chicago at night
I haven't been to a Summer Breeze concert since my first year when they had Ok Go and Bela Fleck. Since then none of the bands have interested me, but this year they had Spoon, and I was totally psyched.
Setlist here. And here's a flip of the backwards writing in the top right corner, which is obviously permanent marker bleed-through from another piece of paper. An abandoned setlist idea? But I don't recognize some of the abbreviations, since "used" and "key" don't seem to be in any song titles. And I don't know what's up with the numbers.
[Note: They didn't play You Got Yr Cherry Bomb/Rhthm & Soul, nor did they play Quincy Punk Episode, and the encore was shortened to only Chicago At Night, Everything Hits at Once and Anything You Want (and honestly, why where they planning on playing Small Stakes/Quincy Punk Episode again in the encore? Also, "New Rose" is another mystery song)]
I was flying solo for this show, so I brought a book and my iPod full of Spoon's new album to keep me busy. Unfortunately, I misjudged both the amount of the book I had left to read and the amount of juice left in my iPod. Thirty minutes into my wait my book ran out, and 15 minutes later my iPod died, so I spent a fair amount of time staring into space. Of course, it didn't help that they opened the doors 25 minutes late. Oh, student-run commitees running shows. The concert started late as well, which I dreaded because I had the misfortune of picking a spot in the front row next to a volunteer who immediately introduced himself and started trying to make small talk. It became obvious he wasn't hitting on me, he was just an annoying kid (highlight: when he asked the gruff security guard his name and was met with stony silence), and finally he took the hint I wasn't there for the conversation and started talking to some other guy behind him.
There were two bands playing that night, Spoon and The Roots, and since they're both pretty big names I had been hoping that they would put Spoon first so I could go home afterward. This was unfortunately not the case, although apparently everyone knew this but me (what can I say, I don't get the campus gossip anymore). Everyone at the front of the line was there for the Roots, so I kind of stood out during their set, but I wasn't about to cede my front row spot to anyone. It's pretty obvous from these statements that the roots aren't really my kind of music, but unlike some bands I've waited through I could respect them as good musicians, and it was pretty entertaining to watch their crazy sousaphone player.
Finally Spoon came on (not until after I entertained several questions about the nature of band equiptment and guitar techs from the annoying guy), and opened with My Mathematical Mind, which is one of my very favorite songs, so naturally I was pleased. I have to say, before I saw Spoon live last year at Pitchfork, I always thought that they probably wouldn't play two of my favorite songs live (My Mathematical Mind and Paper Tiger) because they'd be just too weird, but apparently Spoon likes them just as much as I do because they played both songs both times I've seen them. I was happy to hear them play Don't You Evah and Don't Make Me a Target, which are two of my favorite songs from the new album. Of course, I also love You Got Yr Cherry Bomb and Rhthm and Soul, which were on the setlist but disappointly not played. (And yeah, sic on all those song titles - I guess Britt decided he didn't really want to spell correctly on this one, haha)
Jim, the drummer, was on quite a high platform onstage, and during one pause between songs Britt asked us, "Do you know why he's high up there? It's because he's king, king of the band." Jim was also having some troubles with one of the mics set up above his drums, which kept swinging around despite a crazy amount of duct tape already on it, a fact which Britt remarked upon. And I was super excited to hear Chicago At Night, which you would think would be a gimme in this city, but they hadn't played it at Pitchfork last year. I called out for it during the set, though I know that this is very rarely successful. When they played it for the encore I didn't know if they had taken the request or planned it, but it was on the setlist. I got to hear it, though, which is what's important.
During the first few songs it seemed like Britt kept looking at me, and even smiling; even the annoying guy next to me said "I think he likes you." But really I think Britt just likes smiling at people in the audience, because he did a lot of that all night to various people. There was actually a fair amount of audience participation compared to some shows I've been to. At one lull between songs a girl actually yelled out "I want to see your penis!" and Britt actually heard it, saying "Excuse me?" Then he looked at the keyboardist, Eric, and said "I think she was talking to you, Eric." To which Eric laughed, shook his head and pointed back at Britt.
Also at the end of the main set this crazy guy in a nautical-type cap and his presumed girlfriend, both trashed, pushed up front and after the first song of the encore he managed to get Britt's attention, saying that the song before the encore (The Beast and Dragon, Adored) was "their song" and that they were "madly in love." Britt asked them if they were for real, and laughing informed the rest of audience that, "Uh, these people are madly in love because of the band, I guess." He then asked them what song they wanted them to play, but the kid apparently had no request, and just told Britt to "rock this bitch!" So the band talked among themselves and played a couple more songs.
After the show was over I had the easiest setlist-getting experience ever: I asked a tech on stage, she nodded and gave it to me (coincidentally, the bass player Rob's setlist). But what made it so easy was that there were no other people asking or trying to grab one. Some people just don't know what they're missing, heh.
This concert was infinitely better than the last time I saw them (also my first time), when I was way to far back in the crowd to enjoy anything. Because really, they are quite an attractive band.
Also, I was looking for pictures of the band and Britt last night, some of which I am going to share later, but I just have to show this one now, which is I love entirely too much.
Apparently some girl at a yarn blog was asking various rock stars at SXSW to pose with her scarf that was being knit exclusively in bars. Apparently "Britt was really concerned about looking authentic," which is hilarious because it's obvious he has no idea what he's doing. But I love him just the same:
Setlist here. And here's a flip of the backwards writing in the top right corner, which is obviously permanent marker bleed-through from another piece of paper. An abandoned setlist idea? But I don't recognize some of the abbreviations, since "used" and "key" don't seem to be in any song titles. And I don't know what's up with the numbers.
[Note: They didn't play You Got Yr Cherry Bomb/Rhthm & Soul, nor did they play Quincy Punk Episode, and the encore was shortened to only Chicago At Night, Everything Hits at Once and Anything You Want (and honestly, why where they planning on playing Small Stakes/Quincy Punk Episode again in the encore? Also, "New Rose" is another mystery song)]
I was flying solo for this show, so I brought a book and my iPod full of Spoon's new album to keep me busy. Unfortunately, I misjudged both the amount of the book I had left to read and the amount of juice left in my iPod. Thirty minutes into my wait my book ran out, and 15 minutes later my iPod died, so I spent a fair amount of time staring into space. Of course, it didn't help that they opened the doors 25 minutes late. Oh, student-run commitees running shows. The concert started late as well, which I dreaded because I had the misfortune of picking a spot in the front row next to a volunteer who immediately introduced himself and started trying to make small talk. It became obvious he wasn't hitting on me, he was just an annoying kid (highlight: when he asked the gruff security guard his name and was met with stony silence), and finally he took the hint I wasn't there for the conversation and started talking to some other guy behind him.
There were two bands playing that night, Spoon and The Roots, and since they're both pretty big names I had been hoping that they would put Spoon first so I could go home afterward. This was unfortunately not the case, although apparently everyone knew this but me (what can I say, I don't get the campus gossip anymore). Everyone at the front of the line was there for the Roots, so I kind of stood out during their set, but I wasn't about to cede my front row spot to anyone. It's pretty obvous from these statements that the roots aren't really my kind of music, but unlike some bands I've waited through I could respect them as good musicians, and it was pretty entertaining to watch their crazy sousaphone player.
Finally Spoon came on (not until after I entertained several questions about the nature of band equiptment and guitar techs from the annoying guy), and opened with My Mathematical Mind, which is one of my very favorite songs, so naturally I was pleased. I have to say, before I saw Spoon live last year at Pitchfork, I always thought that they probably wouldn't play two of my favorite songs live (My Mathematical Mind and Paper Tiger) because they'd be just too weird, but apparently Spoon likes them just as much as I do because they played both songs both times I've seen them. I was happy to hear them play Don't You Evah and Don't Make Me a Target, which are two of my favorite songs from the new album. Of course, I also love You Got Yr Cherry Bomb and Rhthm and Soul, which were on the setlist but disappointly not played. (And yeah, sic on all those song titles - I guess Britt decided he didn't really want to spell correctly on this one, haha)
Jim, the drummer, was on quite a high platform onstage, and during one pause between songs Britt asked us, "Do you know why he's high up there? It's because he's king, king of the band." Jim was also having some troubles with one of the mics set up above his drums, which kept swinging around despite a crazy amount of duct tape already on it, a fact which Britt remarked upon. And I was super excited to hear Chicago At Night, which you would think would be a gimme in this city, but they hadn't played it at Pitchfork last year. I called out for it during the set, though I know that this is very rarely successful. When they played it for the encore I didn't know if they had taken the request or planned it, but it was on the setlist. I got to hear it, though, which is what's important.
During the first few songs it seemed like Britt kept looking at me, and even smiling; even the annoying guy next to me said "I think he likes you." But really I think Britt just likes smiling at people in the audience, because he did a lot of that all night to various people. There was actually a fair amount of audience participation compared to some shows I've been to. At one lull between songs a girl actually yelled out "I want to see your penis!" and Britt actually heard it, saying "Excuse me?" Then he looked at the keyboardist, Eric, and said "I think she was talking to you, Eric." To which Eric laughed, shook his head and pointed back at Britt.
Also at the end of the main set this crazy guy in a nautical-type cap and his presumed girlfriend, both trashed, pushed up front and after the first song of the encore he managed to get Britt's attention, saying that the song before the encore (The Beast and Dragon, Adored) was "their song" and that they were "madly in love." Britt asked them if they were for real, and laughing informed the rest of audience that, "Uh, these people are madly in love because of the band, I guess." He then asked them what song they wanted them to play, but the kid apparently had no request, and just told Britt to "rock this bitch!" So the band talked among themselves and played a couple more songs.
After the show was over I had the easiest setlist-getting experience ever: I asked a tech on stage, she nodded and gave it to me (coincidentally, the bass player Rob's setlist). But what made it so easy was that there were no other people asking or trying to grab one. Some people just don't know what they're missing, heh.
This concert was infinitely better than the last time I saw them (also my first time), when I was way to far back in the crowd to enjoy anything. Because really, they are quite an attractive band.
Also, I was looking for pictures of the band and Britt last night, some of which I am going to share later, but I just have to show this one now, which is I love entirely too much.
Apparently some girl at a yarn blog was asking various rock stars at SXSW to pose with her scarf that was being knit exclusively in bars. Apparently "Britt was really concerned about looking authentic," which is hilarious because it's obvious he has no idea what he's doing. But I love him just the same: