Life Was Good

Generally, I'm not a fan of New Year's Eve, but this year especially, I'm not looking forward to it at all. You see, unlike many people I know, and contrary to general trends in the economy, 2009 was a great year for me. Really and truly it was. So perhaps I jumped the gun when I called 2008 "The Year of Martin" because I enjoyed 2009 so much more.

Here are some of the reasons why.

2009 was the year I started a new job. And yes, I know you're not supposed to make your job the source of so much happiness, but I can't help it. I feel truly lucky to have a) found a new job, b) found this job, c) found a job at this company, and d) found a job with these people — ones who love argyle, golf, and cupcakes as much as I do. Every day I go to work happy, and every day I leave happy. I couldn't say that a year ago.

2009 was the year I started going to concerts again. There was a single week in April when I saw Flight of the Conchords, Lily Allen, and Bruce Springsteen (twice!). But I also saw Dave Matthews Band on night one and night two of their Fenway shows, Billy Joel and Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, Train, Joshua Radin, and yes, Bruce Springsteen for a third time.

2009 was the year I finally got an iPhone after two years of wanting one, and upgraded my TV, but more significantly, it was the year I finally got a new car after nearly 11 years with my old one. Another exciting acquisition: my Slanket.

2009 was the year I started cooking again, and ate ... if not better, then at least more: there was a munchkin-eating contest, an all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet, and the Old Country Buffet. So much for my plans to lose weight.

2009 was the year I traveled a lot (at least for me). I went to Miami, Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago for work, but I also spent my own personal time in Florida and Chicago (plus two days in Michigan City, Indiana, for Fourth of July).

2009 was the year I got to sit on a jury and deliberate a case — and I actually enjoyed it.

2009 was the year I said goodbye to one of my favorite singers and hello to a brand-new president.

2009 was the year I got to interview John Stamos.

2009 was the year my niece, Abby, came to visit me in Boston three times: New Year's weekend, Labor Day weekend, and Christmas weekend. So what if she wasn't a fan of my Slanket; by the end of the year she was saying my name over and over and over.

In short, 2009 was the year I was happy.

And that's why, when the clock strikes midnight tonight, I'll be the one raising a glass not to the future but to the past. I think it's safe to say that by comparison, 2010 is going to suck. (Though I hope not.)

Happy New Year!

So Damn Lucky to Have Been There

Where to start about night two of Dave Matthews Band's two-night homestand at Fenway Park? After all, there's, ahem, so much to say. For one thing, my seat was a vast improvement over the one I had Friday night. There's just no comparison between sitting in the Grandstand (where I was Friday) and sitting on the field (where I was last night). As Dave sings in one of my favorites of his songs, "Everything's different ... just like that." The sound quality on the field is clearer, louder, sharper, crisper, and better — as is the view, of course. Also, the audience is much more engaged with the show. They're also older and less inclined to smoke up (at least that was the case with those around me). And that all added up to a much better experience for me. It was like I had been to two completely different shows.

It wasn't just the seats that made Saturday the better show, however. The flow was better, the musicianship seemed a step above, the weather was perfect, and it all made for a better time. Saturday's concert featured a significantly different set list — aside from the tracks from Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King and the duet with Willie Nelson on "Gravedigger," there were no repeated songs from the night before. That was cool. And actually, he played one more song from GrooGrux than he had on Friday, which I also enjoyed (even though I'm still baffled by why they didn't do "Shake Me Like a Monkey," which seems tailor-made for a live show).

The show started out in what I can only describe as "muscular" style, with "Rapunzel," "Alligator Pie," "Don't Drink the Water," and "Seven" all sounding big and loud and powerful. It was further proof that DMB is no longer just an aimless "jam band" for frat boys. They now play with so much of a rock/funk sound (as opposed to their earlier more folksy/jazz fusion leanings) and with such strength that seeing them live today is a very different experience from five or six years ago, when I was seeing them in concert every summer. Then it just got better from there. As Dave sang in "Dancing Nancies," "I'll sing and dance, and I'll play for you tonight. The thrill of it all." Sho' nuff, he delivered on that. The band was totally into every song, tight as always. Dave was dancing, and it was all great.

Dave mentioned a few times that he was battling a sore throat; I only heard that make a difference in his singing at the end of an otherwise lovely "So Damn Lucky." But I can imagine that's the reason the band took over even more last night than they had on Friday. Impressive new sax player Jeff Coffin (again, wearing a Red Sox shirt), violinist Boyd Tinsley, guitarist Tim Reynolds, and the freakishly happy drummer Carter Beauford were nothing short of a force to be reckoned with during the final third of the show's main set, with "Crush," "#41," "Rhyme and Reason," "Time Bomb," and "Two Step" all giving them a chance to dominate. One mind-blowing song after another. It was jaw-droppingly stunning. I kept saying, "Wow."

And then, as if the show couldn't get any better ... for his encore, Dave pulled out "Dirty Water" (see below for video). He may not have remembered all the words at first, but damn, did that make the crowd go nuts. It was so cool, so good, so much fun. And then it all ended with a boisterous "Stay (Wasting Time)." Suffice it to say, when the show ended, people took that song literally and no one wanted to leave.

Damn ... this was just one incredible show. It's amazing what a day — and a better seat — can do.

Previously: I Love the Way He Moves Me

I Love the Way He Moves Me

In the summer of 2003, I saw Bruce Springsteen at Fenway Park. The next night, I saw Dave Matthews Band at what was then called the Tweeter Center. Suffice it to say, the DMB show paled in comparison and I decided to take a break from what was, at the time, an annual summer tradition of seeing the band live. Six years later, DMB are back in town to play a two-night stand at Fenway (their last time there was in 2006), and after attending last night's first show, I can say that absence sure did make the heart grow fonder.

DMB's excellent new album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, drops on Tuesday and fortunately, I was able to download a leaked copy earlier this week. Given that the band played nearly half the album during Friday night's show, knowing some of these tunes definitely helps. And they were funky and cool — particularly the show opener "Funny the Way It Is" and "Why I Am." (Curiously, though, the seemingly made-for-a-live-show "Shake Me Like a Monkey" did not make the set list.)

The entire band sounded really tight, with each member getting multiple chances to shine. Boyd Tinsley stole a great rendition of "Ants Marching" right out from under Dave, Tim Reynolds dominated a couple songs, Jeff Coffin established himself as more than a LeRoi Moore replacement on songs like "Jimi Thing," Stefan Lessard played consistently good bass, drummer Carter Beauford kept the beat with a perpetual smile on his face ... they all had bragging rights at some point. Even opening act Willie Nelson came on to join the band for a duet on "Gravedigger."

Other classics like "Pig" and "Grey Street" were mixed into the set list with the new stuff, as was a cover of Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House," and while that created an odd flow to the show — they'd play something everyone knew, then something new, back and forth — it all sounded mostly good. I say mostly, because sitting in the left field grandstand, it was hard to hear much of the music clearly. Between that aural limitation, and the fact that the infield creates more distance between the band and the audience, Fenway really isn't the best venue for a show. At least, not if you're not sitting in the outfield.

Despite that, though, I had a really good time. And when the nearly three-hour-long show ended with a signature cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," it just felt right. Seeing Dave live again was like reconnecting with an old friend, and I look forward to seeing what he has in store tonight for night two. (Yes, I'm going back.)

Update, 5/31/09: Here is my review of night two

Silky Smooth

It's not meant as damning with faint praise to say You Don't Mess with the Zohan is Adam Sandler's best comedy in many years. (His best movie, of course, was Reign Over Me.) In fact, surprisingly enough, it's the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. How funny is it? Well, let's just say Mariah Carey makes a cameo and even she is funny.

Sandler stars as Zohan, Israel's premier counter-terrorism commando. He's loved by the ladies, he's an expert at martial arts and gun play, he's skilled with a hackey sack, and he's legendary. But all Zohan wants to do is go to America and become a hair stylist like his idol, Paul Mitchell — even if people think that makes him a "faygela." So he fakes his own death and goes across the ocean, where, what do you know, he gets a job at a salon owned by a Palestinian. And not just any Palestinian, but one played by the smoking hot Emmanuelle Chriqui. Will the Israeli and the Palestinian come together to make "bang boom?" Will the eternal conflict between these two nationalities really be solved by Dave Matthews? Well, is this an Adam Sandler movie? (Yes.) So what do you think?

If you have an appreciation for Israeli culture, you'll especially enjoy Zohan, with its continuous hummus jokes and other stereotypical references. But I suspect most folks will enjoy the film whether they get the cultural references or not. The script — by Sandler, Judd Apatow, and Robert Smigel — is smart and affectionate rather than offensive, and Sandler gives a grown-up comedic performance that's actually quite good. Sandler's usual cohorts (Rob Schneider, John Turturro, Henry Winkler, etc.) are all along for the ride, but there's none of the usual schtick. Instead, they work within the confines of the plot to make a fun ensemble, and don't stick out as gimmick casting. Sure, the movie would have benefitted from a 5-minute pruning, which would have made it a bit tighter, but I didn't feel like Zohan was frustratingly long either.

I'm not going to say Zohan is a classic comedy; I suspect it won't hold up so well on repeated viewings. But for what it is, it's very funny. I'm giving Zohan a B+.