The Last Summer on Earth with Barenaked Ladies

Music takes me places. And I have a history of taking myself to the places where Barenaked Ladies are performing.

I’ve seen them eight times. But I am not a groupie. “Groupies sleep with rockstars because they want to be near someone famous. We are here because of the music, we inspire the music.” (Just call me Penny Lane.)

Barenaked Ladies are my favorite. Tuesday evening was the third year in a row I’ve seen them at Mountain Winery in Saratoga. It was the second annual Last Summer on Earth tour (what with the whole miscalculated apocalypse last October and all…) as the band promoted their new album, Grinning Streaks.

Mountain Winery is an intimate arena – there is really no bad seat in the house. Also there is wine. (We partook in the Pino this year. Seriously good.) There is something to be said about the setting sun while you can truly feel the music playing 10 feet away.

The Canadian rock band are performers. They are musicians. They are showmen. They rock about on stage, performing music with a peppy poppy beat that makes you take a step back when considering the woeful depression that seeps through in the lyrics, despite the wacky rhymes.

(Lead singer, Ed, is also hot.)

And they ENJOY themselves. These boys truly seem to enjoy being out on the road sharing their music. And such fun enthusiasm is contagious – reverberating through the stands – to the long-time die-hard fans who know every single obscure song (and including the entirety of the brand new album that’s been out a week) to the loving husband who’s only heard a couple of the bigger hits but is indulging his crazy wife’s whims (including insisting on singing and dancing along even if she looks like a fool).

Because good music is good. And also, because wine.

Ladies and gentlemen (clothed or not), this is how you do concerts as a grown up.

We arrived early to the venue, winding up the mountain road as green vineyards and a panoramic view replaced the chaos of the city rush hour below. We sat down and had a leisurely dinner and took pictures as the daylight dimmed. Fellow naked lady fans milled about.

Ben Folds Five (a band of three) took the stage first. And four chords later, I was back in high school – the outdoor amphitheater falling away to a teenange angsty cafetorium. (It was not lost on me that Wendy Davis stood in Texas while I sat in row E, seat 35, numbly listening the song Brick.)

Interestingly, they are not performers. They took to the stage. They played. Hard. Ben *abused* the baby grand at center stage. And at the end of their sent, he picked up his stool and hurled it at the Steinway. Well that was new. But, in his defense, he was a pianist and it’s a lot harder to smash a piano like a guitar unless you literally go all Hulk smash.

But the best part was noticing the BNL band members hanging out side stage, just taking it all in. To me, it was a pretty touching moment of solidarity – we’re all just here for the music.

And then it was time. BNL took the stage. They rocked out. Songs from their new album combined with fan favorites. Adlibbed raps and a montage of some of todays top 40 hits. The band sang and played. The audience sang and danced. Have I mentioned they’re my favorite band?

All too soon, my evening was over. We had the fake conclusion, before the musicians returned for the encore performance. I gotta say – major props for the encore song choice. “Alcohol” performed at Mountain Winery.

Obviously, when I took the boys to school this morning, we had Snacktime playing in the car – BNL’s children’s album. Because, priorities. And no matter how old you are, that album’s hilarious.

Here’s to another trip around the sun and another summer to celebrate. BNL, I hope to see you in 2014. Let’s make this a thing, because odds are we’re gonna be all right.