Saturday night I kicked off another year of concerts. And there's no better way to kick things off than with a Clarks show. If memory serves correctly, this is the 13th time I've seen these guys, so I was starting the new year in familiar territory.

The show was at Seven Springs Ski Resort in their main conference hall. (Think your run-of-the-mill banquet hall and you've got a good picture of the venue.) Not ideal (the AC didn't have a fighting chance at keeping up), but intimate, which is always a plus.

It's always good to have a hometown opener for a hometown band and Grapevine fit the bill nicely. I quite honestly can't remember if I've seen them before, but I did enjoy their set. Their straight-forward, no-frills rock is the perfect thing to warm up the crowd without upstaging the headliner.

But really, everybody was there to see the Clarks. The reason why these guys inspire such devotion from fans isn't just their catchy hooks, I think the underdog factor also comes into play. After something like 15 years together, still touring full time doing small-venue shows, these guys give "street cred" a whole new meaning. Heck, even I have to admit that as much as I'd like to see them succeed in getting a hit after all that work, my devotion would likely dwindle a little if they hit it big. I'd probably have to go find myself a new underdog to root for.

Anyway, the concert, of course, was a blast. And why shouldn't it be? After 15 years on the road, if there's one thing these guys know, it's how to put on a live show. The setlist was good, a nice variety of new and old, although I must admit that I miss hearing more of the older stuff like "Stop!" and "Apartment Song." I did, however get to hear "Courtney" for the first time in, I'd say, three or four years. Total surprise. There was also a few tracks from the new album coming out this spring. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were a little heavier and more rock-oriented than what they have released in recent history. Can't wait to check out the album. Highlight? Boy, that's tough. But I'd have to say that it was great to hear their cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On"...or "Cigarette", arguably the best lyrics in their catalog. Second place: Lead singer Scott Blasey getting hit in the nuts by a penny flung on stage by a zealous fan as the band was launching into "Penny on the Floor." Worst part: the two hooched-out 50-year-olds in front of us trying to hit on the early twentysomething lead singer of Grapevine. Ew.

Next concert on the schedule? Bright Eyes.