AD Wandering-Bobby Long, Columbus

I bought tickets for Bobby Long's performance the same day the show was announced. I'd only discovered him a few weeks prior, but I was still pretty hooked. The album came a week or so before the gig and I loved every second of it. I knew, knew, knew it was going to be an excellent show! I'd seen quite a few interviews and clips of Long performing on his couch at home. His painful shyness always amused me. It never occurred to me that his timidity would affect his performance. That's exactly what it did, though.

Not to say it wasn't a good performance. He voice was as lovely as on the album and his picking was sensational. He sounded exactly like he did on 'A Winter Tale.' There's a connection you can feel with an album that's incredibly important. Equally important, though, is the connection you can feel with an artist during a gig. A good show can take those emotions from the record and quadruple them. They can turn a packed venue into a cathartic event, no matter how big the crowd. A great gig will leave you still feeling the emotion of that night, under those lights, with all those other people long after you've returned home. That connection is hard to make when the singer spends the entire hour staring down at his feet.

The opening act, local band Yellow Light Maybe, was definitely the highlight of the evening for me. Not only did I get my fair share of eye contact, but so did the rest of the audience. Even after a fowl-up at the beginning, the guys pulled it off with a laugh and a story. For a bar packed with Bobby Long fans-there was much more movement during YLM. Afterward, while the local guys hammed it up with friends, fans and bartenders, the England-native stood behind a merch table while his keeper herded fans through the line as quickly as possible.

Maybe I've become spoiled. I spent last year following a band around who's crowd size tripled in 6 months. Those fine gentlemen still came out after each show, signed autographs, posed for pictures and hugged fans. They scream out to people in the balcony and tease rowdy, swooning girls in the most charming way possible. Then, when they perform, they do it with passion, power, musicianship and tons of eye contact with their fans. Yes, I'm definitely spoiled. But if a relatively unknown band like Yellow Light Maybe can make me happy, I feel like Bobby Long should have been able to have done a better job, too.

All in all, I don't regret driving the hour and half to Columbus or spending my money on the ticket. Yellow Light Maybe would have been worth my 15 quid even without Long. I missed the connection with Bobby and skipped his show when he came to Cincinnati. He sounds great live, he puts on a less than moving show. I will, however, head out to see Yellow Light Maybe again.

Two Reasons to LOVE February

You already have two reasons to hate February. To begin with, there's no sign that February will be any less Siberian than January. Then you must factor the pink and red Valentine's Day signs, bags of candy and overly sentimental cards-All stabbing reminders that you're single this year. (If you're not single, then they're reminders of the amount of money you are expected to shell out for your significant other.) There isn't a reason in sight to get you excited for February, is there?

Lucky for you, audiodaughter has two incredibly awesome reasons to look forward to waving January good-bye.

Feb. 1- Bobby Long's 'A Winter Tale'

Female Anglophiles all over the world are waiting with baited breath for the release of Bobby Long's debut album. The singer/songwriter/guitar player has been playing it safe under the radar for quite awhile now-Mostly only known by London Folk-scene-ers and the Americans who wish they were in on it. With mellow backing music and soft, sorrowful lyrics-Mr. Long writes a perfect 'Winter Tale,' indeed. His smooth voice will leave you anything but cold, though. Check out "Dead and Done" on Bobby Long's facebook page for a perfect taste of his album.
Here's a video for "What To Say" -Posted for only a limited time. Not on the new album-It was recorded as a thanks for a boost in friends on his website. (PS-AD & Friends love how painfully shy he appears in the video!)


Feb. 22- Adele's '21'

February is the month for Brits! Two and a half years after the release of her debut album, '19,' Adele puts forth a new record that promises to be just as beautiful. (You can read AD's thoughts on '19' by clicking this sentence.) Adele's voice is all at once boisterous, soothing and soulful. It's the perfect remedy for any mood and any situation. The last couple months have afforded us sneak peaks of multiple songs off her forthcoming album. The first single, "Rolling In The Deep," is the song for anyone who's overcoming heartache. It's, quite possibly, our generation's version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." Meanwhile, Adele herself describes "Someone Like You" as feeling the exact opposite. It's for wallowing in your defeat and drowning in your tears. The songstress has also been out and about singing a third song off "21" called "Don't You Remember" which explores the root of the heartbreak from the last two songs. Adele's gorgeous voice and the piano she parades throughout most of her songs are the key elements to Adele's success and they're why we can't wait for her new album.
Here's a clip of Adele discussing and performing "Someone Like You."

Need a few more reasons to love February? Be sure to check out new albums by Bright Eyes (The People's Key 2/15), Drive-By Truckers (Go-Go Boots 2/15), & PJ Harvey (Let England Shake 2/15)