There's nothing quite like seeing a favorite band live, especially when you've memorized their songs from the luxury of an iPod, never really knowing who was in the band. Last Sunday, after months of wishing I could go to a Fountains of Wayne concert in Woodstock, NY, but knowing I couldn't go, a breeze of luck passed through, making it so that the plans my mother had originally planned for the afternoon got cancelled, which gave me the chance to go.
While I wasn't too keen on the idea of my mother joining me, she was the only ride I had, and it was music I knew she wouldn't hate. The ride there was excruciatingly long, as my heart beat for the music I was about to hear. We pulled up, after riding over a scenic mountain, to an amazing group of wooden buildings. Two were restaurants, and one was a concert hall. The grounds surrounding the buildings were beautiful too, with a small fountain (granted, it wasn't working, but it was still really pretty!), benches around a tall mossy tree, and a seating area up front with a huge brown bear you could take a picture with.
I was honestly surprised by how few people were there, considering Fountains of Wayne, best known for Stacy's Mom (which is definitely good, but I have more favorites than that one song), the song that is on everyone's iPods, isn't that unknown of a band. Sure, maybe they do only know that one song, but isn't that what usually prompts them to listen to some more? A major hit that sparks their curiosity?
The doors opened at 8pm and I made my way into the medium sized space, taking in the polished wooden floor, high ceilings, and a really great atmosphere. An older crowd settled in on the upstairs balcony, complete with chairs (which I really don't understand. I love the feeling of getting swept up in the standing audience. I'm not sure everyone feels the same way though).
The opening singer was Mike Viola, whose raspy voice was enchanting. The woman who sang with him Kelly Jones, also was very good. Their voices together created a very rare harmony, and when he decided to sing without microphones, it was possibly one of the most beautiful acoustic pieces I have ever heard.
When Fountains of Wayne finally came onstage, I was in the center of the floor close to the front, which gave me an amazing view (because of course, everyone always wants to look at them). When the lead singer, Adam Schlesinger, first opened his mouth to sing, I knew it was going to be a good show. Not only did they sound amazing, it was even better than what I had heard through the speakers of my headphones. They performed Please Don't Rock Me Tonight, which is one of my favorite songs. I love when that happens (like when I first saw another one of my favorite songwriters Ben Lee for the first time. He played Nothing Much Happens, which is the song that made me really interested in his work. I was ecstatic for days). The whole time, as I sang along to the words I knew, and kind of made up words that I should have known but didn't (like during songs where I knew the first verse and chorus VERY well, I didn't know the second...), I was in an elated state, which I hadn't felt since I saw Phantom Planet last year. They were very low key funny guys too, which always makes it that much better. After the show ended, for about five minutes, all you could hear was the shouting of the crowd, roaring to have them come back again. It reminded me of what Ben Lee said back in 2004 at the Knitting Factory. "Never ever believe a rock band when they tell you they're finished. They always come back." And of course, they played the favorites, the ones I could actually sing along to.
I still am wearing the entry bracelet, and I have no intention of taking it off until it falls off.
