“Good job, Colin. Way to clear the lowest possible bar.”
Ah, come on now, mate. You’re grand! You should mess up more, in fact. Your experiments and whims have made for great performances. They’re still wonderful even when you get it all right! We don’t come for a flawless show, however; we come for the sheer electric mesmerism and crackling chaos-potential of a live performance!
I was at one of your WATWWABW shows in Berkeley where you flubbed “It took me 15—er, 16!—years” in “Mariner’s”, and it made my night. You cheekily shrugged it off, and the crowed gasped and giggled in delighted by that surprise. I don’t know if that’s happened often, if you mean to throw in something like that, but it’s a thrill. I think the highest bar is to put on a show where you let spontaneous variation and happenstance take you somewhere. So thanks for fucking up sometimes!
I’ll conclude my ramble by saying I’m glad your voice is soldiering on with diligence and dedication. You’re an inspiration to me for positively dealing with the fact of our very human fragility.
Friday night show was great and your voice sounded fantastic. Great set list and such a great cover of Vincent Black Lightning, that was a special treat! Can't wait to see you again
Oh Lord, why did I leave the Bay Area?!?! What an amazing 2 nights this must have been. Please kind sir, if these shows were recorded, please make them available to your loyal subscribers in whole or part!! The bits I've seen on YouTube were so lovely. I'd just love to hear the shows. And it may push me to get on a plane to Seattle and find a ticket before I'm forced back into the office full time by the orange man and his k-boy...
Boy oh boy… I wish I coulda made it up north for one or both of these shows. I’m glad the recent surgery appears to have been successful! In a completely selfish way, I hope your vocal cords last at least 20 more years who knows maybe 30? I could still go to a concert in my 90s.😎. Thanks again for these machine shop updates. They really lift my spirits during these crazy times. Colin…. You’re the best!
I laughed at the Menlo Park slow walk. I lived there for a couple of years post college. There is a strange, unnecessary calmness there. At an Elvis Costello concert once he asked someone in the front row where they were from and he misheard it but was DELIGHTED that someone could be from “Mellow Park!”
Dear Colin, this concert was a gift. You sounded great. Perhaps I’m not objective as I am a diehard. Btw: I loved Train Dreams. Do you have another recommendation?
Lovely show. We were thrilled to hear Grace Cathedral Hill and California One. (California One was the recessional song at our late-COVID backyard wedding!)
You actually *hadn't* played Grace Cathedral at the last couple Oakland shows that we took BART to! You joked about it at one of them, though, I think
Hey Colin. Thanks as always for keeping us up to date. Some thoughts inspired by your post.
I saw Bowie loads of times. At some point, he started going down an octave on the words sailors and lawman when he sang Life on Mars. That lasted a decade. He must have found a great vocal coach because suddenly he was back hitting those notes in his late 50s. Keep your voice coach close and look after those tonsils. We need them.
Great to see Johnny Remember Me on the pre-show playlist. I would heartily recommend John Cooper Clarke’s album This Time It’s Personal. A fabulous collection of songs. The man can sing, who knew?
I desperately wish that BART went all the way down to Menlo Park as it would have saved me the drive down from the city! That being said, I will never get sick of hearing Grace Cathedral and California One when you are in the Bay Area. The whole set list for day two was superb.
Amazing setlists! I was living in SF when Castaways came out. I can’t imagine anyone, there or anywhere, tiring of Grace Cathedral.
Hope you add an eastern show Colin! Could use it in these hellish early days of institutionalized cruelty.
making me question my reality here, Colin... "I haven’t played a show since August — and I haven’t played a solo show since…jeez… summer 2023"
I saw you 3 times at Old Church in 2024 unless I was dreaming. They were amazing shows!
You’re right! I stand corrected.
I knew that couldn't be right.
“Good job, Colin. Way to clear the lowest possible bar.”
Ah, come on now, mate. You’re grand! You should mess up more, in fact. Your experiments and whims have made for great performances. They’re still wonderful even when you get it all right! We don’t come for a flawless show, however; we come for the sheer electric mesmerism and crackling chaos-potential of a live performance!
I was at one of your WATWWABW shows in Berkeley where you flubbed “It took me 15—er, 16!—years” in “Mariner’s”, and it made my night. You cheekily shrugged it off, and the crowed gasped and giggled in delighted by that surprise. I don’t know if that’s happened often, if you mean to throw in something like that, but it’s a thrill. I think the highest bar is to put on a show where you let spontaneous variation and happenstance take you somewhere. So thanks for fucking up sometimes!
I’ll conclude my ramble by saying I’m glad your voice is soldiering on with diligence and dedication. You’re an inspiration to me for positively dealing with the fact of our very human fragility.
Great setlists, super excited for the Seattle date.
Couldn’t go to the show so thanks a million times for your diary and thx to whomever posted all the videos. Like the stripey green shirt!
Friday night show was great and your voice sounded fantastic. Great set list and such a great cover of Vincent Black Lightning, that was a special treat! Can't wait to see you again
Oh Lord, why did I leave the Bay Area?!?! What an amazing 2 nights this must have been. Please kind sir, if these shows were recorded, please make them available to your loyal subscribers in whole or part!! The bits I've seen on YouTube were so lovely. I'd just love to hear the shows. And it may push me to get on a plane to Seattle and find a ticket before I'm forced back into the office full time by the orange man and his k-boy...
So excited to see you in seattle!!!
Boy oh boy… I wish I coulda made it up north for one or both of these shows. I’m glad the recent surgery appears to have been successful! In a completely selfish way, I hope your vocal cords last at least 20 more years who knows maybe 30? I could still go to a concert in my 90s.😎. Thanks again for these machine shop updates. They really lift my spirits during these crazy times. Colin…. You’re the best!
You're just so good, Colin. Just amazing.
I laughed at the Menlo Park slow walk. I lived there for a couple of years post college. There is a strange, unnecessary calmness there. At an Elvis Costello concert once he asked someone in the front row where they were from and he misheard it but was DELIGHTED that someone could be from “Mellow Park!”
Dear Colin, this concert was a gift. You sounded great. Perhaps I’m not objective as I am a diehard. Btw: I loved Train Dreams. Do you have another recommendation?
Lovely show. We were thrilled to hear Grace Cathedral Hill and California One. (California One was the recessional song at our late-COVID backyard wedding!)
You actually *hadn't* played Grace Cathedral at the last couple Oakland shows that we took BART to! You joked about it at one of them, though, I think
Hey Colin. Thanks as always for keeping us up to date. Some thoughts inspired by your post.
I saw Bowie loads of times. At some point, he started going down an octave on the words sailors and lawman when he sang Life on Mars. That lasted a decade. He must have found a great vocal coach because suddenly he was back hitting those notes in his late 50s. Keep your voice coach close and look after those tonsils. We need them.
Great to see Johnny Remember Me on the pre-show playlist. I would heartily recommend John Cooper Clarke’s album This Time It’s Personal. A fabulous collection of songs. The man can sing, who knew?
Vincent Black Lightning ❤️
Looking forward to the Dublin show.
I desperately wish that BART went all the way down to Menlo Park as it would have saved me the drive down from the city! That being said, I will never get sick of hearing Grace Cathedral and California One when you are in the Bay Area. The whole set list for day two was superb.