This show was at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano (yes, the place where all the sparrows migrate to every year...). A Very Weird Place. I didnt like this club at all. It's a dinner theater .. and we were forced to blow $10 on dinner (in other words, not included with the $20 ticket price). The beers were tiny, and something like $5 each too ... When we got in we were escorted over to our table which wasnt all that close to the stage, but it could have been further away, so I'd better not complain all that much. We were offered better seats - by Clyde. To make a shorter story out of it, we could bribe Clyde, and he would seat us closer to the stage. This place was a complete racket ... Mark and Karen also made it to the show, and they made dinner reservations weeks in advance - Matthew also made reservations, but on the day of the show. For some weird (Clyde related I'm sure) reason our seats were better than Mark's and Karen's. I think Mark and Karen opted to stand further back in the place so they could do a little dancing and moving around during the show. I was lazy, so I opted to sit for the entire show at our table.
There was an opening band this time around ... Nothing Special. No, that was their name, and, uh, they were right. Actually, several people in the club liked them, and probably just came to see them, they even had a film crew running around. Who knows, maybe they'll be the next big band to hit mtv. If they are, could someone let me know since I dont watch mtv .. that way I can yawn and say "I saw them when ... "
The stage was set up nicely, everyone was able to take their regular spots and they all had plently of space.
Oh, also before the show started I saw Jackson, the tour manager greet an older couple. I missed the wife's name, but I caught the husband's name - Charles. It was David Lowery's parents. It's nice to know they can make it out to see their son's band every so often. : )
Soon, the show started (after eating a really bland $10 meal (again, Clyde related I'm sure)) and Victor, Jonathan, Greg Lisher, Chris Xefos, and Joey Peters took the stage. I will admit that I'm not all that familar with Victor and Jonathan's solo music, but after seeing them a few times I feel really bad about missing out on this stuff. I've got plans on picking up every single bit of music from the both of them that I can. There sets the whole time were great! With that disclaimer .. here is a set list from their part of the show...
1.?? (Victor sang)
2.Nothing Outside
3.Bittersweet
4.?? (Jonathan sang)
5.Dreams Die Hard
6.Healer (I think, it repeats "could you be mine a few times)
7.Pushing the Norton
8.Thunderhead
9.St John's Mercy
10.Long Way Home
Since this was California ("I'm sorry, but there is no smoking in California..")a few
of us went out side to smoke between the sets. I talked to Jackson a bit, and ended
up meeting Victor's sister. She was excited to hear him play too.
Cracker then took the stage, here's the setlist...
1.Been Around the World (David broke one string)
2.7 Days
3.Teen Angst
4.Lonesome Johnny Blues
5.Dr Bernice (with JES)
6.Tania (with JES & Greg)
7.Eye Of Fatima 1 & 2 (with JES & Greg)
8.Golden Age (with JES)
9.Mr Wrong
10.Eurotrash Girl
11.100 Flower Power Maximum (with JES)
12.Pics of Matchstickmen
13.Dixie Babylon (with JES)
14.Sweethearts (no Johnny with Greg & JES)
15.Trials and Tribulations
16.Cracker Soul
17.Movie Star
18.Infirmary
19.Good Life
20.Low
21.Take the Skinheads Bowling
22.Ambiguity Song
-encore-
23.A two minute solo by Kenny on accordian
24.Shiner
25.Big Dipper
26.Turquoise Jewelry
This was an incredibly long set, and little did we know that it would be the norm the
rest of the tour. It was weird to be sitting at a Cracker show, but it was nice on my
legs. As a bonus, this is the neatest (penmanship wise) set list I've ever made).
The band wasnt talking all that much on stage, and the crowd was being pretty decent. Since this is a dinner theatre there are long skinny tables that stretch out from the stage. Johnny had fun wandering down one of the tables during a few solos that he did. He also managed to kick over someone's drink (a white wine I think). He apologized quite a bit for it, and then asked the club people to get the girl a new drink .. and to put it on Frank's tab.
This show takes the cake for the most incredible version of Dixie Babylon that I have ever heard/seen. Towards the end Johnny started his fast strumming solo - and he leaned in to his guitar and then ended up doing the rest of the solo on his knees. It was so intense, and everyone in the place (that I could hear) was dead silent while he was doing this. Johnny was so emotionally into this guitar solo that it looked like he was in pain.
Later on (after another show) we got to talk to Johnny about it ... he told us that David even told him that that was an incredible solo. Johnny then sheepishly admited that when he leaned forward with his guitar that the strap came undone and to prevent the guitar from falling he had to go to his knees to do the rest of the solo. He thought it looked bad or something and was embarrassed by it at the time, and it was only later (I guess after David told him) that it looked like an incredible solo.
After the show we were outside talking (and smoking) and Frank came out and dragged me upstairs to sort out some things with one of the band's digital cameras (this is how we ended up carting one of them around and taking pictures). While I was sorting these things out Jackson brought an old old press kit photo up from the guys in the band to sign. It had David, Johnny, and Davey Faragher on the picture though ... Jackson told Kenny to sign it, and draw a mustache on Davey. The Coach House has TONS of these autographed pictures around the club. They get all the bands that play there to sign them, and then they frame them and set them up somewhere on the wall. I'd love to go back to this club one day and find that picture on the wall .. and then thumb my nose at Clyde and leave. : )
John
1.Been Around the World
2.Seven Days
3.Teen Angst
4.Lonesome Johnny Blues
5.Dr. Benice (with Jonathan on violin)
6.Tania (with Jonathan on violin and Greg on guitar)
7.Eye Of Fatima 1 & 2 (same as above)
8.The Golden Age (with Jonathan on violin)
9.Mr. Wrong
10.Eurotrash Girl
11.100 FPM (J. on violin)
12.Pics of MM (J. on violin)
13.Dixie Babylon (J. on violin)
14.Sweethearts (J. on violin, G. on guitar)
15.Trials and Tribulations
16.Cracker Soul
17.Movie Star
18.Infirmary
19.The Good life
20.Low
21.Skinheads (with J. and G.)
22.Ambiguity Song (with J. and G.)
23.Shiner Song
24.Big Dipper (with J.)
25.Turquoise Jewelry (with everyone but Johnny)
The band was really tight, and looked like they were having tons of fun. The Camper
songs they brought out were spectacular, and Jonathan improved on a bunch of Cracker
songs as well! I know Jackson was snapping pictures, and Matthew got a decent tape of
most of the show, so we'll get some sound clips and photos soon!
--Alex