Hymn 101.

This song was so beautiful live, it made me cry.



I've come from down the road.
And my footsteps never slowed.
Before we met, I knew we'd meet.
Before we met, I knew we'd meet.

And I've come here to ignore your cries and heartaches.
I've come to closely listen to you sing.
I've come here to insist, that I leave here with a kiss.
I've come to say exactly what I mean.
And I mean so many things.

Gotta get to the center. Gotta get to the concert.

Jenny Lewis opened, which was a) a nice surprise and b) reminiscent of NYC 4th of July two years ago, when she and Conor played in a park for free. She remains lovely, and he: darling. So, so darling. As many times as I have seen him play, this was the first time as Bright Eyes, thereby making my 18 year old self's dream come true(!) It was every bit as great as I imagined it would be, only happier. Who knew a Bright Eyes concert could be so happy? Not I. Not, I. I was strongly reminded of live music's power to endow energy. Somehow this is a big deal to me, because I'm not extroverted enough to get energy from other people all of the time. Only sometimes. Only close friends and small group times. Most of the other things that give me energy are the actual, physical things that are supposed to give energy, like eating and sleeping, bicycling.

I felt glad for days afterward.

On Rand.

I will not say everything I think about her here, but I will say that I think she is a good philosopher, and that if she believed in God she would be a better philosopher. I will also say that I can’t stop reading her books, even to the detriment of my other activities/relationships. To demonstrate, I have carried—and read—her hefty volumes in the following places: at church, during class, during a concert, at the gym, on multiple trains, on multiple buses, while walking, in my bed, in at least one vegan restaurant, and so forth.

Concerts I have attended in the course of my life.

Weird Al (2)
Dave Matthews Band
Matchbox 20
Everclear
Dashboard Confessional
Our Lady Peace

Lifehouse
Counting Crows (2)

John Mayer

Frou Frou
Hot Hot Heat
French Kicks
I am the World Trade Center
The Strokes

Details of Speech

OK Ikumi
Death Cab (4)
Taking Back Sunday
Saves the Day
Wallflowers
Ben Kweller
Policy
Fiery Furnaces
Yo la Tengo
Apostles of Hustle
Peter Bjorn and John
Bishop Allen
Page France
Tegan and Sarah
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
Shout Out Louds (2)
The Liars
Interpol

Shake Your Peace

Sonya Cotton
Delta Spirit
Clap your Hands and Say Yeah
The Big Sleep
Broken Social Scene
Teitur

Adam and Darcie
Canoe
Johan the Angel

Uzi and Ari

Citizen Fish

Meiko

H20
Bane
Holly Go Lightly (2)
Drew (again and again)
Black Kids
Mates of State

Shakedown at the Majestic (2)
Jenny Lewis
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (2)
Wilco

Beach Boys

Regina Spektor

Ok Go Magic

The Walkmen

Soulsavers

White Rabbits
The Low Anthem (2)

Blind Pilot

Julian Plenti

Magnetic Fields

Editors

Robert Francis

Lawrence Arabia

Fanfarlo

Mimicking Birds

Jakob Dylan & Neko Case

Morning Benders

Neon Trees

Forest World

Freelance Whales

Stars

Franklin For Short

Kings of Convenience

The Antlers

The National

CocoRosie

Boston Pops

Toby Keith

The New Pornographers.
Gillian Welch.
Conor Oberst.
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan.
Jenny & Johnny.
Bright Eyes.

More.