TELL ME YOUR CHARLESTON EXPERIENCE!!!!!

[TheKnoxvilleBear]

Ok guys...it was the first show for their fall 2006 tour (damn that feels good to say)....please tell us how the show went and if possible give us an overview of the setlist!!

LONG LIVE THE JACKET!!!!

[Anu]

Folks -- how do we ever know which thread to look at? We have lots of first night threads but none has all the news, what's an anxious fan to do?

[dissent]

Sure, I'll post about my evening.

We drove from Columbia, left immediately after work, and made it there shortly after the doors opened. Grabbed a beer, camped on the railing in front of the stage & made sure not to budge until the end of the night. It wasn't the best "seat" in the house, but probably in the top 10.

The opening band Wax Fang was a three piece, also from Louisville, but they were more of a psych-rock, semi-shoegazy band with big drums. Kinda like Secret Machines, if you've heard them, but less brooding. The singer/guitarist came out wearing angel wings and flat out kicked it on the first, instrumental track. I was able to see the pedal action and he was switching between about 4 pickups. It was a high-octane, powerful opening, easily the high point of their set. The rest wasn't as good, but they kept the crowd warm. They played together tight, threw some unusual sounds out there, but I wasn't crazy about the guys vocals. They thanked/dedicated a song to the departed Donnie Rumsfeld, which got the crowd into it.

MMJ came out and the crowd buzzed when they heard some familiar drumming - the intro to At Dawn. When Jim kicked in the vocals, the effect was almost heavenly. Afterward they played Xmas Curtain and then a series of Z tracks. They played most of Z but mixed in a lot of oldies from the first two albums. The high points were One Big Holiday, which I still feel is their best live performance, even if they don't deviate much from the album track.

This was their first time in Charleston and Jim several times complimented the crowd. It was cool to see so many people a good crowd from such a small market city. Jim made a speech about how it's good for people to get out and have fun rather than sit at home and watch TV.

The setlist was about 2 pages and as you can see from the torrent threads, the total playing time was about 2:10. Amazing show, really.

[BH]

thanks for the story dissent!  i love those stories.  i was hoping to hear some good words about wax fang.  I like the few songs I have heard and I will be seeing them in 10 days, well, 9 days and 20 hours and 38 minutes 17 seconds......

[TT]

I missed the opener and I didnt hear much about them....On to the good stuff.  The lights and fog definetly complimented the show. I really enjoyed myself and so did two other ppl I came with.  

I had just bought Okoksonos(I know I butchered the spelling on that).  I thought it was a pretty good show, but this is a band that you MUST SEE LIVE.  They have a special presence on the stage.  Jim James really knows how to work the crowd as well.  

I was a bit disappointed in the encore's, but thought the show as a whole was AWESOME.  I really wish they would come to Charleston, or for that matter, at least a little closer 2-3 times a year.  

GO SEE THE JACKET!!!

[drewsdad27us]

[glb][/glb]
AS I looked at the posts containg the setlists, memories of each song came back...Jim-eye's closed, carefully singing an intro, or the flashes of lights as chords dropped with the beats at the end of a song...
This was my 3rd or 4th show since It Still Moves. The Plex being the biggest venue by far. I have to say that MMJ have become a daily part of my life in some way. The words and music a needed drug to keep me sane. They always remind me that my own feelings are not only a unique experience, that others feel the same. I knew the show would be awesome...
So, I came to Charleston from Durham NC, Stayed overnight, and sang to every song. They have gotten so good, I only wish Jim would talk more....I'd love to know more about how songs were inspired.  
I play these songs for my kids and even sing them as they go to sleep...I hope the next album is as good as Z was, although I felt it was more electronic than I usually expected from them. I know I digress, but wonderful show, I never knew just how good Jim was as a soloist WOW. I was 5 feet from him.Very smoky venue also...I loved the old songs so much and they were great-Nashville to Kentucky ;DWOW.  I dont know how much longer they will be playing small shows like this...Thanks for listening.

[dissent]

I was 5 feet from him.

Were you the tall guy with your hands up most of the time? If so, I was a couple people to the right of you. It was amazing seeing Jim's guitar work from up close.

[drewsdad27us]

 8) That was my cousin!!!!