Ryan Adams 10/31/07 NYC

[MattZ]

Just wanted to add my review of last night's show in NYC. Some folks seemed to be disappointed with last night's show... Here's my thoughts. I'd be interested to hear what others think...

 

First off, the band faced an impossible task last night. This was a halloween gig where everyone expected the band to pull out never-played gems or covers, to blow the doors off the place, or to play three sets. On top of that, you had the fact that this was the first real proper show in NYC after the release of Easy Tiger. I don't count the Hiro Ballroom gig which was announced a few days before that gig and was on the same night as Wilco in Brooklyn. So, NYC was cheated out of an Easy Tiger show, and was starved for a Ryan Adams experience on many levels. Everyone walked into the venue last night expecting a masterpiece. There were unfair expectations from the start.

 

So what did the band do? They put on an absolutely first-rate, solid and professional show. And nothing more. No rare gems. No costumes. No third set. No Come Pick Me Up.

 

So my guess is that a lot of people went in wanting to shake their booty and instead got some sleepier slower tunes that were played (*gasp*) perfectly. But no New York, New York to get the crowd amped. Halloween Head was played with Ryan on piano and was played almost mockingly. Not rocked out to get people dancing.

 

I think the problem, in the end, for some fans, is that Ryan has such an enormous catalog and so many fans have so many faves, that folks are almost set up to be disappointed. Especially at a halloween show where you'd think this is the time for Ryan to play that one song you always hoped you'd hear him play. Nope. Instead, he and his band were absolutely on fire. But they played what they wanted to play - not what you wanted them to play. And they did it in jeans and a t-shirt -- not dressed up as Darth Vader.

 

For me, I have no problem with that. I grinned from ear to ear throughout and Ryan and Neil blew me away time after time after time last night. Did I walk out wishing I had heard Sylvia Plath? Or that he'd kept the harmonica on for one more song and given us Come Pick Me Up? Of course. But that didn't take away from a blissful evening of music for me. I think it may have taken away from the evening for others.

 

I'd love to see a setlist if anyone has one... I know they played Peaceful Valley, Dear John, Kiss Before I Go, Cold Roses, Hollywood Blvd, Bartering Lines, Blue Hotel, I See Monsters, Down in a Hole, Let It Ride, Goodnight Rose, Halloween Head, Two, Sun Also Sets, etc.

 

Hope they come back to NYC soon... I'll be right up front again.

[MattZ]

Just found this on the internets... Looks right:

 

Peaceful Valley

Blue Hotel

Mockingbird

B. Sorta

Rescue Blues

Sun Also Sets

Stars Go Blue

G-night Rose

Cold Roses

Freeway to the Canyon

Jon Joke/Spacewolf HB bit

Off Broadway/Jam

Please Do not let me Go

 

Break

 

Bartering Lines

Kiss Before I go

The End

Dear John

Nightbirds

Wildflowers

Shakedown

Everything Changes

Why Do They Leave

Two

Halloween H

Hollywood Blvd.

I See Monsters

 

Encore

Let it Ride

Down in a Hole

What Sin/Jam

Peaceful End

[joefry111]

um...that looks to me that its over 30 songs. Many more than alot of venues got during this tour. Milwaukee clocked in at about 100 mins, maybe 22 songs, they were spectacular, but anyone who is complaining about that setlist is a fucking moron. It looks pretty great.

 

My guess is that even though he enjoys the musicianship of the jam band asthetic, he doesn't want the bullshit that comes along with it. Thus he will never do crap like that, or try toplay into what other people expect.

 

There are already a couple of bands that have tried to mimic that Dead/Phish (WSP, Black Crowes) scene and they have all for the most part failed.

[MattZ]

um...that looks to me that its over 30 songs. Many more than alot of venues got during this tour. Milwaukee clocked in at about 100 mins, maybe 22 songs, they were spectacular, but anyone who is complaining about that setlist is a fucking moron. It looks pretty great.

 

The reviews that I read posted on the RA board and brooklynvegan suggested that the show was low on energy and meandered. I don't think people complained about the number of songs so much as they complained about the fact that there were few opportunities to shake one's booty. If you look at that setlist, to be fair, you can't really tell. It certainly was slowed down and there were mellower versions of normally rockin tunes like Goodnight Rose and HH. Also, Off Broadway turned into a ten minute space jam at the end.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, I did think the show was great. The band is as tight as any band out there. And Ryan's voice and the harmonies were angelic. But a bunch of folks seemed to think otherwise. I am surprised other people here haven't weighed in with their thoughts. Like I said, I thought the show was awesome. But I was also 3rd row standing right in front of Neal.

 

EDIT: from brooklynvegan.com:

"In spite of a supremely generous set length (3+ hours and roughly thirty songs), I left last night's Ryan Adams show sorely disappointed. In fact, out of the near-dozen times I've seen Ryan over the past few years, I would easily place this gig at the bottom of the list. I'm not certain if it was a lack of energy, the reinterpreted versions of Ryan's older tunes and/or a general longing for Ryan's incomparable stage banter, but something seemed slightly off. [says the Music Slut]"

[floyd7201]

um...that looks to me that its over 30 songs. Many more than alot of venues got during this tour. Milwaukee clocked in at about 100 mins, maybe 22 songs, they were spectacular, but anyone who is complaining about that setlist is a fucking moron. It looks pretty great.

 

My guess is that even though he enjoys the musicianship of the jam band asthetic, he doesn't want the bullshit that comes along with it. Thus he will never do crap like that, or try toplay into what other people expect.

 

There are already a couple of bands that have tried to mimic that Dead/Phish (WSP, Black Crowes) scene and they have all for the most part failed.

 

 

The reason that people expect Ryan to do interesting, different shows is because he used to do them. He used to actually act like he wanted to be there, talking to the audience, smiling, playing a varied setlist. The last 3 times I've seen him he has acted like he couldn't stand the crowed or having to play. That isn't fun for anyone... especially when you spend $50 on him.

[mrrice]

The reason that people expect Ryan to do interesting, different shows is because he used to do them. He used to actually act like he wanted to be there, talking to the audience, smiling, playing a varied setlist. The last 3 times I've seen him he has acted like he couldn't stand the crowed or having to play. That isn't fun for anyone... especially when you spend $50 on him.

 

 

I agree. I also think Ryan's setlists are uninspiring. He doesn't build the energy or do anything to get the crowd into the show. I think Wilco does this masterfully. When Ryan played Charleston a couple of weeks the crowd was finally getting into the show and standing up after about an hour and a half of sitting and how did Ryan respond? He told us all to sit down....so, we did. Thanks.