Recap of Waterfall on Monday April 6

[millerjustin]

Well, now that I'm back to reality from an amazing and whirlwind 2 days in Louisville, I'm going to distill my thoughts, recollections and notes as best I can for those who were not in attendance.  It was an amazing night for so many reasons, not the least of which was an im prompt opportunity to see and hug some many members of One Big Family, including Erica, Tom, and Jennifer, and to also meet many new friends including Kory, Dennie, Tanya and so many more excellent people.  I'll try to be brief, but this experience, while compressed into only about 4 hours, topped any MMJ show I've ever seen.

First off, I must share that I did not listen to the leaked songs until just now, so I had a clean palate going into Monday Night other than Big D and Spring tracks, which honestly left me somewhat skeptical and wondering if the album was going to end up being an artistic exploration and fall flat live.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  This thing is a monster.  If you don't want to read any further, just know that the album tracks serve as merely an outline and blueprint for the live interpretation that you all know and love.  The songs are heavier, harder and more guitar, synth and rhythm driven than the studio interpretations.  I don't attribute this to the band departing from the vision Jim and Tucker had in the studio, but rather just evidence of an amazingly talented group of musicians blessed to be working with the best producer in the business.  Tucker, being Tucker, helped them elicit and memorialize the framework of great music in the studio for true fans to enjoy and understand.  The album is more for the artists to show artistry – everyone knows that the music business is changing and the money is now made on the road – we are lucky to love a band that is already working ahead of the curve.

What people need to know and understand at this point between album release (leaked and official) and the beginning of the tour is that THIS IS THE BEST LIVE JACKET SINCE FOREVER.  I know many of you agree that albums and songs live many lives and we've been lucky to see the band and its catalogue evolve over time after personnel changes and being road tested (example:  you can't compare PWW from before 2005 and after 2012 – you just can't, er I mean caaaain't).  I truly respect those fans who jumped on board before 2005 and have stayed on board – they really saw potential and heaven's possibilities.

So here we go:

The scene –

12 hour overnight drive from Albany, NY to Louisville, KY with my awesome wife and 3 kids – got into town around 9 am and explored Louisville a bit, including a nice walk in Riverfront Park.

I got the e-mail just after noon and learned about the location and time - we met up with folks at the Monkey Wrench around 6pm for a few drinks – got to catch up with great folks and chat with Dennie.  After probably one too many Kentucky Mules, we caught a ride over to Headliners.

Pulled into a half full parking lot in front of Headliners and saw a small line of about 20 people outside that was cycling quickly – seemed normal, except when I started scanning faces, it started to hit me that this wasn't going to be a normal night – Dave Givan just standing there joking with someone, the Watson Twins standing idly and looking as tall and lovely as you'd imagine, etc – we knew there would be 120 Roll Callers there, but this was really a family reunion.  When we stepped inside, I just flashed my license and got our 2 tickets without any fanfare and walked into Headliner's, which is a great hall.  $10 poster?  sure, I'll take 2.  Someone mentions that Patrick's family just walked by.  Jim's parents are here.  No one is freaking out – it's just family and friends of course.

Roll Callers and old friends are hugging and milling around with beers and drinks – no cameras or phones are out since we've already been warned.  This aspect changed the new realities of socializing and seeing live music – nobody had their face buried in the dull glow of a screen – all eyes were up, engaged and faces smiling to greet old friends and new.  We were all present.

The stage is tiny and the band's usual gear (plus poochie) are somewhat stuffed into a 30' x 20' area – the rail is set up about 5 feet from the mic stands. stage is maybe 2 feet higher than the floor. The slide is out, but no sax.  Bo's new set up is there, along with a rack of Jim's guitars – including the new red and white Bernie Kessel rig that not only made the sound of New Basement Tapes, but also provides the thundering undertow of this new album.  Drums are somewhat buried, but the owl is there and that means everything is OK in my world.  The now familiar faces of Dusty and Rocky are doing some final checks and adjustments – Jim's new tech (Dave Navarro's long lost twin brother) is tuning off to the side of the stage.

I scanned the room and got the sense that maybe 200 -250 people are here – the floor is not crowded.  There are lots of KY and Nashville music scene people here and there – I recognize some, but no one is ogling – just the same level of excitement in everyone's faces.  I walked freely to the rail and our group sets up our usual camp under Jim's mic stand.

Around 9 pm, a dude walks out on stage and tells us in no certain terms that if any phones or cameras are seen that we will be asked to take pictures of the parking lot.  10-4 and roger that.

I pulled out the 2 pieces of plain white paper that I printed the Album track listing onto (emailed myself in a rush on Friday before leaving work) and wondered if I'll be able to write legibly (Kentucky Mules kicking in nicely)

At around 9:15, the band walked out matter of factly, we got a small wave and a smile from Jim, then they pick up their gear and immediately started into Believe (Nobody Knows).  This is a huge, huge anthemic song – for those of you who have heard the album version – forget what you hear for the first minute – they started the song with that wonderful wave of heavy piano and crashing guitars at about 1:04.  I was immediately blown away.  Jaw on the floor.  This monster will open shows and carry tours all by itself and I'm firmly of the belief that this will be the album's sleeper if live versions are circulated commercially.  The song is a statement and Jim seems like he's talking to himself and the band.  Patrick's recent tweet about courage to be vulnerable seems to confirm this.  Giant guitar riffs from Jim and Carl, strong piano from Bo, and solid bottom end from Tom and Patrick.  Sound familiar??

Right into Compound Fracture without hesitation – HUGE drums – bigger, better, and tighter than OBH2.  Patrick literally using hammers on the drums – lungs shaking and loving the woo hoo hoo catchy refrain.  near constant distorted buzzing of Jim's guitar and nice leads for Carl.  They could literally tour on the first 2 songs of this Album

Like a River will be the new Golden and Wonderful – the album track provides a framework, but they are playing it more up tempo.  The guys are glancing at each other and reading lines and flow – Patrick blends in and Tom picks up beautifully.  This arrangement seems tour ready and it's a really beautiful song.

The Waterfall is another under the radar pleaser with Jim on acoustic and Bo laying down fuzzy vox as an undertone – this could either go into or nicely follow Touch Me Part 1 - really nice tuning that has a 70's vibe and start-stop rhythm that is not halting, but rather a perfect flow (kind of like a waterfall??)  The lyrics are really nice too – should be easy to sing along with this one once I get a sense of things

Get the Point is fairly true to the Album, but the acoustic guitar and Carl's slide are higher in the mix – really pretty song.  Wistful.  Jim fell out of love recently.

Spring is also fairly true to the Album, but is heavier and builds stronger at the transition into drums – Jim's guitar is much higher and forward in the mix

They paused before Thin Line and we got some funny Jim banter that included thanking Headliners (he'd been there a million times), short story about getting kicked out of a Wilco show after 3 songs, wondering out loud if Carl and Bo had every been there before (no)...nice ice breaker

Thin Line is another bigger than the album song – nice jam with a huge Jim guitar solo – my messy notes keep saying 'Road Ready!!!"  same guitars and appeared same tunings, so I suspect this one might follow Spring regularly (or visa versa)

They ripped right into Big Decisions without pause – they extend the song and solos somewhat, but fairly close to single.  It might be my new pee break (with HOTBM), but it's growing on me

Tropics is a hidden gem too – love this song  - the careful guitar work at the beginning is louder live and builds strong toward what feels more like classic LZ than MMJ – similar complexity and textures.  This might be my favorite new song next to.....

Only Memories Remain!!!  slinking, smooth and seductive – better than OBH2 only because I was 5 feet from Jim as he controlled the tight tempo with his riffs – I will never get tired of this tune.  They clearly like playing it – Patrick, who was buried behind his kit, really perked up and was smiling throughout (along with the rest of us).  my messy notes say "simple, smooth synth and vox" so I must have been staring at Bo like a weirdo.  The guitar pairing between Jim and Carl is just Jacket perfection.

They wrapped up and I must confess that my notes stop here – they took a 10 minute break before returning and everyone took this time to look at the person next to them and say "OMFG can you believe that??"  I also must confess at this point that because the rail was so close to the stage, we could clearly read the set list at the beginning of the show, so we knew we had 4 huge encores coming after the Album, including 4 of my personal favorites.

Jim walked out by himself and played an absolutely beautiful Bermuda Highway.  I've never been this close, so it was somewhat transcendent to see the fret work and the literal articulations we all love (cemen-T)....really beautiful.

The guys came out and fell into a solid Carried Away with the usual Carl/Jim guitar battle.  Carl looked more comfortable than I've ever seen him – I think getting the songs out and seeing such happy faces took a ton of pressure off of them.

Master Plan was a religious experience.  Even messier notes include statements like "Jim is testifying through his Flying V" and "ripped to hell".  I think I was pretty happy at this point.

The Down on the Bottom closer was so incredible – as many of us agree, this really should be a Jacket tune – and now it is.  Jim literally yelling the lyrics at the end and that damn guitar is so sweet sounding.  Carl and Bo provide all the backing vocals and filler needed, so while having Taylor is nice, he isn't required to belt this thing out.  I really hope they sprinkle this in during the tour –

So, they wrapped up and we were awestruck.  No one really moved for a while and just stayed on the floor talking – still no phones or cameras as folks were chatting and hugging.  After about 10 or 15 minutes, Bo came out and started mingling, followed by Carl and Tom – very discrete autographs and pictures here and there, but again mostly friends and family environment with no "fanboy" pressure – it was really amazing to see them relaxed and happy.  I talked with Bo for probably 10 minutes about lots of topics that for the life of me I don't remember (damn mules) – got some photos with them, etc. 

All I have to say is thanks and I'm grateful – looking forward to seeing these guys for as long as they can play music together – see you on the road this summer (Boston Calling, Forecastle, Artpark and Red Rocks!)

Cheers

[AlwxanderD10]

Great review! The show was incredible. I was standing right next to ya on the left  haha

[Bulldog]

What an outstanding post....

Way to really make me kick myself in the ass for not trying to go. With Chicago and MPLS I figured I would have enough coming up to satisfy me, but after hearing this I missed out....

[ellisintransit]

    Great read!

[sb_gli]

Thanks for the review.  This gets me so excited for the upcoming tour!

[Murph]

God damn I need to get to a show on this tour.  Anyone have any spare Merriweather tickets??  Thanks for the review man...

[CitizenCass]

"I walked freely to the rail and our group sets up our usual camp under Jim's mic stand."

Stood right behind ya'll!  Great night, great review!!!

[Fully]

Great review,  Just. Sounds pretty similar to our experience on Tuesday night.

[Angelo]

God damn I need to get to a show on this tour.  Anyone have any spare Merriweather tickets??  Thanks for the review man...

Pretty sure there are still pit tickets left. Do it up.

[LowDownLuvDawg]

Agreed on the drums!  I looked at my gf and said is he using walnut logs on those skins! Hallahan was booming!

[jfloyd]

Pretty much sums it up, Justin! Happy to have been able to celebrate your birthday with you on the rail... that show was so beautiful to be a part of.
And, nice to meet you, Mr. White. :-D

[Clarkwork]

Great review Justin.  THis is Jeff Clark by the way, glad you got to experience it.  What a great week it was indeed.

[Sassbox]

God damn I need to get to a show on this tour.  Anyone have any spare Merriweather tickets??  Thanks for the review man...

If you can hold out for a bit, I may have a pit available. Thinking of switching it out for a seat if can find something good.

[AlwxanderD10]

Great review! The show was incredible. I was standing right next to ya on the left  haha

...and I was on AlwxanderD10's left (one person removed from you, millerjustin! I even remember looking over several times to see hands with a pen and folded up paper taking notes. I sort of thought you were working for Rolling Stone magazine from within the audience, since I had earlier asked the professional photographer darting back and forth between the rail and the stage where we might get ahold of his photos, and he said he was working for Rolling Stone and that they were doing a story on the new album.

AlwxanderD10, it was really good talking to you for that 75 minutes between securing our place on the rail and MMJ taking the stage (not to mention the 30 to 40 minute wait outside before doors opened at 8:00). There aren't many people as young as you who know and appreciate John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra like you do! Music will provide you with what you need to survive life on this here Earth! Keep it with you forever, and you will be alright!

It was good meeting you dude ! I'm sure i'll be seeing you around at future mmj events!!

[Murph]

God damn I need to get to a show on this tour.  Anyone have any spare Merriweather tickets??  Thanks for the review man...

If you can hold out for a bit, I may have a pit available. Thinking of switching it out for a seat if can find something good.

Thanks for the offer, but after coming to my senses a bit I realize there is no way I could swing that show on a Sunday.  I'm gonna aim for the night before in Camden...