Jason Isbell Southeastern Album Release Show 6/11/13

I love spur of the moment shows. I was on vacation in Huntsville, staying with my aunt and my mom called me and told me that Jason Isbell was playing an in-store set at Grimey’s New and Pre-loved music in Nashville at 6 that night. I got excited because in all of my years on this planet, I have only been able to see him twice: once with Drive By Truckers (2004) and once solo (2012). Some, well, most of my excitement contributed to the fact that it was the day his new album, Southeastern, was released and he was playing in a tiny record store outside of downtown Nashville. My aunt and I decided that we had to go so off we went. We left Huntsville at 3:30 and got there 15 minutes before the show started. The music gods must have been smiling on us because we were two of the last four people that they allowed in before they reached capacity and had to turn people away. Because of the way Grimey’s is set up, I was not able to see the band in person, but they had a TV monitor in the part of the store I was in and I could hear just fine. Sometimes at concerts, no matter how big or small, you just have to accept that it is an honor and privilege to be in the building and you need to take what you get. It was a new, but somewhat magical experience for me because I have never been to a show like that. So I watched and listened while he played four songs from the album. The set consisted of

Stockholm

Traveling Alone

Cover Me Up

Super 8 (my favorite)

This was my first time hearing any of these songs and I can honestly say that this album is going to be really hard to do a review on because it’s Jason freaking Isbell. Good ole’ rock and roll. After the show, they said that Jason would be signing albums and taking pictures. Since my mom really wanted to go to the show, I had Isbell sign the album to her. He said that was a really nice thing of me to do. I could not help but smile because I knew it would make my mom really happy. I took my picture with him and then took my aunts picture and thanked Jason and back to Huntsville we went. Jason Isbell’s new album “Southeastern” is out now available at any major media outlet.

Aaron Carter Workplay Birmingham, Alabama 6/9/13

I had not seen Aaron Carter since 2001 when I was in first grade. When I found out that he was coming back to Birmingham for the first time in over 10 years, I found myself a little too excited. I think I can attribute to most of my excitement to this show being in a smaller venue. The first time I saw him was in an amphitheatre. This time it was in a bar. The girl to guy ratio was expected, but if my memory holds correct, there was just as much noise in the bar as there was in the amphitheatre. The crowd appeared to contain the age group of girls (and a few guys) that never had the opportunity to see Aaron when they were younger, so they decided to express their nostalgia by attending this show. The first musician to perform was Aaron’s manager, Brandon. I instantly liked him because the first song he did was a cover of Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon. That got a great crowd response. He started to play one of his new songs called Rebel Kids but before he did he asked us if we wanted to hear the song in tune or out of tune and said that he asked because he was making a joke out of his technical difficulty. Someone yelled autotune and responded with “No, I definitely don’t use autotune.” He had a perfectly fine voice without it. After him was Alexis Babini from New York, also recently signed to Aaron’s new company. He covered 22 by Taylor Swift. He told us how on this tour he visited children’s hospitals and played songs for the kids. He then covered Let It Be by The Beatles and half of the crowd freaked out, including me. Then he did a mash up of a song from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s that consisted of Like A Virgin by Madonna, Jumper by Third Eye Blind, and Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. I always enjoy a set of good cover songs. I also enjoyed his stage set up. It was Alexis with his guitar and his “drummer” who sat on a box drum with a tambourine under his foot and a set of shakers beside him. The simplicity was stunning. But by the time they were done, the Aaron Carter fan girls were getting restless. His DJ came out for sound check and played songs over the speaker and the crowd went insane. Aaron ran out on stage and started the show with the song Another Earthquake. Fog machines went off and the back up dancers were killer. The dancers in themselves were something to see. They were always in sync and they mimicked Aaron very well. The coolest thing I saw them do was a series of backflips and followed them with flipping Aaron over. I was excited to see some tumbling. Afterwards he played

America A O

When it Comes to You

Bounce (yes!) / I Would / Iko Iko / To All The Girls (my jam)

I'm Looking for a Girlfriend (pulled up 5 girls on stage and sang to them. just about all of them cried)

My First Ride

Everything You Want (Vertical Horizon cover. Favorite song from the 90s)

That's How I Beat Shaq (can we say nostalgia? He changed into an old school Shaq jersey when he played for the Lakers)

I Want Candy

Aaron's Party (Come Get It) (Best crowd response of the night by far and I would not say I got emotional but like I said earlier, I was a little bit more excited than I should have been.)

At some point during the show, Aaron went to three parts of the crowd and took pictures with us for Instagram. As of right now mine is the only one that got posted. Yay! I would totally go see Aaron again because it was a fun, nostalgic show and I know I will remember it longer than the first time I saw him.