Certain Songs

The Lemonheads = Youth

And they always will to me. I will forever associate albums like 'It's A Shame About Ray' and 'Come On Feel The Lemonheads' with my coming of age years. The last couple of years of high school, and my first couple of years in college. In hindsight, I may not have been to wise to have Evan Dando pen the soundtrack to my formative years, but I think everything turned out ok :-)

Evan and the band have a brand new album of covers coming out on June 23rd called Varshons. The Boston band covers some of my all time favorite songwriters on here...Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt, Christina Aguilera - kidding! But there is a lovely version of her hit 'Beautiful' on the album.

Here is their take on a Leonard Cohen classic, with a little help from Liv Tyler.

* 'Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye' MP3

Just got back to Ohio. My feet are aching, my hearing is almost non-existent, I am sun burned, and I can't wait to do it all over again next year!!

I am really blessed in the sense that I have this amazing group of friends scattered all over the world who make an effort to get together a couple of times a year and hit these beautiful music festivals. None being more beautiful than the three days we spend in the California desert every year. This year may have been the most beautiful yet in fact.

(I am having trouble finding my USB cable, so I will post pictures...eventually.)
It only seemed fitting to kick off the festival with my very favorite band, The Hold Steady. It was a joyous, rocking 50 minutes that set the tone for the fest perfectly. Other highlights included an insanely tight set from Conor Oberst and his Mystic Valley band, a little Morrisey, a little Beirut, and a transcendent set from Leonard Cohen which included what is now maybe my ALL TIME favorite Coachella moment - the entire festival singing alone with the refrain from Hallelujah just as the sun went down. I finished the evening up by sitting on the lawn listening to Paul McCartney...not a bad day one.

Saturday we got there early to check out a bit of Ida Maria, then it was on to a great set from Cloud Cult. Caught a few songs from the Liars then I was off to split time between Blitzen Trapper and Dr. Dog. Then Amanda Palmer's show BLEW ME AWAY. I am not a huge Dresden Dolls fan, nor am I very familiar with her solo stuff...but she put together one of the most enthralling sets of the entire weekend - which ended in a beautiful communal sing along of Radiohead's 'Creep.' Then it was over the big stage for TV on the Radio, then we finished up the night with a triple bill on the outdoor stage with Fleet Foxes, Band Of Horses, and a great set by Jenny Lewis.

Sunday began by chilling out on the lawn, soaking up some sun and some hip hop from Knux. Then an energetic show by Okkervil River. From there we took in a few Gaslight Anthem songs then it was off to hopefully catch a train wreck in the form of Brian Jonestown Massacre. But a trainwreck was the last thing that show was! Anton started on time, barely spoke a word, and the band sounded fantastic - easily my most pleasant surprise of the weekend. My Sunday highlight though had to be Public Enemy. They played the entire 'It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back' album...historic!! They brought a live band and just sounded phenomenal. After that I was zapped...made my way over to the main stage and laid down on my back, gazed up at the stars, and sang along with the Cure for the rest of the evening. Robert Smith and the Cure provied me with another one of my all time great Coachella moments late Sunday night when the festival cut off their sound at exactly 12:30, but the boys kept playing. What could have been a totally frustrating end to a great day was made incredible by seeing all of the people huddle up as close as possible to the stage while helping to sing 'Boys Don't Cry'...chills on top of chills on top of chills.

Best weekend ever.

Leonard Cohen - 'First We Take Manhattan' MP3

Conor Oberst - 'To All The Lights In The Windows' MP3

Leonard Cohen



* 'Tower Of Song' MP3