Magpie and the Dandelion

One of my absolute favorite bands (I lovelovelove them), The Avett Brothers, have a new album out today and I'm so very excited! It's called "Magpie and the Dandelion." (Go get it now!) Even though it's been streaming on NPR for about a week I haven't listened to it because I like to wait until album release days, when I finally get my copy (or if it doesn't come in the mail I finally listen to the streaming). I almost gave in yesterday but managed to hold out.

I honestly cannot tell you how much I love this band. The last few years I have been to a lot of great gigs but the best gig I have ever been to was the Avett Brothers, here at Bing Crosby Theater, on 20 July 2010. The perfect-sized venue. The perfect seats (floor, 3rd row, center). A enthusiastic crowd. And the band had as much, if not more, energy at the end of the encore as they did at the beginning of the evening. We were all on our feet dancing, listening, and singing the entire time. My sister hadn't listened to them at all before the show and even she was enthralled.

I have seen them two more times since that show, once at the Gorge Amphitheater in August 2012 and then this August at the Festival at Sandpoint when my cousin texted me that she had two free tickets to their show. My sister and I raced up to Sandpoint and arrived 15 minutes before their set. It was a little miracle, thank you, God.

It is a blessing that we will be seeing them again this Saturday, 5 minutes away from home. This week might as well be called "Avett Brothers Week" for me. I'm almost giddy with delight over the new album AND seeing them live again.

Obviously one can't really know "famous" people unless one knows them but from all I have seen and read the Avett Brothers are wonderful, good men who happen to be Christians. They always seem to be doing some charity thing. Bassist Bob Crawford's two year old daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer and hearing about how they have all reacted to this speaks to what sort of men they are. You only have to listen to the lyrics of their songs to know that. Most of the time they speak of the things we all deal with in life, relationships, mortality, expectations, the words we choose to use, love, hate, hope, everything, in such an intelligent and thought provoking manner. I find them to be a great blessing in my life.

The encore at that first gig was my favorite song, "Laundry Room." They have performed it at every show I have been to and this video almost conveys the enthusiasm and energy. How often do you hear a song these days which says "keep your clothes on"?

Happy listening!