concert | Apothecary Shed

Austin City Limits and Billy Strings

December 25, 2025

gem concert, travel all of tomorrow, austin, austin city limits, billy strings, bluegrass, cabin song, concert, katy daly, little maggie, shady grove, slow train, way downtown 1 Comment

Austin City Limits clinched the deal.

Lots of old school bluegrass. Ironically the standup bass was “unplugged” into an electric bass. The venue…yea please.

It all starts with fiddle.

Robyn Hitchcock Gets Small

November 22, 2025

gem concert, humor, music bad rye, concert, cyn, dear prudence, I want to destroy you, laibach, lewis, life is life, live musi, madonna of the wasps, oceanside, pink floyd, robyn, robyn hitchcock, rye, see emilly play, so you think you're in love, the atlantis, the beatles Leave a comment

All of these people are getting smaller. Remember how small David Byrne was? Well Robyn is getting just as small.

Actually it looks like Robyn is lots bigger than David.

I guess our thesis is just wrong. Right?

Emma opened.

Then came Robyn.

Madonna of the Wasps

So You Think You’re in Love

Oceanside

The band was tight. Those Nashville people. They just don’t loosen up.

Almost Loose But Not Quite

Lewis and I got loose with the help of some very bad Rye. Why don’t these music venues sell booze that is good? Seriously. We’re 60 now and we will pay.

When we get loose we dance and sing. About which, if you don’t like our singing then come shoot your own dang videos!

I Want to Destroy You

For some reason, this made us utter, “Life is Life,” which in turn caused Lewis to think of this. We have no idea what you will think about that. We pause now for a slight Laibach break.

And we’re back with more Robyn content.

Oh no wait…this just in. This is actually Pink Floyd content. I love this song and all ancient Floyd of Yore.

See Emilly Play

Turns out Robyn can play anyone’s song!

Dear Prucence

We had a great time even if we did not get to have a 9:30 cupcake or sit in the bad view stool seats.

All 4 1 and 1 4 all.

Finally, a word from our sponsor.

Billy Strings in Pittsburgh

November 12, 2025

gem concert, music, photography bear, billy strings, bluegrass, concert, jam band, live music, love like me, pittsburgh, psycho, richard petty, seney stretch, stratosphere blues, wait a minute 1 Comment

We had a great time the first time we went to a Billy Strings show, but we had an even more fun time when we went again. Our fearless leader was Betty. She knows not only the Billy Strings touring family, but also the ropes and the behind the scenes lore. We have learned by now that if you are going to go to Billy Strings, go with Betty.

We drove up Friday just in the nick of time to get stuck in rainy day Pittsburgh rush hour traffic on our way to the Monaco. Betty encouraged us to get to the show when the gates opened so we could get a good spot in the pit (which of course required having pit tickets), so we had a quick bite at the hotel and walked over to the show.

Friday show

We’ll kick things off with pictures and videos of the Friday show (which later you can compare with the Saturday show posted below).

We were close enough to the stage to have a fantastic view of the band.

The crowd was enthusiastic and lots of fun. We only had minor issues with a gaggle of drunk hippie chicks who invaded our space. By and large the crowd controls itself really well and people have a great time together. (This is especially true of the special area at the very front of the pit where Billy stations himself.)

Billy is the best flat picker on the planet.

Lots of jam
.

Did we mention the jam?
.

Stratosphere Blues
.

Seney Stretch
.

Just before halftime we went for some tequila and changed locations.

Soundboard

Richard Petty
.

The Billy community gathered for a post-concert photo (this apparently happens after every show). Betty is in here somewhere.

Saturday show

Saturday morning, our intrepid leader got up early to secure super double plus good bands for us to get into the show with the first 100 people. Our place in the pit was even more incredible as a result. We are so grateful to just ride along. What a treat.

In the mid-afternoon after some art, we returned to the Monaco at a perfect time. We spotted Billy and his dog Bear in the lobby and went over to pat the dog. As we rode the elevetor together, Romey talked about Maybelline while loving on Bear. It was a sweet moment.

We had a really fun time being 95 and 96 and goofing around with the others. This all meant we were on the floor just after 6 securing our location and meeting our neighbors. Betty knows everybody.

Razzle dazzle is required in this section of the pit. Caturday? (Or “pigturday” if you are wearing a Pink Floyd concert tee from the Animals tour.)

There was no goofing off.

This fella has been to 333 Billy shows.

Ring bling.

This was the view. Dang.

Love Like Me
.

There was some jam
.

We were in charge of tequila procurement. That’s something we are mighty good at.

Bass solo
.

Psycho (Jack Kittel)
.

One of my favorite pictures from the show.

Billy deep in the moment.

Billy played some excellent old timey bluegrass.

Wait a Minute (Seldom Scene)
.

Outstanding in all respects. We had even more fun Saturday than the other two shows we’ve attended. Betty must be on to something.

YES at the Warner Theater in 2025

October 16, 2025

gem concert, music, photography concert, music, Roundabout, South Side of the Sky, video, VIP, warner theater, We Have Heaven, Wondrous Stories, yes Leave a comment

Yes they were phenomenal. Yes their songs are interesting. Yes they have a very high cheese factor. Yes we still love them.

Yes, Steve Howe is 78 years old. And he’s starting to slow down.

Here’s what I said to Gina about the whole thing:
Amazing and awful. The younguns in the rhythm section (Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen) are astounding (and Jon Davison too). But Steve Howe and Geoff Downes have lost the edge and can’t find the groove. So it was both magical to see the songs we love actually performed, and also frustrating to feel the train car push and pull of a busted machine.

Lots of love on the stage though. And you have to be forgiving of a 78 year old stunt guitarist.

FWIW, the audience was definitely in worse shape than the band. A bunch of creaking hippies and OG dungeonmasters. But it was Yes, and that was a thing. The Warner Theater is almost a good place to see a show (VIP treatment is still not very V).

Regardless of all that. These songs stand the test of time. Wow.

Wondrous Stories

Roundabout

We Have Heaven

South Side of the Sky

And holy shit this bass.

Heart of the Sunrise

—-

A Beatles Cover? LOL

Starship Trooper

Who is this guy? The Church of David Byrne

October 15, 2025

gem concert, dance, music boston, Burning Down the House, concert, David Byrne, Everybody's Coming to My House, his Must Be the Place (Naive Melody), Life During Wartime, live music, Once in a Lifetime, Slippery People, video, Wang Theater, Who is the sky? 1 Comment

It was Boston. It was Wang. It was not Wang Chung.

Little David.

Big David.

Playing in a Church.

.
OK. OK. It wasn’t a church and it didn’t burn down. But boy was there dancing. Our whole balcony bounced…especially during the Talking Heads covers.

Maybe it was a church.

With naked people.

And very small performers way down there.

Floating up above the suburbs.

Running

Into the 1970s Rock and Roll gestalt

Anyway, hallelujah

The visuals were astounding. And the hits were hits. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

.
Things were white

And way down there

Little ants

Singing songs about Slippery People.

.
No wait, it’s New York. And we’re all in David’s apartment. I wish we were invited in.

Life During Wartime involves some kind of ice skating simulation

.
This is the sort of thing you only experience Once in a Lifetime.

.
Wait. Once in a Lifetime twice? What’s going on here.

.
I guess we were invited after all. Everybody’s Coming to My House he said.

.
And then it all came to a flaming end Burning Down the House.

.
Goodbye band.

Goodbye very small David.

Esperanza Spalding in Brazil

September 22, 2025

gem art, concert, travel audio, brazil, christian, concert, esperanza spalding, fabio, live music, romey, São Paulo, shotgun app, travel 1 Comment

When we were looking for a concert to attend Saturday night in the São Paulo Spring, we were surprised by the pickings. Not much going on even though the city is huge. A conversation in Brazil with a young show producer told the tale of why, the gist of it being that a post COVID explosion of creativity is drawing to a close and the performers are exhausted. But the constraints led us directly to an exceptional treat—Esperanza Spalding in Brazil.

Magical.

We did require some help from our new friend Christian (a USP fresh out Ph.D.) who was able to use the local shotgun app to get tickets. I tried that earlier from the US with no luck since the app required a Brazilian citizen ID number.

In a small world phenomenon, we ran into Fabio Kon and his wife while waiting in line to get into the venue.

It was nice to spend some time with the locals. LOL. Here are some pictures and videos of the show.

There was some waiting around to do from 8pm to 10pm, but it was all worth it.

We were, in fact, in Brazil…as you can hear.

A commentary in AI and jazz. Computer speed and human speed compared.

When we got back to the rosewood after the show, we had a late night snack at 1:30am.

The Riverside Parlor Series (aka the Castleman Concerts) Kicks Off

August 22, 2025

gem art, music Adam Foster, Barbara O'Brien, classical music, concert, eighth blackbird, fine lines, flute, live music, Nathalie Joachim, piano, poulenc, recording, Riverside Parlor Series, Rodrigo Ojeda, sonata Leave a comment

How cool is this? Across the street in the middle of nowhere (in the main house of the 311 acre farm over there) there’s a new concert series budding. So incredible to have world class musicians perform just up the hill! Don’t tell anyone that we drove over both times since it was 94 degrees outside.

The Riverside Parlor Series is a dream of Barbara and Adam’s involving the beautifully renovated River House. The house has only had four owners since 1790.

We went to both performances, the first flute and piano and the second, two flutes.

The music was excellent.

Friday 8.15: Barbara O’Brien and Rodrigo Ojeda

Your host Adam Foster.

I particularly love the Poulenc. Here is an unretouched rough recording.

—
The piano plays the Moonlight Sonata by itself.

—

Sunday 8.17: Barbara O’Brien and Julie McGough

Fine Lines was composed by a then 9 year old Natalie Joachim (and honestly you can kind of discern that) who later became a member of Eighth Blackbird

We are looking forward to the next Castleman Concert.

I’m With Her at Wolf Trap

August 2, 2025

gem film, music, photography band, concert, dc, Game to Lose, i'm with her, live music, Only Daughter, opening act, Virginia, Wild and Clear and Blue, wolf trap Leave a comment

Opening for Iron and Wine, I’m With Her pretty much outshone the headline act. Such excellent musicianship. In our view, they deserve an entry of their own. So here you go.

Game to Lose

Only Daughter

Wild and Clear and Blue

As per usual, we started the evening with a picnic.

This time we sat way up front.

Billy Strings from the Pit

April 18, 2025

gem music billy strings, charlottesville, concert, live music 2 Comments

So ya thought ya
Might like to go to the show?
To feel the warm thrill of confusion
That space cadet glow

Our friend Betty loves loves loves Billy Strings. She has been to a bajillion shows and seems to know all the regulars by name. We went to our first Billy Strings show with her. That was a good call.

First thing we did was sneak into the Pit by shoulder surfing and looking confident. No problem. We even worked over to the fiddle side. Everyone was nice for the most part.

We moved out of the pit to our seats after a bunch of songs. We bought merch.

We also had some excellent seats arranged by Scott (thanks Scott).

Things got trippy.

All in all an excellent show. Will see again…

Sigur Ros will Change your Soul

September 26, 2024

gem concert, music 8, anthem, art, concert, dc, hoppipolla, iceland, live music, music, original music, photography, sigur ros, stralafur, untitled 1, untitled 5, video, washington dc 2 Comments

Ethereal. Scandanavian. As deep as the ocean. You can get all of those things without seeing Sigur Ros live, but when you do. Just wow.

We started our evening this time at The Grill on the wharf. Of the three restaurants we’ve been too lately, it is the best. That’s not saying that much though. Hanks Oyster bar needs work. La Vida is workaday. And The Grill? One notch over workaday. This is what happens when good restaurants are “suburbanized” for new development. Alas.

But really who cares when there is a band in from Iceland? With an orchestra.

The anthem was dressed for a concert with seating everywhere.

The show was out of this world. Well more like it was of this world in a different cultural context. We need more feels like this in the modern American experience.