Alice In Chains - Live 10.25.06 - Washington DC

NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR TICKETS !

Out of all the concerts I’ve been to, I have never forgotten the tickets. Such a rookie mistake! I was halfway to the venue when I realized. Panic took over, and I won’t disclose how fast I was speeding down the interstate. But here’s an idea – Mapquest said my ill-fated trip should take 3 hours, 10 minutes. I turned around at 7:10pm, and was inside the 9:30 Club at 9:55pm…

Sadly, because of my carelessness, I missed the first 2 songs. But, we walked in during “Grind,” and it didn’t take long for the music to erase the whole ordeal from my memory. Everything went along pretty much as I expected from reading past reviews. After “Rain When I Die,” the lights went down and they showed footage of Layne while they set up for the acoustic set. I was so glad they did that. The special surprise of the evening was Scott Olson showed up for the acoustic set!!! I couldn’t believe it. The sound was great. I have watched the Unplugged DVD so many times; it was surreal. “Don’t Follow” was the highlight of the night for me. There was another video montage after the acoustic set, with various images/videos of the band from the road. Then the guys came back to rock it out some more. There was a lot of interaction between the band and the crowd, the music was insanely on-point – a 5 star evening.

There will never be a replacement for Layne, but Duvall really does a good job and has a tight fit with the rest of the band. Whether or not they should continue with the Alice in Chains moniker seems to be a touchy subject for fans. I just hope they continue.

Widespread Panic - Live 9.26 & 9.27.06 - Charlottesville, VA

September 26 and September 27 were great nights for me. I started going to Widespread shows in 2005; but with the addition of Jimmy Herring on guitar, it was like seeing them again for the first time. The band energy and the crowd dynamics were unbelievable. And much thanks to bands who make their shows available for download, because it’s easy for me to let the concert experience influence my judgment of musical quality :P After listening to this show numerous times now (with a “clear head”), I can safely say that these 2 nights were the best Panic shows I’ve ever been to.


Can I get a hell yeah!?

Eric Clapton - Live 10.10.06 - Washington, DC

Setlist (from Where’s Eric!)

Pretending, I Shot The Sheriff, Got To Get Better In A Little While, Old Love (with Robert Cray), Anyday, Motherless Children

SIT DOWN SET
Back Home, I Am Yours, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out, Running On Faith

After Midnight, Little Queen Of Spades, Further On Up The Road, Wonderful Tonight, Layla, Cocaine

Encore
Crossroads (with Robert Cray)

*This was my first Clapton show (and it was on my birthday as an added bonus!). I was completely blown away, and a week later there are still no words adequate to describe such greatness. Eric Clapton is a rock ‘n roll legend, and we are blessed that he is still with us and we have the opportunity to see him perform. It was just as fantastic to see his supporting musicians. I have been a Derek Trucks fan for many years now, and playing with Clapton has definitely taken him to a new level of virtuosity. The Derek & The Dominos songs were awe-inspiring. And you haven’t heard “Layla” until you hear that opening riff in person! I almost balked at the ticket price ($140 after fees), but I would be more than happy to fork that over again! It was soooooo worth it! I hear there’s going to be a spring tour…I’m saving up :o)