my birmingham review

[huddy25]

First off I have been a fan since 2000. For a number of reasons this was my first show.
1. Alabama theatre is a beautiful venue.
2. How these guys do not get whiplash is beyond me.
3. the OBH opener was unexpected and had a very cool lead in.
4.the new songs except for one sounded more like traditional rock songs.
5. the crowd was very into as well as the band
6. no one sat down during the whole show.

[wakebord]

the new songs - did they sound like old MMJ -- "it still moves" and "z" style rockers, or more like aluminum park/remnants from "evil urges"?  please say the former...

[Erik26]

It's funny, in another thread about songs people don't want to hear a lot of EU songs came up. Yesterday I watched the ACL performance from '08 (saved on my DVR) and i think some fans may have forgot how much the EU tracks rock live. The songs you mentioned from EU, although not the best on the album, have their place during a live show. Albeit they are not played with the same frequency as other EU songs and you may choose not to listen to them at home, they are not terrible songs by any means.

[wakebord]

I just prefer the It Still Moves sound thats all.

[im2bob]

The first new song they played I thought sounded pretty vanilla.   I can't even compare it to anything MMJ really.   More like a Big Star song or something.   The second one, Friends Again (according to the set list), was about making amends, obviously.   The cheezy lyrics and the song itself reminded me of Bread, kinda 70's soft rocky with just a little edge.  It was by far the better of the two.

[megalicious]

um. OMFG.

more details to follow once I'm able to rearrange my face after it was melted off last night.

:o

also this:

[el_chode]

Was Friends Again a cover of either of these songs?

http://lala.com/zAimI
http://lala.com/zanmI

So I'm 99% sure Carnival Time was a cover:

http://lala.com/zywFY

Did Mother In Law sound like this?

http://lala.com/zWG2

Because it almost sounds like Yim singing on that version

And was the end of Run Thru the holy thunder part with Clock Arms? I need to know!

[SaraBananaBear]

Thanks a lot for the review, looking forward to more reviews  :D

[midwesterner]

I think Carnival time might be the Al Johnson song. I wasn't at last nights show but it would make since. It would be cool if Al Johnson joined them for this song on Saturday at the fairgrounds.

[RedPatokaSea]

Thanks Megalicious!  Got my hopes up again...  

:)

I'm with you wakeboard, I saw MMJ at Radio City Music Hall (4th MMJ show), and the reception to some of the EU songs was pretty lukewarm...that's not to say there aren't a few gems, but sandwiching a beautiful song like Phone Went West between Aluminum Park and Two Halves just ain't right.

[ALady]

Pretty sure there was just one new song ("Friends Again") and the rest were covers...there wasn't anything I didn't recognize before that.

chode, I can't listen to your links since I'm posting from my phone, but does either of those songs have a chorus that goes "let's be friends again"? I'm totally on the hunt to figure out if that was a new tune...I think it could be, especially since it was sandwiched in the middle of the main set.

Can't wait for someone to come drop some knowledge on us!

New OBH opener was very, very cool.   :)

PHJB was absolutely amazing.  I wanted to dance and dance and dance.  DO NOT MISS THEM if you're going to any of these shows!

One of the best Dondantes I remember seeing in a long time.

I don't think the setlists will be all that similar from night to night, but what do I know.

Everyone looked excited to be back - Jim and Patrick in particular were wearing big grins all night.

[im2bob]

You can listen again by going here.  Entire show in mp3

http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2010-04-20.mk4v.flac16

I gotta believe Let's Be Friends Again is a new song.  On listening again this morning, I dig the doo wop beat and backing vocals.  

[BH]

Nice detective work chode.  Keep working at this people.  I want firm answers by the end of today.   ;)  

When I first saw the words "Carnival Time"  I sooooo wanted that to be an MMJ original.  

[BH]

You can listen again by going here.  Entire show in mp3

http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2010-04-20.mk4v.flac16

Holy crap, that's a new record!!!!!!   :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

[searchinbig]

You can listen again by going here.  Entire show in mp3

http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2010-04-20.mk4v.flac16

I gotta believe Let's Be Friends Again is a new song.  On listening again this morning, I dig the doo wop beat and backing vocals.  

Holy shit that was quick! Thanks for the heads up.  :D

[ALady]

I am in love with im2bob.

[midwesterner]

I just listened to "carnival time" on that recording and it is the Al Johnson song.

[Penny Lane]

I am in love with im2bob.

Um. Yeah. Seriously. Hey, Toubab! Thanks!

[Haldon]

ditto to the above.  what a great way to make it through a wednesday at work.

[RedPatokaSea]

Holy shit!  That rendition of Dondante just melted my face off.   :o