The Avett Brothers 8/20/2010 - "We love you, too! Love of course, is not to be ignored."

Friday, Susie Q was arriving from Charlotte and I was eagerly anticipating her arrival because this weekend was going to be her first experience with the boys.

After lunch with my buddy, Steve, at a groovy little sushi joint, I headed over to the Super 8 to see if I could get an early check-in. The hotey was quite close to the venue and had a Huddle House attached to it. The woman at the front desk was warm and very friendly, "Let's go ahead and get you moved in, honey", she said with a southern draw. I then received a hot fuchsia pink armband to wear as an indicator that I was a guest at their Super 8. "We had limos and carloads of people comin' in after the Widespread Panic show a few months ago and like 20 people to a room, we just can't do that anymore," Ms. Super 8 said as she fastened the armband.

I was marked.

As I was unloading my stuff, I happened to recognize a few people I had seen the night before. They were members of the opening band. I noticed the bassist's hair in the sun - yep, a ginger! Just the first of a few others I happened to see throughout the weekend. I also met a cute young couple from North Carolina who were looking for tickets. I advised they get to the venue early and they'd find some. I thought of the Joker and how he always says to have faith and you will get a ticket so I passed that onto my new friends as well.

Susie Q arrived around 4:30 or so and we both squealed with excitement! We headed on down to the venue and decided to eat at the House of Blues diner. I was sportin' the twirly skirt that Discosis1 passed onto me. It has the phases of the moon on it and I got a lot of compliments from the ladies.

While we were having dinner the sky opened up and unleashed the fury! Tons of people scattered and a few kids even remained in line despite the tsunami. Getting completely soaked for the sake of being close to their favorite band was a small price for these fans to pay. During all of this, I ran into the couple I had met a few hours earlier at the hotey. They were still in need of tickets and started to get worried that they weren't going to get in. I told them I'd keep my eyes out and no more than a few moments later was I approached by a man selling 2 tickets. I told him to check with the couple as I pointed them out. SCORE! My new friends obtained tickets! The man came back over and gave me a $5 tip, to which I then turned around and handed back to the couple. They were happy, to say the least, and I got a huge hug from them both.

After the rain settled, Susie Q and I got in line and the waiting began...again.

Once inside, we secured another great spot, elevated so we could see the stage straight on. Susie Q ordered a cocktail and I ordered my Shirley Temple. The lights went out and Jessica Lea Mayfield and her band took the stage again around 8:00. Susie Q leaned close to me and said, "They sound very much like Mazzy Star." Spot on description. By Friday night, the band began to grow on me and I decided that when I got home, it wouldn't hurt to check out their album.

(Courtesy of YouTube user, Paige5461)

The boys took the stage roughly around the same time as they did Thursday night to an eager crowd. Susie Q was all smiles and I was just ready to get things started! The noise inside the venue was almost deafening as the curtains parted and Scott started strumming the opening chords to Paranoia in B Major on his banjo.

Paranoia in B Major
And It Spread
Wanted Man
Pretty Girl From Cedar Lane
Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise
Ten Thousand Words *
Denouncing November Blue
Will You Return
Tin Man
Ill With Want
Backwards With Time
January Wedding
Down With the Shine
Slight Figure of Speech
Murder in the City
Talk On Indolence **
Kick Drum Heart
Living of Love
Salvation Song
I and Love and You

E) Incomplete and Insecure,
That's How I Got to Memphis (played by sign request from a fan), Laundry Room
* Bob Crawford on the mandolin
** Scott crowd surfed!

Where do I even start with describing the energy of the entire 2 hour show?! I have already used "amazing", "wonderful" and "awesome" too much....dare I say, "EPIC"?!?!!!! I can say for certain that out of the handful of shows I've been privileged to see of the Avetts, Friday night was by far my favorite! The word "FUN" is scrawled across half a page in my notebook in the middle of the set list. There's no other way to describe it - the boys were jumpin' around, smiling nonstop and feeding off what the crowd was giving them. Seth was voicing his love for us several times during the show, "I wish we were doing this every night for the rest of the year!" and "We're so glad to be friends with you!"

We felt it and gave it back tenfold!

I was extremely overwhelmed (in a good way) by the end of the night. Did I really just see Scott jump into the crowd, not once, but twice during Talk On Indolence?

(Courtesy of YouTube user, adriansteir)

Susie Q was in awe with the entire evening and very tickled that she got to hear one of her favorite songs, Will You Return. I, of course, had a glistening in my eye during my favorite, Salvation Song.

(Courtesy of YouTube user, arsenic1313)

I was satisfied. Completely satisfied in every way. I was also grateful that I had a new appreciation for Kick Drum Heart and Slight Figure of Speech - 2 songs off their newest album that previously weren't in my top 5. They definitely were some of my favorites performed from the entire weekend.

Susie Q and I were tuckered out.

"I am so tired and feel so good. I feel like I just had sex for like, 5 hours." Susie Q stated in the car ride home.

Indeed, and I was ready for round 3.

(Check out my re-cap of night 1 here!)