Reviews by...
joe
Cracker
Denver, CO 8-May-2002
Bluebird Theater
Mr. Wrong Euro-Trash Girl How Can I Live Without You Been Around the World Sweet Magdelena of My Misfortune Guarded By Monkeys You Bring Us Down Don't Fuck Me Up Lonesome Johnny Blues Sweet Thistle Pie Wedding Day Brides of Neptune Shine Miss Santa Cruz County Pictures of Matchstick Men Victoria Teen Angst Jam (of sorts) -> Low 100 Flower Power Maximum The Man in Me What You're Missing ----- I See the Light Sweet Potato
This was another great show - and closer to the 2 hours they are normally playing on this tour. That was another weird thing about the Boulder show - it was short (only about 90 minutes) but there was just something about the energy on stage that was special.
We arrived during Sound of Urchin's set (again). At about the same point, it seemed. They gushed about how great Cracker (as people) were, as they had the night before. I spoke with Rob (?) [guitar player and Bono/Van Morrison imitator] while he was taking down his mic. He said that on the first day of the tour David came up to him, reached out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm David. When do we start playing pranks on one another?" Rob then confirmed the drinking that had taken place the night before. He also said the Boulder show was a little different (and great). He told me they played their first prank on Cracker that night - by glueing all their drinks/bottles to the tables in the dressing room. The problem was that they did it during the show, and it turns out they were only drinking before the show. "They knew we had done something, but couldn't figure it out until we told them to grab the Maker's Mark."
Anyway, I was pleased (again) that they didn't start with Brides. That song has grown on me but I still don't think it's a great opener...whereas it fit in quite well during this set. I hadn't heard How Can I Live W/O You live in quite some time and so that was really cool. The end of the set (from Miss Santa Cruz on)was fucking raging - killer energy, killer playing - Johnny was on fire.
The "jam" had Kenny doing some weird accordian riffs and David mumbling something about not being a jam band. But, perhaps, that opening slot for the Dead years ago is having a minor ripple effect in the Cracker universe. Still, I didn't see any spinners or butterfly chasers dancing in the crowd. :-)
Sweet Potato included the Mariah Carey bit. Wasn't that usually done in Get Off This? It also included David saying something about selling your stock (in Virgin, I imagine). All in all, another stellar performance by the band.
One thing that really stands out from these shows is the vocals. I'd have to say it's the best the band has ever sounded to me, vocally. Brandy is obviously stepping forward more, but all the harmonies were dead on. If I have any complaints it's just that we didn't get I Ride My Bike - the way the band was playing, I'm sure they would have absolutely demolished that song. Maybe next time......
peace,
joe