Wild Sweet Orange

Well, it's been a while since my last post. It's taken me this long to come back down after seeing Tom Waits. But now I'm back, and concert season is only getting started. Last Saturday I got to witness for the second time the greatest band to come out of Birmingham (that I know of). I'm talking, of course, about Wild Sweet Orange.

The guys have been gaining some attention across the country and even appeared on Letterman about a month ago. They had their cd release party at Workplay in Birmingham with other local bands, The White Oaks and Monarchs, opening. I have to say that all three bands were impressive. Extremely talented and fun to watch. WSO always play long sets, giving their fans every bit of what they paid for.

The band was in top shape, but the crowd almost made the concert unbearable. Apparently the band has a following of high school kids from the city where they grew up. These kids were obnoxious and obviously cared nothing about the music. They started a mosh pit and pushed people around like idiots. Toward the end of the show, one guy actually jumped from a fence onto the stage before ripping his shirt open and diving into the crowd only to find that no one wanted to catch him. So he hit the floor pretty hard, but jumped back up quickly so as not to tarnish his reputation as a moron.

In summation, the band was awesome, but should consider making their shows 18+. At least for my sake, anyway.

The Man, The Legend, Mr. Tom Waits

Okay, so it's been a while since my last post. I've been having trouble with my internets, but finally my online connection has been restored. That being said, I want to tell you about the greatest concert I've ever been to (this was better than the Flaming Lips, but in a different way). This past Thursday July 3rd, 2008, I witnessed one of my idols. A man full of creativity and individuality. This man, of course, is Tom Waits. I discovered Waits through a friend of mine. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first; his voice is quite unorthodoxed. But over time I learned to appreciate his music for its uniqueness. I hope some of you will give him a chance. Anyway here is the setlist from the show:

Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, Al.July 3, 2008

Lucinda
Ain't Going Down to the Well No More
Way Down in the Hole
Falling Down
Hold on
Chocolate Jesus
Cemetery Polka
Poor Edward
Lie to Me
Hang Down Your Head
All the World is Green
Black Market Baby
Frank's Wild Years
Misery is the River of the World
Tango 'til They're Sore
On the Nickel
Always Keep a Diamond in Your Mind
Innocent When You Dream
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Make it Rain
Jesus Gonna be Here
Cold, Cold Ground
November
Hoist that Rag

Singapore
Dirt in the Ground
Come on up to the House

I enjoyed the set he played. It was a variety of his music spanning most of his career. There were a few that I had only heard once or twice (Poor Edward, November), but the rest were classics I've listened to constantly for about the last six months. He wore a charcoal colored suit with giant boots which he used to stomp on his platform, kicking up white dust as he sang. He talked about everything from spiders, to weasels, and even family reunions. It was well worth the high ticket price, especially when you're on the front row (thanks Ticketmaster). I have never seen a man captivate an entire audience like that. It was almost overwhelming. All I can say is that I hope that maybe one day I'll get to see him again. I've got my fingers crossed.