gig review: mutual admiration society @ the independent

[rone]

Finding parking was a real bitch, but although we walked in about 10 minutes late, the band wasn't on stage yet.  Mutual Admiration Society is Nickel Creek plus Glen Phillips from Toad The Wet Sprocket.  For the tour, they added the man, the legend, the musical superhero John Paul Jones as well as Pete Thomas, whose work includes stints with Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Los Lobos, and JPJ's first album.

The show was excellent.  MAS plays what you might call bluegrass rock, and everyone involved was a top-notch musician.  I didn't know their music, although i'd heard a Nickel Creek song before.  As a JPJ superfan, i was a bit disappointed that all i got from his stuff was an instrumental "Going To California" (him on mandolin and Sean on guitar; brilliant performance), and "Gallows Pole" as an encore with the whole band; then again, the bulk of his solo work is, um, not suited to a bluegrassy band.  They also played TTWS's radio hit "All I Want", as well as a really rockin' cover of "Taxman", and Sara played a really cute song about a boy she liked called Anthony, with her on ukulele and Chris, Glen, and John Paul on harmony vocals.

Kim and i had a great time and we picked up their CD.  Their tour just got started, so see if they'll play near you. Lastly, of all the crazy things you find in a bathroom... i found out that Andrea Echeverri (no relation, i think) will be playing at The Independent on August 13, the day before Kim and i set out on our trip to the Midwest. Unfortunately, it's also the day that Renée decided to get her wisdom tooth extraction appointment, so Kimmy won't be able to go :( now i need a concert buddy, but that won't assuage the guilt over leaving Kimmy behind...

Comments

[2wanda.livejournal.com]

Don't give up on me yet. I'll get Sandy to come "babysit" Renée while she sleeps under the influence of vicodin. Then I'll run off with you to the concert. Renée will say things like, "What kind of mother are you?" But hey, I can deal with that.

[sneaux.livejournal.com]

Pete Thomas is the man! He also plays on *Mirror Blue,* one of Richard Thompson's finest, produced by Mitchell Froom. He was part of Froom's posse for a while after that, playing on a couple of Suzanne Vega albums and others.

sneaux

[omarius.livejournal.com]

Dude, I hate it when I get a boner at work.

That sounds awesome. I've seen Nickel Creek and like them (though admittedly, potterygirl is a bigger fan than me); I've seen Toad and I LOVE ME SUM TOAD; and, hell, John Paul Jones, naval hero of the 1812 war... how could it get any better?

That's the coolest thing I didn't know existed that I've learned about all week. Now to go tweak my Amazon.com wish list...