REPORTS FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN NYE

[Penny Lane]

It was great seeing everyone again and meeting new people! I have a bunch of pics to post once i come back down to earth.

[fleabag]

Some dude jumped over the railing into my row and almost squashed my poster, but somehow an invisible force field of awesomeness protected it.  It remained unscathed through the whole concert, and a train ride home.

Where were you sitting? Because my brother and his friend jumped the railing in front of us onto the floor level at some point. haha. It was slightly to the left looking at the stage at the back of the floor level. I'll smack him for you if it was him.

Anyway, definately the best of the 4 shows I've been to so far. Still waiting for Steam Engine though... Totally worth the train/car ride home for 3 hours and getting home at 5 AM.

Probably not .. it was just one guy  ... and it wasn't intentional ... my poster just happened to be where he jumped.  

[Colonel Forbin]

the glow stick war in gideon blew my mind and in my opinion the turning point of the show. i agree islands was a bit strange but who am i to complain best new years to date.

ps. mmj fans are by far the coolest down to earth people in the world i did not encounter any problems besides the tussel over jim's cape after cold sweat.... well done fans

[H.B.]

Awesome Show!  I had a great time and danced my ass off!  I'm kind of speechless at the moment about the whole experience, it could be from being exhausted though!

It was a great night to celebrate and the songs/covers were perfect.  The horns also add a whole other level to their songs live!

Happy New Years! What an amazing way to ring in the New Year!

[dothevampire]

Such a great night! Unfortunately, I had my jacket stolen! So someone made off with some chap stick and gum! Oh well, it was a fitting moment to realize someone this morning woke up with my jacket  ;)

Highlight of the night was definitely Run Thru, my god when that bridge came we all went to another place!

Oh yeah, if anyone has my jacket I'd love it back. (Triple Five Soul P Coat, Army Green. w/ Burt's Bee's Chap stick/Stride Gum/A pen that doesn't work)

[fawlty36]

[size=12][/size]Just got  back to mass.  , what a show, unreal sound and vocals. I didn't make it to the ginger man. I was lost or something. The glowstick thing was quite stupid, I kept thinking Jim's got to be getting hit. couldn't see that well though.  He probably has to much class to stop the show and get pissed. Even he knows there are A holes at every show. But the show rock, full and true. I had a good crowd around me, no talkers, I couldn't believe no talkers. God bless this forum and the true MMJ fans and new ones to come... INTO '09 we go......

[fawlty36]

Massachusetts, that is, not church.

[manicfanatic]

AWESOME!!  AWESOME!! AWESOME!!  What a way to spend New Yrs Eve.  4th time seeing them and so far the best.   Seats were in sec 339.  A little high up but at least no douchebags in our area.  Though there were some girls right in front of us who seemed to have no clue as to who the band was.  They were more interested in taking pics of themselves with their camera phones.  Jim looked great and seems to be mending well.   I hope the show was recorded!!!

[airedog]

The music was great, but the show sucked. Lighting was all overhead and from the side, so faces were all in shadow. There were NO video screens, so you could not appreciate Jim's personality at all, e.g. the cape thing just didn't work. This was my third MMJ concert. There was nothing to watch. Very disappointed.

[Bigsky]

The music was great, but the show sucked. Lighting was all overhead and from the side, so faces were all in shadow. There were NO video screens, so you could not appreciate Jim's personality at all, e.g. the cape thing just didn't work. This was my third MMJ concert. There was nothing to watch. Very disappointed.

Nice first post...welcome to the board. Just to let you know, the boys are musicians not actors. You might want to try going to a Britney Spears concert. ;D

[dsc021]

The show last night was absolutely incredible.  I could not have asked for a better way to spend New Years Eve in NYC.  Everything about the night was top notch and for my first show I was blown away.  I will being seeing this band again and again and I cannot wait for the next time they are in new york.  Pretty much the entire night was a highlight and I just wanted to thank whoever saved my buddy and I from 8 scalpers trying to sell us tickets by generously giving us 2 of his extras for free outside the garden!!!  Thank you so much MMJ and the awesome fans in section 50 where we were getting down.  What an unbelievable night!!!

[Sassbox]

11th show since March and I didn't stop moving the entire time!  I thought it was a fantastic show.   I have to say I felt just the eensiest bit of disappointment because I think I was hoping for the theatrics of the 2006 NYE show and didn't get them, but overall I was really happy with closing out the year with my favorite band ever!

What's the deal with Nicole Atkins?  I saw two songs of her set at Lolla and thought she was pretty mediocre, so I was puzzled to see her as a guest.

[j_rud]

The music was great, but the show sucked. Lighting was all overhead and from the side, so faces were all in shadow. There were NO video screens, so you could not appreciate Jim's personality at all, e.g. the cape thing just didn't work. This was my third MMJ concert. There was nothing to watch. Very disappointed.

You gotta be pretty hard to please if you can complain about that show lol. "There was nothing to watch"? Dude, go to a movie :o

[October]

i really enjoyed meeting everybody last night.  i thought it was a great show!  wouldn't have minded a few older tunes (tn fire/at dawn stuff), but wow, i can't really complain, especially given the fact that i was right up front near the rail with a good group of folks.

song of the night for me was dondante. i also loved all the covers and all the funk, even though i couldn't pick out every tune right away. move on up was a great opener, and dancefloors/anytime/phone/cobra also stood out.  

good night for dancin.  happy 09 everybody.

[malloy]

11th show since March and I didn't stop moving the entire time!  I thought it was a fantastic show.   I have to say I felt just the eensiest bit of disappointment because I think I was hoping for the theatrics of the 2006 NYE show and didn't get them, but overall I was really happy with closing out the year with my favorite band ever!

What's the deal with Nicole Atkins?  I saw two songs of her set at Lolla and thought she was pretty mediocre, so I was puzzled to see her as a guest.

Nicole Atkins has a great voice, but I was a bit underwhelmed with her as the special guest for NYE.  I guess when I heard there would be special guests, my mind went crazy with all of the amazing possibilities as to who would be there.

[GiorgioNYC]

This was my first NMJ show. I have to admit I came to this band only recently. But I absolutely love them. Wonderful show, lots of energy, enthusiasm, both onstage and in the crowd. I'm an older guy, 50, but still love rock, and especially bands like NMJ. This is a classic rock band, well versed in the history of rock and R&B, yet totally contemporary. Loved the covers, from the opener, "Move on Up" by The Impressions, to Dion's "The Wanderer," Sam Cooke's "Bring it On Home to Me," James Brown's "Cold Sweat,"  "You're All I Need to Get By,"  and even "Celebrate" and "Get Down On It,"  both of which were surprises, but totally apt.  I was blown away by the "Great Dictator" clip during the intermission. Very powerful, and its inclusion in the show speaks volumes about what kind of a band NMJ is. They put out such a positive vibe without being in the least bit preachy or corny.  What I don't get, tho, is why people in the crowd were texting during the show, calling each other on their cell phones, and otherwise paying more attention to their digital devices than what was happening onstage. This certainly wasn't true of everyone, or even most, in the audience. But it was happening enough for me to wonder, WTF? That aside, I had a great time, my best New Year's Eve in years. and I have nothing but admiration and respect for NMJ and ther incredible musicianship.

[j_rud]

i really enjoyed meeting everybody last night.  i thought it was a great show!  wouldn't have minded a few older tunes (tn fire/at dawn stuff), but wow, i can't really complain, especially given the fact that i was right up front near the rail with a good group of folks.

song of the night for me was dondante. i also loved all the covers and all the funk, even though i couldn't pick out every tune right away. move on up was a great opener, and dancefloors/anytime/phone/cobra also stood out.  

good night for dancin.  happy 09 everybody.

I agree to an extent but I think a lot of the older stuff is also low key and slower, and I think they were trying to keep everything upbeat and moving.

It would be tough for me to pick a favorite, but theres just something about Dancefloors with the horns. Kills me every time. As for the covers, "You're All I Need" and "Express Yourself" were amazing. I was so pumped when they started in on both of those.

[kydiddle]

Blown away (first MMJ show) and I am poised for their next round of tours in the U.S. I will be hitting up everything I can to hear some of those slower/older tunes.

Never have I been to a show with such awesome people (and some not so much). I had the coolest cats next to me and then had these bored girls two rows in front and directly behind me who sat the entire time while their significant others danced. One of them (during 'One Big Holiday') was sitting there picking her fingernails like she was waiting for a bus. WTF!?!?!?!

I couldn't stop moving. I wore hose under my pants to keep warm while outside beforehand (big mistake) and during PWW ripped them at the top and pulled them off at my feet because I was so freaking hot. I danced barefoot in a puddle of beer and I'm sore all over. Incredible. On the train ride home to PA I met Greg and Allison, who went to the show and I encouraged them to come on the boards. They were sweet.

Did anyone catch Patrick's robotic moves on the drums when he fanned out his arms? I loved watching him almost as much as Jim. He's amazing.

It looked like someone in the pit caught Jim's cape. Was that mentioned on here yet?

Also...the guy directly in front of me recorded the show. He had this big bag of equipment and a tall mic stand. He said he'll get it up on archive.org as soon as he can. Very cool guy.

Awesome show. There are no better people than Jacket fans.

[ManNamedTruth]

This was my first NMJ show. I have to admit I came to this band only recently. But I absolutely love them. Wonderful show, lots of energy, enthusiasm, both onstage and in the crowd. I'm an older guy, 50, but still love rock, and especially bands like NMJ. This is a classic rock band, well versed in the history of rock and R&B, yet totally contemporary. Loved the covers, from the opener, "Move on Up" by The Impressions, to Dion's "The Wanderer," Sam Cooke's "Bring it On Home to Me," James Brown's "Cold Sweat,"  "You're All I Need to Get By,"  and even "Celebrate" and "Get Down On It,"  both of which were surprises, but totally apt.  I was blown away by the "Great Dictator" clip during the intermission. Very powerful, and its inclusion in the show speaks volumes about what kind of a band NMJ is. They put out such a positive vibe without being in the least bit preachy or corny.  What I don't get, tho, is why people in the crowd were texting during the show, calling each other on their cell phones, and otherwise paying more attention to their digital devices than what was happening onstage. This certainly wasn't true of everyone, or even most, in the audience. But it was happening enough for me to wonder, WTF? That aside, I had a great time, my best New Year's Eve in years. and I have nothing but admiration and respect for NMJ and ther incredible musicianship.

What's this NMJ band you speak of?

[AllyDee]

Dondante brought me to tears.

I was at Radio City and Boston in September, and both shows absolutely blew me away, but this particular performance was just earth-shattering to me.

I was left a bit underwhelmed by the set list (outside of the covers of course, the show could have ended after Move On Up and it would've been one of the best shows ever) I was hoping for some oldies, my 3rd show in 2008 and I still haven't seen War Begun. Dancefloors was nice to hear. I remember the solo in Thank You Too! being particularly hot, and Lay Low shredded as usual.

Express Yourself was awesome, definitely a nice inclusion

seriously, my only other gripe is that we got some covers that were already done at Bonnaroo this year in lieu of other Jacket songs or new/different covers

I won't complain though! Quite possibly the best live musical performance I have ever witnessed.