On the Road with The War On Drugs and Concert Vibes

The Anxious Rambler

This episode of The Anxious Rambler podcast focuses on the host’s recent concert experiences seeing The War on Drugs for two nights in Ohio and Kentucky and a solo trip to see My Morning Jacket in Savannah, Georgia.

• The hosts begin by talking about their road trip to Columbus, Ohio, the first stop on their concert adventure. They discuss the enjoyment of driving into a city at night and listening to music and their excitement about the upcoming shows. The host shares that, other than a previous two-night stint with The War on Drugs in Louisville and Indianapolis, this is her first experience attending back-to-back shows by the same band. They also talk about their positive impressions of Columbus and Cleveland.
• The first concert took place at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The host recounts the beauty of the venue, located in a national park, and its history as the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra. They go on to describe The War on Drugs’ setlist, noting standout songs and moments. The setlist included “Oceans of Darkness,” “Pain,” “Ocean in Between the Waves,” “I Don’t Want to Wait,” “Harmonious Dreams,” “Strangest Thing,” “Come to the City,” and “In Reverse.”.
• The host shares a story about reconnecting with a former coworker, Lane, during the show. She describes how she thought she recognized the woman sitting in front of her but couldn't believe it was actually her. They hadn’t seen each other in 16 years. Lane later turned around and told the host she had been talking about her on the way to the show, specifically mentioning how much the host loves The War on Drugs and wishing she had more friends with similar taste in music.
• Next, the hosts talk about the second concert, which was at the Bourbon and Beyond festival in Louisville, Kentucky. The host compliments the festival’s side-by-side stage set-up and voices her distaste for VIP sections at shows. The setlist for this performance was similar to the previous night's but with the addition of "Red Eyes," which was played instead of "Strangest Thing," and the covers "Play It All Night Long" and "Under the Pressure." It started to rain during the last two songs of the set, a phenomenon that the host believes is a regular occurrence at outdoor War on Drugs shows. Due to her enthusiastic dancing and energy, the host is dubbed the "fan MVP" by other concert attendees and even manages to score a copy of the setlist.
• The final part of the episode focuses on the host's recent trip to Savannah, Georgia, where she saw My Morning Jacket with her best friend from home, Shaie. The host describes becoming emotional upon hearing that baseball legend Pete Rose had died just before My Morning Jacket took the stage. Rose, a Cincinnati Reds player and an important figure in the host’s family, had even recorded a Cameo video message for the host's father four years prior. The host shares that she and her friend were then escorted to the front of the stage by an usher just as the lights went down.
• The host goes on to highlight standout moments from the 20-song setlist, which included “Gideon,” a Chris Kristofferson cover, a Nina Simone cover, and an encore consisting of “Golden,” “Off the Record,” and “Dance Floors”. The episode concludes with the host reflecting on the transcendent power of live music and its ability to bring people together and create lasting memories.