Asheville, NC

[rankel]

I wasn't there, but hey, if anyone did here's a thread for all of you to post your reviews.

Just really curious to hear how this one went...

[WestyTarheel]

It is not until May 4, you need to wait about 24 hours.

[rankel]

Once again my mind messes things up...

[justlikemartinsaid]

Would like to hear how it went tonight as well. I am in pre-day-before-Westerberg mode already. I've even recruited some friends from SW Georgia to come up to Atlanta on Friday.

[ChuckO]

;D--oh man,,,,,It was rockin to say the least---my first westerberg show of any kind and have been a fan for 18 years---just great loud rock and roll throughout,the setlist was heavy on favorites---and paul was having fun,,my two favorite moments were meeting paul outside of course--- and "can't hardly wait" was slowed down to a bluesy stomp at the end. ---My drunk irish friend mike locked his keys in the car-------so we were waiting for AAA a while,, long after everyone had gone --and I walked back by the bus --paul was still there in the back window--I could've knocked --- BUt he seemed like he was talking to the entourage or friends or whatever and I had already told him "swingin party saved my life"--so that's all I ever wanted to tell him anyway did'nt want to be rude---- IT"S 4:45 IN THE AM!--I still gotta go to work,will write more later---

[Slainthe]

Hi Everyboby & Chucko;

Good to hear that that you got AAA (ha ha) to unlock your car. I was the guy parked in front of you who couldn't help.

I came early from out of town to find the venue; when I got there at 6:00 the soundcheck was in full swing and I could hear it from the street, a rocking tight Stain Yer Blood was playing but the vocals were literally "Blah.. Blah..Blah" another fan told me Paul was not there then but would be flying in later. Paul made reference to "Nancy" that night during Waitress In The Sky. Poor Girl.

There was alot of my favorite Mats album PTMM, Opening song was IOU then into Valentine if I remember correctly (Skyway, Can't Hardly Wait, Alex Chilton came later)

Paul was talking requests and eager to please for the songs he enjoyed playing. Someone shouted out for Treatment Bound, Paul asked for the first verse but the fan couldn't start him out; He then turned to the "biggest Replacements fan" in the group the drummer but he didn't know either.

There were rocking numbers, with the band before Paul went solo with his 12 string. When HOF came back a cover song I had never heard before "Boston Breakout"?? really kicked and was a high point for me.

The whole band was"ON"!, everybody was having a goodtime. Paul even smashed a tomato on his head (and threw a guitar). There seems to be an inside joke as to why this tomato was there; something to do with a reguest for "Gary's Gota Boner"??

The Capacity for the Orange Peel is listed as 970 and it was about 2/3 full. How to tell Paul at his bus after the show how good everybody was other than it was a fantastic show as I shook his hand.

I Got Two Days Till TEXTtomorrowTEXT the Roxy show in ATL.

Thanks Paul et al

[ChuckO]

yeah the tomato was funny---between each song people would shout for their song---a guy on the left yelled "freebird!"
--and everybody in the band,started lookin--Paul said "hold it!-----whoa-whoa.... I actually saw the fucker who said it!"---the band was pointing like "yeah get 'em"---paul grabs the tomato and was poised to throw it at the guy-----------then he explained it was kept there for the "gary's-got-a-boner-guy"--------paul and band were in great form last night---all the beautifully ragged leads,----chords,--excess screams and all out fun you could expect-------------------------------------I imagine most of his shows have glimpes at least of that same energy. god knows it's got to be hard to sustain it night after night--and after all this time --but it's clear to this observer music is in the man,,and at least a couple of times last night --you guessed it..He was solidly in the music.--Paul gave us plenty of rock, and it seemed as if only for a second, a small glimmer of truth if for no one else but himself--I don't know if he does it everynight, but paul achingly looked skyward for just a moment during "Here comes a Regular"---howling --"god rest my guts!"----and looked with eyes wide open at the crowd when he asked "Am i the only one......who feels ashamed?"----------------------------------------In the great big world of music --there's good heartedness and there's money grabbers,and pimps,and hos and and every sort of record company weasel--but how many left that are that most necessary of attributes----------HONEST?-----Paul Westerberg played some honestly kick ass rock and roll last night, I honestly don't know if he even felt it or not.....But i did.-- Thanks paul and keep on rockin--chuck

[zook]

Slainthe said:

Paul was talking requests and eager to please for the songs he enjoyed playing. Someone shouted out for Treatment Bound, Paul asked for the first verse but the fan couldn't start him out; He then turned to the "biggest Replacements fan" in the group the drummer but he didn't know either.

Why shout out a song that never gets played if you don't know the words? Let that be a lesson for you kids - think before you shout shit.

[kgirtz]

Asheville 5/5/05

My fifth show this year - it was another peak, along with New Orleans. The band came one like a freight train and stayed there all night.


Setlist:
IOU
Nevermind
Stain Yer Blood
I'll Be You
Kiss Me on the Bus
Dirty Diesel/If I Had a Hammer (at first at the DD tempo, then into overdrive)
AAA
Merry Go Round
Someone Take the Wheel (Paul and Jim yelling the final line together)
Making Me Go
Let the Bad Times Roll
Eyes Like Sparks (Jim on vocals from center mike)
As Far As I Know
Mr. Rabbit ("Mr. Bowe, Mr. Bowe, your ears are mighty long")
Little Mascara
Born For Me (best singing on this number yet that I've heard)
High Time
Valentine (the whole place singing along)
Psychofarmacology (this band is great)
Skyway (solo - very well sung/played)
Regular (solo)
Waitress in the Sky (solo)
If Only You Were Lonely (kinda a Lenny Bruce number - played while enjoying a cig, wondering if he "walked out of the kitchen, work, the bathroom or somewhere")
What a Day for a Night
Achin' To Be (after a request for "Crackle and Drag" he sez..."should we do this all together," to which Kevin responds "Absotively NOT." So Paul tells us "here's the original "Crackle and Drag")
Love Untold ("this song is about someone I didn't marry because she didn't love me")
Different Drum
Knockin' on Mine (long jam at the end, lots of hot soloing
Can't Hardly Wait (after the "can't hardly..." pause, they went into a filthy jam that returned to CHW at the end)

Encore:
Borstal Breakout (Jim and Kevin share mike stage left)
Alex Chilton (whole place singing "I'm in love...")

thanks to the band...if you are at Tobies in Hinckley, look up Grandma Girtz at the doughnut counter...thanks to the woman who gave me the "Rocket Man" photo from Norfolk...see y'all in Atlanta

[cellarfullofnoise]

kgirtz said:

The band came one like a freight train and stayed there all night.

ok so if "freight train" = good
and "train wreck" = bad (at least somewhat bad, to some people)
then "freight train wreck" = those shows that are both good and bad

[WestyTarheel]

Slainthe said:

There was alot of my favorite Mats album PTMM, Opening song was IOU then into Valentine if I remember correctly (Skyway, Can't Hardly Wait, Alex Chilton came later)

Your memory isn't as good as it used to be, he opened with IOU then went into Nevermind.

He also played Dirty Diesel, first time I have heard it in 8 shows.

[spazaru]

Drove over from Nashville after our show was cancelled.

Can't really add to what others have said, but despite complaints about Asheville's "hippie attitude", etc., as a non-hippie vegan beer snob who had never seen Paul live, it was one of the best nights of my life.

Asheville has some of the best food and beer of any town its size and Paul was a lot more energetic than I expected. I would have preferred more Folker/Grandpaboy stuff, but hearing great versions of the Replacements stuff was cool too, although I would have easily traded Can't Hardly Wait for Left of the Dial (my fave).

Don't know if I'll ever get to see Paul again, but if I don't, at least I had a blast!

[tommy]

Yeah, I love the Orange Peel. Great beer selection and intimate. Saw Wilco there a couple of years ago on their YHF tour. Would have caught Paul there last night if he wasn't stopping in Atlanta tomorrow night (30 minute drive vs. 3 hours, Wednesday vs. Friday, you get the picture).

[ndesimon]

I realize this is aaaaaaancient history, but somehow I only just noticed this comment about the 2005 Asheville, NC show:

May 5, 2005 5:28:15 GMT -5 Slainthe said:

Paul made reference to "Nancy" that night during Waitress In The Sky. Poor Girl.

I'm more than a little afraid to ask, but does anyone recall the details of this reference?

N