[michelej1]

Lindsey put on a great show and he looked fantastic. A face like polished, carved granite.

For those who thought an acoustic set would be boring, you have nothing to fear. I didn't think the taped music would be bad. My fear is that people won't know what's real and what's fake. I mean, at some point, do you start thinking the guitar playing might not be real?

CAD - It's funny how the different arrangement made me not only unsure of when to sing, but sometimes I didn't know what to sing either. I could sing this song acapella with the music from the studio version playing in my head. But take away that music and put in something new and suddenly I'm struggling to figure out what comes next.

I'm half singing along and half discovering. The song is less sing-songy and seems to have a deeper meaning.

Bleed To Love Her - He's done this live as an encore since the Dance, but seeing it like this as part of the set makes me think back to that last tour with all of them. At the end, he makes me jump out of my seat when he starts screaming and then suddenly he brings it down, until he's just whispering that he would bleed to love her.

After that song he addresses the audience and says that he's been on that stage many times and there seems to be a trend. The first time he was there, it must have been with 10 people, then 4 "and now, tonight it's just me." Well, I'd take one of you over about a 1000 others, Linds.

Not Too Late has a different arrangement too. I think it an improvement. He says his kids are there and dedicates it to them. They are in the first row off the floor (seats AAAA-DDDD were on the floor and then a raised area for the rest of the seating. Kristen and the kids were in that first row of raised seats. Will looked quite preppy with a neat haircut and a sweater. The girls dressed more casually.

Poor Little Raven (Damsel?) I could use one of your introductions here, Lindsey. I approve of new songs, but it throws me not to be able to sing along with you. Maybe this song sounds better with a band, but right now, I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't put it on your next album.

Stephanie Yes, I think I know who the red-head standing up and cheering in the third row left is.

Come- Best I've heard it. In the past, I have minded having both Come and ISA in the setlist, but not tonight.

Shut Us Down

Go Insane-I think I miss the band version, but this sounded good.

NGBA - Tempo is quicker, like it used to be. Sounded good.

Big Love - He says this song and its evolution from band to solo is really the template for the entire show he is doing tonight. It's a meditation on the power and importance of change.

ISA Usually this song gets hot during the guitar solo, but it sounded good when he was singing the verse too tonight. The taped music had a tribal, jungle feeling underneath and it had more rhythm than it usually did. When I sing along, I'm usually laconic, but it had more intensity and speed.

He doesn't move up to the side of the stage like he usually does when he gets to the solo. He stays in the center. He didn't walk the stage for GYOW either. He stayed near his mic. I miss his strolling and commanding the floor, from right to left. I think those exciting and escalating guitar solos probably didn't go over as well with the audience as they have in shows past. But, make no mistake, they still loved it. Up until then, everyone was seated. Three people made it to the stage during ISA and then when the rest of the audience saw that no one was making them leave, everyone started going up there.

GYOW - I was surprised that he was playing it. I didn't know that we were at the end so soon.

Trouble

When he returns for the encore he says, "I make it different every time and you guys make it different every time." Um, you don't make it different everytime. It's the start of the tour and you've changed things up since last night, but believe me things won't change every night. Don't get carried away with yourself, buddy.


He says that when he was on the road for SWS he talked about the Big Machine and the Small Machine. He says that the choices we make are responsible for what's good and evil in a single person and in an entire world. It's all a collection of choices and we sometimes forget that we can all make a small difference that will collectively add up.

He says he's wanted to try a tour like this for a long time, but it's been outside of his comfort zone, but we make him feel very comfortable.

SWS. At the end of Seeds We Sow, it seems like he forgets the words for a second or two. LB, the lyrics you're looking for are "ta-ta-ta."

He was great. A little more stationary than he is with the guys, but crisp, sharp delivering something new even in old treasures like ISA.

Michele