exit, pursued by bear

mix master.

For no other reason than the fact that it's Friday -- here's a completely random "mix tape" for your enjoyment:

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Just a few songs that have been running through my head lately ...

crazy on you.

This past Sunday, the hubs and I saw The Decemberists at the Pageant. It was my anniversary gift to him: first anniversary = paper = concert tickets! It was a great early anniversary evening, although we were slightly bummed that they didn't play our favorite song.

I didn't see the Decemberists last time they played the pageant, although I do, unashamedly, have the gig poster from that evening:

{poster by Vahalla Studios}

I think I had tickets to that show, but was unable to attend for some reason, and this justifies my strict gig poster owning policy ... I did see them in 2005, at Mississippi Nights -- I randomly even still have that ticket stub in my wallet:

They played a great show that night -- when they played "The Mariner's Revenge Song," they brought out all of these great, seafaring-related props. It was fantastic.

Sunday night's show also rocked. Blind Pilot opened -- they were fabulous -- even hung around after their set and signed merchandise, including my copy of their album:

I feel like I just geeked myself out there by sharing that, but what can I say: I was excited! They were INCREDIBLY nice. They'll be in town in August, playing Off Broadway if you want to check them out.

The Decemberists show was, of course, awesome -- the first set was comprised of music from their latest album, "The Hazards of Love;" the second set featured music from previous releases and an AMAZING cover of Heart's "Crazy On You," thanks to the killer vocals of Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond) and Becky Stark (of Lavender Diamond). As Annie Zaleski notes in the RFT's A-Z blog, they DESTROYED this song:

Oh, and were you looking for crappy camera phone photos of the show, just like last time? Well, I aim to please:

{Blind Pilot, taken by yours truly}

{The Decemberists}

Need more?

• Slideshow here.
• More photos here
• Riverfront Times blog "A to Z" concert review here.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch concert review.
• P-D blog "Rock Candy" pre-concert post on Blind Pilot.

Set list, via A-Z:

The Hazards of Love
Prelude
The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)
A Bower Scene
Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)
The Queen's Approach
Isn't it a Lovely Night?
The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
An Interlude
The Rake's Song
The Abduction of Margaret
The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing
Annan Water
Margaret in Captivity
The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)
The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)
The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)

Set Two:
"Grace Cathedral Hill"
"We Both Go Down Together"
"Culling of the Fold"
"Sleepless"
"July, July"
"Dracula's Daughter" > "O Valencia!"
"16 Military Wives"
"Crazy On You" (Heart)

Encore:
"Shankill Butchers"
"A Cautionary Song" + 'Spirit of Saint Louis' re-enactment by "The Decemberists Family Players" (in a word: awesome).

overlap.

'cause i know there is strength
in the differences between us
and i know there is comfort
where we overlap
- ani difranco, "overlap"

two years ago today, in Chicago where it was quite chilly, our lives officially began to overlap. we were engaged the night before this photo was taken, and I'm quite sure I've hardly stopped smiling since. love you so much, honey! xoxoxo

restless as we are.

God, I used to love this song -- AND this video:

Smashing Pumpkins "1979"

waiting for somebody ...

"All my life, waiting for somebody
Ah-ha-ha, come and take my hand ..."
Paul Westerberg, "Waiting For Somebody"

I've always loved the soundtrack (well, and the movie itself!) to Singles. Have you seen it? This song from Paul Westerberg was stuck in my head today, so I just had to share. "Dyslexic Heart," also by Mr. Westerberg, is another favorite of mine.

Oh, and the Pearl Jam song! And Chris Cornell! And Soundgarden! And Mother Love Bone! Oh heck, just go watch the movie ;o)

feeling festive!

We've been a little bit frantic over the past few days, weeks ... and Christmas has definitely sneaked up on us this year! So, I thought I'd share some of our favorite Christmas songs in a handy little playlist -- just to help everyone feel a little bit more festive.

The first one, "Christmas Waltz" by Frank Sinatra is one of my absolute faves ... around this time of year you will often find me randomly belting out: "frost-ed win-dow paaaaaaanes!" The "three-quarter time" really makes it catchy :o)

On the less traditional side, "River" has been a family favorite of ours for years. I first discovered it when the Indigo Girls covered it on 1200 Curfews (my goodness I used to love that album, I need to dig that up) , but it's actually an old Joni Mitchell tune. My parents have a version of it sung by Robert Downey, Jr. (random -- from the Ally McBeal Christmas soundtrack. Even more random). And I have always loved DMB's "Christmas Song" -- that brings back a lot of warm memories!

{now that we're officially in the post-holiday song season and to spare you - but mostly me - from hearing this automatically load every time this page opens, click here to listen} 

I could create a whole separate list of my favorite Christmas hymns -- the above playlist is more "popular" than Christmas carols. But I did add in "The Holly and the Ivy" -- which is one of my mom's favorites -- it's a more traditional English carol.

What are some of your favorite holiday tunes?

**Update: Some of these songs may be slow to load, just FYI. Refreshing the page may help**

**Update 2: Here's the full playlist, if you're curious:

1. Frank Sinatra - The Christmas Waltz

2. Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride

3. Leon Redbone/Zooey Deschanel – Baby, It’s Cold Outside

4. Dave Matthews Band  - Christmas Song.

5. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

6. Sarah McLachlan - River

7. Death Cab For Cutie - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

8. Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Nutcracker Suite

9. The Holly And The Ivy (Traditional)

10. Charles Brown - Please Come Home For  Christmas

11. Dean Martin - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

12. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby

13. Perry Como - Winter Wonderland

14. Bing Crosby - Silver Bells

15. Ella Fitzgerald & Frank Devol Orchestra - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

currently on repeat.

{"Grapevine Fires" from Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs}

can't stop listening to ...

{"Cath" from Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs}

fabulous @ the fox.

{Death Cab For Cutie taken by yours truly.}

I think we can safely say that a career in photography is not in my future. Unless it's a career based on crappy iPhone camera shots ...

The show last night was phenomenal; but no suprises there. We had fantastic seats that my husband somehow magically managed to score before tickets even went on sale. He is awesome like that -- I will make a hipster out of him yet ;o)

The above photo is a little bit deceiving, we were actually very close to the stage - which was wonderful. Pleasant fans all around, no one abrasive, obnoxious or insane. It was a very appreciative crowd, especially for the Fleet Foxes, which was great. It's always nice to see some love for the opening band -- the seats were almost full in the orchestra level for them. And of course the adoring public was out in full force when DCFC stepped out onto the stage: we were ready and waiting.

Weirdly, during the show it smelled really good, I mean really good, the entire night. I kept commenting to the hubs about it. Why is that?? Were we completely surrounded by nice-smelling, cologne/perfume-wearing concertgoers? Did DCFC pump in ambient smells? Does DCFC just smell that good? I was stumped by this.

Fleet Foxes did not disappoint -- absolutely amazing set. The Fox Theater was the perfect venue for their haunting vocals. Here's another equally fantastic photo that I snapped:

{Fleet Foxes}

Here are some much better pics taken by people who apparently have not lost their camera's battery charger (i.e. the professionals) ...

{exciting! photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{the fantastic Fleet Foxes at the Fabulous Fox - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{love the caption on this one: "Skye Skjelset of Fleet Foxes plays his guitar with a bow. Because he is awesome." - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{Ben Gibbard, appropriately channeling Neil Young -- and also looking very skinny these days - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{Nick Harmer always brings it. photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{indie rock guru Chris Walla - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{I'm always constantly amazed by the sheer energy of Jason McGerr, he played his heart out during "Transatlanticism" - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

{all together now, although where's Walla? - photo by Brent Holzapfel via The Riverfront Times}

Need more?

• Full slideshow here.
• And even more pics here.
• Riverfront Times blog "A to Z" concert review here.
• RFT pre-concert blog post on the Fleet Foxes.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch concert review.
• P-D blog "Rock Candy" pre-concert post on the Fleet Foxes.

DCFC set list, via "A to Z":

“Bixby Canyon Bridge”
“The New Year”
“Why’d You Want to Live Here”
“Crooked Teeth”
“Long Division”
“Grapevine Fires”
“A Movie Script Ending”
“Company Calls”
“Title Track”
“Soul Meets Body”
“I Will Follow You Into the Dark”
“I Will Possess Your Heart”
“Cath…”
“No Sunlight”
“The Sound of Settling”
“Marching Bands of Manhattan”

Encore:
“Your Bruise”
“Title and Registration”
“Tiny Vessels” > “Transatlanticism”

excited for ...

{Death Cab For Cutie via The Sun}

And! Fab opening band:

{Fleet Foxes via SubPop}

Tonight @ The Fabulous Fox.

Very, very excited to see both - and esp. intrigued by Fleet Foxes -- I've been in love with this album every since I first picked it up. Highly recommend:

I have now seen DC4C twice at the Pageant and once at Mississippi Nights, when they played with Ben Kweller. I think I was the only person in the room who was there that night to see Kweller, not the other band who was propelled into super-stardom with help from The O.C. My friend and I were part of only about a dozen or so people in the "Over 21" section. The rest of the sold-out crowd was comprised of a bunch of under-agers. We felt old.

I bought Transatlanticism at the show that night and I'm grateful to a fellow concertgoer who helped turn me onto an amazing band and an incredible album.