My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

From the covers, to the fans, to the friends, to the passion this band plays with, this week was truly indescribable.  The best way to explain it would be to say it was a dream--you look forward to the best of them, you're thankful for the moments, and then they're gone in a flash.

You can't get any better than "Touch Me Part 2."

My Morning Jacket, "Thank You Pt 2"
Oh yeah, and a second helping of "One Big Holiday."

In all of my concert goings, I've never been the girl that sticks around for the setlist and the drumsticks that the roadies throw as the adoring fans waited with arms wide open.  Now, I wasn't so lucky to collect any of these treasured items, nor the highly sought after 50 original posters for sale each night, but I was able to cherish the moments, and appreciate this once in a lifetime opportunity.  You can't sit back and watch life pass you by--your destiny is to make your own happiness.

Thank you My Morning Jacket, with all my heart.

My Morning Jacket: Z

This is what you get when you're front row & center.

My Morning Jacket, "Where To Begin"

My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves

It Still Moves & Rocks My Soul.

This album is an ode to love, with lyrics that are so genius and beautiful you will get lost in them.
"but my heart. can't. wait. to. meet you on the other side"
"bang. bang goes the night, all wrapped up in the firelight, don't rock bottom, just listen. just slow down"
"what does it mean to feel? millions of dreams come real, a feelin' in my soul i'd never felt before...and you always told me. no matter how long it holds me, if it falls apart or makes us millionaires. you'll be right here forever. we'll go thru this thing together, and on heaven's golden shore we'll lay our heads"
"oh you had me, wrapped up in your mystery...when the light vanished from on high, oh i'll never say i knew you, but my heart can't wait to meet you on the other side"
"the brain melts in the twilight with the boar and moving trees, your skin looks good in moonlight and god damn those shaky knees the fact that my heart's beating is all the proof you need"
"babe. there's just one thing, one thing that does it. does it for me. babe. we'll find a way, we'll go out for a day and i want it so bad! it's the first thing i see when i wake"

As I imagined, it's getting more surreal and ethereal as every night passes.  How will they top this?  My Morning Jacket was joined on stage by former guitarist Johnny Quaid, former keyboardist Danny Cash, the Elvis Perkins in Dearland band (also the opener), and members from the Levon Helm band, throughout the night.
Besides hearing my favorite record of all time, the highlight of the night was "It Makes No Difference," originally by The Band and performed by MMJ on Endless Highway - A Tribute To The Band.  If you haven't heard about Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY, take it from Gregg who went two weeks ago (when MMJ opened) and proclaimed, "it was the single greatest musical experience of my life."  Don't ask me why I had to miss it.

Thursday's Encore (!!!!!):
"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You," Bob Dylan
"How Could I Know"
"Sooner"
"Head Held High," The Velvet Underground
It Makes No Difference, The Band, performed by My Morning Jacket
"All Night Long," Lionel Richie

Yeah...that last one was a shocker!  We heard this in 2009 at MSG for New Years.  Classic.

And in honor of tomorrow, get a load of this:)

Tonight, get ready for some Z!!!

My Morning Jacket: At Dawn

Wow. Wow. Wow.  This week is absolute heaven!

Before getting into the completely outrageous encore, let me just say that as a whole, At Dawn is an exceptional album, and a favorite among many, but there were a few clear stand-outs.  The black-lit painted curtains dramatically opened for "At Dawn" and they plowed through the regulars, "Lowdown" and "The Way That He Sings," ending the latter with a nice little jam.  Here's where it slows down and turns into the Jim James show, but I'm not complaining.

Now My Morning Jacket can jam, but after going to so many shows, and if you take a listen to Okonokos, you can tell that the jamming sequences happen in the same part of a song and sound very similar at every show (yet utterly awesome every time).  Last night's "Phone Went West," which is personally my favorite tune on the album, was the best version to date.  I've never heard them jam out SO long and beautifully before, and Johnny Quaid made another appearance here.
My Morning Jacket, At Dawn
My Morning Jacket, Phone Went West

This week is full of surprises, covers and encores that would blow anyone's mind--and Patrick, the drummer, really stood out tonight.

Who knew they would bust out hard rock songs such as Danzig's "How The Gods Kill" and Black Sabbath's "Black Sabbath"!  It's shocking, unheard of, and wonderful all at the same time.

Finally, thank you for my very own present wrapped up with a card reading:

Dear Eve,
We're playing "Miss You" by the Rolling Stones, just for you darling. 

With Love, My Morning Jacket

My favorite band covering my other favorite band!  That song, and this week, is one of the best musical experiences of my life.  I went to sleep with the biggest smile on my face.

After It Still Moves, what will they play next???

My Morning Jacket Week Has Begun!

I have been waiting excitedly for months just for this week to arrive.

My Morning Jacket.  Five nights.  Five albums.

Can you imagine what it would be like for your favorite band to do something as amazing as this?

The boys started their five show run with their very first album. released in 1999, Tennessee Fire, also the most under the radar and probably least popular album.  There were a few moments when Jim James' voice cracked and the sound was a bit off at times, but I blame that on Terminal 5!  They have never played some of these songs live EVER, which is pretty impressive when you realize that two of the founding members who helped produce this album are no longer in the band (due to family commitments/hectic tour schedule), including Johnny Quaid (guitarist) who made a guest appearance last night--something MMJ fans might not see again.  The bassist, Two Tone Tommy, and Jim James, are the only two original players.  The band as a whole proved they can rock hard, and damn good, to just about anything.

I've never seen James so thankful and humbled for the audience that came out to hear a record he thought would only sell ten copies.
My Morning Jacket, The Bear
My Morning Jacket, Evelyn Is Not Real
My Morning Jacket, Rocket Man
I was positively shocked when they played a boatload of covers throughout their seven song encore, including Elton John's Rocket Man, Erykah Badu's Tyrone, Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, and Rod Stewart's Hot Legs.

The best part of the night was being surrounded by fellow MMJ lovers who head banged right along with James, even harder than Kate and myself. 

I just can't wait for the rest of the week...it's going to get better and better every night!

Tonight's show @ Terminal 5: At Dawn