favorite live music. part 1 of ... who knows.

2009 will go down in my personal history book as the year of live music. I pretty much was able to go see a live show at least once a week. I hope to continue this pattern. Live music... well it just makes my soul feel right... too corny? I like to rock, how 'bout that?

Now, I may not have the skillz of my friends Corey Woodruff and Bryan Sutter... two AMAZING live show photographers... but I do like to document my experience. Usually with my iPhone *winces as Bryan kicks me in the taint* Okay, but sometimes, with assorted apps... well, the pics can be kind of cool. The point here, though, is the music. You should definitely check these acts out when you have the chance. In this post, I'll talk about 3 quite different performers... all of which I will go to see again and again.

THE DAMNWELLS


The Damnwells. Thanks to S. Eric Ketzer for introducing them to me. And when I say "introduce" I mean take me on an EPIC roadtrip through the mid-south to follow them. So worth it.



The Damnwells music I would describe as... okay, so I'm terrible at describing music. They are kinda folk, kinda rock, a nice hearty pinch of "indie." Seriously, I'm no good at reviewing music. I just know I like them. A LOT. and you have no excuse not to check their stuff out, because their last album is a FREE download. Why is it free? not because it's bad, oh heck no. They've had a rough, heartbreaking few years in regards to record companies. As documented in the recently released film "The Golden Years."



Here is a video I took from the Damnwells show in Birmingham, AL:



SO MANY DYNAMOS


So Many Dynamos are a local band (St. Louis area) that are so fantastically high-energy. Whenever I go to see them, my friend Mike, who got me into them in the first place, and I dance like, as we call it, Silly White Kids. Sweaty, no-cares, dork-a-rific dancing and flailing around. It's liberating, and so much fun. So Many Dynamos is kinda techno, kinda nerd-rock... all awesome. Oh, and rather brilliant, it seems. Someone noticed that many of the songs on their last album sound like songs from the previous album PLAYED BACKWARDS. who does that? geniuses, that's who:




Here's a video of what I might claim as my favorite Dynamos song, Search Party:




LANGHORNE SLIM


Langhorne Slim opened up for Josh Ritter (also highly recommend Josh... great songs, great performer, always smiling!), and I was smitten by his coveralls and upbeat, slightly rowdy... ummm.. folk-punk style. Yeah, folk-punk is the best way I can think of to describe mister Slim.



I find myself randomly singing this song at least 3 times a week:


So there's a little glimpse into my musical tastes and iPhone photo geekery. Seriously, check all these dudes out. Let me know what you think! Oh, and they are all on twitter: Damnwells, So Many Dynamos, Langhorne Slim


"Without music life would be a mistake.": ~Friedrich Nietzsche