While I'm not normally one to bandy around superlatives, MMJ's performance at MSG on NYE 2008 was hands-down the most sensational live music experience I have ever had. A perfect synergy of audience energy, festive happy feelings, mind expanding jams, soul soothing covers, and seasoned showmanship, the show far exceeded my already high expectations for a band that is well-known for their explosive live sets.
Their originals certainly shone brightly, but what really made the evening for me were their obscure, yet flawlessly rendered covers. Just as the jams were becoming too heavy, and you thought you'd never make it out of the haze, the band kicked into one of many pleasantly surprising covers (photo taken from our seats using Dickie's cellphone...er, shall I say, BlackBerry Storm).
This one from Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers was particularly fun:
My Morning Jacket- "Islands in the Stream"
And so were these:
My Morning Jacket- "Celebration"
A Kool & the Gang number, they performed this (and the rest of the second set) in white tuxes right after the New Years' countdown.
My Morning Jacket- "Express Yourself"
This tune was one of the first we caught--showed up a bit late and missed 3 or 4 songs, but this one really got me going (original by Charles Wright).
And here are a couple of the originals:
My Morning Jacket- "Magheeta"
My Morning Jacket- "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. II"
A bootleg of the whole show is available for free over at archive.org. Just listening to these again is giving me chills.
SETLIST
1. Intro music ("What Are You Doing New Years Eve?")
2. "Move On Up" (Curtis Mayfield)
3. "Evil Urges"
4. "Off The Record"
5. "Gideon"
6. "The Way That He Sings"
7. "Thank You Too"
8. "I'm Amazed"
9. "Golden" (w/ Will Johnson)
10. "Librarian"
11. "You're All I Need" (Marvin Gaye) (w/ Nicole Atkins)
12. "Express Yourself" (Charles Wright)
13. "Wonderful Man"
14. "Lay Low"
15. "Phone Went West"
16. "Look At You"
17. "Dondante"
18. "Smoking from Shootin"
19. "Touch Me Part 2"
20. "Run Thru"
21. "The Wanderer" (Dion)
22. "Dancefloors"
23. "Magheeta"
[New Year's Countdown]
24. "Celebration" (Kool & The Gang)
25. "Get Down On It" (Kool & The Gang)
26. "Wordless Chorus"
27. "Highly Suspicious"
28. "Cobra"
29. "Islands In The Stream" (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers) (w/ Nicole Atkins)
30. "Bring It On Home To Me" (Sam Cooke)
31. "Cold Sweat" (James Brown)
32. "Anytime"
33. "One Big Holiday"
34. "Auld Lang Syne"
on
Monday, January 5, 2009
1 comment:
how was the show?
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