So Good, So Far » 2017

So Good, So Far 2017

November snuck up on us quickly, yikes. Whether you love it or hate it, the holiday season is upon us; music can help to quell the madness during this time of year. Earlier in the summer I posted a list of my favorite music, so far so good, the fist half of my heavy rotation. As the year progressed I continued to investigate and digest the music that was released. So, without further ado, my recommendations for the best music released during the back-end of 2017.

* Sylvan Esso | What Now (April 28)... It has a beautiful warmth, both familiar and odd, like the mantra Holden Caulfield was trying to usurp. There's an almost folk-like feel to the music, in that it calms me and causes my mind to think. The intangible hum, or buzz, seems to never fully leave you. It deserves to be given a true listen. The entire album is magical, it transports me to a place I can't quite describe. The opening track, "Sound", and the final offering, "Rewind", are my preferred escape routes. This is perhaps my favorite record of the year.  

Benjamin Booker | Witness (June 2)... Booker was an honorable mention back in June, not anymore. After repeated listening there was no way I could not give credit where credit is due. "Motivation", personally hit home with me; his intention are both sad and encouraging; instructions that can be understood tend to produce better results. Another song that stings is, "The Slow Drag Under". In a world so full of everything, I too feel the weight of isolation, reminding me that I want to make it.

* Arcade Fire | Everything Now  (July 28)... The state of our current, modern and western world are captured in the sonic landscapes, creatively married to lyrics that wring out gravity. Real stories unwinding and then wound back up, hurled in the direction of anyone who's actually capable of listening—our part to play in their genius. Arcade Fire has mined both spirit and depth, and instead of hoarding those mined resources, they've decided to share. I simultaneously applaud and thank them. Few artists are as unique and daring, finding ways to move us. "Creature Comfort", "Peter Pan" & "Put Your Money On Me", resonate with me strongly. This too is one of my favorite records.

* David Rawlings | Poor David's Almanac (Aug. 11)... Songwriting, songwriting, songwriting; they care and it's vivid. Very few are able to capture the brilliance, skill and simplicity that he and Gillian are able to harness. Having seen them this fall in Golden Gate Park was as powerful as anything I've seen or heard in quite some time. Masters of their craft, timeless and full of love, we're lucky to have passionate artists who do it on their terms. This album will stand the test of time and is one of my three favorites of 2017.

LCD Soundsystem | American Dream (Sept. 1)... Reunions almost always occur, so it was only fitting that LCD Soundsystem would come back too. I won't lie, there was part of me that didn't want them to fall into that cliché, they were always their own beast and I wanted them to stand alone. The flip-side however, is that their returned gave us more danceable tracks, set against the poetic reality of Murphy's world. They epitomize diversity and singularity, if that's possible? They scream New York City, yet are consumable to all. The second track, "other voices", sounds almost too much like their past ("Advantages"), but still works in a juxtaposed manner, pitting melancholy against the upbeat. The very next track, "i used to", reminds me of 80's synth-pop, influenced by the UK but made fresh through their mechanisms. I'm glad they're back.

Wu-Tang Clan | The Saga Continues (Oct. 13)... No one does what the Wu does, no one. Little Wanda actually snugs to this album, a rarity since hip hop tends to alarm her, so that's gotta mean something. The Saga is a deep album full of grime and contemporary commentary. It continues a legacy that some could argue, created the culture we live in. It's beats, interludes and MC'n is next level shit. Tracks 6, 8, 9, 11 & 18 are beyond on point. The Wu-Tang is forever. 

Honorable Mention: Low Roar | Once In a Long, Long While & The Barr Brothers | Queens of the Breakers

Those with an * are my personal picks for album of the year. Enjoy the holidays with some solid sounds. Coming in December, is my annual list of best live performances, The BESTY's...Gobble Gobble, Happy Thanksgiving!

eightychoices.

Put Your $ On Me

Best New Music

Arcade Fire | "Put Your Money On Me" | Everything Now

We were born innocent, but it lies today
And baby you can give all the money away
But if there's a race, a race for your heart
It's over, before it starts
Singing put your money on me

If you think I'm losing, you must be crazy
All your money on me
I'm never gonna let you go, even when it's easy
Put your money on me

eightychoices.

Just Make it Painless

BEST NEW MUSIC...

Arcade Fire | "Creature Comfort" 

God, make me famous
If you can't just make it painless
Just make it painless

eightychoices.

Día de los Muertos

The three-day Mexican holiday known as Día de Muertos, or Allhallowtide, is upon us. Below is a recently released horror film from Arcade Fire titled, Festi. Though it is not directly intended to be an homage to the Day of the Dead per se, it does haunt with intrigue. There are numerous cameos, all of which are credited. Enjoy the mini-movie and your weekend.

 Festi | Arcade Fire | directed by: "Noreen Bauble" 



eightychoices.

So Good So Far

Art by: David Ellis

The second installment of So Far So Good is finally here. It's been rather pleasant to absorb and review new music in a bi-annual manner. So, with the craziness of the next three weeks looming, I'm attempting to spotlight some more of this year's music. Back in August I made an initial stab at my favorite records up to that point. Without any extra fuss, here's the final installment of So Far So Good, 2013. As was the case before, these fire spitting records are in no particular order. Enjoy.

Houndmouth - From The Hills Below The City was a gem of a release from Rough Trade Records. Which is saying something, considering that the Rough Trade vault has plenty of jewels. This four-piece band was an easy highlight for me at High Sierra. Their sound creates its own treasure within the richness of the alt-country scene. Two voices share this record, yet each tale is true and singular. Side A treats us to, Penitentiary and Hey Rose. The B side harbors, Krampus, Houston Train, and Palmyra.



M.I.A. - Matangi was released before it was released. Thank god she brought that world-crunk, anthem-like craze to her latest release. This is definitely my favorite M.I.A. record. The track below, Only 1 U, has an under appreciated message braided into its modern digital fabric. Bad Girls is a new world ode to the next generation of youthful women. Come Walk With Me deviates initially, sounding too poppy, but at the 90 second mark shit goes off. It's like scribbling with your mac. aTENtion is the next track, and if you like digital effects thrown in on vocals and decibel levels, you'll want to pay attention. Boom Skit is both fun and poignant, it's a brief lyrical juxtaposition that only M.I.A. seems able to see, let alone nail down. The closer of this party is Sexodous (featuring The Weekend). It's a gift to be both rough and smooth, sexy and militant, damn girl.



Arcade Fire - Reflektor was not only one of the most hyped album's of the year, it was also the most revelatory. This record cemented their brand, while simultaneously showcasing their chameleon-like ways. Arcade Fire is here to stay, they could possibly change the game, should they continue on as the curators that they have shown us to be.
     Reflektor is the jam, it's prophetic, yet not over the head of anyone. It conjures images unbelievably well. It transports me into a state of self reflection, imagine that. Maybe we're caught inside, or outside of a mirror ball, continuously gazing into its multitude of falsified angels. This song feels like a warning, beware of that which is artificial, especially when they're singing, "just a reflector, we'll see you on the other side." Realize that what we are looking at, is what we see, there should be no false pretenses or assumptions. Move the obstacle that hinders, or reposition yourself in order to see what was hiding.
      With, Here Comes the Night Time, Arcade Fire helps us to shed the dogmatic coat that covers up that which is apparent and real. To truly see with our own eyes can be scary. Then there's Joan of Arc, which hinges on the sounds of classic rock. It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus) and Porno are two other heavy hitters. The album is modern, this album is theirs, it's right now and perhaps, something more. They've blended a new, fever inducing cocktail. Their songs illicit such visuals, hopefully they're helping me to digest their genius.



I also really liked the truthful tracks dropped by Earl Sweatshirt off of his LP Doris. With a unique and sometimes unorthodox delivery, his words tend to stick to you, like the way a city does. Often times he touches on topics that don't make it on the top 40 charts, they're too honest. Hardships are a theme that has many forms, The Sweatshirt has obviously observed his share. He has guest spots from RZA, Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator. Earl is not your typical MC. I've been chilling to Hive (featuring Vince Staples & Casey Veggies). One of my favorites is Chum, hear it below.




Matthew E. White snuck in a wonderful follow-up EP titled, Outer Face. This young man is proud as hell to be from Richmond, Virginia. Mister White has been quite busy since he debuted Big Inner last year. This isn't an LP, but it is more than adequate with five deep grooves to digest. Human Style is rich in playful banter. The question though is, "When are you coming home." Listen below to Hot Hot Hot, it's reminiscent of Dr. John and Randy Newman.



My complete list of the artists who put out stellar albums this year were; Phosphorescent, Vampire Weekend, Jim James, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, with honorable mentions that included, Daft Punk and Foxygen. Minus Matthew E. White's EP you have a top ten, so there you have it. The end of the year is coming, as are the Besty's. Have fun with the rest of 2013. Happy holidays!

Cheers,
eightychoices.

Record Store Day

it's damn near record store day again & i couldn't be more excited! the complete list came out recently which began to stoke my audiophile fire. initial favorites that made my wish list are... the carolina chocolate drops & run dmc each performing the hip-hop classic you be illin', which will be pressed on coke bottle green vinyl; the white stripes busting out the must have classics, hand springs & red death at 6:14, cleverly pressed on swirled black & red vinyl. both of these limited releases are 7" records, as well as record store day exclusives. hopefully i'll be able to get my hands on these two special gems. other releases worth mentioning: arcade fire, marco benevento, the black angels, mastodon & feist, ed sharpe & the magnetic zero.

if you live north of golden gate check out the last record store, it's a vinyl junkies best friend. here's to record store day & it's emphasis on local business, not to mention the gluttony of music!

Enjoy

~eightychoices

Besty's 2011

it's time for a little reflection on the year, nothing like waiting until the last day. the besty's are an annual review of my favorite live shows from the last 12 months. in what has been termed, the new norm, i probably took in fewer shows this calendar year but fortunate enough to still catch some phenomenal performances. so, as it was last time, i'll be listing the best of the best chronologically. i hope everyone has a great holiday season & an even better 2012. here's to live music, good times, awesome people & places. And The BESTy's are...


* 05.30.2011 - Lykke Li - @ the Regency Ballroom... What a great venue for this artist. agent M somehow wrangled the only set list off the stage floor of this great concert. visually & sonically this was an awesome show. mad props to the sound engineer & lighting tech. Li has been gaining steam throughout the year. this was her first bay area show while touring in support of the wounded rhymes album. not knowing what to expect going in, i was pleasantly surprised by the band & it's creativity, playfulness & impeccable timing. they seamlessly crafted dance beats into the sultry songs. they were always able to explore, while never neglecting the rumbling pulse of the rhythm section. they played a very long mega set, which was nice, in that it really felt like a journey that should not be interrupted. after an amazing night of live music my wife somehow scored the only set list available. we were stoked. Lykke Li exceeded all expectations. on the flip side it, would have been nice to see more fans letting go. there were some serious beats being dropped & not a ton of dancing or engagement from those on the floor. the overall pageantry, mixed with a great performance both theatrically, as well as musically, made this a memorable moment in my concert going experiences of 2011. check her out if you get the chance, they rock.

Setlist: Jerome, I'm Good I'm Gone, Sadness Is A Blessing, Dance Dance Dance, Little Bit, Made Me Move, Until We Bleed, Youth Knows No Pain, Love Out Of Lust, Get Some, I Follow Rivers, Unrequited Love, Possibility, I Know Places

Harmony Festival - Santa Rosa CA

06.11.2011 - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals opening for the Flaming Lips - on the Main Stage... Grace Potter & her band, the Nocturnals, put out a lot of warm, fuzzy sound that resembles the late 60's & early 70's. the future departure of their bassist, Catherine Popper (also in the Cardinals), was announced at this show, making it feel a bit more special. they played a fair amount of tracks off of their latest, self titled album. one of my favorite songs from their new material is the single, Paris. they also rocked a rad cover of "White Rabbit". who doesn't love that classic bay area song?

this is a perfect segue into the Flaming Lips show which followed. Wayne, the front man for the lips, even commented on how much he loved the song white rabbit & how anytime it is played it is a good thing.
the lips' set was a welcomed blur full of hits spanning their entire catalog. they kicked it off with a string of fiery tracks including, do you realize, she don't use jelly, the yeah yeah yeah song & yoshimi battles the pink robots. they also took the opportunity to rock the festival crowd with some new material off of embryonic, which is more lips like & less like the catchy hits we've all grown to love. a cool cover of pink floyd's, eclipse, was a welcomed oddity. of course there were dozens of Dorothy's from oz running around, the giant hands, confetti, the space ball in which Wayne rolls out over the crowd like a human hamster & the onslaught of visual eye candy that makes a Lips concert feel as though it's an alien party. the last song of the night was Race for the Prize. a fitting end to a show that can take its toll, in a good way.


* 06.11/12.2011 - Ghostland Observatory - late night @ Harmony Festival in Grace Pavilion... this show had an amazing stage show & an otherworldly collection of props & visual madness throughout the pavilion (which is a giant Quonset). they theme & zaniness of this pageantry resembled a Tim Burton world recreated, a la Beetlejuice, set amongst the modern laser light show that is GO. this is the second straight year that this band from Austin, TX has made my best of list. they never disappoint a party! not only did they shred their newest record, codename: rondo, they also dropped a filthy piano man. dance track after dance track made this a great night/morning for me & the fellas. what up to Jorge, the Dr. & Beau.

Outside Lands Festival - Golden Gate Park & various late night venues

08.13.2011 - STS9 - Late Night show @ the Independent... Oh how I had been waiting for this show. I'm a huge sector fan & in recent years they haven't played a lot in the bay area. this was a burner two set show. the independent had been longing for some shredder nine. thanks for two nights fellas!

08.14.2011 - Major Lazer, STS9 - Outside Lands, Twin Peaks Stage... Rowdy, Rowdy, Rowdy is the best way to describe this onslaught of energy, music & dancing debauchery. the lazer got things bumpin' & it never really relented. for those of you in our group, how radical was it watching Parker bust move? mad props on the intergalactic moves Parker!

*** 08.14.2011 - Arcade Fire - Outside Lands Festival, Lands End Stage... Chillingly spectacular! this showed stayed with me for such a long time after. it's as if they drenched you with everything they had: their charisma, energy, art & passion. i felt as though something greater was happening than music. i felt a part of something that wasn't going to end when the performance ceased or the music stopped. i am so glad that this was the only day of the festival we attended. i never thought i'd say this again, but i'm pretty sure it will be remembered as one of those situations where you're seeing an artist at their peak, while at the pinnacle of their popularity. it was an experience that truly moved me. san francisco, golden gate park & arguably the hottest live band of the year. it wonderful to overload on that which is both unique & contemporary. thank you arcade fire for doing what you're doing!

for an additional review of these shows click here.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - Golden Gate Park

09.30.2011 - John Prine (Banjo Stage) - first of all this guy is a living treasure to the world of song writing. some say he's a song writers song writer. whatever he may be, i'm sure as hell glad i caught this treat of a set with one of my greatest pals, the Colonel. as a perfect friday afternoon turned it's sun to the masses descending upon the free music mecca that is HSBF, my co-pilot had already navigated onto a patch of grass & began to unlock his "portable bar". yeah for bags of ice, bitters, citrus & whiskey. as the Colonel might mutter, boom!


10.01.2011 - Gillian Welch & David Rawlings (Banjo Stage) - before i begin to forget, let me list off some of the great songs she doused us with; white rabbit (apparently the cover of the year), miss Ohio, Elvis Presley blues and of course most of the material from her new record, Harrow & the Harvest. this particular duo is a must see for me & agent M every year. they are just far too superior to become spoiled to their annual appearance. her voice, his playing, they're simply magic...

* 10.02.2011 - Devotchka (Star Stage) - from little miss sunshine to the golden gate, this band has grown along the way while capturing new fans, me being one of them. i had never seen this four piece but i most definitely will be catching them again. let's just get this out of the way, they stole the show at hardly strictly. best music of the weekend. they have the uncanny knack of producing such intricate & lush sounds while making it appear easy. they are true professionals; from there arrangements, to the manipulation/understanding of their instruments & even their ability to soak in the atmosphere, which was electric. those who chose this act over the countless others were taken in by the beautiful songs that are all their own. they have a unique style & attractive sound. i will be looking to catch them on tour. i'm hooked, what a great revelation. thanks devotchka for helping me to branch out into new directions.

on a somber side note:
rest in peace Warren Hellman, the founder & source of funding, for this great cultural & musical event that is forever linked to the great city of San Francisco. best of thoughts to his family & friends.

** 11.14.2011 - Feist - @ the Warfield - this was a can't miss show for me & my wife. i think we both have a crush on her in some sort of nerdy way. she's artistic, has a beautiful voice & writes some of the best modern pop/rock songs of anyone in the biz. plus she's a Canuck! the opening act & her long time friend/collaborator, chilly Gonzalez was pretty rad in his own right. he comes across a bit arrogant, but nonetheless a genius, who entertained on a piano & through his witty banter. he gave one of the best musical lessons on major & minor ever, it was pretty cool. once he had ended the minimal stage assembly ensued. there was her band plus a pretty cool string section from Berkeley, the real vocal string quartet, who also played on the new album. the first four tracks were dripping in emotion. they were: Undiscovered First, A Commotion, Graveyard & the single How Come You Never Go There. the latter is like a secret charm you keep in your back pocket to remember later. images resembling that of metals in a multitude of forms gently transitioned on a large screen. this tour was focused more on the art of musical merit versus the visual stimulation feist exposed us to on the look at what the light did now tour. this was a night of mastery. she lead us through the gauntlet of her new material via metals, one of the best albums of the year by far. the last song of the main set was, get it right, get it wrong, which is also the final track on the record. during one of her many encores she blew us all away with a duet. Little Wings, also known as Kyle Field, came out for a simply gorgeous version of his own tune, look at what the light did now. one of the single best songs i heard live all year. it was totally unexpected & extremely rich in it's beauty. she came out again & again, lending one to believe she didn't want the night to end either.
some other points to blather about...
another thing that separates her from other contemporary artists is her ability & willingness to rearrange her past songs. she played amazingly reworked versions of the hits fans were hankering to hear. these new renderings showed up in So Sorry, My Moon My Man & I feel It All. all of which are tracks from the reminder. her innate ability to build a beautiful setlist is a skill more artist need to acquire.
her performances give you what you want while not giving into everything you desire. still you come away totally satisfied. her back up singers were phenomenal & were given a chance to shine while singing an old Irish ballad on their own. as bands go she is blessed. they are so tight & fully capable of playing more than one instrument throughout a performance. you have to pay attention at her shows or you won't notice the intimacy. i love feist a lot. her songs, her albums, the band, the artistry, the choices she makes in terms of personal & commercial direction, she's a must see. we were in the red light district of the warfield for this show. it was my wife's first concert at this historic venue & only the second time for me. we'll be back to attend another show at this underrated theater. in terms of what's happening in music today feist is one of the few artists who inspires! i encourage anyone & everyone to witness one of her shows.

...and that's a wrap. i hope you enjoyed your year of indulgence, i know i did. here's a little something else for ya...


Honorable Mention...
07.09.2011 - Widespread Panic @ the Fox Theatre... they played an old tune in easy wind (one of the few times ever & the first since the late 80's), dropped a hot arlene & busted a goodie in all time low... for the set list click here. what a great limo ride to the show in honor of the good Dr.'s birthday. hopefully he had a great time. i know i did & it was probably agent M's favorite panic show in quite a while.

09.30/10.01.2011 - Jayhawks @ Slims, late night concert for HSBF... this was the first time in a while that the west coast was privy to seeing the original line up for the jayhawks. they played the longest set, i didn't leave the venue until almost 1:30. their stage continuity was a bit off. at one point during the show they restarted a song three different times, ouch. it seemed as though Louris & Olson were willing to be a bit more open about what was displeasing each of them throughout the night. it wasn't in the best interest of the listener i can tell you that. regardless, it was nice to hear the new material from mockingbird time. not to mention the great tunes of yesteryear, namely blue & Tampa to Tulsa, two of my personal faves. for the set list click here.

10.29.2011 - Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers opening for the Mother Hips @ the Mystic Theatre...
costume contest & all this was a super fun night. thanks to our hosts in P town & the many friends who made the effort to make it.

the top ten were chronological. those with an * are on the podium & those with two ** indicates a notch above. the live performance with three *** took the title of best besty in 2011. enjoy the holidays & happy new year! Be Well.
~eightychoices

Outside Lands 2011

outside lands in golden gate this year was pretty rad. having attended a late night show on saturday & then making it to the park sunday, i must say the bands we caught were super. the food was amazing, mad props to andalu for their crispy mac & cheese paired with corn on the cob & farmer brown's chicken n' waffles! mmmm it was tasty. the beers were over priced, most art was cool, we bought a limited and signed "night" poster & most everyone seemed in high spirits. now let's cut to the chase...

sound tribe sector 9 at the independent...


for those of you who are not yet listening to STS9, this is a good time in their history to give it a try. they have a unique sound & mode of operation that is all their own. i really dig 'em. STS9 threw down hard at the independent for the late night series that accompanies outside lands. these great concerts showcase not only the band, but the city, on such an intimate level. i've come to believe that hot late night shows are what's really going on if you're an audiophile like me. sector hadn't been in the bay area since their show at the fox in oakland (02.13.1o). i was so primed to see them. we had a good crew going. which was stellar considering these were some of the toughest tickets to get all weekend. up to this point they have 2 sold out shows on their tour, this one & halloween in athens, ga.
they went off for a sf crowd that had obviously been hankering for their return to the city. opening with this, us was nice way to set the tone. but personally for me, it got filthy 4 tracks in with instantly! followed up by a hyper golden gate, which is a new track off of when the dust settles. then came a track i'd been pining for, ramone & emiglio. it was straight ridiculous. it had the old school sound to it & was played with a blistering intensity. it was a sure high light. that three song bender was the fire of set number 1.
the 2nd set got going quick with another new cut, scheme. it was danceable & fun. it's definitely more of an acquired taste if you prefer their older compositions. i for one dig the hell out of their newer style & direction. i feel as though envelope pushing artists create the art that they need to. then came, really what?, which was club bangin'. next was evasive maneuvers, which flowed directly into a fierce monkey music. after that it was onto a mean kamuy. the only off segment of the night followed during be nice. perhaps having to do with a portion of the song not created via live instrumentation. a small pot hole in an otherwise stellar musical journey. having left the stage for only a couple of minutes, they encored with a feverish somesing. i know one of my buddies was hoping for that hit all night. overall it was a face melter & a show that ran over 2 & 1/2 hours. for the complete set list click here.

STS9, twin peaks stage, outside lands, golden gate park...
...another day, another sector set!
we entered the festival while !!! was playing. they sounded great & played a sweet prince cover. after their set it was major laser. they were pleasing the masses & got more than enough people to take off their shirts so they could be "spun like helicopters." but the real reason i wanted to hole up at the twin peaks stage was for STS9's festival set. they didn't disappoint.
anytime sector opens with a track like, the unquestionable supremacy of nature, you know it's going to be hyphy! talk about a dance blaster. due to the short set times created by the festival brain trust (or lack there of) too many great artists were given only an hour or less to shred. even though their set consisted of 7 songs, STS9 set out to conquer. they obliterated the dance happy crowd with bangers like, ABCees, economic hit man (w/out the clermont lounge remix, a place of lore in the atl) & to close it down, rent. for the complete set list click here. thank you sector for bringing your heat back back to cali cali.

live graffiti, too cool...
...between the two main stages there was a wealth of oddities & activities to stimulate the senses. one of the coolest for me was the juxtapoz magazine sponsored live paintings. there were 3 walls, forming a triangle, that had been tagged by artists at large.

Arcade Fire, lands end stage, outside lands, golden gate park...
...right now, in modern music, there may be no one more potent than Arcade Fire. i was thrilled at the chance to soak them in. especially amidst the height of their deserved world celebrity. having seen them once before at austin city limits, prior to their fame, i both knew & didn't know what they were capable of. their brilliance is two part; their intensity on stage & the command of their songs. for what it's worth, they played perhaps the best show so far this year. pretty amazing being that it was a mega fest set & that i was at least 100 yards from the stage. none of their craft was lost in translation. both my wife & i barely uttered a word. their 17 song set list was absurd. they couldn't have picked better tracks from their catalog. plus the way the songs were arranged & unfolded, lead me to believe that this band will continue to leave its impression on modern music for years to come. the stage was made to look like an old movie marquee. it was spot on & very nostalgic. there was a drenching feeling coming from their stage prowess & enthusiasm. it was as if they were giving all of them selves to the audience. however daunting it may be, i'll try to spot light some of my favorite moments of the set.
rococo was simply stunning. delivered with subtle differences from the recorded version, it grew into a rock & roll song projecting sonic force. neighborhoods #1 (tunnels), is a personal favorite of mine & crept into me like a good story. the words are so familiar, almost reminiscent of north american youth. neighborhood #3 (power out) thundered with potency & gave way to the encore. if there was ever an encore that had built its way to a crescendo, this was it. everyone wanted the same thing: wake up. we all got it! there was a point early on in which the crowd was the voice. tens of thousands of fans all tied into a moment. unity. i didn't think they could top that & maybe they didn't, but boy did they keep going. sprawl 2 (mountains beyond mountains) was awe inspiring to say the least. all facets of their performance were clicking. i haven't been able to get that song out of my head yet, thank god! my wife & i joked that we would have paid the single day price just to hear those two songs, it was that good. arcade fire is a don't miss. for a complete set list click here. wow!

... as the experiences of the day lingered, i couldn't help but think we had chosen the day to attend. the city was full of life & the beauty of golden gate park gave us the perfect setting to wander away from. when the masses hit the streets, there was no more street. those of us on foot had taken over the pan handle, the park's perimeter & mass transit. oh how i love san francisco. enjoy live music & art.

eightychoices.