New Here guys, but been a big fan for years, since they did clubs back in 2004.
favorite MMJ of 2008-
Bonnaroo- I have seen them play every year they played at Bonnaroo and I feel like this was the bands Climax. It was by far one of the best rock concerts I have ever seen, definitely the best show of the year, DEF the best show at Bonnaroo, I thought last years was by far the worst Line up.
NYE- What a good time seeing a band headlining MSG that I had seen 4 years earlier play a building that holds a couple thousand. Great energy, lots of fans there that had been with them for a while.
Nashville- Great show, great energy, right on the water. Can't remember what tune it was- Maybe Gideon? that the football field set off fireworks behind them and Jim looked up at them and got the band to check them out, then they continued to melt faces. Great energy and tons of room right up front to party.
Red Rocks- Most beautiful Venue I have ever been to, it was a great time- Great music, the energy seemed like it could have been higher. I talked to tons of people there that were seeing them for their first time and talking to a lot of people who were there who hadn't even heard of them. Blew me away. Either way, it was great as always.
So what do you guys think, out of the shows you saw 2008- What was the best of the best.
I have never really viewed this board, so is there a consensus over their best performance of 2008? I can only imagine Roo is up there.
PS- Fireworks
War Begun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4XMsUmOEVY
how could I forget.
Only shows I saw were Louisville, Atlanta and NYE.
Louisville was special. Hometown show for the boys and an all around beautiful day/night both musically and naturally.
Atlanta was the shit. Fox theatre is the real deal and hope they put this venue on the rotation. Their sound fills the room quite nicely and the show itself was magical. Good times.
:)
I saw Berekely Greek, L.A. Greek and NYE. NYE was epic for obvious reasons. Of the other 2, the Berkeley show destroyed the L.A. show...not even close.
saw them toronto (the Phoenix), HDNET show Toronto, and detroit. All were great and blew my mind, but Detroit was amazing...
(Still looking for the recordings! :-/
cheers,
Yv
Bonnaroo and NYE, definitely;
but i hear that fireworks during war begun might have been the best moment of the tour
Iowa City since it was they only show (or half-show) I saw and will always remember it as awesome that ended too early and pure craziness as JJ fell off stage
bonnaroo>rcmh>nye
in that order.
Message boards are often filled with hyperbole (best ever!, greatest of all time!) However, i must say, having attended hundreds of performances by hundreds of bands in my life, My Morning Jacket's show at Radio City Music Hall was the greatest concert I've ever experienced. The band was dynamite (as always), and the setlist was incredible, but the sound/acoustics in RCMH were breathtaking. The band seemed so proud and humbled to be performing at such an esteemed venue and they absolutely ripped! There was a spirituality that was communicated between the band and the audience that was tangible. I also attended the Washington DC show (great, because it was mmj, but otherwise not remarkable) and the NYE show (so amazing due to the circumstances (NYE, most famous arena in the world, a ton of soul covers that sounded dope, took the girl that i love to her first mmj show) Anyway, this is my first post and I just wanted to share my thoughts. Hope all is well. MMJ is changing lives. Peace.
For me definitely Louisville, because it had seemed like ages since they had came back home to play a show
I think rcmh is underrated because nye was annouced short after. It was my first full mmj concert and it was great. Steam engine was cool. The lights for tmigts 2 were cool. Jim walking up to the back from the stage. I think it was a milestone for the band. And I don't know if it's the first show to close with obh that tour but it seemed that way cause it was bringing down the house.
Was able to see them 3 times in 08
1) Minneapolis - first time seeing the boys in Minny. went with a 10 or so people, and had a great time.
2) Omaha - My brother bought the tickets for us. Able to go see my brother, and the Jacket. It was like a family reunion!
3) Bonnaroo - I didn't really enjoy myself. I'm going to be honest. I stood in the same spot for 7 hours in the rain (didn't bring the rain poncho). I was cold, and my legs and back felt like shit after hour 5. We made the trip to Bonnaroo for the only one reason MMJ, and I wouldn't take it back.
i was lucky enough to see 6 shows this year, and i would put them in this order:
1. louisville - thought they were just on fire.
2. myrtle beach - was incredible seeing them in a venue that size from right against the barrier in front of Jim. never thought i would see them in a place like that again.
3. new year's eve - the hugeness of the event was pretty surreal.
4. charlottesville - best setlist i saw on the tour. didnt expect 'masterplan' or 'i think im going to hell' at all
5. rcmh - really, really good show. i just didnt think they seemed to hit that huge, epic stride until the final 5-6 songs, and then it was over.
6. washington dc - good show, but horrible crowd. that venue just sucks the life out of even the best bands.
worth mentioning, though, that is kind of impossible to take the show out of the context of the entire experience. Louisville was probably my favorite performance, but the entire 11 hour trip through the middle of the night to get there pushed it way over the top. same with NYE.
QuoteBonnaroo and NYE, definitely;
but i hear that fireworks during war begun might have been the best moment of the tour
And don't forget about the epic, yet often overlooked General Jackson Riverboat creeping by during Mahgeeta at the Nashville Show, too.
The Nashville show was simply magical for so many reasons. Aside from those two miracles, we were also introduced to the new takes on Nashville To Kentucky and War Begun...not to mention a real dandy of a How Do You Know.
I also got to hang with my Jacket brethren aMD, Kory and Goose! Never to be forgotten, my friends...never to be forgotten.
Festival pier in Philly. Just because it was. I did enjoy NYE, but the pier show was outdoors. I love the outdoors. ;)
QuoteFestival pier in Philly. Just because it was. I did enjoy NYE, but the pier show was outdoors. I love the outdoors. ;)
outdoors shows are awesome for sure, but i thought (and have said it here before) that philly was by far the worst show of theirs i saw all last year.
jim seemed extremely tired. i thought the band as a whole lacked energy (understandable as it was the end of a long string of shows), but i was pretty disappointed nonetheless.
only time i've walked away from seeing these guys (since '04) being disappointed.
shout out to the Dallas show
I still get a lil emotional watching this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U6Yi6nYuDQ&feature=response_watch
QuoteQuoteFestival pier in Philly. Just because it was. I did enjoy NYE, but the pier show was outdoors. I love the outdoors. ;)
outdoors shows are awesome for sure, but i thought (and have said it here before) that philly was by far the worst show of theirs i saw all last year.
jim seemed extremely tired. i thought the band as a whole lacked energy (understandable as it was the end of a long string of shows), but i was pretty [highlight]disappointed[/highlight] nonetheless.
only time i've walked away from seeing these guys (since '04) being [highlight]disappointed[/highlight].
I don't want to come off the wrong way, Vegas, but I feel that a bad Jacket show is still good. It's that they embrace the live show to such a high standard, that we always expect perfection. Do you think that perhaps you weren't disappointed, but more
underwhelmed? Possibly? After all, you did get Evelyn and War Begun...not to mention COBRA! :-/
"If you can't be nice, be vague." That's what my Hooters waitress always tells me. :)
QuoteQuoteQuote
"If you can't be nice, be vague." That's what my Hooters waitress always tells me. :)
ha ha words to live by..hooters waitresses droppin profound knowledge. i like it.
i loved the philly show, it was the boston show they seemed a little tired. STILL LOVED IT, though.
QuoteQuoteQuoteFestival pier in Philly. Just because it was. I did enjoy NYE, but the pier show was outdoors. I love the outdoors. ;)
outdoors shows are awesome for sure, but i thought (and have said it here before) that philly was by far the worst show of theirs i saw all last year.
jim seemed extremely tired. i thought the band as a whole lacked energy (understandable as it was the end of a long string of shows), but i was pretty [highlight]disappointed[/highlight] nonetheless.
only time i've walked away from seeing these guys (since '04) being [highlight]disappointed[/highlight].
I don't want to come off the wrong way, Vegas, but I feel that a bad Jacket show is still good. It's that they embrace the live show to such a high standard, that we always expect perfection. Do you think that perhaps you weren't disappointed, but more underwhelmed? Possibly? After all, you did get Evelyn and War Begun...not to mention COBRA! :-/
"If you can't be nice, be vague." That's what my Hooters waitress always tells me. :)
hmmmmmmmmmmm......I didnt feel that way at all. It was one of my favorite shows and ive been following them since 2005. I think it has alot to do with the way you are feeling at the time. Everyone I went with was blown away and we all had a fantastic time.
haha, i knew i was going to catch heat.
i was feeling great, the weather was great, the setlist was great, i just feel that the energy from the band, mostly jim, was not there. i've seen close to 30 shows and this one would not make my top 20, that's all i'm saying. i'm glad other people loved it, and i still had a great time. shit anytime i can drink anchor steam and listen to mmj outside, i'm a happy, whiny fucker. ;D
but to compare the energy of this show with a show like rcmh, where jim was running into the rafters is just silly, imo.
I'm really liking this thread- I love hearing all the different stories from everyone and noticed some posts had my feelings in them as well...
3 shows for me
In order... its tough because i loved them all so much so I dont think I can rank them
RCMH- my first ever MMJ show- such a profound memory- awesome to see how touched they were to be playing there- and they made us all feel it.
Philly- I didn't think they seemed tired- I was right up front for this one and to be that close was putting me in a trance- I was in awe of the talent of the guys and how you could see them looking out to the crowd and making eye contact with everyone. You could tell that these guys love what they do
NYE- I mean come on. Great venue, great show, great energy flowing. took my fiancee to her first ever MMJ show. I felt so proud when she said, "I finally get why you love Highly Suspicious so much, it's so incredible!"
I cant wait to see many more shows
QuoteQuoteBonnaroo and NYE, definitely;
but i hear that fireworks during war begun might have been the best moment of the tour
And don't forget about the epic, yet often overlooked General Jackson Riverboat creeping by during Mahgeeta at the Nashville Show, too.
The Nashville show was simply magical for so many reasons. Aside from those two miracles, we were also introduced to the new takes on Nashville To Kentucky and War Begun...not to mention a real dandy of a How Do You Know.
I also got to hang with my Jacket brethren aMD, Kory and Goose! Never to be forgotten, my friends...never to be forgotten.
After that show I played How do You know on repeat for a week.
#1 Tucson , Spur of the moment , with my baby, free, small venue, last show of 2008 for us. Since Oct Chi postponed
#2 Louisville, MMJ hometown, Start of vacation. With my baby
#3 Berkeley Greek, With my baby, Not far from home,brought some family for their first show.
#4 Red Rocks,with my baby, but IMO too many drunk frat boy douche rockets and their wimmins steppin' on ya and spillin' beer all over, strive for excess with success people! Our first Red Rocks show of any sort, a real disappointing
crowd.
Quote#1 Tucson , Spur of the moment , with my baby, free, small venue, last show of 2008 for us. Since Oct Chi postponed
#2 Louisville, MMJ hometown, Start of vacation. With my baby
#3 Berkeley Greek, With my baby, Not far from home,brought some family for their first show.
#4 Red Rocks,with my baby, but IMO too many drunk frat boy douche rockets and their wimmins steppin' on ya and spillin' beer all over, strive for excess with success people! Our first Red Rocks show of any sort, a real disappointing
crowd.
I dont think bringing a baby to a concert is a very good idea. Its not a very healthy environment typically
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteFestival pier in Philly. Just because it was. I did enjoy NYE, but the pier show was outdoors. I love the outdoors. ;)
outdoors shows are awesome for sure, but i thought (and have said it here before) that philly was by far the worst show of theirs i saw all last year.
jim seemed extremely tired. i thought the band as a whole lacked energy (understandable as it was the end of a long string of shows), but i was pretty [highlight]disappointed[/highlight] nonetheless.
only time i've walked away from seeing these guys (since '04) being [highlight]disappointed[/highlight].
I don't want to come off the wrong way, Vegas, but I feel that a bad Jacket show is still good. It's that they embrace the live show to such a high standard, that we always expect perfection. Do you think that perhaps you weren't disappointed, but more underwhelmed? Possibly? After all, you did get Evelyn and War Begun...not to mention COBRA! :-/
"If you can't be nice, be vague." That's what my Hooters waitress always tells me. :)
hmmmmmmmmmmm......I didnt feel that way at all. It was one of my favorite shows and ive been following them since 2005. I think it has alot to do with the way you are feeling at the time. Everyone I went with was blown away and we all had a fantastic time.
MMJ was fantastic that night. I don't pay close attention to the stage, but whenever I did look up (from rocking the fuck out) I saw Jim rocking the fuck out!
Maybe it was all the :-X , but that's my favorite of the three Jacket shows I've been to, and that includes NYE.
I dont know how anyone could have been disappointed by the Philly show. Where was your spot at? We were right against the rail and the band looked far from tired. I honestly think you must have had an off night, because that was a great show. Go listen to the taping, the crowd was electric and the band definitely responded. After seeing the piss poor excuse for a crowd 2 nights prior in DC that much was more than obvious.
A lot of people forget that Philly also got fireworks, during Touch Me Pt 2. Jim looked back at Patrick incredulously as if to say "Do you believe this? Twice?!?!". You could also tell from Jim's banter that he was into that show. He talked to the crowd a lot more than he usually does. Philly was one of my favorite shows of the tour Vegas, I couldnt disagree with you more.
Now, if you would have said DC, I wouldnt have had much to disagree with. The music was great but my God, what a terrible excuse for an audience. The people next to us in the front row were actually turned around leaning with their backs to the stage. I wanted to slap them. A couple behind us came in wearing fine evening wear, stayed for 2 songs, and bailed. The place was beautiful, a really nice venue, but the crowd...lets just say I wouldnt be surprised if they didnt play DC for awhile.
As for my favorite shows of the tour...I dont think I can pick a favorite. As soon as I think I can pick one I remember something about another show that makes me second guess myself. Every one of them was awesome in their own right...
Radio City- It just felt like a celebration, like the band "arrived", but it was only the start of big things to come. Took a vacation day and came up by train, found possibly the last dive bar in Manhattan, got nice and loose and partied my ass off. Met some drunk girls on the train home that took some awesome pics of a passed out GivenToFly.... ;D
Louisville- What a day that was...departed the Philly airport at 8 AM Saturday...arrived back at the Philly airport at 8AM Sunday. Met some awesome message board members and for the first time in my life was called a "yankee". Absolutely fell in love with that city and I most definitely will be going back. The show was everything an outdoor concert should be: loud, hot, crazy. Afterward I'm pretty sure I was teetering close to dehydration and it felt like my brain had shattered into a billion pieces that were bouncing around my skull. I drank 3 bottles of water and a coke before I even attempted to leave the park area. Then it was back to Bearno's, where LoveDog kept us company until 4AM, when it was time to head back to the airport...fucking EXCELLENT day...
DC- Discussed above. Willed myself a parking spot right next to the venue. Thank God, because DC parking blows. Band sounded good, crowd was awful. You could tell they were a bit let down by how passive the audience was. Met the band (sans Patrick) afterward, was star struck for the first time in my life talking to Jim. Carl and Tommy were awesome, hung out and BS'd for a couple minutes.
Philly- Last show of the tour for me before New Years, and it was a reunion of sorts. In some strange stroke of luck we ran into at least 2 people we had met at every other show we had been to. Before the show it seemed like every 5 minutes someone was tapping me on the shoulder and saying "Hey, werent you at _____?". Fireworks, rain, Evelyn and Cobra, and I didnt have to get on a train, plane, or drive 2 hours. Fucking GOLD.
NYE- I dont even know what to say about this one. Absolutely epic. Met lots of cool message board people before hand at the bar whose name escapes me at the moment. Amazing setlist. Dancing. Booze. More dancing. Silly outfits. Tux and Chucks. More dancing. Nearly too tired to stand on the train to our hotel, followed by what was probably the best freaking shower I have ever in my life taken. I dont know what Im doing next New Years Eve, but theres a 99% chance it wont come close to 2008 with MMJ at MSG. Thats the kind of show you brag about seeing in 20 years...
QuoteQuote#1 Tucson , Spur of the moment , with my baby, free, small venue, last show of 2008 for us. Since Oct Chi postponed
#2 Louisville, MMJ hometown, Start of vacation. With my baby
#3 Berkeley Greek, With my baby, Not far from home,brought some family for their first show.
#4 Red Rocks,with my baby, but IMO too many drunk frat boy douche rockets and their wimmins steppin' on ya and spillin' beer all over, strive for excess with success people! Our first Red Rocks show of any sort, a real disappointing
crowd.
I dont think bringing a baby to a concert is a very good idea. Its not a very healthy environment typically
My baby likes to party and .. rock the fuck out [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif] [smiley=evil.gif]
I was fortunate to see MMJ @ Bonnaroo and the 2 AZ shows last year...
I have to say, while the Roo show was everything I could desire and more from a band, I actually thought the 2 AZ shows as a pair were better performances, showcasing a number of songs not played at the Roo. While the bevy of covers was a cool treat, I have to say I much prefer the Jacket digging into their own back catalogue.
between the Tempe & Tucson shows, I got the following NON-Bonnaroo performances:
The Dark (simply an AWESOME surprise)
Lowdown
Look At You
Rollin Back
Cobra
The Way That He Sings
War Begun
The Bear
Just One Thing
Into the Woods
so yeah, what a wonderful tour it was... definitely a fan of the evening with... format
:P :D :P
RCMH - Best show I was ever at. First full show I seen them at. I saw them at Lollapalooza, Pops, and Langerado, but this one, every single person in the building was there just for them EXCEPT one group of douchewomen sitting in front of us. They showed up late and 2 of the 3 were there only to be there. And during Steam Engine, they were just just chatting away annoying the crap out of us. Until my gf yelled at them to just shut up. But just seeing the entire audience bounce up and down in unison during one big holiday made it the best.
Miami Beach - Great, but due to the late arriving crowd, as I found out later, they delayed starting and cut out Steam Engine. It was still great and it was the closest I ever seen them.
NYE - a very very close second to RCMH. The crowd was great, I loved the Charlie Chaplin countdown. No Steam Engine. Crap.
But still, second best.
I still haven't been to Bonnaroo :(
QuoteI was fortunate to see MMJ @ Bonnaroo and the 2 AZ shows last year...
I have to say, while the Roo show was everything I could desire and more from a band, I actually thought the 2 AZ shows as a pair were better performances, showcasing a number of songs not played at the Roo. While the bevy of covers was a cool treat, I have to say I much prefer the Jacket digging into their own back catalogue.
between the Tempe & Tucson shows, I got the following NON-Bonnaroo performances:
The Dark (simply an AWESOME surprise)
Lowdown
Look At You
Rollin Back
Cobra
The Way That He Sings
War Begun
The Bear
Just One Thing
Into the Woods
so yeah, what a wonderful tour it was... definitely a fan of the evening with... format
So they have played it live? :o
I'm so jealous.
QuoteQuoteI was fortunate to see MMJ @ Bonnaroo and the 2 AZ shows last year...
I have to say, while the Roo show was everything I could desire and more from a band, I actually thought the 2 AZ shows as a pair were better performances, showcasing a number of songs not played at the Roo. While the bevy of covers was a cool treat, I have to say I much prefer the Jacket digging into their own back catalogue.
between the Tempe & Tucson shows, I got the following NON-Bonnaroo performances:
The Dark (simply an AWESOME surprise)
Lowdown
Look At You
Rollin Back
Cobra
The Way That He Sings
War Begun
The Bear
Just One Thing
Into the Woods
so yeah, what a wonderful tour it was... definitely a fan of the evening with... format
So they have played it live? :o
I'm so jealous.
Yeah, me too. The only time this tour. And a rare one at that.
Bonnaroo was insane. The rain only made it better
NYE in San Francisco....becauseit freaking SNOWED....inside :o don't know how they pulled that one off ....and it was at the Fillmore 8-)
Chicago, night 2.
Extended "Steam Engine" <3
I saw 4 shows in 2008 - Radio City, DAR in DC, Philly and MSG on NYE. They were all great but DAR was a notch below because of muddled acoustics and lame crowd as noted by others. I struggle with which of the other three was my "favorite" since they all had their own special character that made them unique. While I hate to rank the top three, a Sophie's choice of sorts, I ultimately decided on the following based on which show I would most like to experience again if such a thing was possible. I have the audio recordings of all three shows and videos which I took myself and have listened to them many times to percolate on my impressions. I was also fortunate to be in the first few rows of all four shows, making a comparison more equitable.
1. Philly - I had my doubts about the venue - essentially an asphalt parking lot. When it started to get dark, the expansive stage and lights took over and the surrounding waterfront with bridges and atmospherics (swirling winds from an approaching hurricane) made it a magical setting. The acoustics up front were perfect and the crowd was the best of all the 4 shows. Oh, and by the way, MMJ just seemed at the peak of 2008 tour perfection, playing exclusively their tunes. They played with inspiration, Jim's voice was strong and nearly perfect and they seemed to have boundless energy through a very long set. Phone Went West was ridiculous - the band, the crowd and setting just perfect for this song. I have a movie of the entire PWW and it confirms the "in the moment" feeling. Overall, 2008 tour perfection.
2. Radio City - An incredibly special moment for MMJ with a sellout in a matter of minutes in one of the most storied venues in the world. I don't think I'm alone in this forum in saying the anticipation of this show was almost too much to bear. Acoustics, of course, were great and when Jim brushed by me on his first foray up to the rafters stage left I almost lost it (I have it all on video including my foul language). It was a great performance by the band from start to finish. The crowd left a bit to be desired, however; not nearly as many hard core up front as in Philly.
3. MSG on NYE - It doesn't seem right to rank a show like this as 3rd since it was yet another huge milestone for MMJ and a truly epic performance. I was up front by Jim in the pit and even after 5 hrs of standing was still energized - the crowd was great, most likely a function of self-selection as in the GA Philly show. I have to admit I have mixed feelings about some of the covers and added musicians/singers - pluses and minuses but overall I don't think as strong as pure MMJ. I can't think of a better way to spend NYE and would go in a heartbeat if they repeat.
4. DAR in DC - The band was great and I loved the show. Just a notch down given the poor acoustics and lots of clueless folks at the show.
As I mentioned, I have lots of video from these shows and, in my humble opinion, I think they are generally pretty good having been shot primarily in wide angle close to the stage. Some of the files are large (>1GB) and long (e.g. the aforementioned 9 min. PWW at Philly and an even longer Dondante at MSG) I have never uploaded movies to the web so would appreciate any advice for these larger files so I can share with the faithful to help make it through to the next tour.
NYE was the first time I ever saw them and it was one of the greatest shows I ever saw. Quick question tho, who was singer that Jim dueted with, she was great.
Quote
As I mentioned, I have lots of video from these shows and, in my humble opinion, I think they are generally pretty good having been shot primarily in wide angle close to the stage. Some of the files are large (>1GB) and long (e.g. the aforementioned 9 min. PWW at Philly and an even longer Dondante at MSG) I have never uploaded movies to the web so would appreciate any advice for these larger files so I can share with the faithful to help make it through to the next tour.
Im computer illiterate so I couldnt help you out there, but sounds like you got some good footage so hopefully someone can help you get it on youtube. how's the audio?
I know dillsnufus has a bunch of MMJ stuff he's put on youtube. Maybe try PM'ing him?
Sorry to elect somebody else ;D
Bonnaroo was my first time seeing them and i was front row right in front of Jim. the set list, the rain, Kurt, Zack, glow sticks,the rain, the setlist, the rain, oh and did anyone else see the olsen twins in front of the gate I swear to god they were right beside me and I later discoverd that it was actually them. aparantlly they are big fans. o and I met patrick the next night during pearl jam and bought him a beer. here is a picture of us
http://photos-c.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v272/15/112/329400835/n329400835_234538_2944.jpg
MSG on NYE, Awesome!!!! but not good seats.
I was also at Myrtle Beach and to me that was my favorite show ever. You could tell that the band was blown away at the turn out and the interaction from the audience. They played so well off of it and it was a very exciting atmosphere. oh and cobra was the shiznicity!!!!!
I only got to 3 shows- houston, dallas, and NYE. out of those 3..
1. Dallas- great set, and erykah came out
2.
Let me try that again-
1. Dallas- great set and Erykah came out
2. NYE- just the coolest atmosphere
3. Houston- EU made their debut. I had no idea what this new music was that they were playing, but it was unreal. it made the next 3 months very long.
QuoteQuoteQuoteI was fortunate to see MMJ @ Bonnaroo and the 2 AZ shows last year...
I have to say, while the Roo show was everything I could desire and more from a band, I actually thought the 2 AZ shows as a pair were better performances, showcasing a number of songs not played at the Roo. While the bevy of covers was a cool treat, I have to say I much prefer the Jacket digging into their own back catalogue.
between the Tempe & Tucson shows, I got the following NON-Bonnaroo performances:
The Dark (simply an AWESOME surprise)
Lowdown
Look At You
Rollin Back
Cobra
The Way That He Sings
War Begun
The Bear
Just One Thing
Into the Woods
so yeah, what a wonderful tour it was... definitely a fan of the evening with... format
So they have played it live? :o
I'm so jealous.
Yeah, me too. The only time this tour. And a rare one at that.
Ill agree with the statements above
the parish in austin for sxsw. it was free, with an open bar, and it's a bar that holds less than 450 people. and they destroyed it.
Quote#1 Tucson , Spur of the moment , with my baby, free, small venue, last show of 2008 for us. Since Oct Chi postponed
#2 Louisville, MMJ hometown, Start of vacation. With my baby
#3 Berkeley Greek, With my baby, Not far from home,brought some family for their first show.
#4 Red Rocks,with my baby, but IMO too many drunk frat boy douche rockets and their wimmins steppin' on ya and spillin' beer all over, strive for excess with success people! Our first Red Rocks show of any sort, a real disappointing
crowd.
I concur with this assessment. I had such high hopes for my first Red Rocks experience, but alas, the douche rockets ruined it for me. Ah, well, I like the Gorge better anyway.
Note to self - MMJ at the Gorge would be epic...
QuoteQuote#1 Tucson , Spur of the moment , with my baby, free, small venue, last show of 2008 for us. Since Oct Chi postponed
#2 Louisville, MMJ hometown, Start of vacation. With my baby
#3 Berkeley Greek, With my baby, Not far from home,brought some family for their first show.
#4 Red Rocks,with my baby, but IMO too many drunk frat boy douche rockets and their wimmins steppin' on ya and spillin' beer all over, strive for excess with success people! Our first Red Rocks show of any sort, a real disappointing
crowd.
I concur with this assessment. I had such high hopes for my first Red Rocks experience, but alas, the douche rockets ruined it for me. Ah, well, I like the Gorge better anyway.
Note to self - MMJ at the Gorge would be epic...
Agreed and AGREED!
Out of: Radio City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Columbus, Chicago 2 ...
the winner is...
MILWAUKEE- great Friday Night show! Tons of energy, everyone was very cool, drunk and well behaved. Great organization with an UNREAL second set close of: Shootin, Touch me II & Run Thru. Encore: Wdls, Highly Suspicious, Cobra, Anytime & OBH.
Yep. Milwaukee.
It was a lot of fun watching & hearing the songs & sets evolve form Radio City (seriously start the year @ RCMH, wow) to Chicago in the Year of MMJ.
Looking forward to 2009 shows. Hoping for ROTHBURY
That Milwaukee show was great fun, but I have to give the edge to Chicago 2. I still dream of the day that boot surfaces.
Bonnaroo was intense and insane, with a great setlist, but rocking out with hypothermia was an experience I won't likely submit myself to, ever again. Louisville and Nashville were very awesome, but I cannot argue which was better. That weekend was a blur, and I wasn't always in my right mind. Met some awesome people, reunited with some awesome people. Since Louisville was kind of the apex, I think that's my favorite of the year.
Oh, and Atlanta was visually stunning, and the music good, but I wasn't able to rock out up front...
Nashville and Louisville for me...
Nashville was just awesome, fireworks for war begun, the boat that James and gang brought from Japan, and just the setting was so much fun, despite lack of pissers... plus i saw the soundcheck so that was sweet
Louisville... the homecoming gig... was just a great event, plus that Evil Urges Maker's Mark Poster might have been the coolest thing liquor advertising I've ever seen....
QuoteLouisville... the homecoming gig... was just a great event, plus that Evil Urges Maker's Mark Poster might have been the coolest thing liquor advertising I've ever seen....
Dude, if I was a baller, I would own that. Didn't that banner suspiciously disappear?
I seem to remember them putting tape over it or something...
I think everyone who went to the Louisville show can agree that they were on fire from the first notes of Anytime to the last chord of One Big Holiday.
QuoteI saw 4 shows in 2008 - Radio City, DAR in DC, Philly and MSG on NYE. They were all great but DAR was a notch below because of muddled acoustics and lame crowd as noted by others. I struggle with which of the other three was my "favorite" since they all had their own special character that made them unique. While I hate to rank the top three, a Sophie's choice of sorts, I ultimately decided on the following based on which show I would most like to experience again if such a thing was possible. I have the audio recordings of all three shows and videos which I took myself and have listened to them many times to percolate on my impressions. I was also fortunate to be in the first few rows of all four shows, making a comparison more equitable.
1. Philly - I had my doubts about the venue - essentially an asphalt parking lot. When it started to get dark, the expansive stage and lights took over and the surrounding waterfront with bridges and atmospherics (swirling winds from an approaching hurricane) made it a magical setting. The acoustics up front were perfect and the crowd was the best of all the 4 shows. Oh, and by the way, MMJ just seemed at the peak of 2008 tour perfection, playing exclusively their tunes. They played with inspiration, Jim's voice was strong and nearly perfect and they seemed to have boundless energy through a very long set. Phone Went West was ridiculous - the band, the crowd and setting just perfect for this song. I have a movie of the entire PWW and it confirms the "in the moment" feeling. Overall, 2008 tour perfection.
2. Radio City - An incredibly special moment for MMJ with a sellout in a matter of minutes in one of the most storied venues in the world. I don't think I'm alone in this forum in saying the anticipation of this show was almost too much to bear. Acoustics, of course, were great and when Jim brushed by me on his first foray up to the rafters stage left I almost lost it (I have it all on video including my foul language). It was a great performance by the band from start to finish. The crowd left a bit to be desired, however; not nearly as many hard core up front as in Philly.
3. MSG on NYE - It doesn't seem right to rank a show like this as 3rd since it was yet another huge milestone for MMJ and a truly epic performance. I was up front by Jim in the pit and even after 5 hrs of standing was still energized - the crowd was great, most likely a function of self-selection as in the GA Philly show. I have to admit I have mixed feelings about some of the covers and added musicians/singers - pluses and minuses but overall I don't think as strong as pure MMJ. I can't think of a better way to spend NYE and would go in a heartbeat if they repeat.
4. DAR in DC - The band was great and I loved the show. Just a notch down given the poor acoustics and lots of clueless folks at the show.
As I mentioned, I have lots of video from these shows and, in my humble opinion, I think they are generally pretty good having been shot primarily in wide angle close to the stage. Some of the files are large (>1GB) and long (e.g. the aforementioned 9 min. PWW at Philly and an even longer Dondante at MSG) I have never uploaded movies to the web so would appreciate any advice for these larger files so I can share with the faithful to help make it through to the next tour.
I was at all three except Philly. I thought War Begun at DAR was epic; as was Steam Engine. Best show of the year was RCMH. The whole place was shaking during OBH.
having only been to RCMH, Boston, and NYE last year, I can't make a very good choice of the best one
I did love that they opened with Mahgeetah in Boston though, it seems they opened with Evil Urges/Anytime on most of the other dates
QuoteQuoteI saw 4 shows in 2008 - Radio City, DAR in DC, Philly and MSG on NYE. They were all great but DAR was a notch below because of muddled acoustics and lame crowd as noted by others. I struggle with which of the other three was my "favorite" since they all had their own special character that made them unique. While I hate to rank the top three, a Sophie's choice of sorts, I ultimately decided on the following based on which show I would most like to experience again if such a thing was possible. I have the audio recordings of all three shows and videos which I took myself and have listened to them many times to percolate on my impressions. I was also fortunate to be in the first few rows of all four shows, making a comparison more equitable.
1. Philly - I had my doubts about the venue - essentially an asphalt parking lot. When it started to get dark, the expansive stage and lights took over and the surrounding waterfront with bridges and atmospherics (swirling winds from an approaching hurricane) made it a magical setting. The acoustics up front were perfect and the crowd was the best of all the 4 shows. Oh, and by the way, MMJ just seemed at the peak of 2008 tour perfection, playing exclusively their tunes. They played with inspiration, Jim's voice was strong and nearly perfect and they seemed to have boundless energy through a very long set. Phone Went West was ridiculous - the band, the crowd and setting just perfect for this song. I have a movie of the entire PWW and it confirms the "in the moment" feeling. Overall, 2008 tour perfection.
2. Radio City - An incredibly special moment for MMJ with a sellout in a matter of minutes in one of the most storied venues in the world. I don't think I'm alone in this forum in saying the anticipation of this show was almost too much to bear. Acoustics, of course, were great and when Jim brushed by me on his first foray up to the rafters stage left I almost lost it (I have it all on video including my foul language). It was a great performance by the band from start to finish. The crowd left a bit to be desired, however; not nearly as many hard core up front as in Philly.
3. MSG on NYE - It doesn't seem right to rank a show like this as 3rd since it was yet another huge milestone for MMJ and a truly epic performance. I was up front by Jim in the pit and even after 5 hrs of standing was still energized - the crowd was great, most likely a function of self-selection as in the GA Philly show. I have to admit I have mixed feelings about some of the covers and added musicians/singers - pluses and minuses but overall I don't think as strong as pure MMJ. I can't think of a better way to spend NYE and would go in a heartbeat if they repeat.
4. DAR in DC - The band was great and I loved the show. Just a notch down given the poor acoustics and lots of clueless folks at the show.
As I mentioned, I have lots of video from these shows and, in my humble opinion, I think they are generally pretty good having been shot primarily in wide angle close to the stage. Some of the files are large (>1GB) and long (e.g. the aforementioned 9 min. PWW at Philly and an even longer Dondante at MSG) I have never uploaded movies to the web so would appreciate any advice for these larger files so I can share with the faithful to help make it through to the next tour.
I was at all three except Philly. I thought War Begun at DAR was epic; as was Steam Engine. Best show of the year was RCMH. The whole place was shaking during OBH.
Even though I ranked it 4th, the band put on a great show at DAR. I agree that War Begun was a standout. Last night I watched the 7 songs I captured from DAR on video, including War Begun, and I came away with an increased appreciation for the concert. Really the only things that detracted a bit were the somewhat muddied acoustics and an aloof crowd. But I'll take a night of MMJ like that over just about anything.
Here is the ranking of the '08 shows i made it to:
1) Nashville....fireworks during war begun, the general jackson, hot Tenn night.
2) Melbourne...the Billboard was an awesome club to see them in, Jim gave many talks on the buildings that felt like morphing brains. The Aussies finally got into the band for this show
3)The Greek - Berkeley, Misty night kept many people away, but those that made it got to float through the 'Scottish Battlefield from Braveheart' that JJ described.
4)Sydney...The Metro was a cool club, felt like a highschool theater, crowd could have moved a little to the songs.
5)Sydney...Entertainment Center, Played a pretty short set opening for , but brought it during dondante
6)Kansas City...Uptown, cool theater, but crowd was pretty sterile...got weird looks for smoking a joint at the show. During OBH Jim James made it onto the Muppets style balcony to rock out his solo
...
1. NYE MSG - this show was amazing it solidified MMJ as my favorite band. Also nothing is better than having Jim James do the countdown for the new year.
2. Bonnaroo '08 - Kirk Hamett and Zack G coming out. Let alone the beautiful covers and the way MMJ controlled the rain. I mean cmon 4 hours of gorgeousness.
3. Nashville Riverfront - War Begun. The venue, the fireworks and the amazing sound.
4. Louisville Waterfront - MMJ's hometown. Everything was just right :)
Also gonna have to throw Bonnaroo '06 out there
'Roo was my first MMJ show and by far the best. After that I would say Chicago and then Nashville. Couldn't make the NYE show unfortunately but I heard it was right up there with Bonnaroo.
man! no love for stubbs in austin? well i gotta admit i am being biased a little bit.
this was my first show ever...ive been a huge fan since at dawn but could never catch a break to get to a show. being my first show i was already excited for weeks in advance obviously. my wife and i got there early, like 4 hrs early since stubbs is just general admission, and were lucky enough to be in the first 10 or so people in line.
now being from texas and a big fan of stubbs bbq i had read in a stubbs cook book that stubb always fed the artists before a show. well during our wait in the line before the show i had to go make yellow in the bathroom. so as i walked passed the front window of the restaurant i remembered this tidbit of info i had read and decided to glance inside figuring what the hell. but sure enough there sat all the guys except jim. the funny thing is that there were people inside eating that werent there for the show that seemed completely oblivious to who was chowing down right next to them.
already amazed that i had seen them that close i dipped into the bar side of stubbs to head to the bathroom. i was still stoked from seeing the band when low and behold jim james is leaning on the bar. to say i was star struck is an understatement but i understand the saying now. luckily jim was cool enough to dismiss my lack of coherent speech and take a pic with me.
my wife swears i skipped back to her spot in line and said that my smile was bigger than the smile i had when she said yes ill marry you. once they opened the gates we were front row right in front of carl for the whole show. i got the the setlist from the stage and one of carls guitar picks after the show.
this show was everything id imagined an mmj show to be. ive read reviews and youtubed other shows so i understand everyones opinions and agree there were definitely other shows that were more epic. but this show was amazing all bias aside. all i can say was for me all the years of bad luck missing shows seemed to be made up for on that evening with my morning jacket.
An oldie but goody:
2001-09-08 University Planetarium - Louisville, KY
1. The Dark
2. Lowdown
3. Picture Of You
4. Old September Blues
5. By My Car
6. Heartbreakin Man
7. It's About twilight Now
8. The Way That He Sings
9. Evelyn Is Not Real
10. One Big Holiday
11. Bermuda Highway
12. I think I'm Going To Hell
13. The Bear
14. War Begun
15. Just Because I Do
16. Lil Billy
17. Phone Went West
18. Rocket Man (Elton John)
A great performance.I just love any show from 1999-2002 BTW,.Has anyone got an upgrade to this show?My recording is not so great.The vocals are mixed very heavy.I still listen to this show quite often.
Palladium Ballroom in Dallas in august 08. Not a great venue but the boys filled it and the crowd was electric all night. the moment the first chords were struck strangers in line for beer hugged and that communal spirit swelled as the night went on. Best single moment of the tour was the encore when Erykah Badu joined the boys for Tyrone and told the crowd to "rejoice because MMJ is in your town Dallas!"
Quoteman! no love for stubbs in austin? well i gotta admit i am being biased a little bit.
this was my first show ever...ive been a huge fan since at dawn but could never catch a break to get to a show. being my first show i was already excited for weeks in advance obviously. my wife and i got there early, like 4 hrs early since stubbs is just general admission, and were lucky enough to be in the first 10 or so people in line.
now being from texas and a big fan of stubbs bbq i had read in a stubbs cook book that stubb always fed the artists before a show. well during our wait in the line before the show i had to go make yellow in the bathroom. so as i walked passed the front window of the restaurant i remembered this tidbit of info i had read and decided to glance inside figuring what the hell. but sure enough there sat all the guys except jim. the funny thing is that there were people inside eating that werent there for the show that seemed completely oblivious to who was chowing down right next to them.
already amazed that i had seen them that close i dipped into the bar side of stubbs to head to the bathroom. i was still stoked from seeing the band when low and behold jim james is leaning on the bar. to say i was star struck is an understatement but i understand the saying now. luckily jim was cool enough to dismiss my lack of coherent speech and take a pic with me.
my wife swears i skipped back to her spot in line and said that my smile was bigger than the smile i had when she said yes ill marry you. once they opened the gates we were front row right in front of carl for the whole show. i got the the setlist from the stage and one of carls guitar picks after the show.
this show was everything id imagined an mmj show to be. ive read reviews and youtubed other shows so i understand everyones opinions and agree there were definitely other shows that were more epic. but this show was amazing all bias aside. all i can say was for me all the years of bad luck missing shows seemed to be made up for on that evening with my morning jacket.
aw, what a great story. i live in austin and had to miss the show because we already had plans to go to mexico for vacation. i did get to see the free parish show earlier in the year, but i wanted to see them at stubb's.
QuoteCouldn't make the NYE show unfortunately but I heard it was right up there with Bonnaroo.
not really.
nye was good and all, but it was no where near the epic bad-ass-ness of bonnaroo.
:rawk