November 20, 1998 -

Reviews by...
Jason B.
Jason S.
Pat

I saw the band tonight at Metro in Chicago. They rocked! (That's always the first line of any good concert review I write...)

The setlist included these songs, and in an order pretty close to this one:

 Big Dipper 
 
 Been Around the World 
 
 Seven Days 
 
 Eurotrash Girl 
 
 Lonesome Johnny Blues 
 
 The Good Life 
 
 Mr. Wrong 
 
 Pictures of Matchstick Men 
 
 Teen Angst 
 
 Wedding Day 
 
 This Is Cracker Soul 
 
 100 Flower Power Maximum 
 
 I Want Out of the Circus 
 
 Sweet Thistle Pie 
 
 The World Is Mine 
 
 Low 
 
 St. Cajetan 
 
 I Ride My Bike 
 
 Dixie Babylon 
 

This is just a wonderful setlist, IMO. I think that has a lot to do with the great crowd -- showed a LOT of appreciation for all the TGA/GB songs in the set (and I tend to think that's why we got an extra TGA number at the end).

When they came out, David said, "We're going to start it off slow," and from the tempo of Frank's stick-tapping I knew it was Big Dipper. Been Around the World was great, everybody loves that song (even my techno-DJ neighbor across the hall). Pictures of Matchstick Men was so punk-rockin', and it carried over into Teen Angst -- Johnny was bounding around the stage just pounding at his guitar. The momentum dissipated when they flubbed the ending, with David going back to sing another verse while the rest of the band was confusedly stopping. Wedding Day was a surprise, but I'm sorry to say that it wasn't anything great. (I hoped against hope for Wild One, just because it cracks me up, but no luck.) Johnny started Low with the wrong guitar, so David stopped the song until he changed it. Bob was going absolutely nuts on I Ride My Bike (normally the titanic show-stopper, but not tonight). Dixie Babylon was such a treat to end things...when I saw Frank bring those brushes out, I was like, "no way!" but it was.

Well worth the $25, and more (that's why I bought another T-shirt!).

Oh, and this "other" band from Va. opened -- "Everything." I had heard their song on the radio and didn't like it, but I was pleasantly surprised by their set. Somewhat party-oriented, but very tight, definitely an entertaining opening act.

Jason B.

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I'll leave it to a better person to have the set list written up. The truth was it was the average set they do most nights. A smattering of new stuff, but mostly the old classics. Dave seemed a little off his game, perhaps he was sick. I did get some great pictures though. When I first got there they were giving me some static about bringing in a camera. But I was able to get a press pass (I think because I was the only photographer there) and my writer was able to get a pass as well. When I talked to the bouncer he said no flash photos the first three songs, but after that it is cool. Which is fine by me because I was using 3200 pushed to 1600 (3200 strait in my opinion creates too thin a negative) so I'm shooting available light anyway (no flash for me ever, thank you kindly). So I though I could be down front the entire show, or at least for more than four songs. But one of the stage hands gave me the shake off after three songs so I was pretty pissed about that. I was able to hold on for another song but still... If I had known that I was only going to get four songs in the pit I would have taken a lot more... as it was I got a full roll from the pit and another roll from around the house. Which was jammed incidentally. Totally sold out is what the bouncer said.

Anyway, when I was down front I got a couple great pictures of David, who didn't even seem to notice I was there. Even though once I think I caught him giving me the eye. On the other hand Bob gave me a couple of nice smiles, even though he was standing right in this indigo light so I'm not sure how the picture is going to turn out (even with pushed 1600 I was having to shoot 125 at 2.8). Johnny was also great. Every time I even lifted the camera in his direction he hit these great poses with this huge grin. Right after Big Dipper I got one of him smiling like a fool and kind of squinting. I'm hoping it turns out well.

I guess that is about it from a photographers end. I'll develop the stuff on Monday and hopefully post that night to my web site. After I got kicked from the pit I was running around knocking people out of the way to try and get good shots, so if I knocked anyone from the list out of the way I'm sorry (I was the guy in a black shirt with the camera :-). Anyone not on the list probably deserved it.

Jason S.

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Crows Nest Records and Metro -- Chicago, IL 11/20/98

I was fortunate enough to see the band at both of their shows last Friday 11/20/98 in Chicago.

First they played an in store at the "Crows Nest" records.

Been Around the World

World is mine

Seven Days

I Want Out of This Circus

After that they signed CDs.

The evening show at the Metro was great. The band rocked. The music is very tight and reflects the amount of rehearsal they get while playing so may shows on tour. They played a full 1 1/2 hours.

Pat

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