans and their encore was played with about 30 of their fans who had musical instruments. It ended up sounding really cool. I liked that. The other thing that I liked was that we got to sit down the whole time. I am getting too tired in my old age. I hate going to stadium shows, but we could actually see pretty well.
September 27, 2008: Cold War Kids @ Wonder Ballroom. This was my second time seeing Cold War Kids, and what was so awesome about it was that this time I was super close. Olivia and I went to the non-drinking session and we were extremely close. These guys have an amazing amount of energy and put on an amazing show. The only complaint I had was that their second CD had just come out about a week before, and they played a lot of the songs. I hate it when bands do a lot of new songs that no one knows--it totally ruins the momentum and seems a little self-indulgent to me. Anyway, some of the songs were good, but I really just wanted to hear my favorite songs that I already knew. They did play those (they only have two CDs), so that was fine. I also found out later that P was there as well, but we didn't see each other.
September 12, 2008: Okkervil River @ Crystal Ballroom. Once again, I can't remember the opening bands. I went with my British Boyfriend, and we got in our first ever fight. That was not fun. Other than that, I had a good time, although we did not stay for the whole set, resulting in another fight. I think part of the fight was because of too much alcohol on my part. Sigh.
July 24, 2008: Airborne Toxic Event @ Towne Lounge. I love, love, love one song by this band, and since it was only eight dollars I made my friends Eliza and Olivia go with me. The opening bands weren't bad (I have no idea what their names were). There was a sort of strange guy who sat at our table and made us play card games with him between bands. It was a little odd.
July 13, 2008: Rooney Acoustic Session @ Dixie Tavern. My friend Mandy is constantly winning things on the radio. She won a brunch/meet and greet thing with Rooney, who was playing in Portland that night. We both had only heard one song by the band, but it sounded fun. We did have fun, but we skipped the meet and greet part because we would have felt awkward about talking to the band. The best part was getting to hang out with her without the baby (one of the first times in the more than a year since she's had the baby). I miss her. I miss the way she was before the baby. It makes me not want to have a baby!
April 19, 2008: Rilo Kiley@ The Roseland. The Roseland is one of my favorite venues in Portland, and they barely ever have good shows there. Jenny Lewis is super tiny and sexy and is an amazing singer live. There was a weird guy there that was so into the music that he reminded me of that guy who got cut from American Idol--you know the homeless one who lived in his car? He was overcome with emotion the entire time and fell down when he got too into the music. Weird. Anyway, it was a good show. Not my top five favorite, but I was glad I went. It was me and Eliza again. We were both too tired to do anything afterward.
March? 2008: The Helio Sequence@Crystal Ballroom. I went with Eliza and her new boy who she met the night before. It was a little awkward for me being the third wheel, but it was still fun. I think The Shaky Hands opened for them, and they were okay. The Helio Sequence was pretty great live. I am pretty amazed that they are local and sound so great. Afterward we went to the fancy martini bar and had Shazaam cocktails, which is Eliza's and my favorite thing ever (how sad is it that I am an English teacher and don't know how to say that properly: mine and Eliza's favorite, Eliza and my? Whatever).
February 9, 2008: Climber@ Berbati's Pan. I went with my favorite friends and Olivia's boyfriend. The show was awesome...and we introduced ourselves to the bass player. We also talked briefly to a guy that worked at the high school, and Liza and I were both kind of into him (except he was wearing a hat the whole time, so we wondered if he was bald). He was more into my friend, but we invited him to go to the bar afterward, and he said no. So we decided he wasn't really that into either of us. I told her if it's meant to be it will happen without her trying to find out about him from her other high school friend. He was a cutie though. I drank way too much, but luckily I didn't throw up. Afterward I went to Liza's house and we went to the bar where the bartender loves us (and he sent me a missed connection the next day!)
February 6, 2008: Another Cynthia @ The Doug Fir. I went with the guy who I have been seeing who has almost the same name as I do. It was a free show, and it is a local band. It was totally different than I expected. I pictured them being all mellow and Portland-y, and instead they seemed very rock star/Fall Out Boy-looking. They were good, but I wasn't super into their style. The other weird thing is that my friend had this friend who hit on me in a really weird way at a party, and he was there, so I was trying to avoid him all night. Then, the guy I am dating, was kind of being weird, too. So everything was, you guessed it, WEIRD!!!
January 4, 2008: Climber, Derby @Mississippi Pizza Pub. This was an acoustic, low-key local show. I wanted to see Climber for a really long time. This guy's voice is AMAZING. Climber reminds me a lot of Radiohead, but they are a Portland band. Plus, the bass player works at the high school in our district. And he's hot (and bald, but hot anyway). He's also married. Damn. This was a super weird night because I invited P on an impulse and dressed kind of slutty on purpose. It worked, and our friendship turned into friends with benefits...and I haven't heard from him since. Who knew he was an asshole? Oh well. It was fun.
November 23rd, 2007: Derby @The Doug Fir. This was fun because our sort of friend from work is the drummer in the opening band. It was not fun because I was designated driver and Olivia got so drunk (drinking two drinks at a time) that she threw up and was super embarrassed. The bands were fun, but nothing super special.
November 16th, 2007: Cold War Kids @ The Crystal Ballroom. I wish I could remember the name of the opening bands. Oh well. I went with my friend Liza, who I have become closer with lately. This was cool, except I am not a huge fan of The Crystal Ballroom. It is divided into halves by the underage side and the drinking side, which is cool because kids should get to see live music too. But the drinking side is set up so you can't see as well. The other thing was that this was a 94.7 "I Saw them When" show, which means the tickets were $9.47. This was cool, except it seems that it brought out some people who don't normally attend shows and therefore act like fucking idiots. These people were super loud, super drunk, almost got into a fight with surrounding people, and took about 500 pictures of themselves while the bands were performing. And of course they were standing right next to us. I love the Cold War Kids, though, and they were great live. I was also grateful because I was afraid I might run into P there, and that he might be with some new girlfriend, but I didn't see him. Afterward we went out for drinks and my friend was wearing these pheromones that she got at the passion party. I'm wouldn't be a big believer, except at the two bars we went to we were surrounded by men nonstop. My friend gave her phone number to two guys and I gave my phone number to a 22-year-old. And I hung out with him the next night! What a night.
October, 2007: Brandie Carlile @ The Crystal Ballroom. Again, I forget the name of the opening band. My mom got tickets for this show for us. Before the show I had heard and enjoyed some songs, but I had not listened to her on a regular basis. I liked the music but wasn't impressed enough to add the CD to my regular listening pile. Have you ever gone to a show and been completely blown away? That was how this was. She was AMAZING. One of the best shows ever. I became a huge fan.
October, 2007: Tokyo Police Club with White Rabbit (can't remember the third band) @The Doug Fir. I went with my friends Liza and Olivia. It was a good show, but I was super distracted because I got super drunk. I made out with a girl, I made out with P, I tried to go home with P even though we were broken up, but my friends wouldn't let me. Then I went home with him the next night instead, but that's another story. I love Tokyo Police Club, though, despite my drama.
September, 2007: Modest Mouse @McMenamins Edgefield. Matt Costa opened. I went with Scarlett. This was my first time attending a concert at this venue, and I didn't love it--I don't like being outside for shows like this. I have wanted to see Modest Mouse forever, and it was very exciting, but I would have preferred being in a smaller venue. Matt Costa was good, but I can imagine him being even better inside. They did play my favorite song "Broke" for the encore. :) If you want to know the best Modest Mouse CD, I think it's Building Nothing out of Something. Their latest CDs definitely not on par.
August, 2007: Oh Captain, My Captain. Bryan Free @Towne Lounge. I forget the name of the third band. This was just a random show I went to with P. I had fun, but there were some bitchy girls who didn't want us to use their chairs. And the drinks were disgustingly strong. Usually I am all about strong drinks, but this was awful.
August, 2007: Pela and Cloud Cult @The Doug Fir. I went with P and his friends. This was an amazing show. This was when we were still dating, and it was a great experience. Both bands were awesome and P was so into it. It was cute. He also tried to buy me a t-shirt. During Cloud Cult, they had people doing paintings on the stage, which was really cool to watch. I had such an amazing time. When things were good with P, they were AMAZING. He might not be the right guy for me, but he made me realize how things should be when you are dating someone and they treat you right.
August, 2007: Sexton Blake @ The Doug Fir. This was so fun because I went with Chad, Chad's brother, Nathan, Scarlett, my sister, and her boyfriend. All my worlds collided, but it was fun. This was also back when all my friends were still friends instead of ruined because of someone's stupid relationship.
