This was a fun night. Free parking 10 feet from the arena, classy velvet seats, breaking out the bunny ears during the encore, and a crackling-but-not-crazy atmosphere. Did I mention the Kwik Trip Garlic Cheese Bread and/or the jerkey blind taste test? I don’t have to. That type of road trip madness goes without saying.
The show killed. The acoustic arrangements are great. The banter was great. The intimacy is great. And I seriously think his voice has maybe never sounded better. Is that weird to say?
Also: I’m gonna side with the “Tweedy enjoyed himself” crowd. At least it seemed like he did to me, and 26 songs and almost two hours of playing would seem to indicate he wasn’t looking to cut the night short. Not sure why Riemenschneider says last night was “maybe the last time” Tweedy will play Rochester, but maybe I’m just misreading the banter and stuff. Who knows.
Spiders (Kidsmoke) / Remember the Mountain Bed / One Wing / I Am Trying to Break Your Heart / Cars Can’t Escape (outtake from YHF) / Via Chicago / You and I / Far, Far Away / Muzzle of Bees / Not for the Season (Loose Fur track) / New Madrid / new song (Born Alone?) / I’ll Fight / Jesus Etc. / Don’t Forget the Flowers / Radio King (Golden Smog song) / Hummingbird / Theologians / I’m the Man Who Loves You ENCORE 1: Pecan Pie (Golden Smog) / Casino Queen / Passenger Side ENCORE 2: Walken / Dreamer in My Dream
Seven days ago we stood on a beach in Mexico flying a pirate kite with the hope of summoning some [fun loving / gold bearing] pirates to visit us at our home on the sandy shores before we packed our bags and headed back to the Great White North. No pirates showed up. We figured the kite was too small for a pirate to see. We also figured that was arguably for the best. We had no room in our luggage for booty anyway.
It was a fun trip. Eat -> play -> eat -> play -> eat -> sleep. It’s an easy cycle to get into, double so when you’re on a beach far far from what seems to have been an impossibly long winter. Hope you all found some place to get warm, too.
Also this: one day we gathered our things hastily during a brief rain shower and forgot to grab our sunscreen. They sell it at the resort, of course. $26USD a bottle. $26USD!! Nice!! Related: yes, I came home with a sunburn. (We only had enough in our other bottle for the kids…)
Also also this: like the first day there I ate like an ice cream bucket full of guacamole. That was too much guacamole.
Crazy stupid inflammatory headline aside, this article had some interesting ‘journalism’ potential. Like where is my longform breakdown of the Current State of Pensions, right? Dumbed down, but not too much. Facts and stuff. Maybe even a few graphs or something? People like graphs. Something for the non-shout radio crowd, that could help us understand what the actual situation is, what we’re facing in to, and sure ok, maybe try and shame Arne into giving a few bucks back at the same time? Why not. There’s the edginess. And I guess this article is like maybe 1/4 of the way there, but it feels rushed and I’m sure it was and that’s unfortunate. Also the paywall is just absurd. The fact that the article only has like 30 comments should be proof enough of that.
Here’s Jerry and Bear standing and looking just sorta perfectly legit. Nice. None of your instagram filters make you look this cool.
Bear was the first soundman for the Dead. Way back in the late 60′s he had the genius idea that he should be taping every show he mixed sound for. I’d like to say thanks to him for that.
Bear died last night in a car accident in Australia. I hadn’t heard anything about him in like 20 years until I heard this news.
Owsley “Bear” Stanley Dies in Car Accident [jambands]
Phil’s statement [furthur]