Monsters of Celtic Rock

Just got back from the Carbon Leaf show at Mainstreet. The setlist:

Toy Soldiers
Desperation Song
How I Feel
Shine
Mari Mac
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Raise the Roof
Blue Ridge Laughing
Torn to Tattered
Seven Brides for Seven Sinners
The Boxer
Amazing Grace
Is This The Fall?
Traffic
Gloryland (a capella)
Any Given Day
Jan. 9/63
American Tale
Sloop John B/
Home
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Paloma
Crazy Train
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Insane Medley (Paradise City (tease), Blue Ridge Laughing (reprise), Country Roads, Without Me (tease), Jump Around, Boyz N Tha Hood, Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2, Country Roads (reprise))

There's nothing like a Carbon Leaf show to make one want to learn to play mandolin.

Tonight was only the second time I've seen Carbon Leaf in person, and the first where I was actually there for the entire show. I can't say I know a lot about their performance habits or style, but I can say with some degree of certainty that tonight was special. Sure, the energy level throughout the show was exceedingly high, the crowd was responsive and polite, and the performances were top-notch, but everything came to a head in the second encore. You could see it on the faces of the band members and the fans that something very cool was happening.

Highlights: jumping and screaming along with Mari Mac, a capella Gloryland, Desperation Song (my favorite Carbon Leaf tune), Another Brick (because it's Finals Week).

Carbon Leaf are a band of incredibly talented musicians and performers. Like I said last time, you simply cannot afford to miss this band.

December 08, 2002 - 02:48 AM

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