Front and Center
Hi, WordPress! I didn’t forget about you, I just didn’t have anything post-worthy. That changed last night when I finally got to see The Mountain Goats play a live show.
I had previously tried to see The Mountain Goats on two separate occasions, but failed. I wanted to see them in Iowa City, but instead spent two weeks recovering from my emergency appendectomy. I then bought tickets to see them in Washington DC while I was still living there, but sadly, I ended up moving back to Kansas just a week before the show.
Nothing was going to stop me from seeing them last night at The Bottleneck.
The show was so much better than I even expected. John Darnielle, the lead singer, had great stage presence and I thought some of the live versions sounded even better than the studio versions. They played every song I wanted to hear, which was lucky, considering the fact that they have 17 studio albums and even more EPs.
With John Darnielle
Before the show, a few friends and I went for sushi at Yokohama down the street. As we were walking out, John Darnielle walked in. None of us had the guts to bother him then, but during the show he mentioned he wrote the set list on a napkin at dinner. After he finished his set, he tossed that napkin into the crowd and it landed right at my feet before I quickly snatched it up.
After the show, I got John to sign the set list and pose for a few photos. Despite the fact that I’ve heard he is a germaphobe, he had no problem with being ambushed by a bunch of strangers.
With Peter Hughes
I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I did kind of chase Peter Hughes, the bassist, down for this photo. He is very good-looking, so I was a little nervous, but I really wanted to talk to him. Maybe that’s why we both look a little awkward in this picture. After the shot, I embarrassed myself a little more when told him I thought he was a very snazzy dresser (because he was wearing a sweet pinstripe suit during the show) and that I was “impressed.”
Overall, this was definitely one of my top five (maybe number one) concert experiences. Great crowd, great set, and a very friendly band!
For those interested, here’s the set list and links to a few songs for those who have never heard The Mountain Goats before:
1 Samuel 15:23 (Life of the World to Come)
Old College Try (Tallahassee)
Cotton (We Shall All Be Healed)
Heretic Pride (Heretic Pride)
For Charles Bronson (New Album!)
Psalm 40:2 (Life of the World to Come)
Woke Up New (Get Lonely)
Waving at You (Nothing for Juice)
Hawaiian Feeling (Come, Come to the Sunset Tree)
Fall of the Star High School Running Back (All Hail West Texas)
Lion’s Teeth (Sunset Tree)
Going to Georgia (Zopilote Machine)
Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod (Sunset Tree)
Your Belgian Things (We Shall All Be Healed)
See America Right (Tallahasee)
This Year (Sunset Tree)
Encore:
Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace (Life of the World to Come)
No Children
Very cool. So glad you finally got to see the Goats in concert. To score a set list on a napkin is a huge bonus.