markn
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by markn on Jun 10, 2012 8:49:25 GMT -5
Philly @ Tin Angel 5/8/12 (from handwritten setlist, I think he did these all in the order listed on the list):
Smoke Hit Me Back Incantation Dreams About Trains Deal With the Devil Place (can't remember full name, maybe Place I Know? was a cover I believe) Ever After One (U2 cover) So Am I Want (can't remember, maybe Want For Nothin'?) Everything I Got Spark I'm On Fire (Springsteen cover) Still Ain't Over You Yet Where the River Meets the Sea Wall Hard to Break Silent Will Soon Be Singing
Freehold 6/9/12 (Michael strayed a bit from his hand-written setlist, this is the order played): Scars From Another Life Let It Go No Words Hit Me Back So Am I Trains Deal with the Devil Still Ain't Over You Yet Want For Nothin' (Mike Jordan cover) Ever After Motel Bed Broken (stopped halfway through after forgetting bridge - "Let's move on") I'm On Fire Wall Mess of Things (replacing 11 Nights on setlist) Idler Bells Silent Will Soon Be Singing Hard To Break When the River Meets the Sea Wounded (by request, thanks Michael)
I'll post a review when I get some time...
|
|
|
Post by Steve08080 on Jun 10, 2012 13:04:54 GMT -5
Don't forget Dream by the Every Brothers in Philly. After the show Heather stood up on a chair and announced her and her "boyfriend" are gonna do one more song. Michael came out unplugged from the PA and tohether they sang Dream. Sounded fantastic. On an overall note. The new material sounded great and both shows were alot of fun. Looking forward to the return!
|
|
markn
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by markn on Jun 10, 2012 14:08:46 GMT -5
Yes! How did I forget that one? It was a great moment. Probably at least of a third of the attendees had left when they came out and did that one in the middle of the room. Very cool. I worried at first that Heather had a boyfriend but was happy to see that Michael was the man, lol.
|
|
markn
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by markn on Jun 10, 2012 14:58:16 GMT -5
OK, I promised reviews so let's try it. I've always thought the Tin Angel is a pretty good place to see a show. The sound is always good and it's a small room if not a pain in the butt to get to on a summer Friday night. As usual Michael and Heather turned in an amazing performance. Talking to them the next night in Freehold, apparently there was a couple that talked throughout the whole show but I didn't hear them from where I was (on the side near the stage). They never showed any frustration as far as I can recall even though they definitely noticed it (this is a "listening room" people, why would you go to a concert to talk the whole time no matter where it is?). Highlights of the show for me were 1) "Ever After", an homage to his recently deceased mother that I don't know how he gets through since it has to be so emotional, 2) One (U2 cover) - just incredible, 3) Still Ain't Over You Yet - still one of my favorites, 4) Spark - unlike most of the songs I love, I have no idea why this song just works for me but it does, 5) River Meets the Sea, just a great song, 6) Silent Will Still Be Singing - this song just grows and grows on me every time I hear it.
Freehold: along with the same comments on the same songs played from the Philly show - 1) Scars to open, so good. A great song that should have been on an earlier record, 2) No Words - a surprise and a "stretch song" for Michael that he seemed surprised he got through, 3) Broken - was happy to see this on the setlist that I could see from my seat. He didn't get through the whole song saying "I wasn't sure after the 2nd verse if I'd remember the bridge and I didn't" so stopped and moved on. A shame he couldn't finish but this was the kind of show where the warts just didn't matter. 4) Bells - he skipped over it on the original setlist but I was happy he went back to it. I'd never seen it live before and it would have been one of my top requests. 5) Idler - well, I requested this Philly last year and was so happy he did it even though it took up much of his allotted time. When I saw it on the setlist before he started I cringed thinking, oh no, I don't want that played again at the expense of other songs even though I love the song. But he blew it away (with a cheatsheat that only had a few snippets of lyrics as far as I could tell so I'm not sure how that helped all that much). Great, great performance and, since he played about 2 hours, it didn't overly impact the rest of the setlist. 6) Wounded - I had talked to Michael before the show and said that this song might be appropriate to show he doesn't listen to the few detractors that can't understand the brilliance of the song. He said maybe. Requests were taken at the end of the show, somebody had been requesting "Murder" throughout the show (Michael: "Murder who?"), my friend next to me requested #49 would have also been an excellent choice but he ended up playing Wounded and put his usual everything into it.
This new album is going to be incredible. He said afterward that he thinks he played every song from it these last 2 shows except "Prettiest Girl". So that leaves us with a CD containing Hit My Back, Trains, Devil, Every After, When The River Meets the Sea, Silent, Scars, Motel Bed and probably a few more I'm missing.
Just to make this a bit longer, if anyone EVER has the chance to go to a show at the Concerts in the Studio in Freehold for someone you like, do not turn that chance down. It was like going to a backyard party with friends where your favorite artist was a guest and you had the chance to talk them him/her/them before the show, then, oh yeah, let's play some music for you in the smallest, most intimate setting you could ever hope for. I could have strummed Michael's guitar for him had he asked (he didn't and is better off for that since my guitar is growing mold in the basement). But the owners of this place do a great job and you will probably never see a more intimate concert anywhere.
Mark
|
|
|
Post by Steve08080 on Jun 10, 2012 20:49:47 GMT -5
Mark, I couldn't agree more. Both shows were great and each had some nice surprises and special moments. I to enjoyed Michaels rendition of One. It sounded great. And speaking of covers, I really like that Mike Jordan song Don't Want From Nothing. Ever After just rips your heart out. My mother passed 14 months earlier than Michaels and a day doesn't go by without me thinking of her. That song hits close to home. I don't know how he stays composed when performing that number. So Am I really got the Philly crowd clapping and stomping along. Lots of energy during that tune. Man there were many great moments (for me at least) that I could write about, but I'll finish with this. All the new material sounded fantastic. Ad as usual, Heather added just the right amount of violin and vocals. I'm really looking forward to the new album and a return trip to Philly. Here's to Michael and Heather....2012...the year it all went right!!!!
|
|
|
Post by Mil on Jun 10, 2012 20:59:15 GMT -5
Thanks so much, Mark, for sharing the setlists and your memories of these shows! I had tickets to Freehold but we ended up being unable to attend (at least this wasn't due to a snowstorm as in the case of Sellersville, thankfully, so others weren't subjected to the same fate!). Needless to say, I'm even more disappointed about missing it having read how wonderful the experience was -- not that I'd have expected anything less.
Hopefully, others will share a few impressions as well. One can never read enough glowing reviews of Michael's passionate live performances -- even though no words could be a substitute for being there.
Anyway, so greatly looking forward to the new album -- and to Michael's return to the region in the fall.
Thanks again!
Mil
|
|
|
Post by Mil on Jun 10, 2012 21:00:49 GMT -5
Steve -- I was posting at the same time you were, so didn't see your comments until after mine appeared. Thanks to you for sharing your thoughts as well. Hope to see you at the next show!
|
|
|
Post by Steve08080 on Jun 10, 2012 21:11:04 GMT -5
No problem Mil. If you haven't been to Concerts in the Studio in Freehold, you're in for a treat. Such a nice intimate place. Like Mark described, it's like hanging out at your friends house and Michael just happens tobe there playing. LOL. THis was my second show there and I have to say they're at the top of the list for the shows I've seen. THe Point shows were great too!
|
|
|
Post by tonypicc on Jun 12, 2012 11:26:20 GMT -5
Mark, I think the reason he did Idler in Freehold was that my friend Troy asked him to dedicate it to my wife & I on the occasion of my first show after having been a fan for nearly 20 years. That song was the intro to Michael and his music, and a beautiful version on Saturday it was indeed. And, FWIW, I've posted a bunch of shots I took on Saturday on Facebook, for those so inclined.
|
|
|
Post by steve08080 on Jun 12, 2012 16:20:33 GMT -5
Congrats on your first show Tony. Hopefully many more to come. I'm just surprised that you've been a fan for 20 years and now just catching him live. Better late than never!!!!! Idler was a great suggestion. Steve08080
|
|
markn
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by markn on Jun 12, 2012 16:25:34 GMT -5
Tony, I didn't mean to imply he shouldn't have played Idler. Far from it, it's always great to see since it is a great song (one that was also my intro to Michael) and his performance was incredible on Saturday. All I was saying is that when I saw it on the setlist I wondered if it meant other great songs might get left out because it's such a long song (as he mentioned before playing it), but in the end he played about 2 hours and it was more than a satisfying show - already looking forward to the next one in the area. I had noticed that Springsteen played 3 hours and 40 minutes a few nights before this show and thought I might rib Michael about that a bit but then I realized that, for the ticket price, Springsteen should be playing 10 hours to get the same value for the buck.
|
|
|
Post by tonypicc on Jun 12, 2012 18:12:30 GMT -5
Mark, I know what you're saying . Actually, Troy suggested either Idler or All My Love to Michael, and Michael said his falsetto wasn't cooperating, so he did Idler. I would have been happy with anything, and it was a big surprise in any case. Couldn't have had a better "first show" and I owe all of that to Troy and Michael.
|
|
markn
New Member
Posts: 30
|
Post by markn on Jun 12, 2012 18:28:39 GMT -5
Tony, that was a hell of a first show to go to. I've probably seen Michael 8-10 times now and think I'm glad that that type of show wasn't my first. As much as each show I've seen as blown me away, if I had seen him that way the first time I would have "Scars From Another Life" in that no other type of setting would have seemed to be as good. I sent you a friend request on Facebook,a good number of my friends are McDermott fans so we can all keep in touch there.
|
|
|
Post by Mil on Jun 12, 2012 20:15:17 GMT -5
Tony -- thanks for sharing impressions from your first show. And, I can't imagine having to wait twenty years to see him live! My wait was seven years for that -- and meeting him didn't take place for yet another (both were well worth it, however!). I'm sure I'm not the only one reading here who would love to learn more about your discovery of Michael and your experiences with his music during the time in between. My own delay was caused largely by the (now also hard to imagine) reality of the absence of internet for most us until the late nineties. My husband and I ran across Gethsemane in Jan. 1994 while browsing the used CD rack in a Great Barrington, MA music store. I can't even tell you exactly what compelled us to buy it, but became deeply thankful we had after just one listen. My instant favorite song was "Lantern," and I also particularly liked the spoken intro to "Whiskey and Water." Every song seemed truly special in its own way -- and as a writer I so very much appreciated the depth of the lyrics... which was immediately evident from the first verse of "Just West of Eden." Anyway, back then, there were also these things some of you may recall called "cassettes" and I recorded it onto one so I could listen while driving. I literally wore that cassette out! Of course, I also began looking for more of Michael's music -- a search that was finally rewarded two years later when the self-titled album became available through a CD club I belonged to at the time. I was thrilled that my McDermott collection had suddenly doubled, and while I loved so much about the whole disc, I immediately found a new favorite song in "Wounded" (about which I have to say that as much as I've come to love many, many more of Michael's songs in the years since, if someone held a gun to my head and forced to me to choose only one, that would probably still be it). Again, his unique means of expressing himself through words just utterly grabbed me. "Wounded" also holds a special place as it figures significantly into my journey leading to Michael himself. I recall sitting in the car one night while visiting Great Barrington once again for a wedding in August 1999, waiting for my husband as he picked up some take out at a Chinese restaurant. I was listening to "Wounded," and wondering (as I'd done a thousand times before) if Michael was still making music, if he ever played in our area live -- and given the sad fates that too often befall great talents, if he was even still in the world. Little did I know that a new album was being released at that very time -- which I would discover a few months later. As I said at the opening of this tale, the internet played a big part in this story, as I finally became connected for the first time in late 1999 -- and, of course, the very first term I searched was "Michael McDermott." This led me to Bourbon Blue, the insert from which in turn led to the first McD website, "myklmcdermott.com" -- including concert dates...and the first "Pauper's Sky" message board. As it turned out, one of the concert dates was for The Point in Philly only a few weeks later! And, yes, that became my very first show. Ironically, the very first song he played that night was "Pauper's Sky." Naturally, I couldn't wait to share this unforgettable experience with the like minded group on the message board -- and became a "regular" there for the next year. The following January Michael returned to The Point in support of his latest record, Last Chance Lounge. Through a conversation on the board, I mentioned having never yet met Michael, and Troy posted back "I'll make sure you get to meet him in Philly." We were subsequently introduced that night (by his longtime friend and bass player TJ who had accompanied him on that tour, and who recognized my name from the Pauper's Sky posts -- not to mention, who was so easy to talk to, even for an introvert like me, that he greatly eased my nerves at this long awaited event). And, as they say, the rest is history -- quite a long history as you surely realize from the fact I'm now posting all this more than 11 years later. And, Mark -- as for having "Scars From Another Life" with no lesser setting being able to again satisfy, I've seen Michael play in the most perfect settings like The Point, and the lowest of non-listening rooms (like the Half Door in CT, where we also had the privilege of first hearing Brian Fitzpatrick, who'd traveled there in support of Michael), and his ability to showcase his amazing talent despite the circumstances has often proved truly extraordinary (which likewise applies to Brian). In short, it's worth seeing Michael play anywhere and everywhere you can. Sorry if that story grew WAY too long -- now you see why I seldom posted on the Chat Chit forum! ;D But, it's always great to meet (even if only online via this board!) others who share such excitement about one of the greatest artists of all time, and the privilege of experiencing him and his talents firsthand. Thought it was appropriate to celebrate it for a few minutes here. Welcome, Tony. Thanks for posting. Mil
|
|
|
Post by steve08080 on Jun 12, 2012 21:10:05 GMT -5
Whew....that post needed an intermission Mil!!!! LOL. Great story.
|
|