Top Concerts Part 2

Foxygen at Turner Hall

- Every show has a different feeling to it. Some feel like pure fun energy (Vampire Weekend), some can feel beautiful (Patrick Watson), somber to the point of boredom (S. Carey). The only way I could describe Foxygen show is.. it felt fucking dangerous. It was exactly what everyone should want from a "rocknroll" concert. Sam France, the singer, was more unhinged than any front person I've ever seen (including Conor Oberst's recent show of emotion on eleven). At times the music swirled and intoxicated the audience, making it feel like the Willy Wonka boat scene if Willy Wonka was a drug addled Mick Jagger. On record, their music feels a little muddied in the 60's style of recording. Live, the music felt like an explosion. As Josh put it, "it was as if we went back in time and watched rock'n roll being made." Sam France moved like a man electrocuted, smacked himself in the face with the microphone, yelled into the mic like someone on a bad trip, balanced on the flimsy speakers on the front of the stage, and even lay down during a song and leaving the stage before the end of the last song like he was saying he did his job so fucking leave now. The craziest antic came when he climbed the speakers on the end of the stage and jumped off to the floor, which is crazy because the speakers are pretty tall and very shaky. He was so crazy that on the next stop of the tour, he broke his leg doing his balancing.

-Interspersed throughout the show were disney song snippets and awkward banter.

- Not only was danger around during the concert but all around because Josh brought a girl and her friend along. Very unique experience since a third, more so a forth, is rarely added to our shows. They were obviously less interested in getting to know me, despite me being hilarious! If the main friend didn't turn out to be crazy I would've been more offended haha.

-Twin Peaks was the opener but I don't remember them #Timetohangitup

Death Cab For Cutie with the Magik Magik Orchestra at the Riverside

- This was on my birthday! What makes it even cooler is that this concert was released on vinyl on Record Store day this year and hasn't been released on iTunes or anything yet.

-The whole set, excluding the encore, was backed up by a pretty nice orchestra, which gave their songs a fuller feeling. Death Cab's old songs especially were improved on a lot, I'm talking songs from their first three albums that sounded not as polished as they became.

- Some song highlights: A beautiful transition into Different Names from Passenger Seat, Monday Morning was played acoustic and is something that is unique to the concert, and Transatlanticism was a sprawling closer to the set. My takeaway from the show the guy just crying uncontrollably at Transatlanticism, taking breaks to cry into his sweater followed by him dramatically singing along ("I need you so much closer") and raising his hand in the air. Embarrassing for him? Yea, maybe. But I would kill to get that emotional over something. It must've felt so freeing to just let go. He was by himself and I wonder if he was like "no guys I have to go alone. I'm going to cry just a stupid amount at this show. I'm going to cry so much that it'll make everything awkward for everyone around me and I don't care."

- The opener was Low, who have a decent following to them, and they were crazy boring.

I've kind've lost interest in this countdown because its a lot of work so at some point this countdown might just drop off lol. Plus I regret putting Morning Benders at 10 already because of the limited amount of spots. I may be taking this too seriously.

Here are my 10 Beauty steps:

1. Always use a new towel because you don't want yesterdays schmutz on you #EricWhite

2. Wash hair first then everything else because your hair gross will leak on to the rest of you if you do the reverse.

3. Keep those teeth clean playa

4. Deodorant on before putting on your shirt. Nothing that isn't completely done being prepared should touch your clothes.

5. Think of how much time you put into your hair...add five minutes to that.

6. Take your time drying off. Looking good isn't a race, you just need to get to where you need to be.

7. Dry your feet separately, pamper your tootsies.

8. Don't put too much time into what your wearing because thats where instinct comes in.

9. Clean those ears, people like a person that listens.

10. Look at yourself in the mirror before getting dressed and say today is going to be a good day. After getting dressed, look in the mirror again and say "it's looking like a good day already."