{The Posies with Star Anna at the Showbox. Photo by Jason Tang.}

We’ve been through a lot together, The Posies and I. Graduating high school and college, getting married (and then getting divorced), losing and finding myself multiple times, so many drinks I can’t count, and more tears, laughter, pain and happiness than I ever thought was possible when I first popped that freshly unwrapped Failure cassette tape into my boom box.

Through all of it, I’ve caught as many live Posies shows as I could, and each one has been amazing in its own way: from standing so close to the (old) Croc’s speakers that I could literally FEEL the music, to swaying in tandem with an appreciative crowd as Jon & Ken acoustically blew our faces off with their awesome harmonies.

The show Saturday night at The Showbox belongs on the list of the best Posies shows I’ve ever been to. Following a rockin’ set (in which Jon and Ken played) with Brendan Benson (I sadly missed Aqueduct entirely), The Posies took the stage to several enthusiastic cheers—and rightly so.

The new songs blended seamlessly into the mix of fan favorites, with “Plastic Paperbacks” from Blood/Candy leading into “Flavor of the Month”. Guest vocalist Star Anna did a stunning job filling in for Lisa Lobsinger on “Licenses to Hide”, and a slow dance mid-stage by Brendan Benson & his wife during “For the Ashes” gave everyone the warm fuzzies.

I can’t lie, I’m a sucker for the old stuff. So I died a little when they played “Please Return It”, and let out a happy squeal during the first notes of “Golden Blunders”, followed by “Solar Sister”. The encore with “Definite Door” and “Burn & Shine” showcased what I like to call “traditional Posies shred”, ending with all of Jon’s guitar strings plucked out, Ken pounding on the keys, Darius wailing on the drums, and Matt jumping up and down so fast while he strummed his bass that he was almost a blur.

The show was also full of the signature banter Posies fans have always loved: Ken and Jon pondering back and forth into the mic about a completely random thing, inevitably followed by some in jokes, and then a few notes which leads into a familiar 70s song (I can’t recall exactly what it was last night – something from Led Zeppelin? It was glorious, despite my fail).

Ignoring the plethora of drunk Aholes—one of which was standing right by us, antagonized us for a bit, and then yelled, “Shut up and play some music” during the banter, which earned him a bitching out by Ken (Hurrah!), and tagged him as the running joke of the night—the show was just what I wanted it to be: a perfect evening of music from a band I know and love, but that can still surprise me every once in awhile.

In short: Dear Posies, I love you…always. XOXO Amie

SET LIST
Plastic Paperbacks
Flavor of the Month
Please Return It
Sad to Be Aware
Licenses to Hide
So Caroline
Golden Blunders
Solar Sister
The Glitter Prize
For the Ashes
Enewetak
Throwaway
She’s Coming Down Again!
Dream All Day
Terrorized

(Encore)
Definite Door
Burn & Shine
You’re the Beautiful One