3/9/14
Barrymore Theatre
Madison, WI
I: Babylon Baby, Traveled Too Far > Drank Too Much Champagne > Traveled Too Far, Cruel World, Meat, Pretend, Spock's Brain, Andelman's Yard, Tiny Little World
II: Paint, Face, Peel, Another Door, Twists and Bends, Thin Black Line, Rhymes > Peel > Hap-Nappy
E: Cities
Yesterday I drove up by myself for Mike Gordon at one of my favorite small venues the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, WI. Since my childhood this has been my favorite of all the college towns. The drive into the downtown area always gets me excited to see a show. One thing I noticed though is that after seeing shows in Wisconsin for almost 15 years that I really didn't see many people I knew. It's a rotating cast. Show of life I guess. I was able to find a parking spot near the venue with relative ease. It wasn't a huge crowd on hand. I liked the jazz before the show on the P.A. Gordo had a type writer at the merch stand. I left him a message. I hadn't used a type writer since being at Grannie and Grandad's house in Lombard back in the 1980s. The drive up was made more visible by the Day Light Savings. I had to DVR the final True Detective.
Babylon Baby started things off around 7:45. I've seen Phish do that one at UIC in 2011. I believe that was the only track off Moss that we heard. Traveled Too Far had a song with Mike/Scott singing in the middle before they reprised the song. I've heard them play Cruel World before and it drags a bit. It was fun to hear a different take on the Phish song Meat. "I am a prince, I have it all". Mike's family is very wealthy. Something to think about with that lyric. Pretend is a song off Green Sparrow that I like. I went up to the balcony for a few songs. I've never heard Phish play Spock's Brain so that was interesting to hear the MGB version. Admittedly I was wearing my Andelman's Yard t-shirt so I appreciate that one. Tiny Little Word is quickly becoming my favorite from the new album. I liked the first set though none of the attempts at improvisation really paid off in any way shape or form. Mike was too soft in the mix. I was a bit disappointed he didn't use his envelope filter liquid bass tone more often.
I was digging the beginning of the second set. The first three songs are all tracks I enjoy off Overstep. Peel seemed to include the best jam of the evening. Another Door was the 4th Green Sparrow song of the show. I liked hear Long Black Line which was shown the CBS Morning Show. I respect Mike giving his band members a few songs but the show seriously dragged during Twists and Bends and Rhymes. They went back into the Peel jam before ending the set with the GRAB song Hap-Nappy. The encore was Cities which was played more true to the Talking Heads original version. I've seen MGB three times and I continue to be unfilled to the point where I'm likely done with them. It's great that Mike has a project where he's the leader but I'd rather save my schillings for Phish. I crushed some Taco Bell in Beloit on the way home.
