on this date in Jim James history (show offered)

[George_Savage]

Jim James - Bear's - Bloomington, IN - January 23, 2002

1/22/06 - when I offered it up two years ago on the anniversary, I wrote this:  

 If you already have it, I'd suggest you pull it out and play it!
I've told him before and I truly believe this: it's an all-timer....I'd put it up there with any Jeff Tweedy/Jay Farrar/Brent Best show I've heard and that's high praise from me. I've even compared it to my favorite all-time solo Neil Young show (London, 2/27/71) - there was a magic in the air that night...Jim had the entire audience in the palm of his hand...from the beginning, within about 30 seconds, I knew that this was going to be one of those magical, almost spiritual performances. I have only seen four of his solo shows but this one is by far the greatest - the audience was quiet, mesmerized really - completely appreciative of his art and what was happening, and it will probably never be equaled because he's/they are too big for a show like this anymore....40 to 50 people were there, the cost was three bucks- at Bear's in Bloomington, Indiana...surrounded by Yankees, yes, but it didn't matter on this night...we were all worshipping at the Church of Jim two years ago today!   From a geeky historical standpoint "I do believe" that this was the first-ever recorded performance of Steam Engine - I can't stay for sure but it's an educated guess nonetheless. Here's the setlist: Steam Engine, Never Tear Us Apart (INXS), Just Because I Do, Hopefully, Lowdown, Peaceful Easy Feeling (The Eagles), The Way That He Sings, The Bear, At Dawn, I Will Be There When You Die, Bermuda Highway, Xmas Curtain. Well, that's enough rambling for now - almost! My favorites were Steam Engine, The Bear, Xmas Curtain, Bermuda Highway, and The Way That He Sings...but they were all great, really. You can hear the cash register tickets printing and the door opening and closing during this recording...the microphone is also bumped a couple of times due to my own mistakes.

And now, on 1/22/06, I write this:

 So it's not perfect, but definitely listenable.  And the *musical content* of this performance still send chills down my spine.   I told him this about  two weeks later on February 5 in Dallas before their show at Trees, and he said  "I have a song called 'Chills'''   And now, just one day 'til the four year anniversary of this historic (at least in my own red-eyed mind) musical event, I am offering it up to un-
doubtedly a bunch of Jim/MMJ fanatics, not unlike myself!
I will finish on a separate message, this one may be getting too long!

Low Dog
np: Steam Engine, 1/23/02

[George_Savage]

Continuing on....I believe that this was probably the first-ever
recording of Steam Engine, but I have never been able to say that with complete certainty.   I remember emailing Riny
and Ger about it.   I typed out some of the lyrics to Steam Engine and the second song (both then unknown to me).
And Riny said that he didn't recognize any of what we later learned was Steam Engine but he did know Never Tear Us Apart and he said "cool" - Jim lets loose with a most ferocious series of guttural sounds during the song - it's amazing what he can do with his voice!   Every song is, of course a masterpiece.  
       I had told him prior to the performance that I'd read on the internet that he performed The Doors' The End at a very early solo show in Holland.  I am fairly certain that Riny witnessed it; no recordings have ever surfaced, but I believe that Riny said that he saw a guy recording video there.  Wouldn't that be sweet to find?!?   Anyway, I asked him if he'd sing The End that night and he said "maybe" - so when he said "I'm going to try one that I haven't done in awhile"
(paraphrasing), my heart skipped a beat and I thought "The End"!!!   But it turned out to be Peaceful, Easy Feeling.   He tells a hilarious story about "gettin' all fucked up" and coming back to his house and listening to this song over and over again.    There's also a reference to The Big Lebowski after the song.   "Do you remember that scene in Lebowski when he's riding in the cab and he tells the cab driver, "I hate the fucking Eagles!"?
       From here it goes on with 'Way' and 'The Bear', then 'At Dawn'.  Some kids in the crowd yelled for I will be there when you Die and he obliged them.  He closed with Bermuda Highway and Xmas Curtain.   I was secretly hoping for these exact two when he said that he just had a couple more!   So I like to think that I psychically willed him to sing 'em, but I know that's utter bullshit!  
         Here's my plight, fellow MMJ droogs:  I have moved across town and my stuff's still packed up for the most part.
I just went out to the garage and I brought my stand-alone
burner inside, dusted it off, and I am now recording the one disc of this January 23, 2002 masterpiece that doesn't have two-second gaps between the songs.   So I am hoping that it
records that way.    I will send it to one of you if you want to put it up on archive.org, or wherever else you want to put it up for download.  
         As I stated before, I still put this show up in my top ten or so of all-time.   It's truly one for the ages - unfortunately, the recording isn't pristine but it's at least listenable.   I do remember distinctly that I had an out-of-body experience during this show a couple of times due to his musical genius and performance!   And the only drug I was on was beer, I promise!    I had driven up from Commerce, Texas to Bloomington just for this show.   I was a newbie and heavy in the throes of MMJ fanaticism.   I got to see my great aunt and aunt in SE Missouri on the way, though.  And it was the last time that I ever saw my great aunt; she died exactly a year and a week after this show on 1/30/03.   Except for the bumping of the mike occasionally it's pretty decent for what it is, an audience Minidisc recording.   The crowd was most
excellent, completely mesmerized and digging it.   Nuff sed.

Low Dog
"any time your war gets out of hand I'll take it on"
np:  The Bear, 1/23/02
lowdog@koyote.com

P. S.   I can also do blanks and postage trades if this disc will copy without the two-second gaps!   The first two copies of this show I found had the gaps - there are surely other copies somewhere in my possession but I'm not organized when I'm supposed to be, and I'm definitely not organized now since I've moved!  

        

[cmccubbin25]

any way this can be put on archive.org?

[George_Savage]

   I will send it to one of you if you want to put it up on archive.org, or wherever else you want to put it up for download.  

            I just can't put it up there myself, but the good news is that I have listened to the recently burned copy and it doesn't have the two-second gaps - it recorded without the gaps, so while it's not pristine, as I stated earlier, it's a decent-sounding recording, in lieu of the occasional bumping of the microphone!   Someone send me their address to lowdog@koyote.com and I will send it to you if you will put it up on archive.org for communal download!   I would do it, I just don't have the capabilities.

Low Dog
np: Hopefully, 1/23/02