New Year's 2005!
This New Year's Eve, I decided to do something I had never done before... attend a concert. Now, don't get me wrong - I have been to more concerts than most, but never on New Year's. It was a most unexpected line-up at Madison Square Garden: Sleater-Kinney, The Flaming Lips and Wilco.
Sleater-Kinney is one of my most favorite groups in the world and I've seen them play around 25 times (literally). I love those girls, however, this time was a little disappointing. I knew they were working on a new album and figured they would be playing a bunch of new songs in a very short set - but no old songs at all??? What's up with that!!
The last time I saw The Flaming Lips was in the mid-90's and their show was crazy with Christmas lights all over the stage, pinwheels and bubble machines - I knew they were going to have something up their sleeves. What a performance! First, there were giant balloons floating all over the arena, then, there were crazy, dressed-up, dancers on-stage and the band was great.
Now since it was New Year's Eve, I did have a couple of drinks throughout the night which made the Wilco set a little hazy. (No mom - I didn't drink too much). When the clock struck midnight the ceiling opened up and balloons and confetti galore littered the whole arena! It was an amazing sight. Wilco also played a *kickass* version of "Don't Fear the Reaper" which might have been the best song all night. The show ended around 1 AM and needless to say, I was not disappointed in how I spend my New Year's 2005. Good friends, good music, dancing & drinking!