Audience Appreciation Part 2

The second of the Audience Appreciation shows was supposed to be an hour earlier at 7:00pm since it was Sunday so we still got to Mohegan around 3:00pm. Even though that time had been a bit early the day before, we assumed the line would be forming earlier for the earlier show. We were mostly right; unfortunately, no one remembered to tell the band that the show was to be an hour earlier so everyone had to wait in line for an extra hour. Mohegan also really needs to work on their signs as this time there was not only no sign saying who was playing, there was also no sign indicating that the time had changed.

We ended up the first people after the break in the line this time so were stuck answering all the questions about who was playing. I believe Mohegan probably should have been paying us. Saw Dan Levine (with his trombone strapped to his back) and Curt Ramm entering the club while we waited. I don't remember if there was a sound check for this one. I want to say no but I am not positive and the wiki has no info on it if there was.

We were seated at the exact same table as the night before except on the other side this time. It was still a great view until they started playing and the same group from the day before stood up as well as the people seated next to us. I could still see over their heads but the far side of the stage was pretty well obscured. I think eventually I gave up and stood up.

They did a similar deal to what they had done the night before, playing as much of Apollo 18 as they knew how to play. They did everything except My Evil Twin, Hall of Heads, See the Constellation and Space Suit.

The setlist: Hypnotist of Ladies - The Statue Got Me High - She's Actual Size - Mammal - Narrow Your Eyes - Dinner Bell - Spider - The Guitar - Which Describes How You're Feeling - I Palidrome I - If I Wasn't Shy - Fingertips - Turn Around - Dig My Grave - Withered Hope - Mr. Me - S-E-X-X-Y - Particle Man (with I Love to Sing) - Doctor Worm - Drink! - Birdhouse - Damn Good Times - Istanbul

I was thrilled to hear Mammal. I love the psuedo-educational stuff and animals in general. Any song mentioning koalas gets a big gold star in my book and I have only heard this one live during Apollo 18 shows. Dinner Bell really impressed me. I was obviously naive and underestimating him but I half expected Linnell to flub up the words and he executed them flawlessly. Spider was just funny, especially considering I have since read an interview with Linnell from the mid 90s where he used it as an example of a song they could never play live. 200 known performances later he seems to have proved himself wrong.

For Fingertips, Dan found yet another new and exciting place to play from: an area at the top of the club (which is designed to look like a big desert rock) that I assume houses sound equipment. He must have staked it out before hand since it involved going backstage to get to it. I would love to see him doing an inspection of each new venue he arrives at to find the best spot to play from and wow the audience with his guitar prowess.

The Guitar once again blew me away with the horns as did Withered Hope. I love the keyboard riff (is it still called a riff if it's on a keyboard?) in that song and it is made even better with the horns backing it. I have a bit of a soft spot for the horns, being a former trumpet player myself. They add so much energy to the show, and I can appreciate how difficult a set of instruments they are to master and TMBG's current trio are masters indeed. I especially love watching Dan Levine, not just while he's playing but even when he is sitting on the side of the stage waiting to play. He is always bopping to the music and looks like he is having such a good time. I wish I truly loved what I do for a living as much as he seems to.

Mr. Me was a nice surprise, one of only four Lincoln tracks I have heard live. It is one of the band's ultimate examples of sad lyrics set to a really cheery tune. I love that about them.

I am about to say something that is probably sacrilegious for a TMBG fan, but Particle Man is actually not one of my favorite songs. I don't dislike it, I'm just a bit indifferent. That being said, I love what they have been doing with it live the past few years. They take a song that they have probably played 500 times (actually... 638 apparently) and manage to spice it up by tossing a completely different song into the bridge or just playing around with the lyrics and doing goofy stuff with the kaoss pad and it comes out sounding fresh and fun because you never know quite what they are going to do with it. It probably irritates fans who don't see them live often and just want to hear the song the normal way but it really plays to those of use who go to show after show and would otherwise get sick of hearing it (as I am sure they must get sick of playing it). I have always wondered how they got the idea to start singing another song in the middle. It seems like one of those things that Linnell probably just did one day to be funny and throw everyone off and they liked it so they kept doing it. He also frequently directs Danny and Flans in playing the kaoss pad on his keyboard during the insert song, as he did at this show (and several of the previous ones though I forgot to mention it). It is great fun to watch as they stare at him intently waiting to see where he is going to move his hand next and when he is finally going to resume playing.

Again, all memory of the banter is long gone. I can not remember if it happened at this show or the one the night before but there was a funny moment when Dan had left the stage and they were about to start a song when Flans looked around and realized he wasn't there and said "doesn't Dan Miller play on this song?" He then got ribbed by the band and by Dan who popped his head out from back stage because he had apparently been about to start a completely different song than the rest of the band even though he wrote the setlist. Now that I think about it I think that must have been the night before because I believe they were readying Don't Let's Start which does not feature Dan. It was pretty funny either way.

The show finished with Istanbul and the horns closed it out. Literally. The rest of the band left the stage more than a minute before they were done playing. It was just the Velcro Horns jamming on the stage certifying their awesomeness.

I failed to get a setlist after this show because the guy next to me got it by telling the tech it was his 50th show. Hope I can snag a list for my 50th show. Should be some time next springish.

Tomorrow you get to hear about my favorite show to date. May it be as awesome for you to read about as it was for me to attend.