So, last night the Dead Trees and Adam Green (supported by DT) opened for The Cribs at Irving Plaza/The Fillmore. Because I love both opening acts so much, they deserve their own post. The above pics are in opposite of chronological order from top to bottom. Dead Trees (now from LA?) started out with early songs "Television" and "Shelter." They played tight, clean Pavementy songs as usual, and I can't say enough about how underrated these guys are! (And sexy... my friend once called lead singer Michael a "fucking cherub," but my heart stops for guitarist/keyboardist/gray tee-shirt wearing skinny dream of a man Matt.) If you can't spring for their excellent album King of Rosa, then d/load their latest Daytrotter set.Now, onto Adam Green. I kind of want to talk about him in the context of Julian Casablancas. My first exposure to AG happened at the Central Park Summerstage show The Strokes did in 2003. Adam opened up, and I was like, who is this freaky, skinny little Jules-Woody-Dave Grohl mix singing like Jim Morisson and dancing like a toddler? And I quickly learned and devoured his at-the-time tiny oeurve. Over the years, Adam has acted as the Hyde to Julian's Jekyll. As Julian's productivity petered out over the decade, Adam's spiraled to new heights (Garfield, Friends of Mine, Gemstones, Jacket Full of Danger, Sixes and Sevens, and the upcoming Minor Love). While Jules and Co. played bigger venues and became recluses in their own right (AHJ has a fucking cabin in the woods, people) Adam Green played free shows at Sidewalk Cafe, opened for pal Ben Kweller @ Southpaw, and made himself generally pretty accessible and friendly in real life (he'll always shake a hand, take a picture, or just smile like a happy little kid) and on the internet (Twitter, his blogge, etc.) And while Julian quit smoking and drinking and generally calmed down his early twenties antics in the favor of better health and family happiness, Adam Green has increasingly increased his increasingly increasified drug-fueled crazy train craziness.
I won't lie. I enjoy a freaktastical AG show just like everyone else (Santos Double Kokomo after his "Just a Friend" duet with Lissy Trullie kicked ass), but last night he kind of scared me a little bit. In the wake of people dropping dead from prescription painkillers and drugs all over this town (Dash Snow, Jay Reatard...???..., Brittany Murphy, Heath Ledger, M.J., etc.) I just want him to take care of himself. Yes, Adam always seems like he's one of the crowd, the joker, the class clown, and semi-in control of himself, but I would absolutely hate to lose him in the long list of (local) celebrity deaths that have plagued such young visionaries (I believe he is one) in our Generation. So I won't say more than that, just take it easy on the coke and what have you, and keep making music for my life. You kick ass, you're so much fun, and I want to see you play for a long, long time.
