Your First MMJ Show.....

[porchdweller]

Hi,
My name is Heath and Im an addict.



Nashville, City Hall, fall 05

This was my first jacket show and wow was I in for a treat.  The first I heard of the band was when I saw them on Conan, the epic OBH performance where Conan and myself were blown away.  I bought It Still Moves the next week and was floored and enjoyed it for a while until I got the chance to see them.

 I went to the show not knowing what to expect.  I had missed them a few months earlier at Bonnaroo because I had to leave due to unforeseen circumstances and really didn't have a chance to see them before that so I was excited as hell as It Still Moves had me hooked and Z had just come out and I burnt it up for a couple of days beforehand.  

Finally, the show starts and WOWOW.  It was at City Hall and the crowd was receptive and ready for a party.  (you could still smoke there).  As soon as they come on the wonderful wafts of air hit me and I knew this was gonna be great.  Aside for Pearl Jam I had never seen a band put so much blood and energy into their show and once I saw them I knew this was a band I could support a long while.  Then I discovered old albums songs, downloaded concerts, etc.  I have seen them like 10 times since.
I'm just pissed because they had a meet and greet after the show and I didn't get my copy of Z signed.   I did meet some of Jim's family in Louisville, who were real nice and very down to earth, just seemed like good folks yo.


City Hall
Palace X 2
Bonnaroo 06
Boston X 2 for PJ
Rites of Spring in Nashville
Jim James in Bham  
Ryman Auditorium

Can you tell I like MMJ a little.

[Penny Lane]

i'm a newer fan--bonnaroo 05' and 06' and Webster Hall 06' (i think?) --my friend kept telling me for a couple years that i'd like them but i get annoyed when people do that so i didn't listen on purpose. how stupid...

The Verve, MMJ, and Gomez---if i was stranded on an island--that's what i would take...

[easy jim]

Hello Heath. . .we understand. :)

[Magnix]

Let me throw in my 2 cents on this subject from a different perspective. As an old MMJ fan living in The Netherlands, I have had my share of MMJ live for quite a bit:

January 31, 2000 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (small hall)
April 8, 2000 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (main hall)
July 7, 2000 - Groningen - Grote Markt (outside)
December 13, 2000 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (main hall) - Jim James solo
May 25, 2001 - Groningen - Vera
May 28, 2001 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (main hall)
November 3, 2003 - Amsterdam - Melkweg (old hall)
(between May 2001 and November 2003 the band only did one other performance in The Netherlands, at Paradiso's small room in November 2002, long time board and mailing list members will probably remember why I couldn't make it to that show even though I had a ticket and was on the guestlist).

So, my first show was in the pretty early days of the band (within a couple of weeks after that show I set up the very first MMJ website). The last one however has been way too long ago I think. Come think of it, that was still with Johnny on guitar and Danny on the keys! So, no I have not yet seen the band with Carl and Bo. On the other hand, I have seen the band with J. on drums, with KC on drums, and with Patrick on drums. And I have even seen the band without keys, as well as a full Jim solo show.

I'm not complaining here, I'm just wonderin' why the band hasn't been here for such a long time already ...

[dragonboy]

January 31, 2000 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (small hall)

So you first show was more than 8 years ago ?!! (I did the math)
Wow! Let me just put all the joking & silliness aside for one minute & say that's amazing...you da man!!!  :)

[BH]

Hey Magnix, wow, great post.    I'm curious, is there still a big following in your area?  Obviously, you guys were one of the first groups of people to really embrace MMJ, but I wonder, since they haven't been around in awhile, are they still a household name?  How big of a venue do you think they could sell out there now?  The whole thing is just kind of interesting how it all developed.  It fascinates me.

[aMD]

I'm not complaining here, I'm just wonderin' why the band hasn't been here for such a long time already ...

It is curious.  Whenever I hear people in Louisville talk about how Louisville made mmj what they are or that they are "hometown" heroes I always cringe because they were first embraced in the Netherlands before they were embraced in their home town.  Jim was a rock star in Holland while he was still slinging bagels here in da ville.  In those days it seemed like Jim would spend a months overseas and a month at home.  Then in 2001 they decided to try to conquer the states and they never really looked back.  Sometimes louisville fans complain about them not playing here as much but i understand it.  I think they want to keep their homecomings special, but don't know why they don't go back to their second home. i hope you all get a chance to see what our boys have become.

[Magnix]

January 31, 2000 - Amsterdam - Paradiso (small hall)

So you first show was more than 8 years ago ?!! (I did the math)
Wow! Let me just put all the joking & silliness aside for one minute & say that's amazing...you da man!!!  :)

Well, yes I was there in the early days. From the posts in this thread so far, only aMD 'beats' me with a 1999 gig!  :)
I have some great memories of the the 2000-2001 shows. Talking to the guys for the first time in April 2000. Meeting again on Groningen's main square on a nice July evening, where Jim handed me some great 'goodies' like the bonus single that came with the first album, a demo tape, and a t-shirt. Then a full solo show in December, and then two shows in four days in May 2001 ... As written above I couldn't make it to the November 2002 show, although Jim had me on the guestlist, but it was great seeing them again in November 2003, where I was greeted like old friends by Tom and Johnny. I think Jim was already feeling ill that night, cause he didn't come out at all, while he used to that back then. The show the next night in Brussels got cut short because of Jim being ill.

[Magnix]

Hey Magnix, wow, great post.    I'm curious, is there still a big following in your area?  Obviously, you guys were one of the first groups of people to really embrace MMJ, but I wonder, since they haven't been around in awhile, are they still a household name?  How big of a venue do you think they could sell out there now?  The whole thing is just kind of interesting how it all developed.  It fascinates me.

Unfortunately I think the following is gone by now. Looking back, for example they moved from Paradiso's small hall to the main hall in a matter of months. And from what I remember the April 2000 show was pretty well attended. Also, where they played for a couple of nights throughout the country during those early tours, when they returned in November 2002 (after a hiatus of a year and a half) they only did one gig at the Paradiso in the small hall again! In November 2003 they did three shows again, of which I attended the one at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. That was at the smaller old hall, and wasn't sold out at all.
I guess there will still be quite a number of people interested in what's the band up to, but it seems that the, say, fascination of the early days has gone ...

[Magnix]

I'm not complaining here, I'm just wonderin' why the band hasn't been here for such a long time already ...

It is curious.  Whenever I hear people in Louisville talk about how Louisville made mmj what they are or that they are "hometown" heroes I always cringe because they were first embraced in the Netherlands before they were embraced in their home town.  Jim was a rock star in Holland while he was still slinging bagels here in da ville.  In those days it seemed like Jim would spend a months overseas and a month at home.  Then in 2001 they decided to try to conquer the states and they never really looked back.  Sometimes louisville fans complain about them not playing here as much but i understand it.  I think they want to keep their homecomings special, but don't know why they don't go back to their second home. i hope you all get a chance to see what our boys have become.

Glad you see my point. And I agree that if any place was the first to value the band, it has to be The Netherlands and also Belgium!

[dragonboy]

Well, yes I was there in the early days. From the posts in this thread so far, only aMD 'beats' me with a 1999 gig!  :)

I missed that post, 1999? Wow! How many times have you seen them live aMD?

[aMD]

I had to go back to the "How many times have you seen them" thread.  Looks like 27.5.

1999 (2):
September 23 - Bellarmine College, Louisville, KY
October - Rudyard Kipling, Louisville, KY

2000 (6):
January 08 - Rudyard Kipling, louisville, KY
April 01 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
May 04 - Rudyard Kipling, Louisville, KY
June 17 - World Fest, Louisville, KY
September 22 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
November 19 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY

2001 (7):
March 03 - Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY
March 08 - Barretones, Louisville, KY
September 08 - University Planetarium, Louisville, KY
September 29 - Bluegrass Brewing Company, Louisville, KY
October 13 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
November 09 - Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY
December 21 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY

2002 (4):
February 28 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
April 30 - Jillian's, Louisville, KY
August 28 - WFPK's Waterfront - Louisville, KY
December 20 - WFPK's Live Lunch - Louisville, KY

2003 (3):
January 04 - Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY
April 30 - Jillian's Pavillion - Louisville, KY
September 26- Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY

2004 (1):
June 18 - Lebowski Fest - Louisville, KY

2005 (2):
June 30 - Palace Theatre - Louisville, KY
November 23 - The Palace Theatre - Louisville, KY

2006 (0)

2007 (2.5)
June 03 - The Rudyard Kipling - Louisville, KY (Solo)
July 19 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
July 21 - Telluride Town Park - Telluride, CO


Grand total: 27.5  

[dragonboy]

WOW!  :o  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[CC]

Hey Magnix, wow, great post.    I'm curious, is there still a big following in your area?  Obviously, you guys were one of the first groups of people to really embrace MMJ, but I wonder, since they haven't been around in awhile, are they still a household name?  How big of a venue do you think they could sell out there now?  The whole thing is just kind of interesting how it all developed.  It fascinates me.

Unfortunately I think the following is gone by now. Looking back, for example they moved from Paradiso's small hall to the main hall in a matter of months. And from what I remember the April 2000 show was pretty well attended. Also, where they played for a couple of nights throughout the country during those early tours, when they returned in November 2002 (after a hiatus of a year and a half) they only did one gig at the Paradiso in the small hall again! In November 2003 they did three shows again, of which I attended the one at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. That was at the smaller old hall, and wasn't sold out at all.
I guess there will still be quite a number of people interested in what's the band up to, but it seems that the, say, fascination of the early days has gone ...

The US media makes it sometimes seem like they were absolutely huge in holland but that wasn't really the case. Yes, there was a real momentum in 2000 but they have never been a household name. I don't think most of the following is gone, everybody I know that was into them in 2000 is still loving them and they also gained quite a lot of new fans with Z and Okonokos. They haven't been getting the press coverage like in the early years but selling out Paradiso shouldn't be a problem at all. I have a gut feeling they'll be back with the Evil Urges tour. If not, i'm gonna harass them till they do! ;)

[Chills]

My view on this is quite simple.

MMJ is, despite ironic statements about battleplans for world domination, actually a very ambitious band. You can hear it in some of Jim's statements, about how he likes the fact that one song can be adored all over the world, Outkasts Hey Ya for example.

Obviously, they've decided to make use of the momentum in America and get a serious fan base over there. This led to some frustrating moments over here. No shows were no problem, but certain cancellations were.

For example, they cancelled a small show here, for reasons undisclosed but my guess is because featuring in a Cameron Crowe film would give them more exposure.

Anyway, now they kinda made it in America, it might be time to take Europe, Japan and/or Australia by storm  :)

 

[Magnix]

The US media makes it sometimes seem like they were absolutely huge in holland but that wasn't really the case. Yes, there was a real momentum in 2000 but they have never been a household name. I don't think most of the following is gone, everybody I know that was into them in 2000 is still loving them and they also gained quite a lot of new fans with Z and Okonokos. They haven't been getting the press coverage like in the early years but selling out Paradiso shouldn't be a problem at all. I have a gut feeling they'll be back with the Evil Urges tour. If not, i'm gonna harass them till they do! ;)

Well, yes, you're right, they never were that big as it sometimes appears in the press and all. Nonetheless, for an unknown band, they created a reall buzz in those early days, and that's quite special (remember MySpace and the likes weren't around yet, if you know what I mean). However, I was referring to the 'following' that came to those early shows. They didn't come back in 2002 and 2003, as 2002 only saw one small room performance, and in 2003 they did not even sell out the old (and small) hall of the Melkweg (I don't know about the Groningen and Tilburg shows that same month). Also, surely they gained some new fans with the later albums, but I'm sure they also lost fans with those albums. Don't get me wrong here, those albums are great, but even for me they are not as special as The Tennessee Fire and At Dawn! Those were the albums I fell in love with, and for me they have lost the extra touch those albums had when they grew bigger. Again, don't get me wrong here, it was bound to happen they grew bigger. Jim and the band deserve that, it simply does justice to the quality of the music. Anyways, as said I mostly referred to the early following. Let's say it changed instead of being gone. I am however really curious to see what happens when they return after all these years, I hope you are right, because that's justice as well. I will be there for sure.