The west coast has been traumatized and I think I'm the only one still alive...

There are albums that you enjoy, listen to occasionally, and introduce to others casually. All is well with them. But then there are albums that become cornerstones of your life. With songs that bring back instance vivid memories of times gone by. These albums are secrets that you only share with a select few until the time is right.

Jimmy Eat World's Clarity is one of those latter albums for me. Saturated by the angry testosterone of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, etc. I was introduced to Clarity in the summer of '99. Walking into the Zia Record Exchange in Tempe while working a summer job in Phoenix, I was drawn to that record for the main reason most guys are drawn to stuff, because of a girl.

Listening to this record day in and day out, memorizing each lyric, chord, and beat, it was the record that apparently made me a romantic. She and I bonded over this record for the next two years deeply, quoting lyrics, humming the chorus in each other's presence, singing along loudly while driving in the deserts of Arizona basking in its clear night sky. This record and I have an intense relationship that sadly last longer than the one with the girl, but that's another story for me to tell when I am the right amount of buzz with the appropriate company.

So standing in the crowd at the 9:30 waiting patiently for Jimmy Eat World (JEW) to come onstage to play Clarity in its entirety for its 10th anniversary was a tense period. What will I remember, what will I forget, what the heck was I doing here attempting to relive the past in my feeble head. I was ready to leave. But when the house lights went down, I looked towards the stage, at the minimalist backdrop of black and white glowing in the deep blue light, JEW walking onstage and I stayed. With little wait, JEW jumped right into the slight hum of "Table for Glasses," followed by the drums and them all singing in unison..."It happen too fast, to make sense of it, make it last..." Truer words have never been spoken so clearly, the night was a rush.

So many things were different from the recording, the bass was louder and more intimate, the guitars were looser and reverbed a bit more, the cymbals crashed a bit longer, and Jim and Tom's voices warbled and vibrated more so. Directly going into "Lucky Denver Mint," the rhythm guitar chords were more pronounced and I could feel every string vibrate. The drums were steady, but warm, as was the bass. "Your New Aesthetic" was rife with angst and energy not present on the record. It had more life here, and a bigger following. "A Sunday," with its child-like intro, was like a warm, comforting hug that engulfed the crowd. And the crowd knew to sing loudly from the start of "Just Watch the Fireworks" just like she used to, myself included. And the riffage of "Clarity" was a whole 'nother beast, with their backs bent, sweat dripping from their brow, arms pumping into the guitars. And the crowd shaking in their stance, just waiting for that chorus to release "I don't know, but I know I want out!"

This all led up to the most intimate moment of this year for me, experiencing "Goodbye Sky Harbor" live. What can I say, the lyrics, the acoustic guitars, the drums, the fragility and yearn in Jim's voice as he sings "you are smaller, getting smaller, but I still seeeeee yooooouu." It was like having a long, intimate dinner with someone you thought was the one and you're getting reacquainted after a long period apart; with the background music sponsored by the lingering instrumental ending of "Harbor." And then it was over.

Thankfully, JEW came back after playing Clarity, playing "Work" and "Pain" fluidly from Futures, as well as "The Middle" and "Sweetness" from Bleed American, which garnered the loudest singalong from the venue. And like a message from above, "No Sensitivity" was on the set list and I sang with my entire body, eternally grateful to JEW for playing the song that helped me get over that girl.

In the end, it was organic, spacious, exhilarated all the senses, and made me close my eyes, breathe deeply, and take one giant leap forward, towards closure. Yeah, I'm melodramatic, I know.

Elegance in simplicity

With the stage awashed in hues of purple, red, blue and green, Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, seductively mesmerized the crowd with not only her beauty, but with her awe inspiring voice as well.

Backed by the Memphis Rhythm Band, Cat Power swayed across the stage, back and forth with no sense of urgency. Playfully coy with the crowd and well at ease, she crooned the night away to her latest covers record, Jukebox. No longer the so-called "unpolished" live act who had no rhyme or reason to her performance, Cat Power was subtle, brilliant, and appreciative.

Saying very little throughout the set, the show was focused on the music. And with the soul and heart that Cat Power emotes, in addition to the proficiency and adaptive nature of the Memphis Rhythm Band, no other thing was needed. With a chilling rendition of "Metal Heart," I was whisked away from the confines of the 9:30, only experiencing contentment that I have not felt in a while. And the buildup of "Lord, Help the Poor and Needy," slowly evoking memories of riding with my mother as she would listen to her gospel tapes from the car stereo, rising up to the potency of many of the "punk" bands I listen to, I was floored at where she started, and where the song took her.

On and on this went throughout the night until it could go on no more. Cat Power simply sang one great song, passed a bouquet of flowers to the front of the audience, was gracious in voice and smile, and walked off the stage seemingly happy. I left the venue, retrospective, glad, and forever in debt to Cat Power and what she gave me that night...simply a wonderful evening of heart, soul, grace, and beauty.

don't you let me go, let me go tonight

Interestingly enough, I followed up the Fucked Up concert with Lykke Li, a swedish, indie pop singer. Not necessarily a dichotomy in theory, but it was still a huge frakking difference.

Trekking out to the Sixth and I Synagogue, I was lost for about 5 minutes in finding the venue, and hence missed the openers. But once I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the place. Old creaky wooden stairs that felt like they were going to snap like twigs under me, that historical near-pungent odor that was tolerable, the view of church pews and a room that just opened up above. Not since DAR Constitution Hall have I been enamored with a building.

Choosing a back pew to take residence, I looked around and could see dozens of faces staring back at me, this place was that intimate. Waiting for about ten minutes, slowly becoming adjusted with the crowd being right there, the lights finally dimmed and the ethereal beginning of "Melodies & Desires" began to flood the place, generating an aura of serenity. Li Lykke then entered onto the stage and stood in front of the mic and began whispering "follow these instructions, do as I do."

And the crowd basically did that and more the entire night. It is becoming commonplace and refreshing to see the audience become actively involved at these shows. With little room to spare, the crowd was able to start a dance party right up next to the stage, and Li was impressively happy with the results. Singing, dancing, banging a cymbal with a drumstick, Li was ecstatic. The crowd really responded to "Dance, Dance, Dance," "I'm Good, I'm Gone," and Li's voice was simply gorgeous on "My Love." With its lush instrumentation just as rich as it is on the album, the song was a true gem. And the crowd really contributed to "Little Bit," practically finishing the last minute of the song as Li was having some technical difficulties. Although she did provide some vocal criticism saying they mixed the chorus line with another song, I was still impressed with the passion of this crowd.

This passion was returned with a stirring rendition of "Tonight." With its soundscape of piano, drums, cymbals and her voice, it was amazing. After that song, I had to walk out because it just felt like the right time to leave. I could not think of a better way to welcome the month of February.

The night that made me feel young

I'm going to be honest, I couldn't tell you what songs were sung, what chords were played, what time sig the drummer was going to. But I can say that I felt young again for a brief moment. And it brought a smile to my face.

Standing at the bar in the back of the small Talking Head Club, I waited through 3 alright openers. Some were catchy, some were noisy, some I just didn't get them, but at 11:00 pm, they finally walked on-stage.

Ladies and gentleman, here was Fucked Up in flesh and blood. Looking surprisingly young, I didn't know what to expect; youthful energy and chaos, elder statesmanship of playing punk rock, or something else. Listening to their records and singles for the past year, I was expecting something that would at the very least, be epic.

And that is exactly what I got. Playing back and forth to the crowd, giving as much as they were taking, I stood in amazement at this six piece coalition. Rummaging through a multitude of songs, some I can remember hearing through the fuzz on my headphones, I could do nothing but begin to the nod to the beat, stare the band in the face, and take a step forward and join the bedlam of the pit right in front of them. Swaying through the mess, knocking people over, picking people up, I can say that was the most comfortable I have felt in a long time. Packed in with a group of strangers, not knowing one person to the next, I let go. Following the singer parade through the crowd, stand on top of the bar, swing aimlessly in the crowd, give random kids piggyback rides to and fro, I was young again. The stamina was there, the muscle were not sore, the sweat and blood did not bother me, I was young.

That is what I remember about Fucked Up, they made me feel young again. No band has done that for at least two years. And it happened for the first time on the East coast. For me, Fucked Up were transcendent. I will see them again, I will listen to them more closely, and I will be more prepared.

Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out

The day before change. In a dimly light room, the heat, the smell, the sound of the crowd, and the huge, frakking sandwich I had to eat while holding a cup of beer, this is what I was in before the Beastie Boys came on stage. But when they did, laying down the track and vocals to "Root Down," everything else faded away, if only for a moment. In the confines of the 9:30 club, I experienced the majesty of a Beastie Boys for the second time in three months. If nothing else, this presidential election has afforded me this.

Now, the boys did not arrive alone, being in tow Citizen Cope and Sheryl Crow, this lineup was one of the most interesting since the last Beastie concert.

Citizen Copy, being the second time I have seen him live, is still just as mellow as the first. Only recognizing songs from his first album under Dreamworks Records, "Let the Drummer Kick" and "Bullet and a Target" were stripped down affairs consisting of only his guitar, voice and limited backtracks. They were mildly refreshing and rewarding. In a smaller venue, I believe his performance would be greater appreciated.

As for Crow, a good rock show as always. She was optimistic about our new President and rightly began her set with "A Change Would Do You Good." Slightly less political since the last show I saw her at, it was nice to focus on the music a little more this evening. "If It Makes You Happy" was a highlight for me, the intro guitar riff, the huge sing-along chorus, the drums, they were all top notch. Closing her set with a cover of "Higher Ground," it reaffirmed that the Red Hot Chill Peppers did a much better job covering that song, but she did her part in making the night enjoyable.

Now, after a seemingly long delay, The Beastie Boys came on and basically had fun for an hour. The interaction with the crowd and with each other were top notch. After 20 plus years in existence, I still feel great energy and vibe from the boys. Sticking mainly with their Capital and Grand royal years, "So Whatcha Want," "Intergalactic," "Sure Shot" still sound fresh after all those years. And taking it back to their first album, "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" was a audio delight, cutting in some new tracks and beats throughout the song, I enjoyed the travel back in spirit and time. Closing out on real instruments, they rocked an instrumental from The Mix Up, and rightfully closed out the show with "Sabotage" on all cylinders. It was great seeing them play that song live.

It was a great time, this was a sub par review, but overall, I am more than glad to see and write about the Beastie Boys.