Austin City Limits, The Sessions

Oh Austin, the music capital of the country.  I friggin' love this city, and somewhere in my future there's a ranch here with my name written all over it.

What has it been, 4 straight years at SXSW?  This was my first ACL, and although the town was more chill, the crowd at Zilker park was 10K deeper than past years.  That makes 60,000 kids.

It wouldn't be the same without stops at South Congress Cafe for migas, Joe's for Iced Turbos, and Stubbs for the best show of the weekend.

How cute is my friend Lauren's (co-founder of The Sessions) house?

CJ, co-founder of The Sessions

A quick stop at the festival Friday included Beach House, Amos Lee, Phish, and a new favorite, Angus & Julia Stone.  Bummed I had to miss The Strokes.

Saturday morning started with a rooftop set featuring none other than Angus & Julia Stone--brother & sister duo from Australia--sure to be in your repertoire if they're not already. 

Angus & Julia Stone

 Kate & I: Groupies on set

The shoot was produced by friends (also our hosts for the weekend) The Sessions, a local company passionate about bringing artists together in downtown Austin for music, art, and up and coming talent.

Then off to the festival for Broken Bells, Temper Trap & holy CRAP Monsters of Folk.  It was fate--I had to miss their only show in NYC earlier in the year, but was able to catch this two hour set, and probably their last.  It was good to see you again Jim and M.

 Monsters of Folk

The Foals

 

Everyone at Stubbs was taken aback by the Foals, who opened for The Black Keys
.  Kate and I had a mission to get into this show and clearly we didn't fail.  The trip was way too short--I look forward to coming back in March, Austin!

 Angus' guitar case

An Ode To Phish

My Phish story begins one night in '98 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia MD, one concert among many that remains a part of the cloudy haze your high school memories soon become a part of. These are some of my most treasured memories, slowly opening my eyes and ears to the world of live music that would be a part of me for the rest of my life. It was all classic rock, and I remember the chill wind through my hair as I rode in convertibles and wranglers, gossiping excitedly with my girlfriends and looking forward to the high school crushes that were awaiting me on the venue fields. Some of my friends were avid Phish fans and would follow them around the east coast, and I only saw them once, in a distant memory.

That's all changed of course.

There's nothing quite like the psychedelic experience at a Phish show, and the friends you make along the way.  I can't explain it, but it's toxic; sweet and addicting.  If you like that sort of thing.

From the great camping at Alpine Valley, to the party bus at Merriweather, an unforgettable Festival 8, a Miami New Years, To-Hell-We-Rode, a rockin' Austin festival, rounding out a second Halloween in Atlantic City...this Phishing ride ends in my hometown for New Years Eve 2010 in New York City...or is it the end?

Shows 2 though 16

 The Indio Polo Fields, Phish Festival 8, CA

 Part of the Halloween group, Festival 8

Our mansion: Paradise, Festival 8

Listening to Phish tapes at our beautiful campsite, Alpine Valley, WI

New Years Eve, Miami

My second Paradise: Telluride, CO

 Ski Lift lounging pre-show, Telluride

How could I not show you more pictures of Telluride?

Town of Telluride

Telluride Amphitheater...need I say more?

Phish parking lots are a trip, Jones Beach, NY

View from VIP, Jones Beach

Austin City Limits

Halloween group, Atlantic City

Boardwalk Hall, AC

My partner in crime.

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

New Kings of Leon Single "Radioactive"

These boys work fast.

On Repeat: Kid Cudi

I love this perfectly captured dream like video & I currently cannot stop listening to Mr. Kid Cudi.

During Cudi's performance at the Sasquatch music festival, at the breathtaking Gorge Amphitheater, I single handedly started a dance party w/ my friends in the nose bleeds.  He was literally sitting on a speaker and was able to command the audience just as Jay-Z does so easily. It was incredible, and my favorite act at Sasquatch.

Dance party ensues.

Phish Fall Tour:)

PHISH FALL TOUR 2010 from Phish on Vimeo.

Marina Rocks My World

The Summer has sadly passed and I have loads to catch you up on.  Let's just say I took a blog-writing hiatus based on my new persona as documentary film maker.  But don't worry, my social life has not suffered, and the past few months have been some of the most memorable--lazy Montauk weekends, car races in middle America, brand new music festival experiences, and yes, plenty of incredible My Morning Jacket and Phish shows.  But you'll have to wait to hear all of the juicy details, so for now, let's discuss my girl Marina and the Diamonds.  It was quite a theatrical performance last night at Webster Hall, and this brit was wearing the hottest full-length velvet number.  Man was she hot--and literally!  Two more outfit changes ensued, including a dramatic walk on stage during the start of "Hollywood," wearing a black lingerie slip covered by a varsity jacket.  Oh, and she was carrying two huge faux burgers.  It was love at first sight for me when we filmed her in the Austin City Power Plant during SXSW, followed by a performance at the Perez Hilton party.  Enjoy the chilling beauty below!