Canal #1

[Jason Neely <bondibox@bellsouth.net>]

Howdy Rhinefolk ...

Followed the band from town-to-town again last night, it was
good fun.  I'll just skip straight to the review.

Bothered 3.1.1a
Show Me
She
Nobody #1
Suitcase
Jesus in New O
Anything at All
Lifelong Fling  -> No Sunshine
Ohio
Professional Daydreamer
All I Need is Everything
Orphan Girl
When I Go

My Love is a Fever
Cruel & Pretty
Changes Come


Now, without speaking in too many contradictions I'm going to
try to describe what I think made this show different.  After
about 20 shows under the current band lineup, I got the
impression that they were bored with playing perfect carbon
copies.  IMO the first half of the tour they spent trying to
more closely approach the reference standard version of their
songs.  As with the laidback Crittenden show, I thought last
night that they were custom tailoring the versions, letting them
out in some places and tightening them up in others.  Instead of
sound pouring out of the machine, each musician was carefully
trodding his or her own path.  I guess sometimes the music is
bigger than the sum of the parts being played.  I look to
"Bothered" as the reference point for not exploding in dynamic
synergy.

Every venue has a signature sound, this room had been tuned to a
VERY deep bass and Rick adjusted his bassline.  It was not the
humming, multi-octave, bouncy and active sound, but rather a
punchy low kick (thereby earning alpha status to a new Bothered
revision).  I didn't notice the plexiglass shield being in front
of Will's drums but I did notice the drums were really loud in
the mix.  Speaking of the mix, because there was seating in 270
degrees around the stage, the room doesn't have a left and a
right PA system, they have ceiling mounted horns in an array.
So here you have a few examples of how the dispersed fidelity
affected how the show was played.  Also, I want those fans who
ragged on Paul's early shows to stand up and make themselves
accountable for taking "the edge" off of his playing.  There's
still "When I Go" and "Changes Come" for the sonic meltdown, but
compared to the first night of the tour, this show didn't ROCK.
In the same way that the solo on "The World Can Wait" has been
mellowed out (and removed from the set), stage left has been
subdued.  Hopefully by Seattle he'll be curious enough to
venture into new ground.

It was the little things that I noticed, like Karin's timing on
My Love is a Fever.  It was extremely precise and intentional,
but it was constantly testing my own sense of rhythm.  Of course
she's always changing up this song, I think I'll call this
"unpredictably syncopated".  Sometimes the music gets pulled
out, and sometimes it just flows.  This show felt like a push.
I don't want to sound like anyone was distracted, or wasn't
trying, or playing together with the rest, because this
adjustment takes more attention than just flowing through the
songs by rote.  Also, it was a Friday night, and in my
experience on nights when the audience's judgement is impaired,
bands like to mess around with what they're expected to play.
As if to give a drunk's shoulder a push to see if he stumbles.

Don't get me wrong people, this was a great show.  I believe it
was the best version of Changes Come that I've seen yet.  And
I'm sure the recording will do justice to the other songs after
the fact.

Other notes...  Paul will not be at Saturday's show because of
his Grandparents' 60th anniversary.  I recorded the show to DAT
and I think it's safe to say this one will be hitting the Vine
in record time.  Came out great, except for the part where I had
setup my micstand next to the ONLY 2 people talking in the
entire room.  Oh, they were polite as heck about it, didn't talk
in between songs or the quiet parts, just made sure to increase
the volume of the conversation with the song being played.
After Suitcase it became obvious that this wasn't a passing
comment or two and they intended to talk all night long.   Gads
people, what are you thinking?  Why did you waste your $15 bucks
at the door if you're not gonna listen?

-jas

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