introduction to boston

government mule at fleet pavilion
Originally uploaded by faithful nomad.

tonight we had row twelve seats at the Fleet Pavilion, courtesy of Xavier Rudd, whose CD samplers we had to lug around all day. but it was totally worth it. after getting to check out the back-end of the Fleet and meeting a couple people (like Dispatch's former manager), we got to chill right up front for one of the best concerts i've been to in years.

shane, matt, bryan and i started out with dinner at this sweet little restaurant right on the waterfront. side note - on the way we passed the NO NAME restaurant. the only time i've been in boston before was when i was eight and we went to the "No Name." during that meal, my dad had lobster and for the first time i was exposed to the way in which people eat that kind of meal, and to this day i won't eat seafood of any kind. this was back when i wanted to be a vet and from what i'm told, i literally turned green when i saw what he was doing to that poor beast. ANYWAY

opening at this concert was Xavier Rudd, whose voice sounds a little Dave Matthews-ish, but this kid is a one-man show with TWO DIGGERY DOOS, a snare drum, and a box that he kicks. he does all these things at once and it's unbelievable. then you realize that he's CIRCULAR BREATHING, like in the nose and out the mouth at the SAME TIME. he was very cool, i keep describing him as "a rather floppy kind of kid," like between his dreadlocked hair and bare feet, he seemed like he would be a great guy to give you a hug.

after Xavier Rudd was Robert Randolph and Government Mule, both of which i'd never heard of but loved. Gov't Mule is very much like Grateful Dead, and Randolph... nothing to compare him to. the energy of that guy was fantastic. he just rocked out, the band was changing instruments mid-song, people were coming on stage to dance, and there was one song for "just the ladies" where all the women went up there and had some fun. all in all, great show, great night.