MMJ @ Portland, ME 10/15 Roll Call and Countdown

[scosby2]

Awesome story John. So glad you had an awesome time and got to spend a little time with the band. Your texts kept me entertained all night. One of the many reasons I love this band and all the people associated with it on here is the fact that everyone I have met have been such wonderful people. They could have easily acted like they were in a hurry and jumped on the bus. Nope, not our boys...can't wait to meet all you folks next week.

[Penny Lane]

Awesome, JY! What a story! 2010 Butch Cassidy, I like it, can't wait to hear it next week.

[mssawyers]

As everyone here has already said - amazing show. My sixth, and easily the best I've seen.

My presence there last night was all thanks to a totally rockin' 29-year old angel with an extra ticket!

I couldn't believe I was there and still couldn't believe it on the drive back to RI. All about living in the moment. Can't wait to do it again!

Cheers!

[tdb810]

love the recap, so very happy for JY and bold99 and everyone who had such an awesome show experience!  As Penny says, we are so lucky to be alive and to be Jacket fans...
and I must say, i really love the poster...I am kind of a monochromatic gal...love the tone of it, not too bright and loud.. and it is just so new england to me!  excellent!

JY you must still be walking on air!  good for you!  what did your wife think of the whole thing?

[johnnYYac]

love the recap, so very happy for JY and bold99 and everyone who had such an awesome show experience!  As Penny says, we are so lucky to be alive and to be Jacket fans...
and I must say, i really love the poster...I am kind of a monochromatic gal...love the tone of it, not too bright and loud.. and it is just so new england to me!  excellent!

JY you must still be walking on air!  good for you!  what did your wife think of the whole thing?

Thanks, Trish.  Y'know, this morning transformed my feelings toward this band.  I realized it tonight, watching the Letterman performance of The Way That He Sings.  I had these guys elevated to a certain celebrity status, even after meeting Jim in Newport.  Of course, he was still dressed to perform, having just left the stage moments before.

Watching the same guys on the Letterman show that I hung out with and chatted with this morning, my perception of them is more grounded.  They're just regular guys with a great talent for music, together and apart.  I have great esteem and admiration for both their music and their human-ness (I invented a word!).  To watch Bo behind the keyboards, when just this morning we were ordering coffee at Starbucks and shooting the breeze was just a real pleasure.  

Patrick is a bear and a riot, Carl is shy and Tommy is very cool and weird.  And Bo Koster is one of the nicest guys I've ever met.  Jim was aloof but polite.  Probably wondering who this middle-aged stalker is that keeps showing up in front of him.  Fuck, its that johnnYYac dude again!

[mahg33ta]

Got to Norm's and met up with Erin (Y'see, I let Michele sleep in this morning and went across the street to Starbucks.  I turned to leave and saw Bo in line.  We talked for maybe 10 minutes.  Some gems include some interest in a solo instrumental album someday, clarifying that it was Butch Cassidy, not some new song (oops!), and the challenges for next week, as they DO NOT EXPECT TO REPEAT ANY SONG DURING THE ENTIRE T5 RUN!  Those of you going for the full run are in for a treat even more special given that nugget of info.  He mentioned that Chills challenged him last night.

Well done JY.   Now THAT's how a fan encounter should work - you got some valuable info to report back to the group.   Bravo!  

[julesa]

Portland was my first MMJ show ever...i always liked them, but now I am hooked!  it was quite a magical night.  Thank you MMJ for an epic, epic, heartfelt show!  please do come back to the great state of Maine!  : )

[ALady]

We got a new one!

Welcome, julesa!  :)

[iLikeBeer]

Wow.  Sounds like Portland was pretty freaking epic!

Great stories and John, I am truly jealous!  

And bold99, how cool was that hanging out and drinking with the band after the show and closing the hotel bar?!

Amazing setlist too by the way!  Just going by the setlist, I can totally buy those of you saying that was the best show you've seen!

[Coleman]

I can concur w/Jules, being another first-timer, great show, great  venue, and they burned the place down like they said they would.

Tons of tunes I've either never heard before, or more than once, but by the end of the show they definitely had me dragged in and grooving.

The show was REALLY LOUD, forcing me after about a half hour from the floor up to the balcony to be able to really absorb what they were playing.

Got a lot of comments on the way out, that I looked just like the drummer.   I totally agree, and it was quite surreal to see my doppelganger wailing on the drums all night.  

He's certainly a better drummer than I, and head-bangs like I haven't been able to since the 80's.

[imamazed]

What a show! What an experience! I stepped away from my husband and friends to join JohnYY and others up front. Highlights for me included Dondante, Parts I and II live (anyone who has the fortune to be next to me at a stoplight can tell you this is something I have lived out in a fantasy many times) and hearing Carl's new stuff which I promptly returned home and downloaded. Other highlights included meeting fans as enthusiastic as myself. It was wonderful to turn around and shout lyrics such as "Boy you better learn to express yourseeeeeeeeeelf!" into each others' faces (sorry I didn't get your name but you rocked).

However, I will not deny that getting ALL 5 ORIGINAL SIGNATURES on my EU copy is something I will truly value forever. This will be the crown jewel of my record collection and I was just absolutely thrilled.

Meeting the guys was cool too. They were cordial but reserved. I was most surprised by Bo, who I always assumed was rather surly, based solely on the basis that he doesn't smile in photos, but in fact presented himself as just so kind and warm. After getting Carl, Tom and Bo earlier in the morning, the same group I had extricated myself from the night previous was leaving for brunch. My hopes for getting all five signatures was dwindling, until I turned around saw Yim coming one way and Patrick the other. At this moment I lost all self control. I am only mildly embarrassed to say that I let loose a muted squeal/jump up and down/ambush hug combo on Yim. Despite seemingly being half awake took it well. Then I hugged and gushed to Patrick a bit about how his drum solo rocked my world. Then I went to brunch.

BEST SHOW EVER!!!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=484995791417&set=a.484995511417.293999.692311417

I'd be happy to post the pic directly if someone wants to share the coding with me. Don't know what to enter between the media brackets.

[johnnYYac]

Allow me.

[zutronics]

Still high from the show in Portland.  Sat next to some techs from the band on the plane ride home and they said the T5 shows are going to be amazing.  Based upon what's been said here, I believe it!  

In any case, in the unlikely event that anyone has any extra posters they're looking to offload, I'd be interested.  

[johnnYYac]

From the State Theatre Facebook page:

State Theatre, Portland, Maine THANK YOU My Morning Jacket, patrons, fans and our AMAZING STAFF for such a killer, kick-ass and historic night! Tonight was truly a night we will never forget. Thank you, thank you. We are touched.

Yesterday at 2:09am

[Monkeyboy]

Wow! What an incredible show! I had an amazing time with incredible music and truly special folks!  It all kicked off by hooking up with Jahmazed and making the 40 min drive to the show where we met up with Johnny at Norm's.  We had a great time getting to know him and his wife and hearing the stories!  Thanks for the table as it saved us a bunch of time buddy!  Thanks for the shout out too JohnnY, but its Aaron (not Erin) for the record, you should know Teach!  No worries :)

I hobbled (still in the aircast from the Essex show) to the show with Jahmazed and his brother-in-law only to find no ship poster!  They had a poster but not the one and they stank from ink  [smiley=thumbdown.gif].  Side story: I went to the State theatre open house today to get the real deal, glad I did for 20 bucks!  The State Theatre has been wonderfully renovated and I was appreciative after having paint chips fall on my head at shows before.  We walked right up to the rail next to other forum peeps and Johnny+.  We stayed there the whole show and it was worth the effort, broken foot and all.  The setlist was a complete surprise with never having heard Chills or Butch Cassidy.  The Wordless kick-off was ridiculous and other highlights for me were Heartbreakin', They Ran, Evelyn, a great Magheeta, Don, Steam and finally P-DOUBLE-DUB!  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  I think I actually cried  :D  

The only downer was the nazi security  >:(.  They jumped on a guy near us before he even lit the joint.  On the way out, this little one bumped me off the rail (i was just hoping for a drumstick for christsake) so I bumped him back, tempers flared and I almost got jumped so I walked away  >:(.  This show was only second to RCMH for me but I think what we are about to see will top it all!!!!  Bring on T5!!

See you all Thursday!  I can't afford the whole deal unfortunately.

[johnnYYac]

Wow! What an incredible show! I had an amazing time with incredible music and truly special folks!  It all kicked off by hooking up with Jahmazed and making the 40 min drive to the show where we met up with Johnny at Norm's.  We had a great time getting to know him and his wife and hearing the stories!  Thanks for the table as it saved us a bunch of time buddy!  Thanks for the shout out too JohnnY, but its Aaron (not Erin) for the record, you should know Teach!  No worries :)
I hobbled (still in the aircast from the Essex show) to the show with Jahmazed and his brother-in-law only to find no ship poster!  They had a poster but not the one and they stank from ink  [smiley=thumbdown.gif].  Side story: I went to the State theatre open house today to get the real deal, glad I did for 20 bucks!  The State Theatre has been wonderfully renovated and I was appreciative after having paint chips fall on my head at shows before.  We walked right up to the rail next to other forum peeps and Johnny+.  We stayed there the whole show and it was worth the effort, broken foot and all.  The setlist was a complete surprise with never having heard Chills or Butch Cassidy.  The Wordless kick-off was ridiculous and other highlights for me were Heartbreakin', They Ran, Evelyn, a great Magheeta, Don, Steam and finally P-DOUBLE-DUB!  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  I think I actually cried  :D  

The only downer was the nazi security  >:(.  They jumped on a guy near us before he even lit the joint.  On the way out, this little one bumped me off the rail (i was just hoping for a drumstick for christsake) so I bumped him back, tempers flared and I almost got jumped so I walked away  >:(.  This show was only second to RCMH for me but I think what we are about to see will top it all!!!!  Bring on T5!!

See you all Thursday!  I can't afford the whole deal unfortunately.

Y'know, I'm kicking myself, but I could not conjure up an alternative spelling for Erin.  Sorry, Aaron.  I even mailed you some stickers not that long ago.  And I thought Lauren's screen name is Jahmazed, so now Matt (it is Matt, right?) is probably annoyed with me.  Really great connecting with you two at Norm's, at the rail, on your way to the parking garage, etc.  Sorry I stepped on your toes.  

[rmboston]

The show was amazing. I'm so glad that I got to go!

[Monkeyboy]

Wow! What an incredible show! I had an amazing time with incredible music and truly special folks!  It all kicked off by hooking up with Jahmazed and making the 40 min drive to the show where we met up with Johnny at Norm's.  We had a great time getting to know him and his wife and hearing the stories!  Thanks for the table as it saved us a bunch of time buddy!  Thanks for the shout out too JohnnY, but its Aaron (not Erin) for the record, you should know Teach!  No worries :)
I hobbled (still in the aircast from the Essex show) to the show with Jahmazed and his brother-in-law only to find no ship poster!  They had a poster but not the one and they stank from ink  [smiley=thumbdown.gif].  Side story: I went to the State theatre open house today to get the real deal, glad I did for 20 bucks!  The State Theatre has been wonderfully renovated and I was appreciative after having paint chips fall on my head at shows before.  We walked right up to the rail next to other forum peeps and Johnny+.  We stayed there the whole show and it was worth the effort, broken foot and all.  The setlist was a complete surprise with never having heard Chills or Butch Cassidy.  The Wordless kick-off was ridiculous and other highlights for me were Heartbreakin', They Ran, Evelyn, a great Magheeta, Don, Steam and finally P-DOUBLE-DUB!  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  I think I actually cried  :D  

The only downer was the nazi security  >:(.  They jumped on a guy near us before he even lit the joint.  On the way out, this little one bumped me off the rail (i was just hoping for a drumstick for christsake) so I bumped him back, tempers flared and I almost got jumped so I walked away  >:(.  This show was only second to RCMH for me but I think what we are about to see will top it all!!!!  Bring on T5!!

See you all Thursday!  I can't afford the whole deal unfortunately.

Y'know, I'm kicking myself, but I could not conjure up an alternative spelling for Erin.  Sorry, Aaron.  I even mailed you some stickers not that long ago.  And I thought Lauren's screen name is Jahmazed, so now Matt (it is Matt, right?) is probably annoyed with me.  Really great connecting with you two at Norm's, at the rail, on your way to the parking garage, etc.  Sorry I stepped on your toes.  

No worries at all Johnny, just wanted to get it right from the start!  Thanks again for the stickers, we never talked about them at dinner, bummer.  Matt was psyched to meet you again as well.  I could recognize you anywhere now, NYC should be a piece of cake on Sat., we will have to hook up before in the parking garage!  I am trying desperately to shed this cast before NYC.  It was hard walking in it Friday but its also a safe cocoon against drunk footsteppers.  Doing extra PT while at home the next couple of days to strengthen, I will need it!  

Can't wait for a tape of this show!!!  Plus we took some many good pics, maybe too many.  Not sure what to do with them all.  Nosehairs and all!!

[woodnymph]

All these stories sound phenomenal!!! Haven't had time to read through most of 'em, but WOW CONGRATS to everyone meeting the guys and running into them and hanging out with them and having such a blast!!! Times to remember!!!! That owl sighting was no joke!!!  :D

[classicrocker623]

WHAT. A. SHOW.

If I could have made it to any of the T5 shows (which I can't) it would have been TFF so I was so happy they played a bunch of tunes from that on Friday.  They Ran had an incredible outro which some wailing falsetto.  I've never been much of a Butch Cassidy fan, but this live version made me appreciate it so much more (the sounds Tommy was getting out of his bass were incredible).  I was really hoping for a Dondante and it was great to hear this song after a few shows without it.

The encore was a thing of perfection for me, but hell the whole show was perfect!  Phone Went West is a great song to "end" the show on before a rippin' One Big Holiday.  I was right in front of Carl and got blasted with confetti during OBH, a great touch.

There was a point during the encore when I realized how wonderful my life was as I stood holding my woman watching my favorite band in the world play the best setlist I've ever seen. :)

LONG LIVE THE JACKET