Mountain Goats live turns into poorly-constructed rant

I went and saw the Mountain Goats on Monday night in Chicago, and I could do a little review, but reviews don't really help, do they? If you like the band, you like the band and you'll probably want to see them live. If you don't like the band, you don't like the band and you'll probably not care to see them live. But I will say this. There are a lot of people out there (most of them write for Pitchfork, I'm sure) that will tell you that the Mountain Goats got a lot worse once John Darnielle (1) stopped recording on a boombox, or (2) signed to a big label (as much as 4AD is a major label), or (3) got a band. And I have a response to that: shut up.

You can like the old stuff better; that's fine, I don't care. Personally, my favorite album is one of the "major label" ones that has a full band (The Sunset Tree), but do prefer the lo-finess of albums like All Hail West Texas. I'll be honest with you. When the Mountain Goats came out on stage on Monday, which usually consists of John Darnielle and Peter Hughes on bass, I almost cringed when I saw there was a drummer that came out with them. I don't know why - maybe it makes it more intimate the fewer people on stage?

And the music with the drummer was really fucking good. It rocked really fucking hard. I guess my point is this. The music snobs (let's hope I'm not always one) resist change because they knew this band or that band before it changed, which makes them cooler than people that knew them after. Darnielle actually said that, jokingly, last night at the show when he said, "This next song is so old, it's on my second tape. If you have this song on tape, I thank you fore being a true fan. If you have it on mp3, you're a poser." The problem is, people take that mindset to heart.

But get over yourselves. If you like the music, why wouldn't you be okay with it changing a little bit, so more people can enjoy it with you? Stop being selfish. Dicks.

Anyway, that rambled AND didn't stay on target, so here's the setlist from the show:

With Full Band
Have to Explode
Heretic Pride
Moon Over Goldsboro
New Zion
Wizard Buys A Hat
The Mess Inside

John Solo Set
Unreleased Song
Going to Kansas
So Desperate

With Kaki King
Mosquito Repellent

With Full Band and Kaki King
New Song Off the EP I Don't Have

With Full Band
San Bernadino
No Children
Sept. 15, 1983
Michael Myers Resplendant
This Year

Playoffs equal vacation for A's players

So another regular baseball season has come and gone, and the playoffs have begun. Now, don't get me wrong, I fucking love the playoffs. As a semi-good Dodgers fan, I found myself clapping every time they made a defensive out, or got a hit, while I was watching the game tonight alone in my apartment. Because even teams you just "really like," as opposed to "are obsessed with," the playoffs ratchet up that excitement tenfold. Also, I am two blocks from Wrigley Field, where the game was played, and that adds to the fun.

This year was good to me for baseball. I went to Spring Training, and during the season went to seven stadiums. I went to opening day in San Diego, and saw one of the last games of the season for the Cubs. I saw the A's (my true team) play in three stadiums, and I saw a two-hitter. I could have done a lot worse.

However, all that pales in comparison to the fact that my A's were out of it by, oh, say, week two. And that's all that really matters, when it comes down to it. I consider myself a true fan of baseball, in that I will go to any game to watch any two teams play. I just love the sport. But the A's, well, that's all I really care about. Last days of the season, when they were 22 games out of first place, I was getting my text message alerts from ESPN after the third, sixth, and ninth inning, and I was invested. Because GOD FORBID the A's lost a worthless game to the Mariners the second to last game of the season!

Even worse, the A's had a game canceled this season because it was so unimportant. The Orioles chose not to make up a rain-out, thus shortening the A's schedule by a game. And no one minded, cause fuck it if the A's don't play a whole schedule. Doesn't matter.

Again. Playoffs are fucking awesome, and I'll watch all the games. However, when you root for a team that hasn't been good in years, there's a lot of pain that comes with "waiting til next year," when you know next year won't be any better.

And I'll be at Spring Training again, next year, too. Because hope springs eternal, even for the Oakland A's.