Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Andrew McMahon at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale

Last night I saw Andrew for the 7th time in concert. Some things:

-While Ro and I were parking, we missed a turn and had to double back a couple blocks from the venue. Stopped at a light, a thin, blond man in a button-up crossed us. It was Andrew. So, of course, my natural reaction was to open the car door and SCREAM, "YAY!" He turned around, laughed, smiled, pointed, and said "hi." I am so glad I've met him before. Otherwise we would have had to stalk him, which I'm sure, you know, isn't his favorite thing.
-The show was probably oversold. And it was a teeny bar. People were spilling out the door. And it was so hot. I sweated harder last night than when I ran a marathon.
-Openers were both excellent! Barcelona and Schematic! What opening bands should be! Barcelona did a cover of "Fast Car" that was da most beautiful.
-I've been tweeting at Andrew for a month periodically asking him to play my favorite song at the show. I know requests AT concerts are usually pretty hard for musicians because they're just not ready, and they have a setlist, and like, also, can you just not be a jerk and command your entertainment? So, Twitter. The thing is my fav Andy jam is not on any records, and it's not well-loved by fans, and, look, I don't know why I love it so, BUT I DO. Um. And then. UM. HE WALKS ON STAGE AND OPENS WITH "LAST STRAW." SO LIKE WHAT?! I was floored. The crowd was NOT diggin' it. I could see about fifteen people in my entire crowd who were singing along. Andy launched into "Mixed Tape" right after as an apology. BUT MY DREAMS CAME TRUE!
-Andrew is just a fantastic performer. And he's not letting 30 take him down. He still jumped off the piano, played with his feet, rocked hard into that mic. Was a friend, told the stories.
-I want people to stop making him play "Konstantine." He did it well, but he was obviously resigned. And he skipped the piano solo. He's over it, y'all.
-By now, between SoCo and Jack's his discography is pretty immense. There's just so much I would have loved to hear, but I need an eight hour concert. The set was mostly the big hits, which obviously makes sense. But. You know. This was my sixth time hearing "Dark Blue" and my zeroth time hearing "If I Die."
-I DID hear a couple newbies. He played two new tracks from an upcoming EP, and I had never heard "Television" or "What Gets You Off" live before.
-OMG dancing. Especially during "The Resolution" and "If U C Jordan." Holy North, was it a work out.
-I will never forget Ro's arms and mine to the sky wailing I've got friends who help me pull through.


It's all jumbling together, but I think this was the setlist:

Last Straw
Mixed Tape
Straw Dog
Television
She Paints Me Blue
Learn to Dance
Watch the Sky
Resolution
What Gets You Off
Bruised
Swim
Holiday From Real
I Woke Up in a Car
New Song: Schesia (?)
Dark Blue
If U C Jordan
Konstantine
La La Lie

The height of my Andrew obsession has passed, but, come on. He's the Mahon.

Well I'm always comin' down from the night before when I met you.

2 comments:

Mad said...

I LOVED it when he played Last Straw!! I was really, rrreeeaaalllyy hoping he would... So I guess I was one of the 15 singing along! :)

Unknown said...

Stumbled on this while looking for the set list. I have to agree, last straw is one of my favorites by him. Ever since I saw the YouTube video of jacks playing that song at asu I have been dying for it. Finally, my ears got to hear that song live.

As soon as my friend and I left the venue I said to him, "you know, I could really do without konstantine. I've heard it twice live and although its one of my favorites, I don't need to hear it every time."

I was really hoping for cavanaugh park and little. Plus walking by, which is one of my top five Andrew songs.