Hello all---
I thought I'd share some thoughts on Friday's Houston show. Before I get started, though, for anyone who wants to be surprised, there will probably be some SPOILERS below.
Okay, first, here's the set list in case there were any doubts about what he
played:
Not Too Late [solo]
Trouble [solo]
Never Going Back Again [solo]
Second Hand News
Cast Away Dreams
Red Rover
It Was You
Big Love [solo]
[poem]/Go Insane [solo]
Under the Skin
World Turning/drum solo
I'm So Afraid
I Know I'm Not Wrong
Tusk
Go Your Own Way
Holiday Road
Show You How
Turn It On
Shut Us Down [solo]
Let me first say that, as this was my first time to see Lindsey live, I think it was simply amazing. As a guitarist and songwriter, it was amazing being just a few rows from the stage and seeing how he plays some of the songs.
He played with a lot of energy, and it was obvious that, as the crowd's energy grew over the course of the night, Lindsey fed off the crowd and his own energy level grew.
Regarding the set, I hadn't checked any of the posted set lists, so I didn't realize that it was, for the most part, the same set he's been playing for the whole tour with the exception of the last two songs. Having checked the other set lists now, I have to say that I'm disappointed that he so rarely changes the set list, but then, I guess I should be happy that he changed two songs.
My favorites were "Trouble," "Second Hand News," "Cast Away Dreams," "Under the Skin," I Know I'm Not Wrong," "Holiday Road," and "Turn It On."
"I'm So Afraid" got a slightly different arrangement than the FM version, with Neale's guitar providing a moody atmosphere in place of the keyboards in the Mac version. Still, I couldn't help thinking that Lindsey has played this song at virtually every show he's played since 1997. If nothing else, I'd have liked him to swap it for "Tango in the Night" or one of the other similar type songs.
Similarly, "Big Love," "Go Insane," "Tusk," and "Go Your Own Way" were predictable inclusions in the set. I guess he probably couldn't get away with NOT doing the last two.
The only song I was truly disappointed to hear was "Red Rover." I never liked it on GIFT OF SCREWS, and I still don't like it. Lindsey is one of my favorite musicians, but this is one of the few of his songs that I think is lesser compared to the rest of his work.
Really, though, my only real complaint about the set was the order. Ideally, you want to start low, build the energy a little bit, bring it back down a little, then build again through the end of the show. I understand his reasoning with beginning with "Not Too Late," because it sets the tone for both the album and the show. "Trouble" and "Never Going Back Again" brought the energy level up a bit, and "Second Hand News" really got the energy going. The energy sustained through "World Turning," but the song's extended drum solo, which ended with Brett Tuggle playing a bunch of samples of Lindsey's lead vocal, seemed to go on a little too long.
The energy picked back up with "I Know I'm Not Wrong" and continued through "Holiday Road," but at the end of that song, Lindsey and the band broke into a barking exchange [mocking the dog barks at the end of the recorded version of the song], and it seemed to leave the crowd a little bewildered. Lindsey even commented about whether they had more or less dignity left after it, but, regardless, it ruined the energy. When "Holiday Road" began, the whole crowded jumped to its feet.
Lindsey then introduced the band, commenting that Taku is his new favorite drummer and that Neale is his sounding board for ideas, etc. He spoke highly of Brett, too, who returned the favor by introducing their boss.
"Turn It On" was the one real surprise of the night for me, but it seemed a little unrehearsed to me...like they weren't sure how to end it. Still, it was great to hear.
Finally, the band, as expected, was top-notch. I'm not sure why, but for some reason, I thought it would be just Lindsey, Neale, and Taku. I didn't
realize Brett Tuggle would be there, and his presence [on rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, and backing vocals] really filled out the sound. There was actually very little interaction between Lindsey and the band or between the band members themselves. The interaction got a little better starting at the halfway mark, with Brett and Neale making eye contact or grinning at each other every once in a while. A couple of times, Lindsey ended a song by stomping over to the drum riser. Otherwise, except for Lindsey, the other musicians stuck to their respective areas of the stage. In fact, until "I Know I'm Not Wrong," the other band members were sitting down. I assume this was a conscious decision on Lindsey's part to convey the "living room" mood of the album.
All in all, it was a very good show, and I'm certainly glad I finally saw him. The only other thing I'd add is that, for most of the show, a guy who was sitting at about row 3 or 5 kept holding up a sign asking for Lindsey's guitar pick. At one point, Lindsey was playing a solo close to the edge of the stage, and he squinted to read the sign, sort of smirked, and shook his head a little. Most of you probably know this, but for those who don't, Lindsey doesn't use guitar picks!
mattl
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