The "Yesssss" Person and a Concert Review

So I caught the Iron & Wine / Swell Season show at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson last night. Before I get to the show, I wanted to talk about my nearby company at said show. Last night I quickly realized I was standing in front of one of my favorite types of people at the concert: the "yessssss" person.

The "yessssss" person is someone who buys a ticket to a concert, goes to said concert and then reacts as if each song on the set list was chosen by a higher power for him/her personally. And they continue to feel this way for just about every song on the set list.

It goes like this:

• Iron and Wine starts playing "Sodom, South Georgia" - "Yessssssssssssssss"
• Swell Season starts playing "Falling Slowly" - "Yessssssssssssssssssss"
  
• Journey starts playing "Don't Start Believin'" - "Yesssssssssssssssssss"
• Prince starts playing "Purple Rain" - "Yessssssssssssss"
• F'ing Wang Chung starts playing f'ing "Everybody Wang Chung Tonight" - "Yessssssssss"

Guess what, over-exciteable? Every song that you said "yessssssssssss" to ... they play those songs every night. That's why they're on tour. They're on tour to play their best songs ... which are all the songs you're "yesssss"ing to.

Also, sometimes the "yessssssss" is followed by "I LOVE this song". Really? You love the song of the band you paid money to see tonight? Allow me to say it: no s. We get it. You like this song and you like this band. Guess what? So do I. That's why I bought the ticket and came to the same show you're at.

How 'bout you just enjoy wearing your t-shirt of the band you're currently seeing and cheer when the song starts like everyone else? Okay? Great.

Onto an abbreviated concert review of Iron & Wine and Swell Season at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, AZ.

Sam opened with Trapeze Swinger and then moved onto Woman King, Naked As We Came, House By The Sea, Resurrection Fern and Sodom, South Georgia among others. His buddy Ron accompanied him and played piano, slide guitar, accordian and just about every instrument known to man. Eventually, the lead dude from Calexico (Tucson's own) came out and the three of them did "Prison on Route 41". Then Salvador Duran made it a quartet and they did "He Lays In The Reins". I could have handled a longer set, but obviously I have no complaints.

After the break, Glen Hansard came out all by himself and played Say It To Me Now completely unplugged. It was fantastic. Marketa then came out for Falling Slowly which was a little bumpy because (in Glen's words) Glen's guitar just didn't know where it was. I enjoyed the mid-song guitar switch out. It felt like I was watching them in the movie. Then the band came out and they did The Moon, When Your Mind's Made Up, Happiness, Low Rising, and People All Get Ready among others. Marketa took the microphone for a couple tunes. I like her a lot. She's just like she is in the movie. Glen also took some time on his own in the middle of the set to do Leave which was fantastic. Also, Glen went guitarless for the slow-builder Happiness which was really good. They ended the night with an Irish tune about a guy in the prison on the Royal Canal in Dublin. Good times.

Also worth noting: sounds like Glen and the band really took to Tucson. They stayed at Hotel Congress and seemed to love it here since they mentioned enjoying Tucson throughout the show. Here's to Tucson ...

... and to the "yesssssss" person. Yessssssssssssssssssss.