Woohoo! What a great show!
I had a really great time in Chicago. Jim took me to this fun 50's/60's style restaurant called Ed Debevic's and I got some fries and they were seriously the best fries I've ever eaten in my entire life! Me and Jim were both wearing SA shirts and our waiter started making fun of Soul Asylum a little but it was all in good fun. He was all like, "They're still around? How old are they?" and then he started singing Runaway Train and Misery and stuff. It was kinda funny.
New Lenox is kind of a weird town, but the people seem nice. I really liked the venue. The stage was about as high as a kitchen table and we were right up at the front between Dave and Tommy.
The opening band Red dB was pretty lame. They could play pretty well, but they were just kinda dorky if you ask me.
I really didn't care for the Smithereens at all. Musically I did like them, but their frontman just seemed so full of himself. Before every song they played he said what the name of it was, what album it came from, the TRACK NUMBER and which record company produced it. And it's like... wow, if people here like you enough, they'll take it upon themselves to discover the rest of your music. I can't imagine Dave doing that (or any other classy frontman for that matter). I don't care if it was the lead single from your third Capitol Records release, just play the damn song.
So anyway, about Soul Asylum finally
The boys were all in a great mood and lookin' sharp. Dave didn't stop smiling all night. There seemed to be a decent turn out for big fans. Alot of people in the front row were singing along.
They lead off with Somebody to Shove, then All is Well, Misery, Lately, Easy Street, Black Gold, then Without a Trace, which of course was dedicated to Karl. Tommy caught me crying during Without a Trace and he just looked at me and said, "Don't cry."
Dave's using these new guitar picks that say "Soul Asylum" on one side and "Who Dat?" on the other. Jim got one, and over the course of the show he handed a bunch out to the little kids up front. Finally I got one near the end.
After Without a Trace they did New World, and then Stranger! I really hope hope that'll be in the set for awhile so everyone will get a chance to hear it. Then it was Just Like Anyone, Oxygen, and then Cartoon which I think was their best song of the night. Maybe it's just my imagination, but it seemed like the one everyone cheered the loudest at the beginning of. Cartoon lead into Gone Til November, and after those was Whatcha Need. Dave's guitar solo was awesome. I always enjoy seeing that one cuz Dave's solo is so great and Tommy and Danny always joke around in the background and I just find it cute.
Then String of Pearls and Never Really Been, and Runaway Train is always great. When Tommy was just about to do his little bass highlight, we all pointed at him and cheered.
They finished off with Closer to the Stars, Bittersweetheart, Slowly Rising, and then of course Stand Up and Be Strong. Sometime to Return was second to last on the set, but they didn't play it. Idk why, Dave told me they forgot. *shrugs*
George from the Tomatoes was their guitar tech. He gave me one of the setlists after the show. Alot of people were reaching for them, but I called his name so I got one
After the show, Dave and Danny came out to talk and sign stuff for awhile. I still can't get over how sweet and friendly and gentlemanly they are in person. I asked Dave if he liked "that thing my mom gave him at First Avenue" (my poem about him) and he just smiled and said, "I loved it."
I forgot all the things I wanted to ask him, which kinda sucks cuz we were all just shootin' the breeze with him so I could have asked him anything, but it's alright cuz it was just nice to be able to chat with him for a little bit. I told him that I've seen them three times and this time was the best, even better than First Avenue and he said something along the lines of, "oh well that's good even though we're supposed to be the best at home!" and I told him "I just think you guys had a little more energy tonight". I wished him a happy father's day too.
I love how every Soul Asylum show has been so different for me. The first time I saw them was impressive, First Avenue was absolutely magical, and this time was just plain fun.
Thanks again for everything Jim