my so-called life

Oh my goodness, it's summer and I'm busier than ever. I know I haven't posted in forever; I just haven't had time. I have many concerts and Broadway shows to write about and can't review in depth right now, so I'll give you some highlights. Here's some bullet points on the last couple of months:

Broadway:
Matilda was my favorite new show of the season. I absolutely loved it (and my students did, too; they also loved the backstage tour we were fortunate enough to take). It's a lovely, lovely show.

Concerts:

Big Star's Third was a highlight. Big Star is a tragically under-appreciated band, so it was wonderful to see this tribute to them. I was thrilled to see Pete Yorn, Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile, Mike Mills (those four are pictured in the first four photos on the left), and many other talented musicians sharing the stage to perform this brilliant album. I'd pay money to see each of those artists, so to see them all together was perfect. The concert was at Central Park Summerstage, one of my favorite venues, and I got a spot in the front row.

Another highlight was Dave Matthews Band at Woodstock. This is an ideal venue for the band; it's a beautiful outdoor setting. I went with my friends Bill and Amy and a bunch of hikers (more about that later). We tailgated before the show (let me tell you, DMB fans know how to tailgate) and then grabbed seats on the lawn to enjoy band, who definitely know how to put on a live show. They seriously are one of the best live acts around; they're all incredible musicians, and they've spent so much time touring over the last couple of decades that they're constantly exploring their music and continue to find new ways to make their songs fresh and meaningful. Highlights of this show for me were "Warehouse" (oh my goodness, I love that song), "Jimi Thing," "So Damn Lucky," and the closer, "Ants Marching." I remember memorizing "Ants Marching" in high school by listening to it over and over and over again, and by looking up the lyrics so I could perfect the "Candy man, tempting the thoughts of a sweet tooth..." part. I still have the song completely memorized more than ten years later, and hearing it close out the concert was a perfect ending to the show.

Visits:
I've spent time with my friend Kim, and I also stayed with Bill and Amy. Bill and Amy live right next to the Appalachian Trail, so they give thru-hikers a place to stay. A bunch of hikers came to the DMB concert with us, and even more came to Bill and Amy's Fourth of July party. Every year they have a party on the 4th, and they invite hikers along the trail. This year there were 38 hikers (and 50 people total at the party). It wasn't just a day-long party; for the few days that I was there, the house was filled with people. I got to meet so many interesting characters; it was an incredible experience. I already can't wait for next year.

Movies:
I went to the premiere of The Way, Way Back, which was a blast. I loved the film, and it was cool to rub elbows with Toni Collette (LOVE her, and she's even more gorgeous and sweet in person), Steve Carrell, Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, and more. The movie is funny and bittersweet and I highly recommend it.

Another movie I really enjoyed was Fruitvale Station. It broke my heart. Even though you go into it knowing the story and knowing how it will end, it still has a tremendous emotional impact, mostly because of Michael B. Jordan's performance. I've been a fan of his since Friday Night Lights (and I enjoyed him on Parenthood), and it's great to see him carrying a film.

Random:
I went to a taping of Live with Kelly and Michael (Nick Cannon and Sasha Alexander were the guests), I went to Random House's Annual Author's Event for NYC Educators, and I've seen some cool performances at Lincoln Center through the class I've been taking.