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IN THIS ISSUE:
A Pat on the Back / DVD & Live CD Travis Speaks - The Bootlog What You Did & Didn't See At the Show BTE Trivia
Contest Winners TTOY Hall of Fame BTE Impressions
Volume 2
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BTE AT THE DOWNTOWN
Having known about this show for a few months, my excitement for this show just seemed to grow and grow. But as the week of the show progressed, my excitement turned into worries about the weather. Almost every weather report I saw that day pretty much guaranteed that there would be thunderstorms in the afternoon and, especially, the evening. Not a good sign. I had horrifying visions of my beloved show being rained out. I mean, what would I do if my show was canceled?! Well, as we began the ride from Chicago into the suburbs, we tried to keep a positive attitude. The ride took two and a half hours, which is ridiculous, but we still got there in plenty of time to relax for a while before taking our spots near the stage. With the traffic worries behind us, we only had to keep a close watch on the sky. As we arrived, the clouds did look a little scary, but it soon passed and blue skies followed. The first band, King Solomon’s Grave (a local Palatine band, I believe), commented during their set that it looked like the rain would avoid us. Thankfully, it looked like they were correct. Bottle of Justus came on next. They opened for Better Than Ezra the last time the guys played at the House of Blues in Chicago. The crowd was sparse near the front, so BOJ’s singer kept trying to convince the crowd to move forward. He commented that Better Than Ezra wouldn’t come out later unless the fans came up to the front. Throughout their set, more and more fans started to make their way toward the stage. The band did a great job of energizing the crowd before Better Than Ezra came on and they frequently voiced their own appreciation for BTE. After Bottle of Justus ended their set, it began to get darker and it seemed to me that the rain clouds had returned. Nevertheless, I tried not to worry too much about it as I stood on my tiptoes to peer onto the stage. The stage was so high that even on my tiptoes I could not see Kevin and Tom’s little carpets! Maybe that was a good thing, considering I always try to peek at the setlist and end up ruining some surprises…
Finally, the guys took the stage and kicked into "Return of the Postmoderns." I wasn’t totally surprised, as I heard the crew warming up the drum track a little while before show time. Kevin greeted the Palatine crowd (or "Palantine, as he said) during the intro to "Good," and seemed excited as always to be playing in a new suburb! I just love the silly look on Kevin’s face after pronouncing the name of a new town. It wasn’t quite as funny as his pronunciation of "Naperville" last summer, but it was entertaining nonetheless. After "Rolling," Kevin was ready to introduce "Get You In," which he explained required a quiet lead-in, but was rudely interrupted by a Metra train passing behind him awfully close to the stage area. He solemnly requested a moment of silence to pay homage to the America’s train industry, obviously amused by the fact that his band was playing directly in front of train tracks. It was definitely a moment that could not be duplicated at any other venue.
There was much talk about the upcoming DVD during the night. They first mentioned it before "Get You In," which Tom and Kevin explained was requested by fans to be included on the DVD. Tom and Kevin shared the duties of conveying further information about each of the upcoming BTE releases before "King of New Orleans" and "Special" – the DVD and live album are due September 28th, the "greatest hits" album December 1st ("I don’t know what that means," Kevin commented in regards to having a Greatest Hits album,) and the new album March 1st. Kevin asked Tom when they would be back to the Chicago area for another House of Blues, and Tom replied "November." Many fans, including myself, were giddy over this bit of information.
After "Get You In" and all the railroad excitement came "Briefly." I don’t know if it was out of the ordinary, but seeing this song live really sticks in my memory for some reason. Thinking back on it, I can vividly picture Kevin performing this song. During some moments, his eyes were tightly shut as he passionately sang the lyrics. But there were also times where he looked around and surveyed the crowd with wide eyes, seeming to take in the fans’ faces. It was amazing to hear this song live again and Kevin seemed to perform it with comfortable ease.
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Sporting my custom-designed "break it on down" shirt, I was thrilled to hear Kevin announce that "track one off Fric-shun, baby" was next. Perhaps Kevin added his famous "mofo" at a distance from the microphone because many families with small children were present. After the "break down," Kevin stepped off the stage and onto the amps on the left side of the stage. He serenaded a girl below him with "Just a Friend," pointing in Travis’s direction as he sang "though you say he’s just a friend." He then proceeded to offer the microphone to a nearby gentleman, who sang a line or two. He then returned to his regular spot onstage to finish out the tune. "Rosealia" was next, and the gap between song parts was the perfect opportunity for Kevin to have some fun with the lights. He noted that he and the light person had been "on the same wavelength" all evening, and instructed this light person to help him out as he played a few riffs of "Over the Hills and Far Away." He instructed the light person to flash the lights on the crowd as he played one particular note, in order to "freak the sh*t out of the crowd" or something to that effect. The light person obliged, much to Kevin’s obvious satisfaction.
One of the most energetic moments of the night came next as Kevin strummed the first chords of "Pull." I could instantly sense the crowd’s excitement. Fans yelled "PULL!" with Kevin during the chorus and he seemed to enjoy saying "sugah" as well. This song was a nice lead-in to "Sincerely, Me." This is yet another reason why I think "Pull" should stick around the setlist for a while… Tom and Kevin talked more about the upcoming releases after "Extra Ordinary" and before "Special." They announced that "Special" would be on the new album. "Recognize" followed, though it was strange to hear it neither as the opening song nor the first song of the encore. It fit well, however, and I was amazed at how much Kevin gets into this song! I never really noticed just how much Kevin moves his arms and hands in this song in order to act out some of the lyrics. I was sure to take some pictures of that.
Although I’m not sure when it began, Kevin again talked more about being in Palatine. He commented that the "Palatine Elders" might be disappointed or surprised at Better Than Ezra’s performance at their event, using a strange accent to imitate the nonexistent elders who supposedly planned the show. He later informed the crowd that the guys would be out after the show enjoying turkey legs and funnel cakes, so everyone should come say hello. He was obviously mocking the type of event, but in a good-natured way. "At the Stars" came next, followed by "A Lifetime." These two songs fit so well back to back. And the "break down" in "At the Stars" was quite humorous, as Kevin pointed out that Jim would rather be in Carbondale, IL watching the String Cheese Incident. He then announced that it was time to produce a "jam band vibe" with the music and lights, and added that the term "jam band" is really a cover for something else. Next came a memorable rendition of "A Lifetime" as Kevin let the crowd sing a few lyrics toward the beginning of the song.
When I heard the opening riffs to "In the Blood" I was a little concerned because I usually hear this song as a closer to the encore. I worried for a moment that this would be the last song of the night and that they wouldn’t return for an encore, but I instantly reassured myself that because they hadn’t played "Desperately Wanting." "In the Blood" was incredible as always and instead of "Don’t Fear the Reaper" fans were given a little taste of "Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love" by Van Halen. One moment that remains with me now is something I saw between Tom and Travis during the last verse. As Kevin sang "Who did you love before? Who did they love before you?" Tom looked at Travis and completely imitated Travis’s drum motions, enthusiastically pointing at him with each beat. Both were totally into it and enjoying themselves with broad smiles all around. It was one of those moments that make it clear how much these guys enjoy playing music together. Kevin was the first to return after the short break, and positioned himself behind Travis’s drums. He picked up the sticks and hit the drums a couple times, then raised his hands (with drumsticks) in triumph. The crowd exploded in approval. Of course, my camera picked the worst possible moment to not snap a picture, so I can’t document Kevin behind the drums As Kevin emerged from behind the drums, followed by Tom and Travis, he took his towel and threw it in the crowd. Then he pointed at the person who caught it and did the "call me!" gesture. After a couple covers, including "Should I Stay or Should I Go?," "Misunderstood" appeared as the first song of the encore. For me, this makes it feel like the beginning of the show all over again. Then, "Desperately Wanting" signaled the end of the show. As usual, the performance was full of energy with fans jumping up and down for the last chorus, not needin g any instructions to do so. Kevin sang the "Take back your life" part in this creepy deep, low voice, giving the crowd a final comedic moment. After spending most of the day worrying about the weather, it turned out to be just fine. It did finally begin to rain, but well after the show ended. This was a show with some surprises, in terms of song choices and locomotives; and some of the usual favorites and stage banter; and fan excitement over the upcoming releases. As I return to school next week, this was the perfect ending to a great summer. Val, another splendid review. Thanks again! |
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