Some things I learned in Amsterdam over the past week:

The Duo kicks the musical asses of all those other bands (and I have a feeling that Joe Russo was trying to kick some not-so-metaphorical ass backstage too). They were the musical highlight of the week, always creative, super-groovy, funny as hell, and brilliant beyond belief. I bitch about hearing “Becky” for the 43rd time, and then still boogie like a madwoman when they play it. The spontaneous “super jam” with Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Bobby Previte (!), and Charlie Hunter (!!) was gorgeous, fun, and completely unexpected. They’re gifted, gifted boys and are doing nothing but good stuff. I sincerely wish I could catch them with Mike this summer.

I will never, EVER be able to pronounce anything in Dutch. I know that straat is street, and that gracht is canal, and that kerk is church, and that plein is place, but I will never be able to say “Reguliersgracht” or “Nieuve Spiegelstraat” (at least not with a straight face). And “D'Vijff Vlieghen?” HELL no.

Umphrey’s does not melt my face. Their music is creative and challenging but it just does not resonate. Mike and I speculated all weekend as to why we just can’t get into them, but have no concrete answers: they’re too Midwestern, too laddish, too scripted, TOO tight, trying too hard…something. And their fans are nuts…walking into the bathroom between shows on the first night, I commented to a girl walking out that I don’t think I’d ever been in an empty womens’ room during a show before and she turned and yelled (yes, yelled!) at me “That’s ‘cause Umphrey’s are getting ready to melt everyone’s FACES off!” Um…OK. Thanks, sweetie.

And speaking of Umphrey’s, I miss Tea Leaf Green. Michael summed it up perfectly: on paper, Umphrey’s sounds perfect and TLG sounds lame. In person, Umphrey’s falls flat and TLG is dazzling. They play their first true headlining gig at the Fillmore in two weeks. Go boys go!!

Something about the making of Heineken beer, though honestly I can’t really remember much of the tour because I was too busy fucking around in the DJ room pretending I was Orbital. Why they had a DJ room at the Heineken brewery, I can’t tell you.

The Paradiso is easily the coolest (and prettiest!) indoor venue I’ve ever been to. (The Melkweg wasn’t half-bad either.) The acoustics sucked during the second set, though.

The Disco Biscuits are actually pretty groovy. I enjoyed their sets a lot more than I expected. They’re in great command of their audience – it doesn’t feel like a frat-boy free-for-all (see above, Umphrey’s), yet it’s still a total blast. I see an all night High Sierra dance party in my future. (Also, “Disco Biscuit” is fun to say.)

The Black Crowes are a REAL rock band. Damn, these guys can play.

Thanks to Kevin Quinn on JamBase for the photo of Joe and Brendan and Kark on TLG for the one of Josh