A POST OF AWESOME.

Concert Review: Andrew Bird with Alpha Consumer, Schubas, August 6.

For a performer who is finally getting the mainstream attention that he deserves, Bird is still remarkably humble and down to earth. As a relatively recent transplant to Chicago, I unfortunately missed out on the days where you could catch Bird routinely playing at the Hideout or Schubas, but I can’t shake the feeling that he would be just as happy playing for a few hundred people as he would be performing in front of a sold-out Radio City Music Hall. Even though his show has gotten bigger and more intricate over the years, he looked as comfortable as ever, owning the small Schubas stage and having the audience pretty much eating out of the palm of his hand. I can comfortably say that this was one of the most special, magical concert experiences that I’ve ever had. There was the feeling of knowing that something like this may not ever happen again, which made every moment all the more precious.

Concert Review: Lollapalooza Day 1.

Overall verdict on Lollapalooza: much better than anticipated, with plenty of nice surprises for me. Will I go next year? Maybe. I’d need an incredibly strong lineup (like Friday’s) to get me to go out again, let alone go out for all three days. But despite the rain and the fact that my legs still sort of hurt from all of that standing, there were enough priceless moments during my Lollapalooza day that I don’t have any real complaints.  (April Smith, Hockey, Manchester Orchestra, Gringo Star, The Knux, The Gaslight Anthem, Bon Iver, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and Kings of Leon.)

Lollapalooza photos on Flickr

Hockey, The Knux, The Gaslight Anthem, Bon Iver, The Decemberists, and Andrew Bird

WHAT'S THAT? OH, I GOT TO MEET ANDREW BIRD FOR 30 SECONDS? OH, HECK YES I DID.

BRB, STILL MAKING NOISES OF HAPPY DELIGHT SEVERAL DAYS LATER. WHO GOT A BIG HAPPY SMILE FROM ANDREW BIRD? OH, I DID. MMHM.

Concert photos, Over the Rhine, August 9

PS I MEET BEN TEMPLESMITH ON SATURDAY. AUGUST IS FUCKING AWESOME.