If Some Is Good, More Is Better

The Avett Brothers were great at Newport, but nothing beats a concert in a small venue. Leah and I drove up to Northampton to see them at the Calvin Theatre. When I lived in Somerville, I subscribed to their emails and always wanted to go to concerts there (or at their sister theatres), but most of my favorite artists were there on school nights. This opportunity worked out perfectly...I had my sister to take me along and no school!

The opening act was Chuck Mead. Man, this guy is some kinda honky tonk. It was him on guitar and Mike Miller on stand-up bass (that had some special name that I didn't recognize). Mead's voice is unbelievable and the songs are throwbacks. At least for me, it reminded me of songs I would hear in my uncle's car in Colorado.

Then it was the main act. I thought the Avett Brothers were great at Newport, but nothing prepared me for the electricity of their performance on Sunday. It was a non-stop foot-tapping set and just like the picture I posted from Newport, these guys are almost always in motion, jumping and stomping around. They have to stomp, since each other brothers has a pedal to some percussion under their right foot. And they were dressed in suits with ties or vests. They looked classy and ready to work. We were in the balcony, where I feel bad about standing, but I would have loved to be on the floor, jumping along with them. Their records are great and their latest single (free here) is excellent, but they will win you over if you see them live. I look forward to seeing them again soon (however, they are playing out Outside Lands in SF, which I found to be a disappointing festival...so many people and just not worth the money...I am sure the artists will be pretty good, but when you can't hear them or see them or have a ton of people walking in front of you talking, it's just not great). So, we'll have to see them on their next tour.

And we got a bite at Paul & Elizabeth's, a spot I've heard about for years. Mmmm...pie.