"So judging by the playlist you guys selected, I'm assuming 2004 was an excellent year for you all..."

I sat having dinner alone, my two dinner dates running behind. It wasn't so bad, I had Kurt Vonnegut to attend to as well as the company of the waiter, who happened to be an acquaintance from back in high school. The restaurant was humid, slight breeze coming in from the open door, leaving me with the feeling that a storm wasn't so far off in the distance.

I sipped my Hoegaarden. It went down nice and easy for a hot, May night. I slowly ate my mac and cheese while enjoying the old, yellowed, pages of "Welcome to the Monkey House." I heard someone enter the restaurant and I looked up, briefly made eye contact with this person, then casually looked back to my book trying to hide my blush. Walking into the restaurant was the man who had written so many songs that have caused my heart to swoon, break, sway, smile...

I watched his feet as he passed. Nice shoes.

Rarely have I enjoyed an artist for so long or had so many songs remind me of such happy times as his music does.

Indeed 2004 was an excellent year. It was the year I was introduced to Iron & Wine. For each show Sam plays cross country he allows the audience to select the playlist via online forum. He kept making the comment last night that 2004 must have been a good year for Chicago because the majority of the setlist came from his 2004 release
"Our Endless Numbered Days."

The show will eventually be available for download probably here:
http://www.playedlastnight.com/artists/artist/2/Iron_Wine

The entire setlist was fantastic...just him an a guitar and the thunderstorm accompaniment outside.

Tracks I recall him playing...

Three tracks from the new album that comes out next week
Peng (I was so excited I almost peed! It was the first time he'd ever played this track live. Super awesome Stereolab cover.)
Lion's Mane
Bird Stealing Bread
Cinder & Smoke
Sunset Soon Forgotten
Each Coming Night
Free Until They Cut Me Down
Fever Dream
Flightless Bird American Mouth
Such Great Heights
Passing Afternoon (I just smiled and swayed when he started playing this song...)

"There are names across the sea, only now I do believe. Sometimes, with the windows closed, she'll sit and think of me.."

Still here...just too busy to blog, or maybe just a little too preoccupied with other things...

wonderful other things.

Like going to see this siren sing last night. Oh my.



She's the kind of woman that I wish was my best friend. I identify with her lyrically a lot and seeing her play last night couldn't have been more perfect timing. I was very happy to get the random text in the middle of the night from Eric asking me to go with him since his girlfriend was out of town and he had an extra ticket.

Providence, says I.

Life is good, life is interesting, exciting, strange, confusing, and enchanting...