The Boston show was incredible, as usual! Also if the girl I kept bumping shoulders with near the front-center is here, you’re very pretty and I chickened out telling you in person!
Was at the Boston show. Enjoyed the acoustic "Gazebo" opening a lot. Interesting that after All I Want Is You started the night with such a positive, major-key vibe the next two were real dark ones, tone-wise. The low lights and the well-mic'ed double bass from Nate made them verrry atmospheric, it was cool as heck.
The new songs are heaters, and the ambient noise in Joan was really cool to witness. My stray thought of the night is "Jenny is the stealth MVP of Crane Wife 1". Her organ part on that song is an absolute knockout.
Was at Boston show. Yes the Gazebo works magnificently Colin! And opening with “All I Want Is You” - it was a warm and touching hello. See you in New Haven tomorrow night
Joan as the encore was pretty amazing. I felt like I'd fallen through a time warp to a mid-70s King Crimson show for a few minutes. Yes on the gazebo, yes on the pacing. First time I'd ever been to UPAC and loved the venue. The mix was great, though the vocals started getting lost a bit toward the end of the set. Also, love the tour shirts.
It was a very different experience from seeing you at Brewery Ommegang back in (oh my God) 2015, but both were outstanding. Thanks so much.
You say you "made the ill-advised decision to document each day here on The Machine Shop in a twice-weekly tour diary." It may have been ill-advised to you, but I love your diary notes. Thank you for taking the time to take us on your tour.
just home from the Brooklyn show — loved the gentle start! and thank you for Don't Carry It All! the only one of my faves i hadn't heard live till tonight
Kingston show was a blast, drove up from Brooklyn. I’ll be a Decemberists beta tester anytime! I thought the set list was quite genius in its flow, loved the softer start with the epic finish. It was my first time hearing I Was Meant For the Stage live and I squealed. Loved hearing the new songs live, im very excited for the new album now. Jealous of the other Machinists that get to hop around New England/Tri-state with the tour. Happy travels all💚
I really loved the look of the gazebo but I suspect I have astigmatism and so I’ll lodge the very mild complaint that from the side you were all covered in blurry smears of light for the first couple of songs 😆
I loved the acoustic start, it felt like a nice warm welcome!
Privileged to see the first two shows and all I have to say is they were both fantastic. While I preferred the setlist in Boston, hearing the new songs in Kingston was remarkable. Always a twist with this band and the new songs were a joy. Oh No was an unexpected delight. And The Reapers was fantastic. Loved John's drumming on that tune. Sad it was dropped in Boston though. I loved the acoustic opening set and the lighting and group hug feel. It is a bit tired TBH, having an acoustic set in the middle of a show. But this is reminiscent of early Springsteen where he would open with Incident on 57th St with piano and violin, or Thunder Road accompanied by piano. I think the audience was really dialed in each night with rapt attention during those songs. Then blow the roof off with The Infanta or Don't Carry It All. Absolutely awesome choice for the set. I was skeptical of Joan for the encore but it does work well, although in Boston there were a few people heading out mid song. Not so in Kingston. Big dumb rock club vs small theater. Maybe the difference?
Anyway, you said we'd have a survey after the show in Kingston and there was no survey. Then you tell us all the band members were born in Kingston. Hmm. Sketchy. So here's my feedback card. Kingston 93/100. Boston 96/100. The energy in Boston was off the charts and the sound was absolutely amazing (Kingston as well). Kudos to the FOH folks. Loved the light show, especially for Joan. Sad these are my only 2 shows but thrilled to have seen them.
Had a blast at your Boston show last night! My first time hearing Crane Wife live and Shankill Butchers was an unexpected delight. I was up close to the stage but off to the side a bit, so I wasn’t able to take in the full effect of the ‘gazebo’, but I’ll still endorse it as someone who loves fun lighting and staging choices.
The Boston show was incredible, as usual! Also if the girl I kept bumping shoulders with near the front-center is here, you’re very pretty and I chickened out telling you in person!
Was at the Boston show. Enjoyed the acoustic "Gazebo" opening a lot. Interesting that after All I Want Is You started the night with such a positive, major-key vibe the next two were real dark ones, tone-wise. The low lights and the well-mic'ed double bass from Nate made them verrry atmospheric, it was cool as heck.
The new songs are heaters, and the ambient noise in Joan was really cool to witness. My stray thought of the night is "Jenny is the stealth MVP of Crane Wife 1". Her organ part on that song is an absolute knockout.
I bet they're a really good Journey cover band, Journey. <3
The gazebo was awesome! A delightful way to start a show! Opening with just Lizzy and Victor was really cool.
NY tonight, New Haven tomorrow let's go let's go
Great post! I've been curious, is it different playing the first set of shows before the new album comes out? Was that timing on purpose?
Was at Boston show. Yes the Gazebo works magnificently Colin! And opening with “All I Want Is You” - it was a warm and touching hello. See you in New Haven tomorrow night
Was at the Kingston show.
Joan as the encore was pretty amazing. I felt like I'd fallen through a time warp to a mid-70s King Crimson show for a few minutes. Yes on the gazebo, yes on the pacing. First time I'd ever been to UPAC and loved the venue. The mix was great, though the vocals started getting lost a bit toward the end of the set. Also, love the tour shirts.
It was a very different experience from seeing you at Brewery Ommegang back in (oh my God) 2015, but both were outstanding. Thanks so much.
You say you "made the ill-advised decision to document each day here on The Machine Shop in a twice-weekly tour diary." It may have been ill-advised to you, but I love your diary notes. Thank you for taking the time to take us on your tour.
just home from the Brooklyn show — loved the gentle start! and thank you for Don't Carry It All! the only one of my faves i hadn't heard live till tonight
Great show last night Colin! Nice mix of songs and great to see the band again. Thank you!
Kingston show was a blast, drove up from Brooklyn. I’ll be a Decemberists beta tester anytime! I thought the set list was quite genius in its flow, loved the softer start with the epic finish. It was my first time hearing I Was Meant For the Stage live and I squealed. Loved hearing the new songs live, im very excited for the new album now. Jealous of the other Machinists that get to hop around New England/Tri-state with the tour. Happy travels all💚
Felt this way about the kingston setlist too! Such a good time
I really loved the look of the gazebo but I suspect I have astigmatism and so I’ll lodge the very mild complaint that from the side you were all covered in blurry smears of light for the first couple of songs 😆
I loved the acoustic start, it felt like a nice warm welcome!
Privileged to see the first two shows and all I have to say is they were both fantastic. While I preferred the setlist in Boston, hearing the new songs in Kingston was remarkable. Always a twist with this band and the new songs were a joy. Oh No was an unexpected delight. And The Reapers was fantastic. Loved John's drumming on that tune. Sad it was dropped in Boston though. I loved the acoustic opening set and the lighting and group hug feel. It is a bit tired TBH, having an acoustic set in the middle of a show. But this is reminiscent of early Springsteen where he would open with Incident on 57th St with piano and violin, or Thunder Road accompanied by piano. I think the audience was really dialed in each night with rapt attention during those songs. Then blow the roof off with The Infanta or Don't Carry It All. Absolutely awesome choice for the set. I was skeptical of Joan for the encore but it does work well, although in Boston there were a few people heading out mid song. Not so in Kingston. Big dumb rock club vs small theater. Maybe the difference?
Anyway, you said we'd have a survey after the show in Kingston and there was no survey. Then you tell us all the band members were born in Kingston. Hmm. Sketchy. So here's my feedback card. Kingston 93/100. Boston 96/100. The energy in Boston was off the charts and the sound was absolutely amazing (Kingston as well). Kudos to the FOH folks. Loved the light show, especially for Joan. Sad these are my only 2 shows but thrilled to have seen them.
Had a blast at your Boston show last night! My first time hearing Crane Wife live and Shankill Butchers was an unexpected delight. I was up close to the stage but off to the side a bit, so I wasn’t able to take in the full effect of the ‘gazebo’, but I’ll still endorse it as someone who loves fun lighting and staging choices.
Driver's side back top? Me too!
And yes, it always takes me a few days to get my "bus legs", as the sway lulls me to sleep.
“We all know that Custer died at the Battle of Little Big Horn. What this book presupposes is—maybe he didn’t?”