Minglewood Hall - Memphis, TN

Memphis Meltdown ... kind of. It was like a hearty turkey melt with not enough condiments. Personally, I was in it and fully taking the vibe-age from song 1; I loved the switch up with a Let it Ride opener. The first 6 songs were crusher good, above average, wham-bam cuts. I loved Peaceful Valley yet again - it has become my favorite song of the tour. Which is weird. I still can't even stomach the glory that was the Louisville "PV". It was so sick, I feel sick thinking about the sickness. Tonight's "Peaceful V" got me going too - it needs to stay a constant as we move toward ATL.

However, Evergreen was just ok and from there I felt the awkward electricity. It didn't surge well with the people who cared, that is the ones that weren't talking like they had fog horns attached to their uppers and bottoms. And once the first so called "set" broke, I became more inerested in the people I've met so far than even the music.

Easy Plateau was pretty good as it went on. I guess the towell was just thrown hard on this one. I hate to see a tension like this between so many great musicians, but it needs to get straightened out for the remaining two shows. I talked to people from the friggin' United Kingdom tonight and if anything they deserve a moderate show, so do the ones I met from Fargo or Maine. People are traveling far and wide to celebrate this band. It's a gut wrenching bummer when this shit doesn't pan out.

The thing is, I have the faith that it was just a mixture of the elements and the show tomorrow will trump this one hard. Fingers crossed.

The "Drunk Asshole Award" goes to the entire crowd tonight. I felt like I was at a sorority formal pre-game party (with expensive beers) for the majority of the night.


Minglewood Hall 03/18/09: SETLIST

On Stage: 8:38 pm

1. Let it Ride
2. Two
3. Mockingbird
4. Goodnight Rose
5. Fix It
6. Peaceful Valley
7. Evergreen
8. Grand Island (NC)
9. Beautiful Sorta
10. Blue Hotel

Set Break approx 9:40 pm

On Stage 9:53 pm

11. Everybody Knows
12. Come Pick Me Up
13. Freeway to the Canyon (NC)
14. Natural Ghost
15. Shakedown
16. Easy Plateau
17. Magick

Off Stage 10:26 pm

The only outside pic I could snap
And the good, bad, and the rest of the ugly...



Killer Neal



Pember-blast



Decent band shot



Favorite pic of the night

Some B-Nasty

The last "good one"

Whitney attack!


And then the bar across the street... beer and pool distractions


The bummed, but seemingly happy fans

Dudes

Whatever. Memphis kicked ass and Alabama will be a satisfying cup of redemption. I know it. It better be anyway after a near 7 hour drive.

...on the flipside kiddos.