Avett Brothers in Madison
Stream of thought recall of one of the top ten best days of my life…
Got to Madison just in time to check in at the Hotel Ruby Marie. Love that little hotel and all it’s restored vintage charm. Headed straight to the Barrymore. Lovely, warm fall night. Great for a walk through one of Madison’s east side neighborhoods as we made our way to the venue. Got there just after the doors opened. Were not frisked or warned of bodily harm if we used flash cameras (didn’t bring it anyway). Got beers bought swag (shirt for B, stickers and pins). Proceeded to the floor. Mostly seated but pit area was standing. Found a spot about 6 ft from stage, right between Scott and Seth, it would turn out. Chatted with J. Enjoyed Nicole Atkins (opener) thoroughly. Best Avett opener yet. Avetts come on, start with Go To Sleep/Solomon. Energy is great right away. Crowd is PERFECT! All there to really see the show, but not rabid fans (not a red-n-white baseball jersey in the place). Very in to it and very quiet during the ballads. Really, best Avett crowd ever. Lots of stuff from I&L&U, all performed so well, though I’d say I&L&U itself was a low moment. They didn’t seem into it really, especially in comparison to how into the rest of the performance they were. Think I left my body during Laundry Room. They killed on Slight Figure of Speech. And J was over the moon to hear Perfect Space, he loves it so much. Mid-show about three girls used their liquid courage and stormed into the 4.5 inches in front of me and the folks to my right and left. Did my best to inconvenience the one in front of me with my screams recalling how badly it had made me want to leave my spot in Boulder. Girl to my left was finally ousted by folks around her telling her she was unwelcome. Girl in front of me left when *gasp* a couple pushed in, in front of her (oh, the irony). Proceed to be whapped in the face by dreds of dude of said couple. This only made me laugh. Set list was highlighted by A Lot of Movin’ and show-closer Four Theives Gone. Seth was brill on Tear Down The House and I always love to hear a song from Bob – tonight 40 East. Did not want to leave when it was over. Out in the lobby stopped at Nicole Atkins table. J was an immediate hit with them as he was wearing a shirt that referenced a Rob Zombie movie the keyboard player recognized. I told Nicole she was the best Avett opener I’ve seen and she told me she went to college with them. I said I heard she brought them to NY which she confirmed…said that first show was the Avetts, her, Langhorn Slim and/or Pale Face and Regina Spektor in the back of a restaurant. I told her she would go down in the mythology of TAB. She was just sweet and terrific. Bought her disc. On the way back to the car saw a group of about 12 people waiting at the bus. J wanted to see if they would come out. I said I wasn’t so sure, thought I’d make a fool of myself if I were to meet them…about 10 minutes later that prophecy was self-fulfilled. Half a second after security guy says the band is not coming out to sign, the bus door opens and Seth walks out followed a minute or so later by the rest of the band. Shook everyone’s hand. Seth talked to J a moment or two and then passed by me to talk to someone else. Scott came up to me, looking me square in the eyes like we were old friends. I have literally no idea what I said, or if I even spoke. I just remember looking into his soft dark eyes. It was crazy. Then he turned to J and said, “Hey, man!! Thanks for coming out!” Again, just like he and totally knew Jim. J chatted him up as well, but I didn’t hear it all because Seth came back to me, all apologetic that he’d passed me by before (can you believe these guys?!). At this point, I kind of lose it and start getting teary. Since Seth, like Scott is looking me square in the eyes, he sees it and says, “Oh, man. You’re so sweet. Come here…” and hugs me. At nearly the same moment, Scott is hugging J for something he has said. We’ve both entered nirvana. I compose myself long enough to tell Seth how much I enjoyed seeing them in Colorado and how fun it was to see them win over Steamboat (almost fell into Jim/Dave Pirner mistake, but I pulled out of the crash). I swear either of them would have stood and talked to us for as long as we had something to say, they were that present. J and I floated back to the car and spent the next couple hours talking over beers at the Up North Saloon about meeting them and what this music has become to us. That conversation was as priceless as the show and the meeting afterward.
Music is as much a blessing to me as are my family and friends. It’s as simple as that.
