Wednesday, May 2, 2012

This is the Dream of Aaron and Ilana

The first concert was her idea.  It seems crazy to say that now, but it's true.  Have you been using Facebook Timeline to fact-check your own life?  Because you can.


I had been living in San Francisco for less than three months.  I had never been to the Fillmore.  I had always wanted to meet a girl who went to concerts.

Also, Return to Cookie Mountain is a phenomenal record.


I've never waited three days to call someone back, or 45 minutes to return a text, or whatever the rules are for re-tweeting someone.  The guys from Swingers would hate me.


Like I said, I had been living in San Francisco for less than three months.  We bought these tickets from some guy at SF State.  I have never been as lost as I was going to pick up these tickets.  A small part of me is still sitting in the passenger seat of Krunal's car, driving around Lake Merced, looking for an intersection that probably doesn't exist.

(1)  TV on the Radio - Fillmore - March 28, 2007
TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me"

Ilana was there with a group of girls she knew from Michigan, a mobius strip of names that seemed designed to confuse me.  Elyse, Leigha, Louisa, Ilana. elyseleighalouisailana.

Krunal was there with his friend Adi, the two of them trying to replace the use of "gay" as a pejorative term with "racist."  Their theory was that, since people were using "gay" to mean "bad," why not substitute a personality trait that actually was bad?  ("Dude, it's like three deep at the bar, and you can only buy one drink per wristband."  "Aw man, that is so racist.")  What ... were the racists going to complain?

I wanted to become the kind of person who did things like this all the time.  And, eventually, I did.


(2)  The Killers - Bill Graham Civic - April 7, 2007
The Killers - "When You Were Young"

Our second concert looked like this:


And then there were ninety-eight more.


(3)  The Hold Steady - Slim's - May 30, 2007
The Hold Steady - "How a Resurrection Really Feels"

(4)  The New Pornographers - Warfield - September 17, 2007
The New Pornographers - "My Rights Versus Yours"

(5)  The National - Regency Grand Ballroom - September 29, 2007
The National - "Mistaken for Strangers"

(6)  Rogue Wave - Bimbo's 365 - October 17, 2007
Rogue Wave - "Bird on a Wire"

(7)  The Mountain Goats - Bimbo's 365 - February 29, 2008
The Mountain Goats - "Dance Music"

(8)  Flight of the Conchords - Davies Symphony Hall - May 29, 2008
Flight of the Conchords - "Business Time"

(9)  Islands - Bimbo's 365 - June 16, 2008
Islands - "The Arm"

(10)  The Fratellis - Fillmore - June 18, 2008
The Fratellis - "Flathead"

(11)  The Hold Steady - Mezzanine - July 8, 2008
The Hold Steady - "Most People Are DJs"

(12)  Wolf Parade - Fillmore - July 17, 2008
Wolf Parade - "This Heart's on Fire"

(13)  Outside Lands Festival - Golden Gate Park - August 24, 2008
Broken Social Scene - "Ibi Dreams of Pavement"


(14)  Ratatat - Fillmore - September 8, 2008
Ratatat - "Wildcat"

(15)  Treasure Island Festival - Treasure Island - Sept. 20, 2008
CSS - "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex"


(16)  Ra Ra Riot - Rickshaw Stop - September 24, 2008
Ra Ra Riot - "Ghost Under Rocks"

(17)  Santigold/Mates of State - Fillmore - October 7, 2008
Santigold - "Lights Out"

(18)  Black Kids/The Virgins - Great American Music Hall - October 13, 2008
Black Kids - "Listen to Your Body Tonight"

(19)  The Mountain Goats - Fillmore - October 24, 2008
The Mountain Goats - "This Year"

(20)  Girl Talk - Fillmore - October 27, 2008
Girl Talk - "Smash Your Head"

(21)  Hold Stead/Drive By Truckers - Fillmore - November 24, 2008
Hold Steady - "Killer Parties"

(22)  Lykke Li - Fillmore - February 15, 2009
Lykke Li - "I'm Good I'm Gone"

(23)  Mountain Goats - Swedish American Hall - February 25, 2009
Mountain Goats - "Sign of the Crow"

(24)  AC Newman - Independent - February 28, 2009
AC Newman - "The Palace at 4 AM"

(25)  Bishop Allen - Rickshaw Stop - March 24, 2009
Bishop Allen - "The News from Your Bed"

(26)  Ting Tings - Fillmore - April 15, 2009
Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"

(27)  Los Campesinos! - Slim's - April 15, 2009
Los Campesinos! - "Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks"

(28)  Coachella Festival - Indio - April 17, 2009
The Beatles - "Hey Jude"


(29)  TV on the Radio - Fox Theater - May 22, 2009
TV on the Radio - "Family Tree"

(30)  Passion Pit - Bimbo's 365 - May 26, 2009
Passion Pit - "Moth's Wings"

(31)  Thermals - Bottom of the Hill - May 30, 2009
Thermals - "An Ear For Baby"

(32)   Wilco - Mountain Winery - June 26, 2009
Wilco - "Monday"

(33)  Vampire Weekend - Catalyst - November 8, 2009
Vampire Weekend - "M79"

(34)  Pixies - Fox Theater - November 10, 2009
Pixies - "Here Comes Your Man"

(35)  The Mountain Goats - Fillmore - November 14, 2009
The Mountain Goats - "Pigs That Ran Straightaway Into the Water, Triumph Of"

(36)  AFI - Catalyst - January 28, 2010
AFI - "Girl's Not Grey"

(37)  Thermals - Great American Music Hall - February 5, 2010
Thermals - "Now We Can See"

(38)  Free Energy - 330 Ritch - February 25, 2010
Free Energy - "Dream City"

(39)  Tegan & Sara - Fox Theater - March 5, 2010
Tegan & Sara - "Alligator"

(40)  Little Boots - Fillmore - March 9, 2010
Little Boots - "Earthquake"

(41)  Freelance Whales - Bottom of the Hill - March 25, 2010
Freelance Whales - "Location"

(42)  Titus Andronicus - Slim's - March 28, 2010
Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union"

(43)  La Roux - Fillmore - April 14, 2010
La Roux - "Bulletproof"

(44)  jj - Bottom of the Hill - April 16, 2010
jj - "From Africa to Malaga"

(45)  Yeasayer/Sleigh Bells - Fillmore - April 17, 2010
Sleigh Bells - "Crown on the Ground"

(46)  Japandroids - Independent - April 23, 2010
Japandroids - "Young Hearts Spark Fire"

(47)  Hold Steady - Fillmore - May 6, 2010
Hold Steady - "The Weekenders"

(48)  Los Campesinos! - Regency - May 7, 2010
Los Campesinos! - "Death to Los Campesinos!"

(49)  Broken Bells - Regency - May 21, 2010
Broken Bells - "The High Road"

(50)  The National - Fox Theater - May 27, 2010
The National -"Fake Empire"

(51)  Voxtrot - Great American Music Hall - May 29, 2010
Voxtrot - "The Start of Something"

(52)  The Very Best - The Independent - May 31, 2010
The Very Best - "Warm Heart of Africa"

(53)  Paul McCartney - AT&T Park - July 10, 2010
Wings - "Band on the Run"

(54)  New Pornographers - Fox Theater - July 18, 2010
New Pornographers - "Moves"

(55)  Gaslight Anthem - Cesar Chavez Park (San Jose) - July 22, 2010
Gaslight Anthem - "Boxer"

(56)  Rogue Wave - Stern Grove - August 22, 2010
Rogue Wave - "Solitary Gun"

(57)  Hold Steady - Catalyst - August 24, 2010
Hold Steady - "Your Little Hoodrat Friend"

(58)  Green Day/AFI - Shoreline - September 4, 2010
Green Day - "She"

(59)  Guided By Voices - Warfield - October 5, 2010
Guided By Voices - "The Best of Jill Hives"

(60)  Teenage Fanclub - Great American Music Hall - October 12, 2010
Teenage Fanclub - "Sparky's Dream"

(61)  Treasure Island Music Festival - Treasure Island - October 17, 2010
Belle & Sebastian - "Sleep the Clock Around"


(62)  Gold Motel - Cafe Du Nord - October 20, 2010
Gold Motel - "Perfect In My Mind"

(63)  Free Energy/Foxy Shazam - Blank Club - October 30, 2010
Foxy Shazam - "Killin' It"

(64)  Mayer Hawthorne - Bimbo's 365 - November 11, 2010
Mayer Hawthorne - "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'"

(65)  Someone Still Loves Your Boris Yeltsin - Bottom of the Hill - November 15, 2010
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Sink/Let It Sway"

(66)  Robyn - Warfield - November 23, 2010
Robyn - "Dancing on My Own"

(67)  Foster the People - Rickshaw Stop - January 20, 2011
Foster the People - "Pumped Up Kicks"

(68)  Free Energy - Independent - January 27, 2011
Free Energy - "Something in Common"

(69)  Get Up Kids - Bottom of the Hill - January 30, 2011
Get Up Kids - "Overdue"

(70)  Smith Westerns - Bottom of the Hill - February 13, 2011
Smith Westerns - "All Die Young"

(71)  Prince - Oracle Arena - February 21, 2011
Prince - "Purple Rain"

(72)  Ellie Goulding - Rickshaw Stop - April 14, 2011
Ellie Goulding - "I'll Hold My Breath"

(73)  Scissor Sisters - Warfield - April 15, 2011
Scissor Sisters - "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'"

(74)  New Pornographers - Rio Theater - April 17, 2011
New Pornographers - "Crash Years"

(75)  Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Great American Music Hall - April 19, 2011
Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Say No To Love"

(76)  Prince - HP Pavilion - May 21, 2011
Prince - "Kiss"

(77)  Architecture in Helsinki - Slim's - June 3, 2011
Architecture in Helsinki - "That Beep"

(78)  Mountain Goats - Fillmore - June 20, 2011
Mountain Goats - "Damn These Vampires"

(79)  The Kooks - Slim's - June 22, 2011
The Kooks - "She Moves in Her Own Way"

(80)  Outside Lands Festival - Golden Gate Park - August 14, 2011
Decemberists - "O Valencia!"


(81)  Band of Horses - Fillmore - September 10, 20111
Band of Horses - "Compliments"

(82)  The Fresh and Onlys - Loppen (Copenhagen) - September 21, 2011
The Fresh and Onlys - "Waterfall"

(83)  CSS - Fillmore - October 6, 2011
CSS - "Hits Me Like a Rock"

(84)  Smashing Pumpkins - Fox Theater - October 7, 2011
Smashing Pumpkins - "Tonight Tonight"

(85)  Paul Simon - Greek Theater - October 20, 2011
Paul Simon - "Graceland"

(86)  Saves the Day - Fillmore - October 23, 2011
Saves the Day - "Freakish"

(87)  Architecture in Helsinki - Fillmore - November 3, 2011
Architecture in Helsinki - "Contact High"

(88)  Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Hotel Utah - December 8, 2011
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Back in the Saddle"

(89)  The Kooks - Fillmore - December 13, 2011
The Kooks - "Naive"

(90)  Jayhawks - Fillmore -  February 3, 2012
Jayhawks - "Clouds"

(91)  Los Campesinos! - Great American Music Hall - February 10, 2012
Los Campesinos! - "We Are All Accelerated Readers"

(92)  The Darkness/Foxy Shazam - Fillmore - February 21, 2012
Foxy Shazam - "Holy Touch"

(93)  Craig Finn - Bottom of the Hill - February 21, 2012
Craig Finn - "Honolulu Blues"

(94)  Drive By Truckers - Fillmore - March 16, 2012
Drive By Truckers - "Birthday Boy"

(95)  Ting Tings - Fillmore - March 25, 2012
Ting Tings - "Shut Up and Let Me Go"

(96)  Fun. - Bottom of the Hill - March 29, 2012
Fun. - "All the Pretty Girls"

(97)  Miike Snow/Penguin Prison - Fox Theater - April 11, 2012
Penguin Prison - "Don't Fuck with My Money"

(98)  Radiohead - HP Pavilion - April 12, 2012
Radiohead - "Just"

(99)  Yuck - The Independent - April 15, 2012
Yuck - "Shook Down"

(100)  Bruce Springsteen - HP Pavilion - April 24, 2012
Bruce Springsteen - "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"



5 comments:

  1. This is awesome. So awesome.

    Congrats, you two!

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  2. Love this! and so stoked to be a part of #96. *downloading playlist right now! -Erika

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  3. Great post, she's a lucky girl!

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  4. This is somewhere between epic and awesome. Congratulations! Looking forward to your big day!

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  5. Congrats on 100! The great news is, I will soon be working the company that sells tickets for a lot of the clubs in San Francisco, including the Independent. I'm pretty sure one of the fringe benefits involves free concert tickets, so maybe we'll be able to tag along for the next 100!

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