chicago theatre, sun dec. 28, 2008 -- frm. ms. y

[ms. yvon]

**a bit late in coming, but here is my annotated set list/review from the 12.28.08 show in chicago.   :)  this is a cut and paste of my post on another board.  the smilies don't translate.  if you come across a word that seems out of place, it's likely a smilie i forgot to edit.**

night two at the chicago theatre.  

on the way to the show with wendy, her two nieces and allison, we listened to a few mmj songs (allison skillfully driving the ipod).  we tossed out a few songs we each really wanted to hear that night.  turns out we did a pretty good job at writing the set list.  hot dog!

my seats were in row mm, but as it turned out, i had a terrific view!  it's great to be able to see the whole stage at one time.  also gave me some perspective on the lighting.
at the chicago theatre the crew included to spotlight operators who sat up in the catwalk.  they concentrated on following jim and carl during the show.

due to some women in the row behind me having a friendship meltdown i ran over to hang with allison for the beginning of the show.

show!

--at dawn--this is a gorgeous way to start a show.  we knew it was going to be a different set from most of the tour!
--it beats 4 u--beautiful out of the gate--stage awash in blue lights--TOM OUT!

--evil urges--at the first big drum break the tarp hanging behind the band fell to reveal the big gatefold eye-ring artwork.  i missed the drop on sat night.  i just looked up at one point and it was gone.  (sat night allison commented that she'd visually missed half the show because she was dancing.  i do it everytime.    ;D  )

--i'm amazed--AHHHH!! GOLD LIGHTS!  SUN!  WOW!--marc's choice of lighting really struck a chord with me on this one.    :o  
--gideon--tom lays back!, jim played a new outro where it is usually carl winding down the song. melodic!!!
--wonderful man--rocking big finish

--jim greets crowd--comments on chicago being a land of opportunity...that the designers of the chicago theatre had their brains close to god.  (jim commented quite a lot on the theatre interior {it is rounded, lavish and lovely}.  he said that they'd been playing in a lot of modern, straight edge, black spaces.)

--golden
--i will sing you songs--!!!--ooh--this is a show stopper in the best possible way.  STUNNING!  it's like being in a pool, floating in space, wrapped in a heavy blanket and standing in a deep fog all at the same time.  gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!    :D

out comes the omnichord!...
--sooner!--an uptempo version.  carl's guitar on this was wonderful!  picking and slide.  i wrote "pat" here, but i can't remember why.    [smiley=huh.gif]   jim rocks the omnichord

--thank you too--the lighting was a blue-green that gave the stage an "undersea" appearance.   the side spots were purple.  lovely!
--anytime-- IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SET.  all bets are off at this point!   :D [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]  

--remnants!--first time i've seen them play this one--A BEAST!  STROBES!  to hear i will sing you songs AND remnants in the same set list is just nuts.  that these men can create such ethereal, breathtaking music and then blow the roof off the place 10 minutes later.
well, damn!
--lay low--note re:  nice carl spot

--highly suspicious--BIG FUN!  at the top of the song the lighting was pink and gold-ahh!  as the song progressed it became a lighting free for all!

--mis-cue here as someone (patrick?) started the opening drum track for lay low here.  it was quickly squashed and the band launched into...
--off the record

--i think i'm going to hell--FANTASTIC!  the stage drenched in red light, carl's slide.  damn, damn, damn
--smokin from shootin--the band silhouetted against a gorgeous blue back light with magenta fills.  i'm a sucker for the backlighting.
--touch me pt 2--as jim and bo rode out the omnichord/good intentions outro i saw tom and carl take off their guitars, and put different ones on.  i turned to the woman next to me (salacious d!) and said, "the set's not over!"

--run thru--HOLY HELL OPEN--when you start a song this huge, where do you go from here:  MORE HUGE.  [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] :D  my notes say:  can't dance hard enough!

------------
--look at you--jim solo--moving!
--banter:  jim again commenting on the curvy-brain architecture of the chicago theatre interior

--nashville to kentucky--nashville.  to  kentucky.  with carl playing saxophone.  SUBLIME.  AHHHHH!!  soo beautiful!  this was the song that killed me, flat out.
--steam engine--GORGEOUS!  well, a girl just doesn't stand a chance with these songs back to back.  :o

--COBRA--  ok.  if there is one thing to ground you after the emotional wrenching of nashville to kentucky --> steam engine it is some quality booty shaking, head banging to cobra!  during the 2nd movement here, carl was on fire!
--wordless!!--by the time we all got to singing out it felt as though the entire show had built to this.  WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WONDERFUL!!  at the climax of the song jim stood at the edge of center stage with one arm extended, palm open singing.

--one big holiday!!


after the show as people filtered out, mark (i've got an evil plan, babe), who i'd met at radio city last june came over to say hello.  turns out the couple next to me were posters on the mmj forum.  (about 3 songs into the set she commented, "can you believe they opened with "at dawn?!"  i was so excited to be next to someone like that at a show!    ;D )


--of all the shows i've seen, this may be my favorite set list.  so varied.  and LOADED with stunners!!

allison found us still at our seats.  grinning, she said to me, "you lost your shit, didn't you?"    ;) ;D  there's something to be said for being an open book.

we found wendy and her nieces and headed over to the elephant and castle for setlist review and hotwings.

man oh man. if this band must head to new zealand and japan for the next two months, i'm glad to have been around to participate in this.  as ever, thanks for a fucking fantastic night, gents!    [smiley=beer.gif]

[aMillionDreams]

Thanks for posting! Stellar review as usual!  :)