Blue October at Stubbs November 2009 (11/20 and 11/21) Pick Up the Phone Tour

The Blue October concerts at Stubb's in Austin Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st were great shows. A month earlier ticket holders got emails and I thought the show (and tour) was going to be cancelled. Lead singer Justin Furstenfeld was struggling with extreme anxiety and hospitalized himself. Blue October was back on stage this weekend and we were glad to see that Justin recovered. I wish him the best and for his continued health.

Blue October's Pick Up the Phone Tour is in support of Suicide Prevention. It is a benefit tour created through the partnership of several organizations. More information can be found on the Pick Up the Phone website.

The opening act for both nights was Girl in a Coma from San Antonio. There's nothing cooler than an all girl rock band, but I didn't come away as a new fan. The band has an identity crisis. In the same song you'll get a bluesy based rock that has some potential and then they'll tear into a hard, thrashing riff that doesn't seem to fit. I appreciate anything different and unique so I give them props for that. They were pretty good musicians and the singer had a unique smoky tone in her voice. The sound mixing for the opening acts aren't usually great and the signing was hard to hear. I couldn't make out the lyrics most of the time.

The first night I got there early and waited in line for two hours before the doors opened. It was a rainy day, but it was worth it. I was able to get near center stage in what would be the 6^th row of people if we had actual seats (Stubb's is general admission standing room only). Justin came out wearing a hood and the band went into HRSA, my favorite Blue October song. Leading with a song about being in a mental hospital given what Justin has been going through is an example of what makes the band's music so engaging. You can feel the emotion and parts of himself that Furstenfeld puts into the lyrics and performance.

The Friday performance was the best I've seen from this band. Justin seemed to be in a mellow mood compared to the times I've seen him before. He was able, as usual, to put the emotion into some songs and the angry edge into the others. This time, however, he stopped between songs to talk to the crowd more than I've seen before. I don't know the man, but you got the feeling he was going after that connection with the audience and opening up more than usual. The crowd obliged and we sang along. Along with HRSA we were treated to another song off the Consent to Treatment album, Balance Beam, which we didn't get to hear on the second night.

The second night I didn't get there until right before the opening act. As you would expect, I wasn't very close to the stage. The upside of being near farther back at Stubb's, however, is that the sound is much better than when you are close to the stage. I'm sure being farther back from the stage helps in any venue, but it is a big difference at this one.

The band was really into the groove in on the second night. Ryan Delahoussaye, violin and keyboards, was everywhere on stage on Saturday and was very into it. I thought C.B. Hudson, guitar, was even better the second night. You get a better appreciation for him and bassist Matt Noveskey on songs like Razorblade. I'm sure it had to do with me not being with all the diehards near the stage, but the crowd didn't seem as rowdy the second night.

I can't see how anybody would have left disappointed on either night. Justin's voice was great both times and the band was on. Excluding the opening act, the sound was better than most shows I've heard at that venue. The people that were there on Friday saw something special, in my opinion. Of the four times I've seen this band live, there was something special about that first night. It is hard to describe, but there was something about it.

I can't remember them all, but here are most of the songs we got to hear: HRSA (first night only), Balance Beam (first night only), Say It, Dirt Room, Been Down, My Never, Should Be Loved, Picking Up The Pieces, Jump Rope, Blue Skies, She's My Ride Home, Into The Ocean, Hate Me, Congratulations, X Amount of Words, Sound Of Pulling Heaven Down, A Quiet Mind, Razorblade, Calling You, and Come in Closer.
Justin mentioned a new album is coming out. I can't wait.