A Bummer, A Bummer Indeed

Nick and I went to see the Avett Brothers at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison this past week. I was super stoked because I fell in love with them after the House of Blues show in Chicago this summer, and I was in need of a good night out. A night filled with good energy-an energy captured at the last show we saw. When I got tickets through the Barrymore, they had this commentary in the "Info" section.

"If you put your ear to the street, you can hear the rumble of the world in motion; people going to and from work, to school, to the grocery store. You may even hear the whisper of their living rooms, their conversation, their complaints, and if you're lucky, their laughter. If you're almost anywhere in America, you'll hear something different, something special, something you recognize but haven't heard in a long time. It is the sound of a real celebration. It is not New Year's, and it is not a political convention. It is neither a prime time game-show, nor a music video countdown, bloated with fame and sponsorship. What you are hearing is the love for a music. It is the unbridled outcry of support for a song that sings to the heart, that dances with the soul. The jubilation is in the theaters, the bars, the music clubs, the festivals. The love is for a band. The songs are honest: just chords with real voices singing real melodies. But, the heart and the energy with which they are sung, is really why people are talking, and why so many sing along. They are a reality in a world of entertainment built with smoke and mirrors, and when they play, the common man can break the mirrors and blow the smoke away, so that all that's left behind is the unwavering beauty of the songs. That's the commotion, that's the celebration, and wherever The Avett Brothers are tonight, that's what you'll find".

Reading this got me even more stoked, realizing that most people have a connection to this band similar to my own. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of their latest CD. I've even described "Kickdrum Heart" as one of those poppy tunes that can only be removed from your head by putting a drill through it. Harsh, I guess, but even with my dislike of some songs on this highly produced album, I knew they would not let me down. Sadly, for me and most likely many of you, they did. They only played for one hour. Yep, you heard me right. $30 for one hour. The crowd was not really into the show, so I'm not sure if the band was feeding off of that. Or was the crowd feeding off the band? Or, maybe it was the venue. The Barrymore in no way compares to the House of Blues, so maybe they weren't feeling it because of their surroundings. Does the energy come from the band, the crowd, the venue? Maybe a combination of the three. Either way, the band nor the crowd were feeling it that night and, as a consequence, the show sucked. Not sure when I'll be able to brush this one aside and give them another chance. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing a show soon that is a "real celebration" because I'm definitely in need of one.