Mustard Plug at Reggie's

Mountain Goats at Salt Shed

Mountain Goats started at 8:00. I left Fulton market at 8:15 after hinds finished, so I got there about 8:30, missing the first bit of the set. We were in the seats so it was super chill.

We moved down to the floor for the last song (This Year) and the encore. We danced a bit - so did everyone else. It looked like the Peanuts Christmas Special - everyone had their own unique little dance.

Goose Island 312 Block Party

At first I went to the wrong Goose Island building. But it was OK - the right place was only 1.6 miles away...

Sonido Gallo Negro were super fun. Apparently everyone (or at least everyone there) knows how to dance to cumbia (except me, of course).

Hinds! Despite some technical difficulties, they started pretty much on time. And they are, of course, amazing. A little tiny pit formed for the last few songs near me, but not near enough for me to get pushed around. Darn.

Then I left before American Football and race across town to catch Mountain Goats with Amy.

Silkworm at Sleeping Village

Riot Fest at Douglass Park

Riot Fest at Douglass Park

Riot Fest at Douglass Park

I biked over after school, hoping to catch the last half of the Hold Steady's set. Shockingly, I did. I still love them and I got to hear Constructive Summer (Joe Strummer reference #1).

I caught a minute or two of Rico Nasty from afar - I think I liked her.

Then it was on to see the Didjits. They came out to Zeppelin's Rock and Roll. Which made sense musically and lyrically (it had been a long time since the rock and rolled). Also, the whole song played and then they came out, which was also very on brand. Despite being Rick and two dudes standing in for the actual Didjits, they were great. Not enough dancing from the old crowd, but otherwise it was like 1989 all over again for me. I don't think Peter was impressed; he went to see Rilo Kiley (which I totally should have gone for the end of)...

Stiff Little Fingers were their usual awesome selves. They played Strummerville (Joe Strummer reference #2), but didn't mention anything about the current political mess. Which I found unusual - were they coached not to make waves? That would seem strange at "Riot" Fest...

Met back up with Peter for the Pogues. Well, 3 of the Pogues and an assortment of other players - who were really good (REALLY good) - but was this really the Pogues? This Ship of Theseus question will keep coming up at this year's Riot Fest (and, I suspect, more and more as the years go on). Anyway, they didn't even make a passing reference to their one-time producer and fill-in frontman (no Joe Strummer reference #3).

IBW 4/10 Anniversary

Ani Difranco at Cahn Auditorium

Hurray for the Riff Raff were almost a band I loved. It felt to me like they brushed against some interesting things, but every time pulled back in to folk-y jam-y stuff that I didn't love. I'd check them out again.

Ani Difranco is great. I still don't really care for her music (which seems to have transitioned from angry lesbian folk to 70s soft country-rock - Amy much preferred the former, I liked the latter more than you'd think I would from the description), but she has presence. Like, recognizable Star Energy that I hadn't noticed before. 

Also, I didn't fall asleep despite it being after a long school day / week.