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• Thursday, June 28, 2007 08:55 AM

  Good concerts I've seen recently

  Best, hands down: Drive By Truckers at a bar in Little Rock. Three guitars in the band including a flying V, an open and slowly emptied bottle of Jack Daniels on the floor of the stage, every amp turned up to 11, a crowd that was energetic without being violent, a band that knew when to pull back a little and how to bring down the house at the end, and basically a rock your face off event.

  Runner-up: Al Green and Kool and the Gang, both at the River Amphitheater in Little Rock. Two of the most diverse crowds I've seen at a concert, and consequently, two of the most fun. People were all there for the same reason: to see Al Green or Kool and his Gang, some of whom had grown up listening to him because of their parents, some who had possibly conceived thanks to them, and so none of the stupid scenesters there to "party" or because it's where they were supposed to be. Even if there were people there ironically, there were plenty of other people to keep spirits up.

  Worst concerts I've seen: Bright Eyes opening for Wilco in Boulder, CO. Lead singer fails to look at the audience. All songs played at 60 bpm. One of the 3 band members played no more than one note on his keyboard at a time, and only played max of 5 or 6 notes each song, all while never looking up. I came to enjoy this band, but that was the worst concert performance I've seen.

  The worst crowd I've seen was at another Wilco show (wow, I'm so adult contemporary) in Champaign-Urbana in which no one stood up, and no one acted like they liked the music. I felt like I was on the PGA Tour.

  —Quackard Read Quackard's other letters
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