the shins.

ryan and i saw the shins last night at the atlanta civic center. i was a little concerned, i'll admit.

REASONS FOR CONCERN:

1) a possibly "whack" crowd.

everyone knows about them now. after being featured in zach braff's movie, garden state, everyone and their momma just loved "that band" from "that movie". ultimately, this makes the crowds really weird at the show. you have everyone from the hardcore fan from the very beginnings, to the 15 year old learning to play their songs to help him get laid, to the young obnoxious college sorority girls who just love to pop open a pbr and crank up new slang and dance around, to the mom, stuck in the back row because she's too neurotic to let her child go without her. (now i can relate to the last one .)

2) could james mercer's voice really sound that good live?

POST SHOW REALIZATIONS:

i was right about the crowd. it was whack. and yes, i had to listen to a good 35 mins of conversation amongst the most idiotic/obnoxious college kids to ever exist. ever.

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brief ex just for kicks:

pudgy too cool for school shaggy haired dude: hey dudes, like i totally have a ton of buzzard bucks on my card. like, if the dining halls are still open when this show is done, let's totally go, and i'll like pay for everyone. i mean, i have like 450 bucks i've never used.

super loud emo girl: yeah guys, like seriously. it will be a joyous feast of food and merriment.

way too skinny country sounding scenester kid: awesome!! dining halls rule.

pudgy too cool for school shaggy haired dude: yeah man. the pizza there is super rad.

super loud emo girl: yay! excitement!!
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anyway, i digress, but i will say i was right about the crowd. bizarre.

as for the second concern, i couldn't have been more wrong. james mercer's voice is better live than it is on CD. his voice is so spot on, it's insane. he really uses it as an instrument more than something to sing with. the tones and range he reaches are fantastic, and help add that little extra something to the overall jangle pop sound we all know and love from the shins.

anywho, it was a great show. and the quality of the music greatly surpassed all of the crowd "whackness" that surrounded me.

yay shins.

~jet