So let me tell you how difficult it was to get up at 5:30 this morning after getting to bed at 1:30...4 short hours before. I sure wish that awake was in fact the new sleep...cuz I'd be snoozing the day away! Was it worth it? Absolutely.
My amigos and I got into Boston a little early and grabbed some dinner at T's Pub, just a few doors down from the Paradise. After consuming a few Harpoon's, we mosied on over to the club and still had to wait a little while for Rachael Cantu to come on. I had listened to her first album Run All Night half a dozen times and was excited to check her out live. I have to say, I love the album, but as I said yesterday, it's on the quieter side and focuses more on her voice and the lyrics. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, her beautiful voice was drowned out a little last night at the Paradise. It wasn't that there was a huge rocking band behind her...just a drummer and another band member on a cello...so I'm not sure if the mixing was a little off on the soundboard. Regardless, I'm still a newly minted Rachael fan and would recommend her album to you without reservation.
Up next, Jake Brennan...minus the Confidence Men. Unlike Rachael, whose album I had plenty of time to digest, I was only able to listen to Jake's album, Love & Bombs, once on the drive into Boston so I was less prepared for his contribution to the evening. The album struck me as a little twangy...not hillbilly twangy mind you, but definitely a little country flavor to it. Jake jammed for us solo for 35 minutes or so, and struck me as a mix between Buddy Holly, Tom Petty, and John Cougar Mellencamp. While enjoyable, some of the songs could have used some backing firepower behind them.
Last, but certainly not least, the man of the hour...Ben Lee himself. I saw Ben a month or so ago in Northampton, but this show was a vastly different set of songs. Sure there were some tunes from his new album Awake Is the New Sleep, but there were also plenty of oldies and oddities ("Don't Leave" from Grandpaw Would, "Brick" by one of the other Bens (Folds that is), "Hard Drive" from the Into the Dark EP, etc...) mixed in as well. I also have to say that of all the many concerts I've been to over the years, Ben's are the most crowd participatory by far!
SO..to sum it all up in a nice little easily consumable package...the show rocked and was worth the trip. Here are a couple more songs from those who entertained me for one evening of my life.
Rachael Cantu - I Know You Will (mp3) - Run All Night
Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men - Believe Me (mp3) - Love & Bombs
Ben Lee - Hard Drive (mp3) - Into the Dark EP
For those of you looking for part 2 of the Smashing Pumpkins show...it's coming soon, I promise!
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