Twelve dates of Christmas: On our third date of Christmas...

... we saw Guster at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. 

I fell in love with Guster when I fell in love with Brian, so the band holds an extra special place in my heart. Brian and I have seen them about a dozen times together and we are not planning on stopping anytime soon! We took Emily along and she had a blast. Her first Guster concert was one of our 12 dates of Christmas back in 2013! What bands would you see perform again and again? 

Twelve dates of Christmas: On our second date of Christmas...

... we saw Guster perform the album Keep It Together in its entirety at the Beacon Theater. It was Emily's first rock concert and we could not be more excited that she is now hooked on Guster!

Ben Kweller opened up the show, which was an added bonus. I fell in love with his album Sha Sha the year I moved to New York City (how has it already been ten years?!) and those songs always bring me right back to that exciting time in my life.

After Kweller's 30-minute set, Guster came on and the theater erupted in applause! It was obvious the entire Beacon Theater was full of diehard Guster fans. The crowd sang along to each and every song in their 2-hour set. Keep It Together is my favorite Guster album, so I was incredibly happy we were able to get tickets for the Saturday night show.

Our second date of Christmas might end up being my favorite of the 12 this year; it was such a fun night out as a family of three!

And just when I thought I couldn't love Guster any more... they released a new free album yesterday! Click here to download the 10-track album recorded with the Redacted Symphony. Enjoy!

Celebrate.

It is no secret that Brian and I love Guster and rarely pass up a chance to see them in or around New York City. We had front row seats to their concert at Celebrate Brooklyn a couple weeks ago, and loved every single second they were on stage. Go Guster!

See all of our other Guster concerts here.

Our favorite.

For my birthday this year, Brian gave me the best present a girl could ask for- tickets to an acoustic Guster concert with an accompanying strings section. Dream come true! This was our seventh Guster concert, and we couldn't wait for our date night out.

Sam Cohen, of the Brooklyn-base band Yellowbirds, opened the show. I loved him! I immediately purchased songs from his new album, The Color, following the show. After his performance, the stage was reset for our favorite band. Guster played for two hours, taking requests from the audience during the show and playing many of my favorites, included Two Points For Honesty and Either Way.

 

The guys concluded the show with an unplugged version of Jesus on the Radio. We left The Capital Theater in Port Chester happy and eager for our next Guster concert. I can't wait until they announce their upcoming tour!

Acoustic set + strings section = perfection.

If couples were defined by a band, mine and Brian's would be Guster.  Over the past two years, we have had several concert dates up and down the east coast to see them perform (see all of our Guster concert posts here). Last Thursday, we excitedly hopped in our rental car and drove to Tarrytown, NY for a very special night with Guster at the historic Tarrytown Music Hall. After watching Jeff Garlin (hilarious) open the show, the band kicked off their set with one of my favorite songs, Backyard. And then they proceeded to play so many more of my favorite over the next two and a half hours. 

Seeing one of my favorite bands perform an extra long set with a strings section was a dream come true. I actually cried during one of the songs... like full on cried. And seeing it with Brian made it even better. Guster, thank you for being so wonderful. Thank you for being our band.

Oh, we are so in love.

Brian and I are so in love with Guster. We have seen them in concert several times over the past year (we saw them here and here and here and here), and every time we leave a show we are both repeatedly saying, That was the best show. I think that was the best they have ever sounded. Every show is the best show. And last Saturday was no exception.

A few months ago, we found out that Guster was playing a two-day show with Brett Dennen in Montclair, NJ over Thanksgiving weekend. We looked at our schedules and decided that we probably wouldn't be able to make it. Then, a few weeks ago I got a text from Brian on my way to train with him at the gym. He said that he had some exciting news to tell me. I assumed that he got a new client or made some changes on his website, and was eager to hear all about it. When I arrived at the gym, I met Brian and asked him about his news. As soon as I heard the words, We are going to see Guster and Brett Dennen, I shrieked. And then I clapped and jumped up and down. I was over the moon excited.

Brian, his nephew DJ, and I arrived in Montclair a few hours before the concert and ate dinner at Elevation Burger. We got to the Wellmont as soon as the doors opened and staked out the perfect spot right behind the sound guys. We were a step above floor level and had a perfect view of the stage. We also had a direct view of the song lists, which made me even more excited for what was to come.

Brett and his band were great, and I loved watching him do his signature dance moves throughout his set. By the time he sang Sydney, I'll Come Running, I was singing and dancing right there with him. And I have to say, my moves are just as awkward and awesome as his.

Guster played songs from all of their albums, and we belted out every word during their two hour set (well, Brian sang every word... I might have made up a few...). And I swear, I think it really was the best they ever sounded.

4, 3, 2, 1, went out the barrel of a gun. 

Start to finish, it was a phenomenal show.

After their encore, both Brett Dennen and the guys from Guster came back out for one more song. The lights were dimmed, guitars and mics were unplugged, and they played Jesus on the Radio. It was the perfect conclusion to a perfect concert.

We will never forget our night at the Wellmont with Guster and Brett Dennen.

Do you love me? Why, Guster, yes we do.

Last night, Brian and I were once again reunited with our favorite band, Guster. (Over the past year, we also saw them here and here and here.) We had been eagerly awaiting their concert all summer long, which was part of Central Park's Summer Stage program.

The forecast said there was a chance of thunderstorms, but the dark clouds blew by without more than a few drops of rain. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Shoes were kicked off, blankets were spread out, and sandwiches were enjoyed as we listened to the first band, Boy & Bear. I loved them.

Then came the official opening act, Jack's Mannequin. They played for about an hour and were awesome!

As the sun set and the moon peeked out from around the trees, Guster took the stage. And they were amazing. I danced my heart out and belted the lyrics to every song. My singing voice is not good, I still make up some of the words to songs regardless of how many times I have heard them, and my dancing skills resemble those of an elderly woman at a wedding (you know who I'm talking about), but none of that mattered. It was wonderful. And the best part was Brian was right there with me.

Ryan's disco ball get-up was far more advanced than when we last saw it in Boston back in May. It was quite comical to watch him try to fit his microphone into the small opening on the front of it and blindly dance around as he sang. We dug it.

It was an amazing New York City summer night. Thank you Guster and Jack's Mannequin for an amazing show.