birmingham

[mminton]

let the fun begin.  perhaps tonight marks the beginning of a new era for the boys.  we will see in a few hours.  cheers.

[SMc55]

Well, mminton, how was it for you?

[erter99]

HEY,

Drove down to Birmingham after work to see the show.  This was my 4th show, and the last time I saw them was pretty monumentous ... the Exit/In 6/20/05, with Jim doing an amazing acoustic set at the end.

Anyway, I met up with one of my old med school buddies who drove in from Spartanburg, SC, and we grabbed a couple of beers and some dinner in 5 Points and then hit the show.  The venue was really cool, though the acoustics left something to be desired.  Crowd was large and fairly into it, especially in the front.  The posters for this show were awesome, though I resisted getting one b/c I have bought too many recently.

So the show ... well, first a partial setlist from memory, definitely slightly out of order in the middle:

Off the Record (second time played?, sounds great)
The Way That He Sings
O Is The One That Is Real
One Big Holiday
Golden
It Beats For You
Just One Thing
This Magic Moment (Jim on Omnichord, Karl on sax)
Bermuada Highway (Jim solo, terrible feedback throughout)
It's About Twilight Now (rocking, first time in years?)
The Bear (full band, amazing)
loooooong new song (Don Dante?)
Run Thru

encore:
At Dawn (transcendent)
new song (cover?, Jim on 12-string electric, very rocking)
Mahgeetah

The show had moments that were simply breathtaking ... The Bear, At Dawn, The Way That He Sings, It's about Twilight Now ... and then parts of it were really weird ... Bermuda Highway was nearly killed by the feedback, plus it was right in the middle of the set, which was strange ... one new song that just didn't seem quite finished ... the very strange version of This Magic Moment (a pretty straightforward cover of it, really) ... and they didn't play a few tunes that would have been awesome in this large venue (Steam Engine, Lowdown, Heartbreakin' Man).

Bottom line ... a couple of loose moments but for their first "real" show since last summer, a great return with moments that very few bands can rival.

I got up at 4 this AM and drove back to Nashville to be at work ... sucks.

Jay

[Drunkre]

show was pretty cool.  atlanta last year was better, but still, pretty cool.  I gotta drumstick this time, and a setlist (which I gave to a friend from Atlanta...he's gonna photocopy it), AND I got to perform (at least a little bit of) Cheap Trick's "The Flame," before Slayer-man kicked me off the stage.

[SMc55]

A drumstick! AND getting kicked off the stage! Respect  ;D

[Angry Ewok]

AND I got to perform (at least a little bit of) Cheap Trick's "The Flame," before Slayer-man kicked me off the stage.

I saw you get up there, and for a moment I feared for your life,  ;D. Seriously, I was bummed out that the big guy made you get off the stage... the setup went far past 30 minutes, so the comedy was appreciated.

Sorry you didn't get to perform any of the "June Bug" song, maybe next time.

 :)

[darkglow]

drunkre you are my hero for getting that drumstick.. it was cool cutting up and having a good time up "in the crunk" as jimmy james called it.

[harristrensky]

Ha ha ha so you're the guy that was singing! Kudos! You reminded me of Hank III in that attire.  Anyway some things about the show:

1. Jim's hair is great!
2. Bermuda Highway was just fine with me.
3. I was front row right in front of Jim with a green hat if anyone saw me.
4. I was standing next to two hot girls.
5. That was my first mmj show and my all time favorite of all the shows I've been to.

p.s.- anyone with pics post them(and I mean you, girl in the James Dean shirt! You took about one million!)

[corey]

Hey! I think you offered me a spot at the stage. I was right in front of Jim. There was a short little girl with a camera in front of me and I think you were to the right of her. I was beside EC all night. I'm short and fat and had on a black t-shirt with a camera.
Some of my pics are in the gallery (thanks Riny!)

[sweatboard]

AWESOME pic's Corey.  It was so nice meeting you and your wife at the show.  Also, The Purple Onion Fucking ROCKS!!!!

[corey]

Ah... so you did eat there. I told you it was good stuff. Check your e-mail, btw.

[sweatboard]

Check Your e-mail also brother.

[WillCo]

Other than the sound quality sucking it was a kickass show. I liked Eliot Morris but he wasn't the best choice for a show like this. I'd like to hear him at a quiet bar and I'm gonna try to check him out next time he's around here. Moses Mayfield were good and all but I was ready for MMJ after sitting through one opener. By the way, it looked like the singer was yelling into the pickup, not actually playing with his teeth.

Random thoughts about MMJ's perfomance:
-The first song was awesome. I can't wait to hear the album version.
-After new song #2 when Jim played with the omnichord a little and it kind of just ended after that, it looked like Patrick said "What the fuck was that?" to Jim. I guess they don't quite have the one down yet.
-I like Jim's hair. Seeing his face lets his personality show through a lot more.
-I've never been to a show where a feedback problem isn't fixed immediately. I don't know what was up with "Bermuda Highway". It worked out fine for me because I was right under Jim when he sang it with the crowd. I must have been near a lot of you guys b/c I was right up at the front too.
-My sister caught one of the Peeps!
-This was my 4th MMJ show. I think it might be the best, although all of them have been great for different reasons. This one probably had the highest energy, which is saying a lot.
-I liked Jim's dance moves. I think this is the first time I've seen him playing with shoes on...

Here are some pics. They're a little blurry, I think my shutter speed is too slow for concerts:








This is my favorite. It's Jim trying to stay out of the feedback.

[darkglow]

i think your sister was standing right beside me "in the crunk"

[harristrensky]

Yes I am indeed the spot offerer. Me and my family drove all the way from Lake Charles LA for this shit and it was soooooooooooo worth it.  I'm sure they'll come to New Orleans or Houston for the album but I couldn't wait any longer.  And yes it seems like Jim has a brighter personality with the short hair. BTW is that chick with the JAMES DEAN tshirt in this forum? Also are the two hot girls I was standing next to in here?  You know who you are, front row all the way to the right? Also what the fuck was Bo Bice doing there? HAHAHAHA

[sweatboard]

"Also what the fuck was Bo Bice doing there? HAHAHAHA"

Oh Shit that's funny!  After seeing MMJ he's probably thinking "I should just quit now"

[corey]

Thanks for the spot offer.  :)

Yeah, I was really confused about what Bo Bice was doing at the show.

[sweatboard]

Ah... so you did eat there. I told you it was good stuff. Check your e-mail, btw.

Cheese and Ranch Fries and A Steak Gyro.  You were not jokeing, I may go back to Birmingham just to eat there.

[twilightzzz]

i got a couple pics from the show but i don't know how to go about donating 'em to the site

anybody got any pointers?

[corey]

There's an e-mail address in the gallery section where you can send photos.

And yeah, I haven't eaten at the Purple Onion the last few times that I've been to the Ham. I miss it. I wish I knew what in the hell they put in those damn cheese fries.

The Sloss posters were awesome, btw. Did anyone else get one?
Is this the first time that Carl has ever played the sax?