August 22nd, 2008
Auditorium Theatre
Chicago Illinois
Main Set...
Sometimes/Trouble/Girl From The North Country/I Am Mine/Dead Man/Masters of War/I Can't Explain/Setting Forth/ Guaranteed/No Ceiling/Far Behind/Rise/Soon Forget/I'm One/Drifting/Hide Your Love Away/Elderly Woman/Someday We'll Go All The Way/Porch
First Encore...
Growin' Up/Blackbird/Throw Your Arms Around Me/Society/Lukin/Wishlist/Let My Love Open The Door/Arc
Second Encore...
Hard SunThis show, I think, taught us a lesson. That lesson? If you're gonna drink before the show, you should do so a bit sooner before the show. We all definitely got our drink on before the show (well everyone but Dan). I didn't want to drink a lot, but there was a lot of peer pressure involved. And as we learned earlier this summer when I added Hartford and Mansfield to my tour itinerary, I am a sucker for peer pressure.
The problem with being on the drunk side is that you have to pee. We went in about 10 minutes before Ed's set and I immediately had to pee. Fearing there wouldn't be time, my dumbass stayed put. Bob and I ended up in the exact same section, the EXACT SAME row as the night before (holla! Row U!) Almost immediately after we go to our seats, we heard cheers and looked up in the first balcony and saw that Chris Chellios was there with the Stanley Cup. I don't know why it was so important that the Stanley Cup was sitting in the balcony...but fuck yeah Detroit Rock City! Hey, hey, Hockeytown! Sorry, I had to do it.
Ed came out and opened with Sometimes...nice to have a bit of a change with the start of the set (thanks, Ed). And my urge to pee only got worse.
So here I am, in a beautiful setting seeing my favorite singer, and all I can think about is how I needed to pee. I couldn't take it anymore by the time he got to I Am Mine I really had to go. I do NOT hate I Am Mine and in fact, it holds a special place in my heart when it is played live because I saw it premiere at Bridge almost 7 years ago (damn, I'm getting old). So off I ran, in record time, to the bathroom. I hate to admit this all, but it's the honest to goodness truth. Well, the truth may not be good, but it is what it is.
I don't hate the Cubs song, either, but I knew it would be coming up and if I had to pick and choose my urine next battle, it was going to be during that song. So I ran...again...this time the lobby and the bathroom were filled with people...presumably White Sox fans...?
After that second trip to the bathroom, I was good to go. Thank goodness. This show went by so fast for me...that even though it's the day after, I can't recall too much about it.
This was a great show for Who/PT covers. Can't Explain...I'm One...Let My Love Open the Door. I loved all three...especially I'm One.
I have to say, even when listening to the West Coast shows...I struggle with Ed dueting with Liam Finn on Throw Your Arms Around Me. It just seems almost...boybandish to me. I don't like it. It bothered me less in the live setting... but still wasn't a huge fan. Ed needs to tackle that one alone...
The show ended with Hard Sun, typical. But joining Liam and Eliza-Jane was a particularly tall fellow...who turned out to be Sean Penn. Did not expect to see Sean in Chicago, so that was a nice touch. The only bum deal is that I felt like Ed was really anxious to get off stage and go party with his homeboys...but I don't blame him.
Crazy kind of show...
Drunkeness. Jesus jokes (JC=John Cusak). Women getting up on stage trying to hug Ed. Stanley Cups. Movie stars.
All in all, wonderful shows. So glad I went and even though the prices were a bit steep, definitely worth the cash. Fantastic. The best part is the two shows complimented each other well and while they had their similarities, they were different enough to keep even the most jaded Pearl Jam fan happy. Ok, that may not be true, but a girl can dream, right?
08.23.08/08.24.08