Ryan Adams and the Beloveds

Is there anything better than a lovely autumn Sunday? It’s still a bit too hot here for October, but that didn’t stop my good day.

I spent the afternoon — the lovely, sunny, warm afternoon — at a neighborhood arts festival a few miles from my ‘hood. The Occasionally Beloved Engineer’s band played early in the afternoon, and I hate missing an opportunity to feed my inner groupie. The OBE’s band played a solid hour of damn good cover tunes — everything from The Clash to The Killers. I should pout, though, since OBE didn’t play an R.E.M. tune for me.

The Occasionally Beloved Engineer jams with his boys.

I also got a chance to hook up (and share a beer) with Scrivener and his daughters (his daughters drank apple juice) at the festival. His girls are lovely and lively, and I enjoy every minute I spend with Scrivener.

The heat and the beer went a bit to my head, but luckily I had just enough time for a late-afternoon nap before my night out.

Is there anything more luxurious than a Sunday afternoon nap?

And that night out was Ryan Adams and The Cardinals at the Fox Theater. Pal Cindee scored some good seats, and we prayed for weeks that we’d score Good Ryan.

We scored.

Ryan performed two sets, for a total of about two hours. He covered much of his catalog — “Sylvia Plath” and “Cold Roses,” “Two” and “Bartering Lines,” “Wild Flowers” and “Let It Ride” — and several more.

I think Ryan likes me. I’ve scored Good Ryan both times I’ve seen him — last night and last summer. Supposedly, Bad Ryan took the stage his second night last summer … because, I’m sure, he knew I wasn’t there.

My favorite song of the night closed out the first set. I went to the show with the most rabid Oasis fan in Atlanta, and the band starts playing the opening notes of “Champagne Supernova.” We’re squealing and jumping up and down — much like Scrivener’s daughters on the playground. But wait … the words aren’t quite right. Ryan and the band teased us with that opening to “I See Monsters.” Excellent!

Ryan didn’t talk much during the first set, but chatted a good bit during the second. He thought the Fox was “a nice joint.” He seemed relaxed and healthy. They didn’t play an encore and received some boos when they didn’t return to the stage — but a check of setlists from this year’s tour showed he isn’t doing encores this year. I would have loved to hear him play “Wonderwall” — but I’m glad he played well.

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