I think I saw Spiritualized!?!?!?

Well, yes, I did in fact. That was just a quasi-clever reference to start off this blog about the November the 17th show at the Phoenix.

And now, the start of the blog.

Here it is!

Now!

For me, Spiritualized is the perfect marriage of melodic arrangement with the unexplainable emotion and genius that comes from the soul. I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear that Spiritualized was coming to town, and that it was an acoustic set with a few gospel singers. Just the perfect combination that I love! The only other perfect environment to see this combination would be at Roy Thompson Hall with a full orchestra!

Last Friday’s show was brilliant, utterly brilliant. Not only were the hits played, but also old tunes that had the dust brushed off like a set of grandpa’s old pipes, that you found after cleaning up for your grandma’s yard sale. You know what I mean? Even a Daniel Johnston tune (http://www.hihowareyou.com/) was covered, much to my surprise and splendor. Except for one individual who felt compelled to yell out, ‘play some real spiritualized tunes!’ That man was booed by say…everyone else that was there!

That event set the audience off on this strange… no, odd…no, peculiar attitude towards the show. There were fanatics, indifferentists(???), average fans and the people who were there that, well, just thought that they should be there. The thing is, every concert/show of any kind always has these people in attendance, however, and it just seemed rather more pronounced at the Phoenix for some reason.

The show itself was nothing less then sublime. From Johnny Spaceman to the Gospel singers to the string quartette, they all seemed to be enjoying the set immensely, as did I. The group wrapped us in rapture, confined our consciousness in the kindest of lullabies and yesterday‘s tragedies, bringing our hearts and souls to the ecstasy of the freeing heart.

We were spiritualized.

I think.