remember when ryan wanted to be paul?

Don't know what I'm talking about? A few years before the oh-so-talented but oh-so-troubled Ryan Adams lost himself in a Deadhead haze, he had left alt-country behind and wanted to rock like, well, Westerberg/mats. And he did a pretty damned good job of it.

I was at this show -- in fact I ate a couple of extra tickets, which IIRC were $25. It was everything a rock show should be. Smoky, dark, started late, Orange amps cranked up to 10, a first set that did not let up one bit.

He had it. And he's now pretty much lost it. Really sad IMHO. But damn what a great recording of a great night, when Ryan was really everything we all wanted him to become.

first set mp3s 1 2 3 4
encore: brown sugar

whole show

(Wait a sec -- Didn't he play candy doll that night? Maybe I'm thinking of a different show at the E Factory after all. I really should get my facts straight :-)

I Love You Rosalie

There are so many artists who never capture their true magic in the studio, but deliver mesmerizing live performances. For me, Alejandro Escovedo is one of those artists, up there with Richard Thompon, Bruce and many others I hope to write about one day soon...

Anyway I was thinking about solidifying my hotel and travel plans for SXSW 2008, having made last-minute arrangements in 06 and 07, and winding up staying way the hell out of town, and was reminded of this gorgeous acoustic song which Alejandro just killed with at the Continental Club Sunday night back in March. Easily my favorite of the evening.



Couldn't find a recording from that night but here's a good-sounding one from this summer:

Rosalie mp3
Whole show

mr & mrs trucks get some mountain air

Oh yeah, this is a real nice one. Setlist caught my eye -- a Derek Trucks show opening with Tell The Truth is a very good sign. How cool is it that two people this talented and reverent toward the blues are
married and making music together?

Will have to check out the Jazz Aspen Snowmass sometime...


mp3 tell the truth
mp3 little by little
mp3 stand back

but really, you should check out the whole show

blogsurf express 9/6/07

Went searching for a song this morning on The Hype Machine (which might just become the new Napster, hint hint) and found a couple of nice posts I wish I'd written:

One on Westerberg
A couple on Wilco (this one and this other one)