Conan the Destroyer

Last year, when Conan O'Brien was (unfairly) fired as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show, he didn't take it very well. Viewers saw that in the days and weeks leading up to his last show, as he piled on the jokes at his soon-to-be-ex-employer's expense. And those of us who saw O'Brien's Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour got a taste of that too, as each show included a few jabs at NBC and a bunch of self-deprecating jokes about the situation. But behind the scenes was an even angrier person, and in the new documentary Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, we get a chance to see a little more of that side.

Thankfully, though, Conan — who says at one point early in the film, “Sometimes I’m so mad I can’t even breathe" — decided to funnel his emotions into something positive. As it turned out, the 32-city tour was not so much about Conan venting and getting his fans to rally behind him (unlike a certain former Two and a Half Men star's tour was). It was more like live therapy in front of his fans, and a way for Conan to laugh and exorcise his frustration and disappointment (in himself as well as NBC). In Can't Stop, we get to ride along as Conan's mood and outlook change, and he sees just how much love there is for him across the country.

Of course, like any comic, there's a constant need for approval. That's nothing new. But in Conan's case, there's also a never-ending need to entertain. Here, we watch as Conan and team put together the tour, and then take it from Eugene, Ore., to Atlanta, going practically nonstop for those few months. He does his show. He doesn't take actual days off. He greets hundreds of fans along the way, even at times when making pleasant chit-chat is the last thing Conan feels like doing. No, Conan doesn't stop, and the film seems to imply that he just doesn't know how to stop.

You may get whiplash from the speed and quick editing employed here; there are lots of quick cuts and no long scenes. That means you get to see a lot, but you don't see much of each thing. Thus, as a document of the tour, this is hardly comprehensive.

On the other hand, there are some really nice, and revealing, backstage moments. I particularly enjoyed watching Conan interact with his assistant, Sona. Despite her being constantly put-upon, and often the butt of Conan's jokes (including when he makes her speak into a banana during a meeting), it's clear there's a great deal of mutual affection there, and that's really fun to watch. And it's cool to see Conan give so much of himself to his fans, even when they turn him off (as in the anti-semitic fan who drove for hours to a casino to see Conan, only to be told he was too young to get in).

Conan deals with nearly every situation with a laugh — after all, that's the best defense. That means that even though Conan's quips often do carry more meaning, there's maybe not as much of the "off" Conan as we may want. But I'm not complaining: This entertaining collection of raw footage shows a man going through a real professional rough patch, and coming out smiling. As someone who's been through similar (though not identical) frustration, I felt a kinship with Conan at the time, and watching Conan O'Brien Can't Stop I have to say I like the guy even more now. This is a film for (and in many ways, a tribute to) the fans, but I suspect those who don't watch his show will like it too. I'm giving Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a B+.

Welcome Home, Old Friend

The crowd was justifiably loud when Conan O'Brien took the stage Friday night at the start of his first Boston show on the Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour. This was the former Tonight Show host's first paying gig in his hometown (he grew up in Brookline, if you didn't know), and after more than three months off the air, we who love Coco were eager for some of his goofy Irish charm. Conan brought that and more in a show that was eager to please, even if it maybe ran on a little too long.

I won't even begin to quote Conan's jokes, but suffice it to say, he knew his audience Friday night and filled his show with lots of local humor — there were shout-outs to New Kids on the Block, Kelly's Roast Beef, Eagle's Deli, Chet Curtis, the Kennedys, and other area institutions. Plus, Conan ran through a long list of local towns during his monologue. The Dropkick Murphys made a surprise appearance to sing (what else?) "I'm Shipping Up to Boston." And yes, Conan made his entrance wearing a Paul Pierce Celtics jersey, and went on a tear about what would have happened had there been a game on at the same time as his show.

Joining Coco on this tour are other old friends, such as Andy Richter, LaBamba and other members of the Max Weinberg 7 (now, without Max, known as the Legally Prohibited Band), Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and even the Masturbating Bear. There have been lots of other surprise guests on the tour; in New York earlier this week, Conan, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert had a dance-off. At Friday's show, in addition to the Dropkick Murphys, Ed Helms (from The Hangover) made an appearance.

The nearly two-hour show had a lot packed into it — there was even a hashtag in case people wanted to tweet before, during, or after the concert. It's safe to say, though, that with so much going on (a mix of jokes and music and clips), the show was bound to run out of steam every now and then. Some jokes kinda fell flat, and some songs just seemed unnecessary. For example, after all this time, I think it's safe to say that despite our loyalty, most of us are not still obsessed with the fact that Conan got a raw deal from NBC. I think he can kill a lot of those references and make the show in its remaining weeks more about his comeback than his frustration.

Still, it's hard to deny that it's great to see Conan back doing what he does best: entertaining his fans. The guy worked tremendously hard Friday night — the finely styled pouf of hair on his head was a sweaty mess by show's end — and it was hard not to walk out of the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theater with a smile on your face. So I say Welcome back, Conan. I'm still with you.

It Was Great Fun

All you really need to know about Jamie Cullum is right there in the lyrics of the song "Mixtape," which appears on his new album The Pursuit. The song — which name-checks Nine Inch Nails, Louis Armstrong, Morrissey, John Coltrane, Cinematic Orchestra, De La Soul, Thelonious Monk, the Shangri-La's, and more — indicates the wide range of musical influences that are running 'round Cullum's head, and which result in a wide-ranging live show, such as the one he put on Saturday night at the House of Blues in Boston. (And if the list of influential artists doesn't give away what Cullum's live shows are like, then the image of an exploding piano on his album cover surely does.)

Backed by a strong four-piece band, Cullum took the stage and immediately launched into his stripped-down cover of Rhianna's "Don't Stop the Music." It was followed by "I'm All Over It" and "Get Your Way," the latter of which is on Cullum's second U.S. release, Catching Tales. The rest of the set list (which Cullum indicated he changes each night) featured plenty of tracks from The Pursuit (in total, he played seven of them), most of which sounded great — in particular, the Cole Porter song "Just One of Those Things," "If I Ruled the World" (a Tony Bennett standard), "Wheels," and the aforementioned "Mixtape." "Photograph," also from Catching Tales, was another highlight.

Some of the best moments of the concert were the quieter ones, such as when Cullum did a beautiful solo piano version of "Gran Tornio" (the theme song for Clint Eastwood's movie), and when he was accompanied only by a cello for "I Get a Kick Out of You." Both put the spotlight on Cullum's strong singing voice and, in the case of the former, his piano-playing skills. Also notable, though, was a fantastic, much more lively "These Are the Days," which started out as a cover of Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman," included some lines of Kanye West's "Gold Digger," and finished with Cullum taking the audience to church, repeating the refrain "I feel fine" over and over.

Not surprisingly, while Cullum came on stage wearing a jacket, long sleeves, and a tie, by the second song he had already shed the jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He made reference to the Berklee students in the audience, saying they'll probably criticize him for playing some false notes, but that he should be okay if he sweats a lot because then no one will notice. Sure enough, the guy worked hard for his applause and got plenty of it. Twice he climbed atop his piano and jumped off, he called for audience participation on a couple songs (including "London Skies," which he played solo on acoustic guitar), and two hours after he started, Cullum showed no signs of wanting to leave, throwing in an extra tune ("They Can't Take That Away from Me") after his band had left the stage after the encore. An appropriate song choice, for sure.

Saturday's concert continued Cullum's habit of exploding his reputation as simply a jazz singer. The mix of songs played also included a great version of Jimi Hendrix's "Wind Cries Mary" and an acoustic "Cry Me a River" that mashed together the jazz standard with the bass line from Justin Timberlake's song. And even though "Music Is Through" was a bit much (the band really needs to hold back on its playing; they totally drowned out Cullum), its house sound fit right in at a club venue like House of Blues — which by the way, was a more appropriate place for him to play than the Boston Opera House, where he played the last time he was in town. (Another similar misstep was having the band get too loud at the end on an otherwise lovely "All at Sea.")

The problem with a guy like Jamie Cullum getting more successful and putting out more albums is that the more material he has to choose from, the less he's going to play of his older stuff. I missed hearing "What a Difference a Day Made," "High and Dry," and the title track off Twentysomething, though I'm sure the latter song came off the set list because Cullum is now 30. And I was bummed (and surprised) that he didn't sing "You and Me Are Gone," "Love Ain't Gonna Let You Down," or his cover of "Not While I'm Around," all from The Pursuit (which I love, by the way). But what Cullum did sing was great. He was in fine voice, he displayed expert musicianship, and his enthusiasm was infectious. It was another top-notch show from one of my favorite performers.

Incidentally, Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May opened the show with a 45-minute set that included "How High the Moon," the song she performed at the Grammys with Jeff Beck. I didn't know the other songs she played, but her set was impressive enough that I'm gonna have to go pick up her album, Love Tattoo. If you've got tickets to a future Cullum show where she's the opener, don't be late.

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!

A Rave for Radin

I hadn't really heard of Joshua Radin before my friend Fidge asked me a couple weeks ago if I'd be interested in going with her to his concert at the House of Blues here in Boston. I said yes, and I'll admit that after listening to his two albums, and finding his music pleasant but maybe a little too low key for my tastes, I didn't really have high hopes for the show. But I have to say, Radin's an awfully talented and engaging live performer and I really did enjoy the concert. Sure, he started the show by singing the one song I knew best, "Brand New Day," but his voice and lyrics really impressed me and kept me entertained for the entire 90-minute set.

Maybe you've heard of Radin because his song "Today" was Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's wedding song. His music has also been featured on Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs, and on the soundtrack for the movie The Last Kiss (most likely because he's Zach Braff's good buddy). Radin's music is similar to that of Jeremy Fisher or Josh Kelley, which is to say it's chick-friendly, guitar-strumming, sensitive-guy singer/songwriter tuneage, with a sound not unlike modern-day Simon & Garfunkel. It's "whisper rock," the kind of music you can "put your babies and dogs asleep to," as Radin himself described it on Sunday night. Yes, it's mostly mellow stuff, the kind you might hear in a coffee shop on any given night, but in Radin's case, it's quite good ... if you like that sort of thing. (And for the record — no pun intended — his most recent release is called Simple Times.)

Radin's show Sunday night was like an episode of VH1's Storytellers: The stage had little on it other than Radin and his 4-man band (and some lamps), and before each song, Radin explained its backstory. The HoB's excellent, sharp sound system — and an audience that barely made a peep during the songs — allowed us to hear every word clearly. While he didn't sing "Only You" (another song I'd heard before — probably because it's a cover of the Yaz song), he did play others that I look forward to getting to know better, such as "I'd Rather Be with You," "No Envy No Fear," and "You Got Growing Up to Do." He also got some yayas out by singing some more uptempo songs from his soon-to-be-recorded third album, which should be out sometime next year. And then he closed the show with a great cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)," during which he was joined by openers the Kin and the Watson Twins.

I always enjoy finding a "new" artist that I can add to my iPhone playlist. Radin's concert was a pleasant surprise, and his music will certainly get a few more "spins" from me.

Train Kept on Rolling

They may be derided as "middle of the road," but Train is still one of my favorite bands. They put out consistently good music, and frontman Pat Monahan is one of the more charismatic and enjoyable guys to watch. He also has an awesome voice. Monday, at the House of Blues here in Boston, Pat was nursing a cold, but he still sounded great as the band played its latest gig to support Save Me, San Francisco, its latest release.

No surprise, the band's set leaned heavily on well-known songs (including "Drops of Jupiter," "Calling All Angels," Get to Me," "She's on Fire," and of course, "Meet Virginia," which came out early in the setlist), with a few from Save Me sprinkled in, starting with opener "Parachute," and including my favorite track, the title song. There were also a couple of impressive covers, including Led Zeppelin's "Going to California" and Aerosmith's "Dream On" (enhanced, kind of randomly, by two members of the band All-American Rejects). Guitarist Jimmy Stafford made a memorable impression on "Mississippi" and "Free." And the acoustics were also fantastic; Sara K and I stood pretty much right in front of a set of speakers and we could still hear everything clearly (though my ears were ringing for a while after the show).

Opener Uncle Kracker (yes, he's still around) played a laid-back set. We missed the first couple songs, but got there in time to hear "Drift Away," "Follow Me," and a mostly carbon-copy cover of Kid Rock's "All Summer Long," which Kracker co-wrote. No need to run out and buy his latest album.

On the whole, this was a solid show — nothing earth-shattering, but it was worth it for me. Train's a great, reliable band and they never disappoint.

A Concert Like This

The tour is in support of an album called All I Ever Wanted, and while I've been a fan of Kelly Clarkson since her days on American Idol, I can't say seeing her live has always been a top priority of mine. Nevertheless, there was I at the Agannis Arena Tuesday night with hundreds of teen and pre-teen girls (and their parents), singing along with hits like "Since U Been Gone" and "My Life Would Suck Without You." I may not have been the most enthusiastic one in the audience, but I still knew most every word.

Truth be told, I didn't go to the Kelly Clarkson show to see Kelly Clarkson. Rather, I'm an even bigger fan of her opening act, Eric Hutchinson, who I've written about previously on this blog. If you don't own Hutch's CD, Sounds Like This, then you really need to pick it up. He's got a Jason Mraz/Ben Folds/Jack Johnson/John Mayer kind of vibe, and songs like "Oh!" and the single "Rock & Roll" are jangly, upbeat, and infectious. Hutch only performed for about a half hour, but I enjoyed his set — especially the aforementioned songs and "You Don't Have to Believe Me." If only he had more time. (The other opening act, Parachute, has one song that I know and like very much, "Under Control," but I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by the band's performance of it.)

But back to the main attraction. Despite being blinded by the spotlights and feeling overheated — "If I had a better body, I'd do the show naked!" she announced early on — Kelly gave an enthusiastic performance. Backed by an 11-piece band, she sang most of her biggest hits (no "A Moment Like This," thankfully) and threw in a few well-chosen covers too — including Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight," the Black Keys' "Lies," the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army," and a mash-up of Alanis Morissette's "That I Would Be Good" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody." She changed the tempo and arrangement of some of her songs (most notably, on "Miss Independent") and she tried real hard to add a bit of rock edge on multiple occasions.

Alright, so maybe Kelly was a little too chatty between songs, and didn't always come off as the sharpest tool in the shed. Seven years after winning Idol, it's clear she's still pretty excited to be able to do what she's doing, and even better, she's not just some stupid teen pop act who's no more than what you see in her music videos (Britney Spears, I'm talking about you). The girl's got talent and taste to spare, and she can back up her visual appeal with strong pipes, so if she wants to make some silly comments before she sings another number one song — sing, not lip-synch — I say good for her.

And speaking of which, she sounded really great. I think. I mean, the Agannis is a hockey arena and not a great concert venue, so the sound quality isn't all that good. Quieter songs like "Already Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes" came off better because Kelly's voice was not overpowered by the instruments and you could actually hear her.

All told, it was a pretty good show. And the fact that we got our tickets just the day before on Craigslist and paid less than face value made it even more worth it. (Further proof that Craigslist is a great place for ticket buying/selling.) I was a bit surprised that the Agannis was only about 3/4 full — especially given that the Flight of the Conchords, of all acts, had sold out the place back in April — but oh well. I've always enjoyed Kelly Clarkson and her music, and while I can't say this was my favorite concert, I don't see any reason to stop liking her.

He's the One

It was a hot night on Saturday at the Comcast Center (formerly the Tweeter Center, formerly Great Woods), but just like he's done so many times before, Bruce Springsteen brought the power and didn't let a silly little thing like 80-degree-plus heat get in the way of a great show. He even replaced his familiar call of "Is there anybody alive out there?" with "Is it hot enough for you?" But that wasn't the only departure from the script — he frequently shook up his planned setlist, playing songs out of their intended order and inserting a few extra requests along the way. It added up to an experience that felt significantly different from the shows I saw back in April (night one and night two).

Most noticeable for anyone who'd seen one of the earlier shows was the lack of an overall theme. The "Seeds" and "Johnny 99" pair was still there, as was "Hard Times (Come Again No More)," and Bruce still did his schtick about building a house during "Working on a Dream," but the schtick was cut in half, kept brief, and not overdone. Like last summer's show at Gillette, this show was less about promoting a new album (he only played one other song from Working on a Dream, "Outlaw Pete") and more about pleasing the fans. So in place of these reminders of how hard the times are, we got a handful of summertime party tunes: "Rosalita" and "Hungry Heart." "Dancing in the Dark" (complete with a little girl brought up on stage to dance). The audience-requested, temperature-appropriate "Burning Love." A Detroit medley of soul tunes, like "Devil with a Blue Dress" (inspired by an audience member's blowup doll in a blue dress with devil horns that caught the band's eye). And the evening's closer, "Twist and Shout."

Song after song after song, Bruce performed these and other classics like he was doing so for the first time, never relenting on the energy or enthusiasm (frequent drinks and douses by a wet sponge surely helped). Openers "Jackson Cage," "She's the One," and "Working on the Highway," the excellent "Backstreets," and Jimmy Cliff’s "Trapped" (another audience request) all were great. Thrown into the mix as an audible was the beautiful "If I Should Fall Behind" (dedicated to a couple in the audience who had seen Bruce 224 times — no kidding). And yes, he also played concert mainstays like "Lonesome Day," "Badlands," "Waiting on a Sunny Day," and of course, hands-down, the best six minutes in live music, "Born to Run." And it was all a thrill, as always.

And then, as if the show couldn't get any better, Jay Weinberg, Max's son (who turns 19 in a couple weeks), slipped behind the drum set for the encore, doing as he did back in April and taking the show to more exciting heights. I've said it before and I'll say it again: That kid can play.

So, another reliably good Springsteen show. How he and the E Street Band (making its first appearance in Mansfield, by the way) kept things going for just shy of three hours in that heat, I don't know. I mean, the guy's turning 60 next month(!!) and it's not like he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt like I was. But suffice it to say, it was worth the sweat.

Sing Us Some Songs, You're the Piano Men

Pardon the cheese, but it was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday over at Gillette Stadium this weekend. We were all in the mood for some melodies, and Elton John and Billy Joel had us feeling all right. Captain Fantastic and the Piano Man were there to play another of their joint shows, and despite any mockery I may have encountered for going, it was definitely worth it.

Elton and Billy's tour is officially called "Face 2 Face," but it could more accurately be called "Songs You Know By Heart" — to borrow the title of Jimmy Buffett's greatest hits album. As the duo winds its way through more than three hours of show — first together, then Elton for an hour, then Billy for an hour, then together again — you're reminded time and again why you fell in love with their music in the first place. Elton's one-two punch of "Tiny Dancer" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was a perfect example. I'm not the world's biggest Elton John fan, but those two songs in order made me reconsider that stance. Likewise, it's one thing to hear Billy perform "Angry Young Man," but watching him pound the keys is an impressive sight, even after all these years.

And I say "after all these years" because both emphasized their classics — before many of his songs, Billy noted when in the 1970s they had been released. Elton's released plenty of albums since the height of his fame in the '70s and '80s, but I don't think he played much of anything from the '90s on. (Billy, of course, hasn't released an album of new songs since River of Dreams in 1993.) They also each played at least one deeper album cut that wouldn't be considered a mainstream hit; for Elton it was "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" or "Madman Across the Water," and for Billy it was "Zanzibar."

Anyway ... as much as these two guys have in common, the show was a study of contrasting styles. Whereas Elton's set was marked by pomp and power, Billy's was looser and more fun. Elton may have more musicianship, but Billy has more showmanship. One's a bitch and the other's a brawler. Billy was pre-occupied with flies and other bugs on the stage, while Elton seemed to have no such issues. Billy spoke with and interacted with the crowd, introducing every member of his band, and Elton mostly just played his music without saying much. Regardless, both seemed to be at the top of their game. These are two consummate pros, and together, they put on a great show.

Would I have been happier if I didn't have to hear "Candle in the Wind" or "Uptown Girl?" Sure. Was I bummed that they didn't play "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" or "Summer Highland Falls?" Yeah. ("My Father's Gun" was just a pipe dream.) But after listening to "My Life," "Levon," Rocket Man," "You May Be Right," and even "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," I was more than satisfied.

Billy and Elton have been doing these "Face 2 Face" shows for more than a decade and a half (I saw one at Giants Stadium in 1994), and I haven't seen either of them live since then — making this show feel like I was reconnecting with old friends at a reunion or something. Given the emphasis on classic hits, the show hasn't changed much, but that's alright: I like these guys just the way they are.

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

This One Was For Us

Where to start about night two of Bruce Springsteen's two-night homestand at the TD Banknorth Garden? The show was longer (just about exactly three hours); it had more of an emphasis on his older, less mainstream material; the band covered "I Wanna Be Sedated"; I had a better seat; and man oh man, can that Jay Weinberg play! And as if that wasn't enough, the Dropkick Murphys joined Bruce on stage for the encore, amping up an already boisterous "American Land." Oh, and did I mention Jay Weinberg and his amazing skills on the drums? Wow.

Yes, night two featured some of the same thematic elements and schtick as night one (including the same jokes about Patti Scialfa falling off a horse not being related to Madonna's similar fall), but it also featured a different-enough set list that, for me, made it feel like an entirely different show. (Check out the handwritten set list below; it looks like the show could have been even more different.) It was great to hear "Spirit in the Night," "Thunder Road," "Glory Days," and especially, "Jungleland," during which Clarence Clemons did another one of his awe-inspiring solos. I continued to be impressed with "Outlaw Pete," and loved the way the simple effect of smoke made the song so much more dramatic. I was intrigued by how little Bruce played off Working on a Dream (only three songs tonight; "The Wrestler" took the night off). Oh, and did I mention Jay Weinberg yet?

When Max goes off to serve as Conan O'Brien's bandleader on The Tonight Show in June, 18-year-old Jay (his son) will be sitting in full-time on the drums. Until then, Jay comes out for four songs at the end of the first set. Both nights, he ratcheted up the energy level instantly, picking up the tempo and taking "Radio Nowhere" to places unknown, and making "Lonesome Day" more hard-driving than ever. The kid can really pound those drums, and you got the sense Wednesday night that as good as Max is, he felt like he had to raise his game during the encore, which he did on "Land of Hope and Dreams." Jay was back for "American Land" and "Glory Days," and wow ... he just goes nuts on those drums. I know it's sacrilegious to say, but I'd love to see the E Street Band when Jay plays full-time. What exciting shows those will be this summer.

Not that this one was lacking for excitement. There was the Dropkick Murphys' surprise appearance for one thing (bummer, they didn't do "Shipping Off to Boston" or "Tessie"), and the granted audience request of "I Wanna Be Sedated" for another. (For the record, if you're interested, the other two requested songs were "Spirit in the Night" and "For You," both from Greetings from Asbury Park.) Then there was one extra song tacked on to the end of the show after "Glory Days." Then, of course, there was "Born to Run" again. I swear, if you've never seen Bruce live, and never experienced the sensation of hearing the opening chord, seeing the house lights go up, and watching as the entire audience raises their fists and sings along to every single word, then you just have no idea how transcendent live music can be. Springsteen gets the entire audience in the palm of his hand, and he just whips everyone into a frenzied state. It's awesome. It makes the entire show and every penny you pay for it completely and totally worth it, no matter how many times you've seen it.

I've never been to two Springsteen shows two nights in a row (here again is my night one review), but I'd definitely do it again. On his way off stage, Bruce said this to the crowd: "You guys never disappoint. You still stoke the fire in our belly when we get here." The feeling is mutual. I'm going to remember this week for a long time, and I'll be counting the days till Bruce comes back again.

(Again, the concert photos are courtesy of Backstreets.com.)

Meet Him in the Land of Hope and Dreams

"I will provide for you, and I'll stand by your side," Bruce Springsteen sang at one point during his show Tuesday night at the TD Banknorth Garden. "You'll need a good companion for this part of the ride." Over the course of almost three hours, Springsteen was that companion, taking the audience through hard times and to salvation, raising us up on his shoulders, and showing us that there are brighter days ahead. As always, it was a thrilling, exciting, exhausting show, one that was light on promotion for his latest album and heavier on barn burning revivalism.

What more can really be said about Springsteen concerts than I have already said in previous postings? Whenever I see him live, I'm always reminded of Bono's speech when he inducted Bruce into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: "They call him the Boss. Well that's a bunch of crap. He's not the boss. He works for us." And how. No one in music works harder, puts more into a show, exceeds every expectation, and does it night after night after night after night. The man is just amazing. No wonder he's my favorite live performer. And that band! The "heart-stopping, pants-dropping, hard-rocking, booty-shaking, earth-quaking, nerve-breaking, history-making, legendary" E Street Band never lets him down, even on songs they haven't performed in more than 20 years.

I'm talking about ZZ Top's "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," which Bruce performed for the first time since 1987 (which was, of course, when he was on a hiatus from the E Streeters; he performed it with the band in 1984). It was one of his audience requests, and even on that, the band wasn't stumped. This middle part of the show — when Bruce takes signs from the audience and plays some of the better requests — is a definite highlight these days and I always love seeing what he picks. Other requests Tuesday night included "I'm Going Down" and "Growin' Up."

But back to that message of hope and salvation. The setlist on this tour has a definite theme to it, with a section early on that includes "Seeds," "Johnny 99," and, especially, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" calling to mind the struggles that so many are facing today. But for every song that talks about struggle, there is another that talks of redemption. Those three songs were answered by "Waiting on a Sunny Day," "The Promised Land," and, in the encore, "Land of Hope and Dreams." Bruce also sings the more pointed "Hard Times (Come Again No More)," which seems to sum it all up right there. In this context, some songs, like "The Rising," have even more meaning, and others, like "Born to Run," mean something different ("Someday, girl, I don't know when, we're gonna get to that place where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun").

Of course, this was still a Bruce Springsteen show, and it had all the hallmarks: incredible musicianship (by Nils Lofgren and Max Weinberg's son, Jay, especially), enthusiastic crowd participation, and no distractions. In fact, with the exception of a smoke machine that was employed during "Outlaw Pete," there was no set or special effects. Just Bruce, the band, and the music. And he played some great classics, like "Rosalita," "Adam Raised a Cain," "Badlands," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," and, of course, the highlight of any concert, "Born to Run." No matter how many times the guy plays that song and no matter how many times I hear it, it never gets old.

No surprise: Bruce came, he saw, and he conquered, just like he's done so many times in the past. He's just an amazing performer, and no amount of hyperbole can adequately get that across. Tuesday night's show was just the latest in a long line of impressive evenings. I wonder what Wednesday night's show has in store. Good thing I'll be there to find out.

(Thanks to Backstreets.com for a couple of the photos you see here.)

Update 4/23: Here's a link to my night two review.

Loving Lily

From the moment she first appeared Sunday night on the stage of the House of Blues, wearing a low-cut red onesie, sneakers, and a red Red Sox cap tilted to the side, Lily Allen made it clear that she had come to Boston to have a good time. She even wore red socks as a tribute to her host city, and promised a "wicked pissah," even though she clearly had no idea what that meant. But no matter. In just under an hour and a half, Lily Allen gave all in attendance a great show that was big on fun and big on attitude — but with plenty of talent too.

It wasn't just Lily's outfit — which showed off her adorable backside — that was cheeky. The rebellious Brit's current album, It's Not Me, It's You, which I love, is filled with lyrics bemoaning ex-boyfriends' lack of sexual prowess, the lack of substance in celebrity culture, and even throws in a kiss-off to George W. Bush for good measure. And it's all delivered in a sweet sounding voice and with catchy melodies that makes for a fun juxtaposition. In person, Lily maintained that dual nature, looking adorable, but throwing around profanity and repeatedly breaking the city's ban on smoking indoors at places like bars and clubs. (She must have smoked at least five cigarettes during the course of the show.)

Sunday night, while scampering around the stage, Lily performed every song off her latest album, throwing in only three songs from her debut (Alright, Still). Each one sounded, to use a British phrase, bloody brilliant. Lily sounded as good as she does on the album, if not better. On songs like "Never Gonna Happen" and "Fuck You," she had the crowd enthusiastically singing along, and she clearly loved it. The beat went on with songs like "LDN," "Him," and the country-ish "Not Fair," all of which were great. Of course, for every rude song, there was one like "Chinese," which she preceded by saying how hard it was to be away on tour for so long, and then dedicated to her mum. And Lily saved her biggest hits, "The Fear" and "Smile" for the encore — during which, it's worth mentioning, she was wearing a lobster tee-shirt dress.

If there was any misstep in the entire show, it was an odd "competition" between two women picked from the audience who were each asked to eat a bowl of baked beans. This just went on far too long, and was wholly unnecessary. Thankfully, Lily's other attempt at interactivity was more successful: during "Smile," she picked two kids, both no older than 12, from the audience, and when she put the microphone in their faces, they showed they knew every line of the song, even the one about having "a little wine and a moan." Good stuff.

Lily closed the show with her cover of Britney Spears' "Womanizer," and it was so rocking that unfortunately, it just sounded like noise. Too bad. The rest of the concert was so much fun that I can't wait till Lily comes stateside again so I can see her in concert once more.

Not So Into It

Flight of the Conchords played the Agganis Arena at B.U. Friday night. The concert featured the guys — Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement — performing largely acoustic versions of songs from both seasons of the show, and they even brought fellow cast members Eugene Mirman and Kristen Schaal along for the ride as their opening acts.

For those who still have not discovered the Conchords TV show, McKenzie and Clement are New Zealand's fourth most popular folk-digi-pop-parody duo. The show can be really hysterical (it's one of my favorites), and a good part of that is due to the music itself, which is always performed in such an earnest, deadpan style that it sometimes takes a second listen to realize just what it is the guys are singing. Taken out of the context of the show, though, the songs lose a little je ne sais quoi. Yes, when the guys just sit there on stools singing, you can hear the lyrics better (and btw, the acoustics and sound quality at the concert were great), but you miss out on the facial expressions and dance moves. And that visual element is a big part of why these songs are so funny.

Bret and Jemaine made it pretty clear early on that their concert would be a simple one: there'd be songs, then some talking (actually, some "professional talking," they called it, as opposed to the crowd heckling), then some more songs, and then more talking. Sure enough, that's what we got. The songs they played were mostly good, including the classics "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)" and "Business Time." The guys also played great stuff like "If You're Into It," "Carol Brown," and "Think About It." In between the tunes, the guys tried to figure out if 1,000 people could make a pyramid, and they made a plea to save the whales because they're helpless and can't dial 911 on their own due to their extra-large flippers. I laughed, but I wouldn't say it was uproarious comedy.

It didn't help that the concert took place at the Agganis, a venue too big for such an intimate-type show. Much of the charm of the Conchords is that they're such clueless, out of it performers, so there was a bit of a disconnect seeing them in such a large venue where they came off as more confident and in control. Worse, because we were sitting the entire time and I just couldn't see the guys well enough on my own, I spent much of the concert watching on the big TV screens, and that was a real bummer. And I was surprised Bret and Jemaine didn't play "Rhymenoceros vs Hiphopopotamus," "A Kiss Is Not a Contract," or "Robots." I sorta knew they wouldn't be able to do "Foux da Fafa," so it's probably good they didn't try.

All this is not to say this was a bad concert. I laughed and had a good time, and some of the songs are really good. But I think I definitely prefer seeing the songs to only hearing them, and that left me feeling disappointed in the end.