Jacket Bracket Attack 2012

[APR]

I would of voted steam before PC, but after that 25 minute Dondante I have to give my vote to it.

Dondante

I think you're right on the money.  Depends on the day, but the past few days Dondante's had the edge.

Dondante

[vwxg14a]

Unless the supreme court intervenes or birthers, can we count the electoral votes and swear in the incumbent champion Steam Engine (D-KY) as the Bracket Attack 2012 champion. 

[e_wind]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

[ItBeats4Jew]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space. 

[e_wind]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space.

Yeah, festivals are the worst. They have 75 minute sets sometimes and they use 1/4 of that for a single song, it drives me crazy. Especially at Jazz when theyre playing the middle of the day time, 20 minute dondantes dont really appeal as much when they arent in the dark with light shows and inhebriation.

[Crispy]

Yeah, I feel you guys. I was thinking during Cobra at T5, when I realized they were playing the whole 25-minute monstrosity, "Damn, they're wasting all this time, and they could have fit What Will I Do?, Downtown, Josta Dreams and Bitter Hands, Time Never Gets, Somebody Cares About the Maestro, That Someone Else Was You, R.I.P.V.G., I Won't Cry, I Just Wanted to Be Your Friend, When Will They Come??, AND Isobella w/The White Umbrella in all this time!" 

[jaye]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space.

I felt so guilty thinking this at the Greek but yeah, me too. 

[Sassbox]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space.

Yeah, festivals are the worst. They have 75 minute sets sometimes and they use 1/4 of that for a single song, it drives me crazy. Especially at Jazz when theyre playing the middle of the day time, 20 minute dondantes dont really appeal as much when they arent in the dark with light shows and inhebriation.

LOL. I was so pissed when they pulled this at JF last year. Heat of the day...Gentilly Stage...interminable Dondante. Really? REALLY?!

[LeanneP]

I feel differently about long Dons.

First as a caveat, I hate jammy crap. I have to life with GD music from alienlanes and it drivers me around the bend. Phish?  That South African bore? Gah!  I'd rather stab my ears with flaming kebab sticks. I also have spent many hours of my life being incredibly derisive of guitar solos (I used to date a jazz guitarist who was in the midst of a formal education in it and holy frak solos made me want to vomit).

But, there is something about MMJ's long solos/jams that feels fundamentally different. Perhaps it's Jim's soul influence but there is a kind of psychedelic soul dance groove that he taps into that carries me the whole way through 25 minutes of Dondante. And the solos at the end change so it's usually a new experience at each show.

It reminds me of my experience with a band called Elevator (to Hell) up here in Canada who would play, hit a groove and just keep hitting the groove like it was an electronic dance tune, repeating over and over. You are listening thinking "this is awesome" and it keeps going and 2 or 3 minutes later you start getting antsy with the repetition and a minute later you think you can't take it anymore and then another minute of living inside that groove you break through to this crazy kind of psychedelic experience and then it ends and the guitar pick the chorus or the verse back up and you start missing that groove.  It was mind-blowing, especially if you've smoked a bit of pot.  :happy:

Dondante recalls that experience for me, but Dondante in particular takes me on a crazy ride through the end groove/solo. I really don't feel like my time's been wasted. Dondante live, for me, is a whole mental/emotional experience.

I can, of course, recognise the converse opinion as expressed before me 

[mahg33ta]

You guys are completely right... it's all about whether there are time contraints or not.

At a long gig with no curfew, I love me a long Dondante- stretched out and leisurely.

But at a gig with tight deadlines, festival, etc... hearing Dondante gets me antsy and stressed.   Having them bust it out at Newport this year - w/ a 75 minute set and impending rain - was really frustrating.   Was with family and extended family and it just wansn't a great introduction to the band.   As Eric said, it kills 25% of the total set time.

[Crispy]

I understand all of the points above, and they all make perfect sense, especially on a hot day at a festival. However, those thoughts have never occurred to me, mainly because I've never heard a Dondante at the four festivals where I've seen MMJ! I did see that abbreviated show at the Greek this year though, and it still didn't occur to me, I was digging the hell out of it.

[smhoffmann02]

I Will Sing You Steam

Like.

[Taterbug]

Dondante = Extremely long bathroom lines. 

I vote Stream.

[smhoffmann02]

STEAM ENGINE

[zanjam]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space.

Yeah, festivals are the worst. They have 75 minute sets sometimes and they use 1/4 of that for a single song, it drives me crazy. Especially at Jazz when theyre playing the middle of the day time, 20 minute dondantes dont really appeal as much when they arent in the dark with light shows and inhebriation.

LOL. I was so pissed when they pulled this at JF last year. Heat of the day...Gentilly Stage...interminable Dondante. Really? REALLY?!

I was annoyed and I was in the comfort of my own house, nevermind the swampy heat!

Although, Mike, no qualms about the Dondante at HSMF, under the stars, on the rail...time of our lives!  But that was probably only a 15 minute Dondante, though.  Right place, right time!!

[ItBeats4Jew]

I guess I'm just not a big jam band guy or something, but I fail to see how a 25-minute version of something makes it better. it always just makes me antsy and eventually bored. in 25 minutes they could roughly play Dondante, Rollin Back', Sooner, CYSTHHOMH, and By My Car.

I know its not the best mentality to have, but 15 minutes into any jam I can only think about what I'm missing by this happening.

I could not agree more.  At the Greek or at Jazz Fest, when I know time is limited and the Dondante is just going on and on, all I'm thinking is that they could be squeezing about three more songs in this space.

Yeah, festivals are the worst. They have 75 minute sets sometimes and they use 1/4 of that for a single song, it drives me crazy. Especially at Jazz when theyre playing the middle of the day time, 20 minute dondantes dont really appeal as much when they arent in the dark with light shows and inhebriation.

LOL. I was so pissed when they pulled this at JF last year. Heat of the day...Gentilly Stage...interminable Dondante. Really? REALLY?!

I was annoyed and I was in the comfort of my own house, nevermind the swampy heat!

Although, Mike, no qualms about the Dondante at HSMF, under the stars, on the rail...time of our lives!  But that was probably only a 15 minute Dondante, though.  Right place, right time!!

and of course, the (ahem) head space contributed a great deal as well at HSMF.  Plus they had 2 hours there. 

[johnnYYac]

I agree conceptually with avoiding the epic jams during fest sets, though the 15-minute Dondante at Lollapalooza last year was perfect!

My Morning Jacket - Dondante - Lollapalooza 2011

FYI, this is my upload and I'm proud to see over 13,000 views!

[APR]

All good points especially during short sets and when trying to introduce a new fan to MMJ's incredibleness.  And I love Steam Engine.  However, it's not like Steam Engine is a short song, and its inclusion could cut out some favorite songs. 

I am not a fan of jam bands at all, but after much deliberation, I gave the edge to Dondante.    I love the unprecictable places the band goes during that song.  I'd rather hear a few extra minutes of something cool and interesting that I haven't ever heard versus Aluminum Park or First Light.   However if the choice was between a few extra minutes versus Rolling Back or Just One Thing, then it's a different story.

[YimYodd]

I've read all the posts, counted the votes.....still gotta go w/ Dondante.
Let's rally!

[Mahgeetah34]

My very first MMJ show was Bonnaroo 2011. I don't really have a problem about extending a song like Steam Engine because it's special and you get to hear a version in person that isn't exactly what's on the album. My next two shows were Alpharetta 2011 and Vanderbilt. It's not like they were gonna play Isobella or R.I.P V.G.  during that tour. It was a lot of Circuital and Z. Also, for a festival set, you're only going to get well-known MMJ songs so extending into a jam doesn't bother me.