The wife dried, I called Holly. Much debating ensued. I pleaded for Gillian and Bright Eyes. I had already forsaken Gillian twice, three times was too much. Plus, when would she ever play with Bright Eyes again? Plus, they are playing at the Ryman. You can’t ask for a better place than that.
I was outvoted. Holly gets all giggly and goofy and googly eyed at the very mention of the name "Ryan Adams." Having a chance to see him outside the baggage of Nashville had her comatose. The wife, not being a huge fan of either opted for the closer to home route.
I’m sorry, Gillian. Really I am.
The doors at the Brown Theatre opened at 6, so we arrived about 4:30. We weren’t the first. Fanboys and girls abounded.
As a general rule people tend to annoy me. As a solid, never-bending absolute truth, fanboys piss me off (well, excepting one.) I get fandom. I get solid adoration of an artist. I simply cannot understand slovenly devotion to a single musician. As we stood in the lobby waiting for the doors we had to stand the asinine fanboy conversations. One boy claimed he would not befriend anyone who was not a Ryan Adams fan. Another made the bold proclamation that the Eagles were better than the Beatles and the Stones, though all three really sucked and Ryan Adams blew them all away.
Someone please school these boys.
In ways the fanboys shaped my entire concert experience. We landed a seat in the third row, center, and the hardiest of fanboys were in front of us. I couldn’t help but gauge their reactions and observe their behavior.
Paula Cole started the show. I’ve never much cared for her music, but she carried herself well. The voice wavered from time to time, but the band backed her up sufficiently and it was a good time. After some new songs and some very awkward talk where she proved herself way to aware of her time out of the spotlight and the audiences indifference to her comeback, she simply nailed “I Don’t Want to Wait.” I had never liked the song before, but it shimmered and glowed in this night.
The fanboys sang along, their faces tinged with irony and scoffing laughter. I may not like Paula, but I respect that she can write her own songs and have the balls to get up and sing them. With feeling.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
three times you forsake her, Judas? I saw Gretchen at Coachella. You made the wrong choice.
While standing in line, you should have pulled an Annie Hall and brought Paul McCartney out from behind something to tear those idiots apart.
2 - Hung Nguyen
Ryan sounds like an ass, and it looks like the same can be said for a lot of his fans. I'm huge fan of Suzanne's, and I would've loved to have seen Paula as she has a great voice and I know that she's a serious songwriter. Charlie sounds like the kind of guy who would've been worth the price of admission alone. These fans need to get their heads out of their ironic butts and gives these fine songwriters a serious listen. They helped pave the way for people like Ryan, and from the way you described it, they were the real show.
Please note I am not criticizing Ryan's music, as I don't know very much of it, and I'm sure it's quite good. I'm just dismayed with Ryan's lack of respect for the audience and the audience's lack of respect for the fine opening acts.
3 - Hung Nguyen
Oh, and Suzanne has a new album coming out soon. She's got a song you can listen to on her website: suzannevega.com .
4 - Mat Brewster
Here's the Ryan setlist:
Goodnight Rose
I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Rip Off
Tears of Gold
Oh My God Whatever Etc.
Halloween Head
Two
Down In a Hole
ElB I know I made the wrong choice. I knew it before we went, but two girls were against me. What could I do. I think it was really Gillian who jinxed me after bailing on her again.
Hung, Ryan's music is really really good. But yeah, he can be kind of a jerk-off. From reviews it seems Ryan pulls this kind of crap often. And I think you are right that the fan boy total adoration does nothing but keep him doing it.
Louvin was awesome. Absolutely brilliant.
I don't know much of Vega past her hits, but she was good. Played a lot from the new album and it sounds pretty interesting.
5 - Matt (aka fanboy)
No one, and I repeat, no one, said that anyone was better than The Beatles. Someone said that The Eagles were better than The Stones, I disagreed and said that Ryan was indeed better than both bands.
And Charlie Louvin didn't invite me on-stage to embaress me. We had been talking to him all day. I was enjoying Cash on the Barrelhead and he could tell. I don't think it was a vicious gesture in the least.
Just for clarification, I would rather be a fanboy than a prick any day of the week, and there were some much more obnoxious people who could've shaped your experience. Take the hecklers in the second row, for example, who we had to turn around and tell to shut the fuck up. So we like Ryan Adams; is that such a big deal? We got better seats than you because we wanted to be closer; again, is that such a big deal?
Your anger should be targeted at a more deserving group.
6 - Mat Brewster
No real anger man. Just poking some fun.
Maybe I misunderstood, but I'm pretty sure someone did in fact say that the Eagles were better than the Beatles. A couple of other people near me (not my friends) also made shocked expressions and comments about the Beatle/Eagle statement.
I don't think I implied it was a vicious move on Louvins (in fact I specifically state it wasn't vicious,) but a classy move to put some obnoxiousness in its place. Maybe you were loving it and maybe Louvin saw that. I'll take your word and admit I was wrong. But there were definitely some very rude folk sitting up front.
Actually I do remember you and you were one of the nice ones in that little early group of fanboys. I apologize for not portraying you as such.
No, it isn't a big deal that you are a Ryan Adams fan. I'm a fan myself. I got there way early too just to see him play. I gave up freaking Gillian Welch tickets to see him. I was there early with you trying to get good seat, and landed them.
Sorry if I lumped you in with a group of folks who annoyed me. Fanboydom to the point where an artist can do no wrong is obnoxious, and I saw a lot of that at this show.
7 - Matt (aka fanboy)
My main issue is that you seem to be confusing two completely different groups of people. My friends and I in the first row were pretty attentive to all of the opening acts, and we're the ones you've been referring to as fanboys. The people who were being obnoxious, however, were in the row behind us. They were the ones trying to heckle Suzanne Vega and VietNam off of the stage because they "want[ed] to see Ryan Adams." My best friend and I both said shit to them multiple times about being pricks. I will admit that we did ironically sing along to the Dawson's Creek theme song, but how can one resist that urge?
As for the Beatles/Eagles thing, I'm pretty sure it was just miscommunication. I know, because it was directed at me. We were talking about Ryan's influences and I brought up The Rolling Stones. My friend Adam said that The Eagles were better than The Stones to piss me off because he knows I hate The Eagles. I told him he was wrong and then said that Ryan was better than both bands, which, in my opinion, is true. I think someone (or a group of someones) misunderstood Adam when he said "Eagles" and thought he said "Beatles" instead.
Lastly, I agree that fanboydom to the point where an artist can do no wrong is absurd, but I don't think there was too much of it at this show. A lot of people (including myself) were visibly pissed that he never uttered a word and that he played such a short set.
8 - Mat Brewster
You're right, I did lump you in with those guys. I don't know you personally and you were close to the annoying people so I didn't distinguish you from the others. My apologies again.
Because of the small space, that little entry way was incredibly loud, so I probably did misunderstand the Eagles/Beatles thing. I'll still call you crazy for saying Ryan is better than the Stones :) But we're all entitled to our crazy opinions!
I'm glad to hear you were yelling at the hecklers. I couldn't hear you so I probably though you were part of the heckling, not the solution. It pisses me off to no end to see people being rude to an artist. I don't really like Paula Cole, but I respect that she can get on stage and sing her heart out.
I was probably too stunned to see you being visibly pissed when the show ended. But walking out I heard a lot of "well that's Ryan for you." I was pissed. Really, stinking, cursing pissed. And it pissed me more to not see anyone throwing chairs or something. Then online the reaction seems to be that was all the alloted time he had. When no, it's just Ryan being a dick.
So, I hope we're cool now man. Sorry I lumped you in with all the other douchebags.
9 - Matt (aka fanboy)
Yeah, we're definitely cool. I just don't like being misrepresented as one of the douches who doesn't understand how a festival works, you know?
And maybe I am crazy for saying that Ryan is better than The Stones, but it's a generational thing. I got really into Bob Dylan, The Dead, The Stones, etc. a few years ago and I found a current artist who not only blatantly draws influence from them all, but covers many of the same themes they did with more modern lyrics that I can relate to with more ease.
But yeah, no hard feelings or anything.
10 - Mat Brewster
Good. I try not to piss anyone off with my writing, as it is supposed to be mild entertainment.
I'm glad you see the Stones influence over Ryan, even if you don't dig them as much. When that conversation happened I turned to my friend and said "without the stones there is no Ryan Adams."
If you haven't already check out Exile on Main Street, you should do so. It's not only amazing, but you can almost see RA being birthed in the middle of it.
Don't get me started on the Dead. I love them like no other and they get me all fanboy stupid faster than you can say Garcia.
11 - Matt (aka fanboy)
Exile, Sticky Fingers, and Let It Bleed are some of my favorite albums.
12 - Mat Brewster
Cool. I figured you probably knew it, but it was worth mentioning just in case.