Grandaddy 08/12/12 The Independent, SF

[El Dingo]

So I got the super-secret passwoid to buy tickets to this show from the Jason Lytle (Grandaddy lead singer) forums.

I did not look closely at the start time. Apparently concerts are allowed to start at 10pm on Sunday nights. They even open their doors late and have opening bands (Cavman).

We're not talking college indie bands with a following of 20-somethings who do not have to work in the morning. Grandaddy's youngest member is 38 and they have been around for 20 years. The lead singer even said "Who the fuck goes to a show at 11:30? Apparently you guys..."

That being said, Grandaddy was amazing. They opened with "El Caminos in the West" and continued to play a loud, scorching set of prog-punk anthems.

The show was sold out and seemed to really boost the morale of a band that broke up six years ago. Their only U.S. dates are Outside Lands, Big Basin, Hollywood and The Independent. The rest of the tour is in Europe - go figure.

Anyway, we got home at 2AM, just 2 hours before the time I usually get up to play video games before I go to work. Best show of the year (for me).