Berkeley Setlist

[buymycar]

  Thank you for tweeting Masterplan!  :)

I've never tweeted before, so who knows if they ever saw it?  But, if they did, and it helped them to play it, then you're very welcome.  That was my white whale.  Now, my white whale has sailed on to Strangulation!  I mean, it's cool they didn't play all the songs I wanted.  I still have a reason to go to MMJ shows!   

[buymycar]

It sounds like I am the only person that didn't like Shabazz Palaces at the Wiltern or the Greek.  I thought they were flat out awful and really did not appreciate their appearance during the last two songs of MMJ's set - right or wrong, for me, it totally detracted from the woefully short encore.

You're definitely not the only person.  I am very uncomfortable with acts where you don't exactly know when to applaud.   

The Greek is a very challenging place to see a show.  I never know where to stand.  It seems that standing at the rail gives you a very limited view (and a sore neck).  I find if you stand towards the back of the lower bowl, the acoustics are bad and you can hear everyone around you talking instead of the music.  Last night was definitely my best experience there, and I was sitting for most of the show.  Go figure.

[rincon]

It sounds like I am the only person that didn't like Shabazz Palaces at the Wiltern or the Greek.  I thought they were flat out awful and really did not appreciate their appearance during the last two songs of MMJ's set - right or wrong, for me, it totally detracted from the woefully short encore.

WTF with Shabazz Palaces? I went to all 3 Wiltern shows. People were disappointed with Iron and Wine around me. EVERYONE was fucking totally confused about S.P. It was not horrible, but NO ONE I saw was even remotely into it. I guess Jim is one P.C. M Effer.

[pawpaw]

My wife and I had a great time at the Greek show! It looks like it was one of the shortest shows of the tour song count-wise (probably time-wise too), and it wasn't a bustout chasers show, but it was absolutely a hot one. From Masterplan to the end, I was locked in and they were playing masterfully. I was also sitting up near buymycar, and the sound was perfect: LOUD and clear. Slow Slow Tune, Steam Engine and Dondante were exceptional.

It might be blasphemous to say this, but I thought Old Sept Blues was (sonically speaking) the weakest link of the night. I love the song, and it's from one of my favorite albums, but I've thought for a while that many of old, "quiet" TTF/AD songs just don't play as well in larger venues with their current sound rig and live mix. It's not because it's a slower tune either; Slow Slow Tune was probably my favorite song of the night, but one sounds 2D and the other sounds 3D (or 4D?  ). I think it probably has everything to do with the fact that the older tunes didn't have Carl and Bo as collaborators, Jim's songwriting has improved, and they now have the forsight of writing songs they know they'll be playing in larger venues. And don't get me wrong, I loved hearing Old Sept Blues, it just sounded flat next to the others.

The last five songs to close out the main set were just smoked, it was awesome. I thought the Shabazz Palaces collaboration on Wordless Chorus was really good, one of the things I'm most excited to (hopefully) listen back to at some point. I'm assuming the guy was freestyling, and he really had a strong flow. At the end of his run, Jim began weaving in his Wordless howls, and they were just flying together. They gave each other big hugs after that...it was an exciting, spontaneous collaboration. I felt like SP could've  left the stage for OBH though, as that they didn't add to the song like they did for WC and it felt like they'd outstayed their welcome, especially since it was the last song of the night and tour.

I did see a couple mic stands set up, so hopefully we'll get to hear this show at some point. I understand people's dissapointment, and I wish we could've heard more, but for the time they played, I had about as much fun at this one as any other MMJ show I've been to.   

[Ruckus]

Slow Slow Tune, Steam Engine and Dondante were exceptional.

It might be blasphemous to say this, but I thought Old Sept Blues was (sonically speaking) the weakest link of the night. I love the song, and it's from one of my favorite albums, but I've thought for a while that many of old, "quiet" TTF/AD songs just don't play as well in larger venues with their current sound rig and live mix. It's not because it's a slower tune either; Slow Slow Tune was probably my favorite song of the night, but one sounds 2D and the other sounds 3D (or 4D?  ).

The last five songs to close out the main set were just smoked, it was awesome. I thought the Shabazz Palaces collaboration on Wordless Chorus was really good, one of the things I'm most excited to (hopefully) listen back to at some point. I'm assuming the guy was freestyling, and he really had a strong flow. At the end of his run, Jim began weaving in his Wordless howls, and they were just flying together. They gave each other big hugs after that...it was an exciting, spontaneous collaboration. I felt like SP could've  left the stage for OBH though, as that they didn't add to the song like they did for WC and it felt like they'd outstayed their welcome, especially since it was the last song of the night and tour.

Good stuff bbill.  I completely agree with your assessment of Slow Slow Tune and Ole' September Blues.  SST is just great live (one of my top 3 from Circuital) and I get where you're coming from on Sept. Blues.  It was a highlight at Under the Overpass and T5, but out of context with the other songs you mentioned, I can see how it can sound weak without a completely new rearrangement.

I just watched the vid below and it was easily the most exciting Wordless I've seen.  As a loooong time fan of Ishmael Butler (listening to him for a decade before discovering MMJ) it was just so cool to see him onstage with them freestyling.  Gotta find my BLowout Comb now.
My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus w/ Shabazz Palaces

[pawpaw]

Those first two Digable Planets albums still get played every once in a while at my house.

Thanks for the video link, Rob. 

[Crispy]

I agree completely with bbill. It was a fantastic show for me, all because of my wonderful show buddies, bluesky and ms Y, taking care of me before the show, and totally freaking out with me on the rail, Carl Side. The length was a disappointment, and was made worse by watching the clock ticking toward 9 and knowing they'd have to stop at 11. But once that thing got rolling, it was one of the more intense and fun 2-hours I'd ever had. I remember looking at the clock again after Masterplan, and thinking, "We've still got another hour plus, and they are going to kick our asses with whatever they've got left."


I was reminded again why I love being on the rail in front of Carl so much, it seemed like he spent half the show at the edge of the stage playing right above, at us, around us, and into us, and he was so badass, tearing his stuff to shreds.
 
"Slow, slow.......SO!" That transition from Slow Slow Tune into Steam Engine was completely awesome, Slow is easily my favorite Circuital tune to hear live. Dondante was absolutely trance-inducing and as heavy and powerful as I'd ever heard. Another case of thinking it's the best I've ever seen, but then I always say that.


I really enjoyed the collaboration with the Shabazz guys, I thought it was fun as hell.

It seems I don't care what or how long these guys play, they blow me away every fucking time.

Team Snowy Bramble!

[Fully]

[

Good stuff bbill.  I completely agree with your assessment of Slow Slow Tune and Ole' September Blues.  SST is just great live (one of my top 3 from Circuital) and I get where you're coming from on Sept. Blues.  It was a highlight at Under the Overpass and T5, but out of context with the other songs you mentioned, I can see how it can sound weak without a completely new rearrangement.

I just watched the vid below and it was easily the most exciting Wordless I've seen.  As a loooong time fan of Ishmael Butler (listening to him for a decade before discovering MMJ) it was just so cool to see him onstage with them freestyling.  Gotta find my BLowout Comb now.
My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus w/ Shabazz Palaces


Ok, that was interesting. I get that everybody doesn't like Shabazz Palaces, but that was interesting. It's a nice change and Butler handles the microphone very competently. Thanks for finding that and putting it here, Ruckus.

[mahg33ta]

can you make out what he's saying at the end?  (4:30 - 4:45 ish) - something about MMJ?

[johnnYYac]

It might be blasphemous to say this, but I thought Old Sept Blues was (sonically speaking) the weakest link of the night. I love the song, and it's from one of my favorite albums, but I've thought for a while that many of old, "quiet" TTF/AD songs just don't play as well in larger venues with their current sound rig and live mix. It's not because it's a slower tune either; Slow Slow Tune was probably my favorite song of the night, but one sounds 2D and the other sounds 3D (or 4D?  ). I think it probably has everything to do with the fact that the older tunes didn't have Carl and Bo as collaborators, Jim's songwriting has improved, and they now have the forsight of writing songs they know they'll be playing in larger venues. And don't get me wrong, I loved hearing Old Sept Blues, it just sounded flat next to the others.

I was listening to Alec Baldwin's radio/podcast show "Here's the Thing" yesterday, an interview with Billy Joel.  Joel said that, as his fame grew and he was playing to larger crowds (arenas and stadiums), he wrote songs that were "bigger" and had more energy.  I think the TTF and AD albums have a more coffeehouse, small club sound, whereas ISM, Z, EU, and C have all expanded sound that parallels the appearances of PH, CB, and BK.

[mahgeetah]

I thought Shabazz Palaces was great, including their opening set and especially on Wordless. Jim James tweeted about them a year or two ago and that's how I got into em. But I get if you don't know their stuff or are into that kind of hip hop, it would be tough to enjoy. I thought the Wordless collab was epic, the OBH collab not so much... seems the band got out of rhythm during the last verse. Might have been Patrick's mid-song tempo changes he was doing a bunch of (worked REALLY well on the Dondante jam) during the night. No real complaints though, was just awesome to see them mix it up.

[ItBeats4Jew]

sure the time could've been managed better, and was this one of the lesser shows on the SCS tour...of course.  but it was still pretty fantastic and it's just that the bar has been raised to such a degree on the SCS tour. 

my boys, once again, had one of the best experiences of their lives (although on the car ride home they did agree that Brooklyn was better).  I'm sorry if I offend anyone w/ this call, but I think my son Spencer is the biggest MMJ fan on planet Earth.  Hear me out....he loves the band unconditionally, knows every single song, and isn't jaded like most of us are.  He loves it all, no matter what!   

His favorite NFL team is the 49ers (I could only influence one child enough to be a Giants fan) and last night he just had to watch Red Rocks instead of his favorite team and me and my older son had to go watch in the bedroom. 

[Ruckus]

my boys, once again, had one of the best experiences of their lives (although on the car ride home they did agree that Brooklyn was better).  I'm sorry if I offend anyone w/ this call, but I think my son Spencer is the biggest MMJ fan on planet Earth.  Hear me out....he loves the band unconditionally, knows every single song, and isn't jaded like most of us are.  He loves it all, no matter what!   

His favorite NFL team is the 49ers (I could only influence one child enough to be a Giants fan) and last night he just had to watch Red Rocks instead of his favorite team and me and my older son had to go watch in the bedroom.

Such a great story about your son!  Wow, just to be so devoted at a young age.  Cherish it before he turns into Sticky ;)

[jaye]

my boys, once again, had one of the best experiences of their lives (although on the car ride home they did agree that Brooklyn was better).  I'm sorry if I offend anyone w/ this call, but I think my son Spencer is the biggest MMJ fan on planet Earth.  Hear me out....he loves the band unconditionally, knows every single song, and isn't jaded like most of us are.  He loves it all, no matter what!   

His favorite NFL team is the 49ers (I could only influence one child enough to be a Giants fan) and last night he just had to watch Red Rocks instead of his favorite team and me and my older son had to go watch in the bedroom.

That is so awesome.  And he's smart about football too.   

[zanjam]

Disappointment aside, it was a super fun 2.25 hours!
And if you watch that Wordless vid, at 0:58 Jim reaches down to give me the finger love.  Not even a short show with five crossed out encores can take that away! 

[pawpaw]

at 0:58 Jim reaches down to give me the finger love.

      

with five crossed out encores

I almost hate to ask, but do we know what was crossed off?

[ItBeats4Jew]

at 0:58 Jim reaches down to give me the finger love.

      

with five crossed out encores

I almost hate to ask, but do we know what was crossed off?

We do.  Ready for this?... Encore was supposed to be:

Bermuda Hwy
Wonderful
I Think I'm Going To Hell (this one hurts the most)
Victory Dance
Touch Me Pt. 1
Wordless
Touch Me 2
OBH

[zanjam]

at 0:58 Jim reaches down to give me the finger love.

      

with five crossed out encores

I almost hate to ask, but do we know what was crossed off?

Butch Cassidy, Wonderful, I think I'm Going to Hell, Touch Me Pt 1 and 2.  You know, nothing special (I HAVE NEVER SEEN I THINK I'M GOING TO HELL...GRR)
But I still had a kick ass time 

[zanjam]

Oh, right...saw the Butch Cassidy in the soundcheck.  It was Bermuda.  Ouchers.

[johnnYYac]

In other words...

Bermuda Hwy
Wonderful
I Think I'm Going To Hell
Victory Dance
Touch Me Pt. 1
Wordless
Touch Me 2
OBH