Fourth of July

On the 3rd we had the treat of seeing Ezra Furman and the Harpoons open for Delta Spirit at the 930 Club. Ezra Furman is a certain crowd favorite, having been Tufts '08 and gradually creeping up to bigger and bigger gigs. I saw them at DC9 a while ago, but the 930 Club and touring with Delta Spirit is quite a step up. People who hadn't seen him before thought he was wasted, such is his on-stage (and largely, from what I can figure out, off-stage) persona. They played a great set though and hopefully turned on a good number of people who didn't know of them from their own college days.

This was the third time I've seen Delta Spirit and the second at 930. They opened for the Shins back in the day and did a great job. A picture of them from that show, about to hit the last note of the set, is hanging in my room. The second time I saw them was at DC9 a little while ago, and that was sweet in decent part because it's such a small venue. Considering that they filled 930, it was a treat to see them in a space a quarter the size. This past show blew the other two away.



Although their albums are certainly good, they bring so much energy and legitimate enthusiasm to their live show that it's really just another level altogether. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten my hands on their most recent album despite going to two concerts including that material, so I can't comment on that one specifically. They played a great set of older and newer, really just great americana-based rock through and through.



Each concert I've seen they've had a prelude into the raucous piano of Trashcan. First it was Tom Waits's San Diego Serenade, a really beautiful song. Second was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, another classic. This time, in honor of the date and looking forward to midnight, it was a piece of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Really great.

This is the first time that the Fourth of July has felt like a holiday to which you look forward the night before. It felt almost like New Year's Eve in that regard. The bassist was wearing a sweet American flag jacket for most of the concert. When midnight came on the 3rd, the front man came out in said jacket, sunglasses, smoking a cigarette, and played the National Anthem Jimi Hendrix-style. At the end of the show, he came down into the crowd to lead us through Shout, telling people without irony that they could make this the best concert of their life if they wanted to. Red, white, and blue confetti dropped from the ceiling.



After their final encore, people stayed put on the dance floor, rocking out to The Band's The Weight followed by Jay-Z's 99 Problems. Whereas normally concert staff try to shuffle you out right afterward, this time they took their time. The front man came from back stage to dance and offer people bites of his post-performance burrito.



Definitely one of the top concerts of recent memory.

The festivities continued on the 4th with Max having a festive BBQ including the roasting of a suckling pig. It was a terrific day to relax and eat (especially after picking up some American flag-themed clothing). I hadn't done the DC-Fourth-of-July before, so I was pretty determined to get down to the Mall for fireworks, because why not. Amanda and I got down, found a place to lie down just north of the monument, and the fireworks began seconds afterward. It is very calming to lie and watch fireworks, even when toddlers are screaming around you.



Festivities followed into the night. It was also a good weekend to make good use of the family friends' pool. Actually, every weekend has been.