Birchmere, Neil Diamond
Well I am surprised. Surprised and delighted I tell you. A nice big crowd at last night’s Birchmere show with Paul and Storm, thanks in no small part to the Washington Post Express piece linked in the last post and the Washington Times piece and not one but TWO television appearances on FOX and CBS. I think the video from PAX certainly helped too, along with a large amount of general blog buzz stemming from same. ANYWAY: there were over 400 people there, which was not a sellout, but it was close. And it was certainly a new record for me (if you don’t count the 5,000 at PAX, many of whom were probably not there for the sole reason of seeing me). Many stuffed animals thrown, gummi brains eaten, and Neil Diamond songs played (well, one). Thank you everyone for a very fun night.
If I haven’t already said it, Paul and Storm’s new CD “Gumbo Pants” sounds great, and is now officially on sale – many happy Paul and Storm fans walked away with shiny new copies they bought last night, and are probably having more fun than you are right now because they are listening to it. You know what to do.
And now I’m laying over in Chicago on my way to Seattle, after a very early wake-up and some frantic driving around looking for a gas station at 4:30 in the morning. Next stop Bumbershoot – hopefully by my show this afternoon I will be awake, but I can’t really promise anything.
Comments
Gina says
I've yet to come off my high from last night. What a wonderful, fun, amazing time. Inexplicably, especially when you and we all did Sweet Caroline. Thank you!
Gina, of the monkey pony monster with equisite stitching
Jen says
Many stuffed animals thrown. Little frightening if you're sitting near the stage; it must be really scary if you're actually onstage.
Is the stuffed-animal-toss unique to Virginia concerts?
Gina says
Here's the FOX news clip: http://tinyurl.com/2na92w
Here's the closest thing to the CBS story I could find, no clip:
http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=62391
Zac says
I have to know what Neil Diamond song was played.
Lehi says
FANTASTIC SHOW! If you hear of anyone who has a bootleg copy of Sweet Caroline, or Paul and Storm actually doing Freebird, you MUST share! :-)
Thanks for the great time last night, and we're listening to Gumbo Pants right now... You and P&S make a fantastic team!
Andrew says
The Birchmere was a terrific show! I was especially thrilled that you did "Mandelbrot Set" -- I wondered if it might be a little too "niche" even for a Coulton crowd, but it worked just fine. Extra-special thanks for that. And I think the Octopus song worked just fine, too.
Mark says
I was the guy who shouted out "Freebird" to Paul & Storm, and who yelled "first of May" at the beginning of your show (when you were talking about new songs and did "Octopus"), and shouted out the "Sweet Caroline" request, and who also pointed out my friends who came all the way from Ankara, Turkey. Thanks for a great show as always! :-)
Obviously a lot of new people in the crowd, based on faces I've never seen at Jammin' Java, and who didn't know how to deal with the Birchmere's ticketing line.
ps - your database is down again, around 5pm EDT Saturday.
Isaac says
Wow, what a show. My 15 year old brain fizzled out. Great show, and tell Paul and Storm they've just gotten a new fan.
Isaac
Kerrin says
That concert was so good. I had extreamly high expectations, and they were exceeded by so mauch, I can't even start to explaine at the moment.
Matt says
Thank you for a wonderful time last night. My party of 4 went in with a deep appreciation for all things Coulton, and you still blew us away, and Paul & Storm picked up a set of new fans as well. I was very impressed with your impromptu Sweet Caroline, and surprised that you read my friend's bachelor party note (or my 05/01 squirrel) on stage. Anyway, it was a great double date, thank you again, and we'll see you at the bachelor party in Las Vegas.
Jana says
When I heard about your Birchmere performance, I was annoyed because I'd been trying to make it to one of your concerts for about a year, and I left DC yesterday afternoon, a couple hours before the concert. And then I remembered that I was leaving DC to come to Seattle to go to Bumbershoot. And then I felt silly. Great show today! Way too short, though :(
Tom says
Thanks for the great performance at The Birchmere, one of the better shows I have been to in a while. The bachelor dedication was greatly appreciated, and it definately helped convert my fiance despite her deep-seeded loathing for all things zombie-related. Paul & Storm were also amazing.
As far as Vegas goes, my terms are negotiable. Enjoy Bumbershoot.
Alex says
I pulled up the myFoxDC clip and was listening to "Baby Got Back" when my six year old daughter came up next to me and laid her head on my shoulder and listened along. Such a touching scene... :)
Chase says
Thanks again JoCo for a brilliant concert in the north of Virginia. Octopus and Sweet Caroline were amazing.
Re: the stuffed animal throwing -- it's always supposed to happen at some unified point, but that dissolves rather quickly. After Octopus, a number of people threw animals of all types on the stage. After that, JoCo played I Crush Everything, and then remarked that one of the animals was most definitely not an octopus. Since I had a squid, I felt the need to chuck it then. :)
Hemisphire says
Hey, does anyone remember the encore? I had to leave early with a case of sleepywife. Here's the rest of the set (and no one recorded - the Birchmere's pretty strict about that).
1. The Future Soon
2. Better
3. Mr. Fancy Pants ->
4. Shop Vac
5. Octopus
6. I Crush Everything
7. Skullcrusher Mountain
8. Tom Cruise Crazy (with Paul and Storm)
9. Baby Got Back (with Paul and Storm)
10. Code Monkey (with Paul and Storm)
11. Creepy Doll (with Paul and Storm)
12. Sweet Caroline (with Paul and Storm)
13. I Feel Fantastic (with Paul and Storm)
14. Re Your Brains
15. Mandelbrot Set
Bry says
For his first encore, JC had Kerrin (who'd come all the way from Cambridge, UK, to attend the concert) name any song he'd like to hear, which ended up being "Ikea." The second encore was "First of May," with JoCo and P&S.
Adam says
Awesome show at the Birchmere. Well worth the drive up from NC. Paul and Storm were awesome too. Bought all 3 CDs at the show. They have yet another new fan after their show last night.
We'd love to see you guys down in Raleigh/Durham. Thanks for a GREAT night.
Nate says
The show was totally awesome, my girlfriend and I had a great time, as did our friends. We were the second to last ones in the line for autographs and stuff, and thanks for the picture!
The "Sweet Caroline" singalong was awesome, and Paul and Storm's version of Freebird was probably the best I've heard. Heh. Really wish we'd been able to record any of it.
Also, where'd you get the "The Internet is Awesome!" shirt?
Seneschal says
Gold star to Gina for finding those links to Fox and CBS.
Colton singing Sweet Caroline?! That is one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard. Hope you play that song in Somerville... Sweet Caroline is a Boston staple, it gets played at every Red Sox game.
So good, so good, so good!
Evdor says
I just wanna say as one of the many concert-goers for PAX.
I might not have went to the concert just for you, but you stole that damn show.
You were awesome at PAX, don't sell yourself short.
Mike says
Went to the Birchmere Friday night, then got up too early Saturday to fly to Chicago. Was well worth it. One of the best shows yet.
Marc says
That was an amazing show. I wasn't sure what to expect as I have been a slight fan for awhile (I mean, not even on the mailing list). In fact, my friend told me about the show day of. The combination of your show with Paul and Storm was the perfect antidote to a stressful week. Thank you so much for being awesome!
(Sweet Caroline was the cherry on top.... wow!)
kate217 says
...and as usual, I'm a day late and a dollar short. I didn't know about you until 10 days after you were here. *sigh* Next time...
Gina says
Here's a nice review of the concert.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/09/03/153615.php