Chicago Shows Reviews and Setlists
 

hi,

I just got back from the first of two Chicago shows. I was lucky enough to nab the setlist (I got the mad wingspan, beyotches), so here it is:

Sacred Trickster
No Way
Poison Arrow
Calming the Snake
Tom Violence
Malibu Gas Station
Antenna
Leaky Lifeboat
Hey Joni
Anti-Orgasm
Massage the History
Pacific Coast Highway

What We Know
The Sprawl

Bull in the Heather
The World Looks Red

It was a very good show. I'm going to write a proper review tomorrow on my blog, but little bits:

A very un-talkative Thurston and company. Very workmanlike. I'm a big fan of Thurston's banter, so this was slightly disappointing.

Good enthusiastic crowd. I was right up front, so I'm not sure if this carried over to the back (the vic is long and narrow).

The new songs sounded great. "Massage" definitely won me over (I wasn't a huge fan). "PCH" was an unexpected highlight. "World Looks Red" was a hot mess, but very cool. Thurston went batshit crazy on it.

Sound was pretty muddy. Lee and Kim's vox didn't have a lot of punch, but it might have been where I was standing.

No long noise jams or anything spontaneous. No complaints, though. I've seen a lot of these and this one would rank a solid "solid".

Some cool merchandise including a Bad Moon Rising record bag that I'm going to get tomorrow (didn't have the lettuce tonight).

Read my blog for a LONG review. Also, I'm reviewing every song on every album (I'm up to EVOL) if anyone is interested.

http://carvedsukk4honesty.blogspot.com/

See you tomorrow!

massage the history live... that should be pretty nice!

poison arrow. yes!

coo' setlist. most of the eternal + good o'l songs. i dig.

I wish they would have played Candle and/or Mote.

i'm going to the sunday show, but not sure how early i'll be able to be there.
about what time did they go on? thx.

that's an awesome set list!

Cool set! Ten songs from The Eternal. Only Thunderclap & Walkin Blue were left out.

im waitin for thunderclap live.

When Pantophobia and I were talking about which ones they'd leave out I
picked those two. I'd be surprised to see them this tour.

that's too bad. i would love to hear those songs live. why do you think that?

Nothing off Goo and Dirty...

Lee has his two songs per set this tour pretty well established, it seems.
"Hey Joni" for the oldies fix, "What We Know" the immediate new track a sure
crowdpleaser.

"Thunderclap"--too many words, too little time, Thurston may not wanna bother with it. This was the reason given for "Dripping Dream" not being played beyond a couple times in '04.

thanks for review! can't wit to hear Massage The History live. two very good points you made there, I was thinking last yr I've been seeing them live....


I'm looking forward to their merch table when they come to Europe, coz last couple of time I've seen them it was festivals so you can imagine.

Damn good set list. Seems like they were playing a lot of older material in Europe. I like when they play most of their new record but I still wouldn't mind some "Pink Steam".

Oh, I forgot to mention that they had lyric sheets put down for almost every song. I remember them doing this on occasion in the past, but every song? Thurston's memory must be goin out the winda.

damnn! they cut out a lot of old stuff! i can only hope for some of the more brutal kim songs in toronto (cross the breeze, brother james, shaking hell)

Bull in the Heather again? I mean, really.

I must concur with this.

are there some pics of the show?

Rupert....you goin' tonight? I think I might've saw you if you were the one I saw who got the setlist. I was up on teh balcony just chillin'.

Massage was definately the best.

I actually thought they were gonna leave out Malibu Gas Station and Massage history.....but I guess I was wrong.

Yeah, I'll be there again tonight. Probably the same spot in front of Thurston.

I posted a full review of the show on my blog you can click on below. I also have two videos (almost full Tom Violence and just a bit of PCH) with two pictures if anyone is interested.

My predictions: Walkin Blue instead of What We Know; two from Rather Ripped, one being "Incinerate". Eric's Trip instead of Joni. And maybe Sugar Kane.

I also think they'll only play 8 off Eternal tonight.

Opener: Incinerate (?)... I got last night's right, but I'm sure most people figured they would open with the Trickster.

Fuck I can't wait for next week.

I can't wait for later!

I don't know whether i should do balcony or floor tonight....probably floor to switch it up.

Is it me or did they mess up a little On Anti Orgasm and The Sprawl.

That's kind of a disappointing set as far as old stuff goes. Pretty much taken from the same small group of tunes they have been doing the last few years. I was hoping they would break out some new old stuff. I would rather they just play the entire new album instead of the same old shit. Tom Violence, Bull In The Heather, Hey Joni, and PCH have been played to death the last few tours.

what was teh merch like

You forgot to mention Thurston cranking Chicago's-"Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is" through his amp. Loved it!

Most of the new songs sounded much better live with the exception of "Malibu Gas Station". Not sure why, but that one just doesn't gel live. Highlights of the show were "Antenna" and "Massage the History". Oh, and PCH was amazing.

I really liked Malibu gas Station!


ps I couldn't hear what thurston was playing through the amp towards teh end of the show.



pps I never heard Tom Violence live so I fucking loved it.

Yes Bull... needs to go. It needed to go a long time ago! It's just time filler now. It really all comes down to what's rehearsed I guess. And I'm not sick of Pink Steam yet. Instead of Bull they could beat Pink Steam to death for awhile now.

sugar kane? that would be fantastic. they could rehearse it. i'd say it is easy to play, hahaha. never seen it live. would love it alright, but I doubt it.

it's not out of the question, they brought back Sugar Kane when Jim was in the band

I'd like for Bull in the Heather to be retired for this tour. I really never found it that good.
Sugar Kane however..

Yeah, that setlist sounds pretty disapointing...although I've never seen Tom Violence. I was really hoping to hear something off Washing Machine or Experimental Jet Set.

A few things I'd like to see added... but, on the Bull In The Heather side of things, do remember - every show is SOMEONE'S first SY show (read: mine this Tuesday - aside from BAM which doesn't really count) ... and as predictable as BITH is, I kinda wanna see it - as it's long been a fav as far as their poppy side goes... but, if it's NOT there - we need something else good and classic (Sugar Kane would be AMAZING too)...

I just try to have some patience with stuff like that - every song is SOMEONE'S favourite, and every show is SOMEONE'S first...

which is why they should tear the place down with brother james!

Pretty disappointing compared to their other '09 shows, but oh well. I still can't wait to see them Tuesday.

Really? People are seriously complaining about that set list? Would you rather it be full of 'Kool Thing' '100%' 'Schizophrenia' 'Teenage Riot' 'Drunken Butterfly' and other songs that they truly HAVE played out over the past decade? I'd say in this set that 'Bull' is the only truly unwelcome tune (yes, I've warmed up to 'Tom Violence', and when it's not played every night it's actually pretty cool!). The only reason 'Bull' is unwelcome is NOT because they play it all the time (I could hear 'Brother James', 'Burning Spear', etc every night and never tire of them), but because it SUCKS LIVE.

Let's be realistic, people. Not only did they relearn ALL of 'Daydream Nation', so it makes perfect sense to carry some of those songs forward as 'old tunes in new set lists' (are people seriously complaining about seeing 'The Sprawl' or 'Hey Joni' on a fucking set list in 2009?!), but they also had to basically learn all of the new songs over again for the live translation. So, they kinda had their hands full with that, I'm not actually expecting to see any 'new old tunes' in the set list for a while. I'd be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not expecting a 'Shaking Hell' or 'World Looks Red' this tour, which is fine because THEY STILL PLAY THOSE AMAZING SONGS!

Sorry, but touring for an album means playing the bulk of that album in the set list, which I'd hope we all want, and a handful of old tunes. I'm THRILLED to see 'PCH' and 'Hey Joni' and whatever else in the set list, over 'Schizophrenia' 'Skip Tracer' etc.. which are great songs but so overplayed. (And look, here I'm calling SKIP TRACER overplayed, I'd have laughed at myself 8 years ago if I ever knew I'd say that.)

Anyway... watch tonight's set list have 'Kool Thing' '100%' and all the rest. :p