August 23, 2007

Shake me down and make me see monsters

This is absolutely insane, seeing double, face-melting stuff. If you didn’t believe me with all the flowery superlatives about how good Ryan Adams’ Berkeley show was last month, just listen to the way he closed the set, with “Shakedown on 9th Street” (from Heartbreaker) flawlessly into “I See Monsters” (from Love Is Hell).

Both songs could stand alone in their own right as excoriatingly blistering performances here, but the way they flow one into the next, like standing on the edge of a precipice as Shakedown ends, drawing in a sharp intake of breath on the four cymbal crashes — and then we hold our breath and plunge into I See Monsters.

Sweet beard of Zeus, I’m sated.

Shakedown On 9th Street (live in Berkeley)
I See Monsters (live in Berkeley)

The entire Ryan Adams show from 7/24 in Berkeley is now up for download and streaming at the Live Music Archive as well. Thanks to the tapers for making my day.

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3 Comments

  • Having a flashback are we?

    Need to stop doing shrooms.

    Anonymous — August 23, 2007 @ 10:12 am

  • These tracks are feeding the growing excitement I have for his show in Charlottesville, VA at The Paramount Theater next month. My most anticipated show of 2007.

    Beaze — August 23, 2007 @ 6:50 pm

  • oh, so exciting. After hearing you gush about it so much, I was sad that I couldn’t find the Berkely show anywhere. Now if only someone had the Vancouver show that I was at. It was amazing, complete with great and obscure references to Christopher Cross. :D

    SaraJane — August 24, 2007 @ 5:47 pm

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Bio Pic Name: Heather Browne
Location: Colorado, originally by way of California
Giving context to the torrent since 2005.

"I love the relationship that anyone has with music: because there's something in us that is beyond the reach of words, something that eludes and defies our best attempts to spit it out. It's the best part of us, probably, the richest and strangest part..."
—Nick Hornby, Songbook
"Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel."
—Hunter S. Thompson

Mp3s are for sampling purposes, kinda like when they give you the cheese cube at Costco, knowing that you'll often go home with having bought the whole 7 lb. spiced Brie log. They are left up for a limited time. If you LIKE the music, go and support these artists, buy their schwag, go to their concerts, purchase their CDs/records and tell all your friends. Rock on.

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