Akron (OH) - Civic Theatre, August 13
Make It Rain
Hoist That Rag
Shore Leave
Dead And Lovely
God’s Away On Business
Falling Down
Tango Til They’re Sore
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
Tom Traubert’s Blues
Til the Money Runs Out/Howlin’ Wolf song
Whats He Building
Eyeball Kid
Trampled Rose
Til the Money Runs Out
Murder in the Red Barn
What's He Building
Lost At The Bottom Of The World
Shake It
Day After Tomorrow
Lie To Me Baby
Get Behind The Mule
Clap Hands
Sins Of The Father / Wade in the Water
52 comments:
Arghh! Come on you Cleveland doggies, you might have bean treated with a late/mid-night show, but that is no reason to sleep all morning and have us waiting for the setlist! Bring it on!!
when do you think the 'greatest hits live' dvd will be available?
I didn't keep a song by song list of the shows in Akron or Cleveland, but as far as I could tell he only repeated one song in Cleveland that he'd played in Akron (Make it Rain) - everything else was different. For example, during the piano/bass part of the set in Cleveland he played On the Nickel, Cemetary Polka and I Wish I Was in New Orleans (in Akron, it was Tango Til They're Sore, Tom Traubert's Blues and Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis). I hope someone has full lists of both those shows that they can post - I'd like to be able to remember better myself!
From Blackride.com
Akron
Make It Rain
Hoist That Rag
Shore Leave
Dead And Lovely
God’s Away On Business
Tango Til They’re Sore
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
Tom Traubert’s Blues
Til the Money Runs Out/Howlin’ Wolf song
Whats He Building
Falling Down
Eyeball Kid
Murder In The Red Barn
Trampled Rose
Lost At The Bottom Of The World
Shake It
Encore #1
Lie To Me Baby (Cant’ remember what its actually called, or if we've
figured it out yet)
Get Behind The Mule
Day After Tomorrow
Encore #2
Clap Hands
Sins Of My Father
I went to the Akron show (but not Cleveland) and it did not disappoint! Beautiful old theater with an excited crowd. Show started around 8:35PM with the band walking in 1 x 1 from behind a brightly lit curtain behind the stage.
Tom was a true showman and put on a great show, and his band was awesome.
Towards the beginning of the show, Tom was really good at quieting down the "yellers." "I love you Tom" (his response was something like "I love you too babe, but let's talk about it later. All these people make it awkward."
Someone else yelled out something and he said "hey you're the guy that owes me money. you might want to keep quiet."
Then the piece de resistance, the idiot woman that had a banner she had brought with her. After holding it up numerous times with Tom failing to acknowledge it, she proceeeded to throw it on top of his piano in between songs. He made some comment about how "she returned the shirt he had left and even cleaned it" or something then threw it on the ground and kept playing.
This brings me to my only complaint, the yellers. As the show when on, the "yellers" seemed to get more emboldened and in between every song people would start screaming things at Tom, and I feel like it limited Tom's story telling because he couldn't get through all the yellers.
If you are a yeller, stand back and think about what you are doing. A, you are annoying all the non-yellers that paid good $$$ to hear Tom Waits and not you, and B, you are interrupting the flow of the musicians. I could understand if you were a 12 year old girl at a Dave Matthews show, but come on. Don't you realize you sound like an idiot? Great you can go home to your friends and say "Tom Waits acknowledged me." Get over yourself and keep your yap shut. Enough ranting.
I am not intimately familiar with Tom's work and didn't keep a setlist, but the first two songs were "Make It Rain" followed by "Hoist That Rag."
I believe the last two songs were "Day After Tomorrow" followed by "Sins Of My Father" to end the show.
In between (but not a complete list) among others, we heard "Tom Traubert's Blues", "Get Behind The Mule", "Shake It", "What's He Building", "Eyeball Kid", and "Dead And Lovely". That's all I remember, since I am still tired from the long drive.
Only songs I didn't hear I was hoping to hear (based on other setlists) were "House Where Nobody Lives" and "Going Out West".
Overall, great great night.
The person complaining about the yellers. I had a guy sitting directly behind me at the Louisville show who thought he would sing along with Tom. I didn't pay to listen to him. After 2 or 3 songs, I think he thought it wise to shut up. I was nearly at the point of turning around and telling him to shut up! Inconsiderate people!
From what I've heard, he didn't do a piano-only show, but a regular set.
I can't imagine, he would play many same songs in Akron as in Cleveland.
I spoke to his light-assistance in Memphis and she told me, they performed 42 titels in total.
2x 21 songs, could be it and so a great evening for everyone, who attended both shows!
I had some experience with yellers and sing-alongs, too, soo anoying. That one girl always smiled at her friend and kept saying things like "all the lame assholes here." She sat in the front row and danced and was always angry when people complained, that she was in their sight, she also sang along and on top of that, she did that noise to cheer, ririririr, something like that, I bet, you can hear it every 5 minutes on the chicago-bootleg.
Same happend in...Nashville I think. Some idiot girl kept dancing excessevly all the time, with her arms high above her body.
I hate those people who think they are fancy and the others are lame idiots, just because they don't bother the people around them with their outgoing-ego.
Akron was sweet. Jim Jarmusch was in the audience. He grew up in Akron, btw. 2 encores.
The provisional setlist confirms with my recollection, I think, but for the order of the first encore, which I believe was in this order:
Day After Tomorrow
Lie To Me
Get Behind The Mule
I feel like What's He Building was farther down towards the end of the set, and Eyeball Kid was up before the piano break but my mind could be foggy.
Akron's own, director Jim Jarmusch snuck in right before the show! He went right around me ( 3rd row by the way) and sat back like 15 rows center. I had better seats than Tom's good friend...Ha!
Only a few people knew who the heck he was....but those of us who did were pretty impressed.
Check out his films, Tom's in most of them.
What a GREAT SHOW !
Here's an attempt at a Cleveland setlist. I'll admit up front, I'm missing three titles, so if anybody wants to fill them in for me, I'd be much abliged.
Goin' Out West
219 (My Baby's Leaving on the)
-illegible setlist transcription, help!-
November
Blue Valentine
Big Black Mariah (!)
On the Nickel (after someone shouted for it)
Cemetery Polka
I Wish I was in New Orleans
Johnsburg, Illinois (!)
Metropolitan Glide
Heartattack and Vine/Spoonful Medley
Make it Rain
Circus
Singapore
It Rains on Me
E1
Don't Go Into that Barn
-no one I was with new this one, help!-
E2
Whistling Past the Graveyard
-he played one more here, I wish I could remember what, help!-
The second song of the 1st encore in Cleveland was Hank William's "Ramblin' Man".
He also played Buzz Flederjohn in the second encore. That might have been the final song.
Ramblin' Man was incredible!
Also played Way Down in the Hole early in Cleveland
I went to both shows and I had a great time at both of them. A few notes not covered.
In section II around row AA there was very nearly a fight that broke out. I wasn't prepared to see something like that at a Tom Waits show. It looked like several people were annoyed by someone that was talking and tempers flared fairly quickly. People began to scream at each other while Tom was playing piano and security had to come and have a talk with a young kid wearing a tie. It was a bizarre experience.
The tone of the Cleveland show was much different. While the Akron show was very much about being quiet, sitting down, and just taking it in, the Cleveland show was very loose and everyone was having a great time. I was overjoyed to be at both, but I have to say I had a better time at the House of Blues.
From the guy who posted House of Blues setlist. Yes, those setlist additions all sound right. "Way Down in the Hole" was the third song. "Hole" turned out to look like "Alone," "Move," and "Mule" on my notes, none of which made any sense so I'm glad it's cleared up. And yes, "Buzz" closed the evening.
I was at both shows last night and, though I'm paying the price for it at work this morning, it was an incredible night. The House of Blues show was a logistical catastrophe. There were 1200 people trying to get into the venue with only will call tickets. The line stretched down the front of building, around the corner and down another street, around the next corner and down the next street. I arrived from Akron to get in line at about 11:15 or so and finally got in the venue shortly after 1. The show didn't start til 1:20 or so. The crowd was excellent, much more raucous and "into it" than other shows I saw this tour. The set was a normal full set instrumentally with all 5 guys on stage. I have the setlist running as so:
Goin' Out West
2:19 (My Baby's Leaving on the)
Way Down In the Hole
November
Blue Valentine
Big Black Mariah
On the Nickel
Cemetery Polka
I Wish I was in New Orleans
Johnsburg, Illinois
Metropolitan Glide
Heartattack and Vine/Spoonful Medley
Make it Rain
Circus
Singapore
It Rains on Me
Don't Go Into that Barn
Ramblin' Man (Hank Williams cover)
Whistling Past the Graveyard
Buzz Flederjohn
Both shows were great. I just think House of Blues had no idea what they were getting themselves into by trying to have doors at 11 and the show at 12.
A (slightly) more accurate Akron setlist:
Make It Rain
Hoist That Rag
Shore Leave
Dead and Lovely
God's Away on Business
Falling Down
Tango Til They're Sore (piano)
Xmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (piano)
Tom Traubert's Blues (piano)
Eyeball Kid
(unsure about exact order of the next 5, but I think this is right)
Trampled Rose
Til the Money Runs Out
Murder in the Red Barn
What's He Building
Lost at the Bottom of the World
Shake It
Encore 1
Day After Tomorrow
Lie To Me Baby
Get Behind the Mule
Encore 2
Clap Hands
Sins of the Father (with Wade in the Water at the end)
An interesting side note -- my wife (who had imbibed a little too voraciously before the show) was going outside for some fresh air toward the end of the night when she spotted a guy who worked at the theater. She asked if he could get her one of the concert posters. He was going to do it, but was overruled by one of his supervisers. Just so happens that one of the tour bus drivers was exiting at the same time, heard the exchange, and invited my wife back to the bus. He gave her a "Orphans Tour - Local Crew" tee shirt and a big poster stamped with "Sold Out."
So she's calling my cell phone every two minutes to tell me to get my ass out back and I can't hear her 'cause I'm watching the show. Then AFTER the show as I'm fiddling around inside trying to get a set list, my wife sees Jim Jarmusch walk by the bus, so she opens the door and goes after him to say hi, but misses him (apparently he'd gotten on the "real" bus, which was behind the one my wife was in). So the bus driver comes over to my wife and says "Do you realize you just hit Tom in the back with the bus door?" She turns around and he's already gone.
So yep, that's my story. Had I stepped out of the theater so that I could hear my wife on the phone, Tom could have had the pleasure of meeting me instead of getting whacked in the back by her.
Show-wise, Tom is great and it was a thrill to finally see him, but I was sorely disappointed in the band. No energy, no dynamics. I realize that Tom is the focal point, but come on, in a mostly-blues set like that, the band has to step it up and complement the lead singer better.
By the way -- 'sup, Bake. 'sup, Simon.
First of all, great show - my first ever - and I was hypnotized the whole time. I was lucky enough to have seats ten rows back! A few other notes:
Ditto on Eyeball Kid being the first song after the piano/bass section.
In the first three songs, I couldn't tell if Duke kept dropping his pick or was simply making adjustments, but he kept bending down and when stood, looked frustrated.
Haven't seen anyone mention this, but for those of you interested in Tom's witty stage banter, at the beginning of the piano section he explained: "I went to the Goodyear museum." (Blimp/rubber=Akron.) "Why? Because every time something important in my life happens, a blimp passes by overhead...The first time I robbed a gas station..." and I forget the second one he said. He also told a funny story about a hot dog joint where the waitresses were supposed to be mean to you. This sounded like a spin on a familiar joke. But both were hilarious.
Tom is just ridiculously magnetic. Live, his on-stage gesticulations are kind of economical; he doesn't jump around half as much as these dudes in other bands, but you can't stop looking and listening. The piano section was just beautiful.
I agree that the backing band was a little too laid back. Duke's playing was never thrilling except for a few leads, but it was always 'right'. Casey's drumming was steady if nothing else. Larry Taylor and the guy playing vibes/percussion really stood out to me.
The Cleveland set list looks incredible. Wish I could have gone.
Oh, and Falling Down was indeed after God's Away. Pretty sure about that.
Re: the fight that broke out in Orchestra II...yeah, that was not the place to be sitting. The three people next to us (BB) and two people in the row in front of us (AA) had no interest in, you know, shutting up and watching the show, at all. Given the venue, it was a major distraction and annoyance on what otherwise would've been a great night. And yes, during Tom Traubert's Blues, two people in row Z freaked out at the talkers, at one point turning around and choking the young man. Obviously not the best way to deal with it. Just an unfortunate place to be seated.
Re: the talkers in back row during Tom's Blues....I heard the ruckus, and thought it was becuase Tom flubbed the lyrics on one of the verses...did I imagine that, or did he kinda forget some words and sing part of a prior verse in it's place?
here's those last five at the Akron show, in order...
What's he building?
Trampled rose
Lost at the bottom of the world
Cause of it all/Til the money runs out
Shake it
That's the last five before the encores?
What an incredible show. I've been waiting my whole life to see Tom Waits, and can't believe I just saw him a few miles from my house.
I had always pictured him just sitting at a piano and telling stories like on the Nighthawks at the Diner disc, but seeing him take the mic and rock out on his newer material was really cool. I was completely captivated the entire night.
I own Real Gone, but have to admit it's an album I haven't listened to much. But after hearing him play tomorrow and rain it's all i've been able to listen to today.
I really missed the horn on Tango til there sore, and the rice covered snare on shore leave off the albums in a way. But it was also cool to hear him strip down some of the old songs and make due with the limited number of musicians he had with him.
Just curious, did tom play accordian on any of the tour?? I love his accordian playing on some of the songs on swordfishtrombone and frank's wild years; but was disappointed he didn't break one out at any time during last nights set.
don't forget he played waltzing matilda.
The song know as "Waltzing Mathilda" is actually called Tom Traubert's Blues
waltzing matilda is trauberts blues....
anyways great show...in akron i never thought he would stop...!!! wow.
Actually waltzing Matilda is Tom Traubert's Blues.
I concur -- absolutely amazing evening!
in the goodyear blimp museum story, the second blimp fly-by was "the first time i killed an endangered species..."
The name of the Howlin' Wolf song that Tom played during the Akron show is called "Who's Been Talkin." It was part of the medley that included til the money runs out....I believe he also included another song of his from Blue Valentine, possibly "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard," in the medley as well. I recognized the words but was unable to write them down due to the fact this was the greatest show ever (it was my first Tom show). But yeah, I'm sure of the Wolf song because I'm listening to it right now...
For the hank question, I can say that he tried to do most of the height if not everyone of them but he began to have somme difficulty with his voice at this time so the pitch wasn't really accurate but it was a real good version, the arrangements where just my taste.
And I must say thanks to everyone who where wearing hats (little clones of tom) it's very nice for the ones behind you and the 2 or 3 next rows who must deal with the guy behind you trying to see the band each side of your hat.
Eyeball Kid, yeah, those were the last five songs before the two encores. the rest of the setlist is spot on.
I was in Akron last night ( my first Tom sighting live) and I was a good girl and didnt bring recording/camera stuff in. Does any one have a nice photo of Tom that night?
I want to put it by my ticket and
frame it.
Even thru the hats, the unwanted kareoke,20 trips to the bathroom by drunk people in my row,
Tom was brilliant
To FRANK: If you really were aware of who Jarmusch was, you'd know that Waits doesn't play in MOST of his films, but only in three of them: Down by law (1986), Mystery train (1989)(only his voice)and Coffee and cigarettes (2003)(only in one segment of it). So stop being a smartass and stop looking down on people who didn't recognize him.
JP Thank You. But please Give the guy a break he was excited. As I would have been.
Great, fun show in Akron.
I'd just add that during Dead and Lovely, Tom flubbed (or maybe just modified?) the final verse with something like:
what's lost can never be broken
what's lost can never be broken
what's lost can never be broken
three times broken, it's really broken
but now she's dead
Great show, well worth the drive from DC. Have to agree that it was a little more laid back than what I'm used to (the Chicago show for Mule Variations had much more of a carny vibe).
Was surprised there weren't more screamers actually, but there's not much point in complaining about them. Kinda like being angry about getting sand in your shorts when you go to the beach. It kinda comes with the territory. And Tom's been dealing with these folks for over 30 years, he's a pro.
And it didn't suprise me that there was a fight either, considering the amount of booze being carried back and forth up the aisles. The tinkling of the spilled beer bottles was kinda irritating, though. As well as the constant stream of people going to the potty to pee their beer out. Hot tip folks, it's called a pint of scotch. You know what to do.
Fortunately the folks in my section were pretty laid back (no loud singers, talkers, fighters, or cellphoners). Just a broad bunch of fans, from teenagers to quite a few graying hipsters. And a few long-suffering girlfriends who seemed to be there as payback for their boyfriends having to go shoe shopping with them. But he had everybody clapping together for Clap Hands. Beautiful.
I agree with monkeyrotica about the singers/talkers/yellers. I think we have all been to shows where some 'blues hag', dancing out of context, thinks shes part of the entertainment. Cellphone idiots that have to check their messages or talk during the quiet songs. How about the ear piercing whistlers, etc. I always liked to think that Tom Waits fans were a little more enlightened about that shit (the majority is), but unfortunately there is always a few in the crowd that don't get it.
what I liked most about yellers and other kind of idiocy was the way Waits seemed to lightly scorn 'em
Re: Jarmusch.
Actually, it seemed to me that a lot of people recognized Jarmusch. He came out from backstage and walked down the aisle and the entire front section craned their necks backwards to see him. I was lucky enough to be in the front row, so I had a good vantage point to witness this. Then he slapped hands with a few people on the aisles. I got the impression that most people knew who he was.
I'd like to agree that the band, although adequate, was very dull and disappointing, lacking any sort of spirit at all. I was lucky to see Tom on the Mule tour and that show had so much more spark and charisma. Duke is clearly no Smokey Hormel or Marc Ribot, although the vibe this time around was more of a laid back bluesy show so it was sort of appropriate. The Mule tour was much more hardcore newer style Waits, and even Tom was much more animated in general, looking sort of like a deranged marionnete that had rebelled against it's maker. Still, both the Akron and Cleveland sets were very enjoyable albeit a bit different than I expected. I really do think that the in-house mix for both shows was very poor, though. You could barely hear Larry Taylor which is sort of tragic, and the music in general was very quiet in comparison to Tom's voice. Many songs were really missing that edgy guitar sound that we all are used to love on the albums.
I agree that it was the lack of edginess of the guitar playing and Tom's less-spirited-than-usual demeanor that kind of drug down the shows. Beware of saying anything remotely "anti" on this blog, though, you risk being called a "Moron Non-Fan," as I was, by another blogger!
sorry for the delay but I just now have the time to post this -- i took down this set list as it happened at the Akron show:
Make it rain
Hoist that rag
Shore leave
Dead and lovely
God's away on business
Falling down
[at piano]Tango til they're sore
[at piano] Xmas card from a hooker...
[at piano] Tom Traubert's blues
Eyeball Kid
Murder in the red barn
What's he building in there
Trampled rose
Lost at the bottom of the world
'Til the money runs out
Shake it
Encore 1:
Day after tomorrow
Lie to me [cover]
Get behind the mule
Encore 2:
Clap hands [audience clapped along]
Sins of my father [ending with verses from the american hymn "Wade in the water"]
(and yes, in "Dead and Lovely" he made that error in lyrics & commented about 3 times broken per someone's earlier post)
Was at the Akron show and it truly was awesome. My girlfriend and I were exstatic when we got to our seats -- 12 rows back and dead center. The two next to us were vacant until right before the show, when who comes and sits next to us but Jim Jarmusch. He was a real gentleman and treated everyone who came up to him really well.
Ur, I meant ecstatic. Or "really great" if you don't like fancy words.
I wouldn't worry about that too much. I too found many of the talkers/yellers annoying, but saw you throw the shirt up on stage and didn't think anything of it. Like you, I was totally lost in the show and completely caught up.
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