Reviews by...
Joe Sweetser
They opened up with 2 new songs....Around the World (?) was the first one. I couldn't really hear/understand the lyrics when I was up close. Johnny hit the stage running and had 2 wailing solos in the song. It was just the beginning. The second song was 7 Days (?), and I think someone may have said they thought the title was Brown Liquor. Then into Teen Angst when the moshing broke out. Understandable. They cooled it down a little with Euro-Trash, but I bailed during the chorus when a guy insisted on using me as his launching pad for some crowd surfing. Soooo, I don't have the rest of the show but songs I remember (in no particular order) are 100 FPM, Big Dipper, Cracker Soul (said they hadn't played this one in a while), a KILLER version of St. Cajetan, I Ride My Bike, Mr. Wrong, Lonesome Johnny Blues, Loser, Pictures of Matchstick Men and others that slip my mind right now. The encore was Sweet Thistle Pie and Low.
Some of you may remember that one of my gripes (if you want to call it that) about the band was that they didn't jam enough. Well, while it certainly wasn't a Panic or Phish show, they did seem to step up and stretch the boundaries a little more last night. I think this was their first show in a month or so and you could tell they were pretty psyched to be playing together. There was no set list and it was cool to watch them discuss which song they were gonna play next.
There's a radio convention in my town this weekend and last night was sorta the first night of it. David mentioned this by saying that all the "civilians" in the crowd knew to clap their hands to show their appreciation after a song. He suggested that all the radio people merely shake their laminates to show their appreciation. Not bad, a dig without really being a dig. Must mean that Mr. Lowery is a professional, after all. :)
The band remains intact from the TGA tour. I stand by my statement that this is the best drummer they've ever had. Bob Rupe was playing well. He seemed to sing a little less than I remember, but I'm not sure about that.
All in all, a most enjoyable evening and I will be paying the price for it all day here at work. But no whining here and I would do it all over again.
later,
joe