No, really.

Reason One: Ted Leo & the Pharmacists

Ted Leo’s performance last night was the best, best, best way to end one of the best Bumbershoots I’ve been to in a long time. The band was having more fun than I’ve ever seen them have (which is a big statement, they’re always having fun on stage and I’ve seen ‘em tons of times). But they agreed that the vibes were unusually good. “This is the funnest show we’ve played in a long time, wouldn’t you agree?” asked Leo to his bandmates. “More fun, would that be gramatically correct?”

Everyone, of course, cheered and danced even harder as they then exploded into “Little Dawn.” During the long, monotonous “It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright,” breakdown, Leo gave a little love to Daft Punk. “One more time… one more time… we gonna celebrate… music’s got me feelin’ free….”

A few weeks ago Dave Lerner, long-time Pharmacist, left the band, so I was anxious to see who would be playing bass for the band. Turns out, it’s a dude name Jason. Jason is a skinnier (if you can believe it), younger, and sassier version of Mr. Leo himself (someone told me they’re related? I wouldn’t be surprised.), and his presence (and fight for attention) brought out a really playful side of Leo—there was more goofy stage banter, threats of “shred offs,” and huge guitar sounds rounded out by James Canty on second guitar. And of course Chris Wilson’s drumming was fantastic and on point. As always.

Everything was so cohesive and tight and it came to a head during the last song. The band fucking killed their huge and raucous cover of Cumbawumba’s “Rappaport’s Testament.” For many minutes the crowd hollered along with the band—“I never gave up! I never gave up! I crawled through the mud, but I never gave up!” Leo ended up at the edge of the crowd, face to face with the fans, screaming along into the mic with everyone who surrounded him. He had the biggest grin on his face.

After the Pharmacists left the stage, the audience was refusing to go home. They begged for more and Leo obliged—he came out, thanked everyone one last time, and then did a killer solo version of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” which had everyone in the crowd doing the goofy skippy dance moves made famous by Courtney Cox.

Then the lightning started flashing in the distance, and minutes later, the rain started coming down.

Best Ted Leo show ever.

(A sweaty, happy Ted Leo with local band and biggest Ted Leo fans ever, Speaker Speaker.)

Reasons two, three, four, five and however many more I end up writing are coming soon…