August 14 2008: The Hold Steady, the Loved Ones - 9:30 Club, Washington DC

Last night of the little mini-vacation, in Anna's town! We got some okay food before the show at some place on 14th St. and went over to the show just before the openers came on. They played about the same as they have for the last week - competent but definitely not inspiring. Ran into this guy Mike whom I've run into on a few recent Mountain Goats tours, which was unexpected and nice.

The 9:30 club is bigger than I remember it being. And it was sold out and the audience wasn't too big on being polite, but Anna and I found a spot where we could both see and have easy bar access about halfway back from the stage. "You Gotta Dance With Who You Came With" got played again, along with "Curves and Nerves" and "Girls Like Status." I really like that "Girls Like Status" tune and had never heard it before. Heard "Chillout Tent" for the first time since 2006, and they played it better this time. Franz and Tad sang the main chorus lines together, and then Craig would follow up with the "They gave us oranges and cigarettes" line. I do like that song,

And there were horns! I don't remember on which songs, but they'd come out and play and then go hide somewhere until they were needed again. Too bad they were way to low in the mix.

And the people demanded a second encore after the first one ended with "Killer Parties," so we got "How a Resurrection Really Feels," which I believe was one of the horn songs. Pretty fun. Anna'd never heard of the Hold Steady and luckily had earplugs. And good sport that she is, when I jokingly offered to buy finest/cheapest shots afterwards she, despite having to be at work the next morning, said, "OK, but I think I can only do two."

All vacations should involve multiple cities and loud music, I think.