Easy Tiger

Last week I redeemed my bday gift from Puma and Fifi and purchased a ticket to see Ryan Adams live at Zellerbach on Monday Jan 28.

About 1 year ago, I received a surprise package in the mail from my estranged Georgian friend AK containing one cd, one dvd, and a map of Austin. Each item was equally thoughtful, but the cd was the best element. The package contained a little note saying something along the lines of: This album is amazing, I had too pass it on to you. And since AK is my music sensei, I took his comments seriously and gave Ryan Adam's Heartbreaker a thorough listen. I immediately established my music love affair with the album and now, it has become one of those staple cds in my antiquated cd case in which every single track takes me back to last spring/early summer (the period when I listened to it on a daily basis).

Needless to say, it was quite a joy (and slightly nostalgic) to revert to my bluegrass phase for an evening and immerse myself in the "alternative country" that is Ryan Adams for three solid hours. He put on a fantastic show. With back up band The Cardinals, Ryan switched between piano and guitar playing some of my favorite Heartbreaker tracks. I especially enjoyed his brief interlude in which he confessed that Mariah Carey was the inspiration for his album title.

And now, one year after my surprise package, I've come full circle with my appreciation for Mr. Adams