5 weeks until Pabst show in Milwaukee!!! 4/19/13

[Stevie]

I was shocked at the number of roll callers at the milwaukee show.  I'm bad with putting numbers on groups of people but i would say at least 100 maybe 150 roll callers were there by 7:00PM (the stated first entry time)

Note:  If you want first entry to go how you think it should go, you are most likely going to have to take it upon yourself.  The original plan in MKE was that instead of a separate line for roll callers, have instead of having them go in at 7pm, only one line had formed and they announced that they would call roll callers to enter at 7:30 and then let everyone else in afterwards.  So what I did was simply went to the very front of the line and working my way  back to the end had everyone with a laminate form a new line, keeping their arrived-in order.  When they announced roll call entry it was then simple and orderly.  It's not hard to cajole people into switching lines, they see you holding up the laminate and they know what to do. 

I will say that even those at the very end of the roll call line had amazing seats in the first couple rows behind the pit, which was only about 3 or 4 rows deep of floor space.  The other option is to show up right at first entry time and head straight for the balcony.  No one goes there first, for the most part, and barring someone trying to ruin your day because they don't feel like standing it's an amazing way to take in the show. 

[Caseydog]

Killer show. Jim was more connected to an audience than I have seen him since 2005.  No cape to hide behind 

By connection, I mean making genuine eye contact with people.  It was very clear to me that this experience is something very different for him.  He likes it a lot. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gigshotz/sets/72157633287277743/

[1eyed_jack]

The performance was amazing.  Not that they were bad in NYC, but they have really improved in a of ways, especially in the overall production quality. 

I will say...my girlfriend and I got there early for the first entry so that we could get in the first row of the balcony, and during 'new life,' we were basically completely overcome with positive emotions to the point where we absolutely had to get up and dance.  We were both having an amazing time.  All of a sudden i get a tap on my left shoulder and a stern face looking at me from the aisle, "Hey man, you need to sit down.  I can't see, none of us can see, you're blocking our view."  And I said, "We're at a concert, if you want to see all you have to do is stand up (i'm 5'11'', and the balcony slopes, this is pretty reasonable).  He repeated what he said, i repeated what I said, and he left and shouted "f### you" on his way back to his seat.  It is what it is i guess.

I hate when people complain about me standing at shows. Get over yourself and show jim some respect. If your legs work, stand up!

How easy is it to get rail? How early should I try to get in line at Columbus?

I actually disagree a bit.

I was at the Vic tonight and one of my friends is quite short so she always has trouble seeing. Because of that we went straight up to the balcony and had maybe 5th or 6th row balcony seats and a great view. But when the show started three people first row balcony stood up causing most of our section to have to stand. No one else in the balcony was really standing except for us because of the three people up front.

My question is, the people in front clearly were in line early and got in fast, so if they wanted to stand up and dance the whole time, why not go on the floor?

[Stevie]

that's a big reason we were up there too.  my girlfriend is about 5'3''.  But the thing about the balcony that the floor doesn't have is that it slopes, so no matter how many rows back we are it's better for her.  as far as standing or sitting, in general, i can see that argument at like a baseball game or a football where someone is standing the entire game, not just during the action moments.  But it's music, how do you dance to music sitting down?  i guess i just don't get that.  We get there especially early for the first row of the balcony for the option to sit down when we need a break from standing, but not as a default position. 

Anyhow, i digress.  I do see the other side of it, but i like my side better 

[JDUB]

I just wanted to add that I found it troubling that Jim had to pretend play the sax a couple times. I can't recall which song has the intricate sax solo at the end, but Jim was obviously faking it. There were simpler sax segments later in the show that he did look like he was actually playing it.

[Fully]

It's because that sample didn't come from a sax. There's some  plastic key tar thing that he used on a Xmas video that sounds just like what he used to do the Know Til Now coda sax bit. Jim isn't that good of a sax player. Although he has improved greatly since I first heard him play at the Brown in Dec. 2011. His tone has improved bunches. I was right in front of him in Louisville. What he played after the drum solo was not good. It sounded like what I use to play in 8th grade band when I pretended to play jazz improv. When he plays longer notes like he did during the third time he had the sax, it was much better. He's still learning the instrument. I have to give him credit for going out onstage and showing off his growing skills. I'm of the opinion that he's doing the sax schtick on the coda of Know Til Now as a joke. He's obv not playing it. He doesn't even go up to the microphone.