so.

i wrote the mother of all posts two days ago. i clicked "post" - and internet explorer crashed. therefore, i lost the paragraphs upon paragraphs of concert analysis, nostalgia and overall observations about the meaning of life and the human condition (well, ok, the grafs really did include the first two).

thus i am left pondering whether to try to replicate the post or just chalk it up to technology giving me a swift kick in the arse and move on. for the sake of being able to let others get a taste of what i experienced (not to mention the fact that i'd like to be able to remember the small details later on in life), i'll attempt a slightly shorter post about the most recent stop on the revelry concert tour and the days following ...

monday was just a quality day all around. after working, i hopped in the car and enjoyed a brilliant early fall day while driving to massachusetts. my new cell phone has a hands-free earpiece, so i tried to ignore feeling like an ex-castmember of "rent" while speaking with my editor and a few friends during the drive. mraz provided the soundtrack for the highway traveling, as i sang along and enjoyed what is consistently one of my favorite drives to make.

per usual, a huge smile spread across my face as i rounded the bend on 93 and saw boston stretched out in front of me. greeting the welcome sight of the skyline, i called up my brother so he could walk me through reaching his apartment in somerville. believe it or not, i showed quite the navigational skills - that is, once i got past missing exit 30 off the highway. i still maintain it wasn't my fault. ;-)

my brother's apartment, i am pleased and ever so relieved to report, is great. it's a nice place, he's definitely making a home for himself and i quite enjoy his roommates. especially after colleen and i were each threatening to kick his arse (she gets extra points for having the dvd box set of "my so-called life."). he seems happy - and this in turn makes me happy, as i was worried that reality wouldn't live up to the hype he had built for the whole boston relocation process.

after relaxing briefly, we hopped onto the t (oh, dear sweet t - you're dirty, you're crass, but you have some special charm i can't describe) and headed to kenmore, where we made a dinner stop at burrito max (my chipotle-starved soul screamed with delight) before i headed to avalon for my show and he headed to the all asia cafe for his. after meeting some new acquaintances during the walk and having it reaffirmed that i look ridiculously young, i made my way into the club which, i will state again, just does not do it for me the way paradise does. it's too posh for a rock club. for a club, it's definitely cool, but when you're going to a show and you want to feel a connection, avalon just doesn't cut it. too big, too slick, too shiny and fake for raw, emotional music.

but nevertheless. i found ways of amusing myself before charlotte martin took the stage and i was blown away by her tori-ness. as a tori fan, i was impressed by the similarities, but charlotte also stands capably on her own. a tiny thing behind a piano, long blonde hair falling in her face, she comes off as small and anything but intimidating, but then she unleashes this gorgeous voice ... "in parenthesis" is quickly becoming one of my favorite songs (i picked up the ep, as i'm a music and concert merchandise whore. i also picked up jump's "vertigo" and a howie poster. i know, i know. but they're justifiable - i would have wound up buying them anyway and at least at the show they cost less. i have less fortune justifying the $6 and $7 vodka crans from the bar - no one should ever have to pay that much for a clear plastic cup of vodka cran - i don't care if it's absolut!). her cover of the cure's "just like heaven" is brilliant - i found the mp3 version and have been enjoying it immensely. oh, and the fact that she writes her set list on her arm every night made me happy. i like talented people who don't take themselves too seriously.

then jump came on ... very very cool. after having the chance to listen to "vertigo" a bit now, i'll say that i certainly prefer jump's live sound over studio. the album has more of an alt-country feel to it, which is great, but live they rock out more, which i think brings more to the particular songs in their setlist. not to mention that i have a harder time picturing matt bivins while i listen to the studio album (side note: i don't know what it was - matt's not someone i would ever normally find overly attractive. he's got the "hi, yeah i'm a rockstar" swagger - whether cockiness or enduced by alcohol, perhaps both? - but there was just something about him that intrigued me. i'm mainly chalking it up to the fact that i was anxiously awaiting howie.). but the band gets mad props for performing with a standup bass, accordion AND cello. hells yeah.

while i waited for howie to take the stage, i started chatting with two guys standing by me, comparing howie stories and theorizing about the future of john mayer - i found that i am far, FAR from alone in thinking/hoping/praying that he'll get back to who he used to be. it was good to know that there are a bunch of us out there. ;-)

after a 45-minute set change (howie came out onstage with his band, discovered his guitar wasn't picking up on the amps, so had to leave the stage and come back out about ten minutes later), i experienced howie day, band-style, for the first time.

Morning After
Brace Yourself
I'll Take You On
Sunday Morning Song
Perfect Time of Day
Collide
Numbness for Sound
Sorry, So Sorry *
Ghost (Beams)*
You and A Promise
Secret
Trouble in Here
She Says
-----------
Bunnies *
Madrigals *

* - Howie solo

y'all can download the show to hear how it was, but a couple of quick notes:
- i'm all the more excited to listen to the new album (less than a week ...). while there were some songs i wasn't 100 percent crazy about when i heard the clips ("Sunday Morning Drive" "You & a Promise" - the latter of which i have on the Madrigals EP), they are solid in their entirety. actually, both of the specific songs mentioned are favorites now - i'm shocked by how much i'm loving "Y&aP." "collide" is wonderful wonderful - another "she says" and so good - and i knew i loved both "brace yourself" and "perfect time of day."

- howie's antics during "ghost" made my jaw drop. playful, DANCING, and the full techno "beams" outtro, lines and everything.

- i was a huge skeptic, but i personally think the band suits howie incredibly well and the songs take on a whole new life with the fuller backing. instead of the transition to band ala mayer, where i can strongly say the solo versions are much better than band renditions, in howie's case, they're apples and oranges. both great.

- he just looked HAPPY.

all in all, the show's lineup was the strongest all-around that i've experienced since probably either vaco/howie/pmb in december 2000 or howie/mayer in 2001 (pattern, anyone?). i can't say it was one of my favorite shows, as i've given up on the concept of labeling specific shows as Favorites), but i'll say that it was fantastic and i'm so glad i made the trip. the 2000 people there were treated to a great night of music ...
(oh, i should mention, the photo provided is part of locobirdy's online gallery ... great pic, i think!)

ok, sleep now. more philosophical, music-related posts tomorrow during the Day Off. well, day off followed by night o' workin - but let's focus on the day part.

oh, and my chi was centered tonight. hahahahahaha. ;-)