The Holiday Blowout

The Walkmen's holiday blowout show in Philly this weekend was pretty darn great. They sounded really really good, and other generic gushy and adoring statements. They started things off with some new songs -- the next album is probably gonna kick quite a bit of ass. I actually didn't expect them to go through any of the standards this weekend, I thought the focus would be on new material and christmas music, but they managed to get The Rat, Thinking of a Dream I Had and 138th Street in there too, which are always great. They brought out the lead singer of Mazarin to do the narration part of Christmas Party, which was a big roaring good time. They even played White Christmas. It'll be added to my list of favorite versions of White Christmas. That list goes like this:

1. Doo Wop version they play in Home Alone
2. Walkmen version

I took lots of pretty cool pictures but my computer is on the fritz so they'll have to live on my camera for a while. The show sold out before Dave & Stephanie could get tickets, but luckily, once a trumpet player for the walkmen, always on the guest list. Paul had Alyssa +1 down there before we even asked, which was pretty awesome. So all four of us got to go to the show. Oh, and Johnny Brendas is a pretty awesome venue. I'd say about 200 people max can fit in there, but the sound is fantastic. Totally intimate and totally awesome. But, whatever you do, don't take the bartender's beer suggestions. You'll end up drinking something that tastes like steak sauce and gives you a crazy hangover.

What will likely have been my final concert of 2006 was a great one.

Oh, and is anybody else out there liking John Mayer more and more all the time?