Etherial Nights

Name: The Swell Season
Current Album: Once Soundtrack
Concert Venue: The Greek
Awesome Scale Rating: Exploding high 5


So a while back I was at the Getty Villa and saw a production of Hippolytus there that was so amazing I was literally transported. I forgot where I was and when I was for the entirety of the production.

There are some musical acts who can do the same thing for me and I got to see one of them this last weekend with this phenomenal woman.

She is the reason I even know about this band. When I was in Phoenix this last time she, my cousin Janelle, and I were combing Blockbuster for some entertainment and we came across the Once display on the wall and she asked me if I had seen it and I said no. She proceeded to have what I believe is clinically defined as a conniption fit at the idea and I was made to swear a blood oath to go home and by it as soon as possible and watch it.

I did, I cried, I watched it again and cried again. If you're a music person this is one of the most endearing movies you will ever see. Girl scout honor.

So when we heard that these two with the Frames were coming to the Greek over Conference weekend the stars aligned and we both said "I do" to StubHub.

It was amazing. Iron and Wine opened up. LOVE them. Any man with a full beard and a guitar has my heart. That's just how I work. He was hilarious too. Half way through the set he asked the audience "So have you seen that movie Once? I haven't..."

Glen and Marketa were in rare form and as in love and adorable as can be. I truly believe that they are one of the most dynamic collaborations since Simon and Garfunkel. Their souls and voices just meld together. Its impossible not to feel something when they play. Glen is so adorable and lovable I could just take him home. It was just joy. Lauren kept turning to me and saying "It can't get better than this", and I was inclined to agree. The perfect group at a practically perfect venue.

Every number was preambled by Glen's fantastic and insightful Celtic burblings and we were all asked to sing along more than once.

Glen and Marketa spent a lot of time in LA last year with the Oscars and through one lunch or another Glen ran into this kindred spirit by the name of Robert Sherman. Just a little known songwriter who penned classics like, oh - MARY POPPINS and a slightly less well know musical entitled THE JUNGLE BOOK!

And you know what? He was there at the concert. And you know what else? He came out and played a song. And you know what ELSE? We all sang along. That's right. The entire sold out Greek Theater audience practically linked arms and sang Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at the top of our lungs with full hearts and a renewed sense of hope in the world. Fairies were born.

The highlight of the night for me, one of many actually, was when Glen sang this one number from the movie. Its this amazing song called Say It To Me Now. Now one of Glen's many many allurements is his absolute, childlike, honest and unbridled love of what hes doing, love of the music, love of the process. Hes everything that the whole world adores about the Celts and the Irish. This is a powerful song. It's a cry from a hurting but courageous heart. I cry every time I hear it. I cry for him and for me.

Glen starts to sing the song, the band has already gone off stage, but he hesitated a little bit, unplugged his guitar from the amps, stepped around the mic and was going to just sing to all of us. All 5,700 of us gathered at the Greek. I looked at Lauren and said "hes really going to try and do it." and I looked back at the expanse of the theater, all the way to the trees (we were on the south terrace) and said "he can totally do it" because I knew he could. That man sings from the bottom of his toes and, let me tell you something, he did. He filled up that entire stadium with one voice and one guitar. No electricity needed. It was amazing. I was carried up and out of my own consciousness and all I could do was feel. Feel what he meant and feel that song.

He filled that entire venue with sheer passion, talent and love. The whole band did. But here is a lucky man's recording of this amazing moment. I'm not sure I'll ever have another one like it. Ever.

Enjoy - and if you haven't seen the movie go. Seriously. Right now.