.:: Ghost of the Robot in concerto ::.

Sabato 24 Maggio 2003,"The Knitting Factory" Hollywood (CA)

Report di raindog


Just a few observations here that a few of us remembered:

Set List (in order best to our recollection):

Liar
Goodbye (very rocking version of)
Over Now
Valerie
Blocking Brainwaves
Call 911
Mad Brilliant
Katie
David Letterman
German.Jewish.
New Man 2000

Encore:
Good Night Sweet Girl
Vehicles Shock Me


Okay, we get to the club about 730pm, head in and who is sitting right in the doors? Aaron and Charlie selling their CD and t-shirts.
Said "Hey" and dropped off some PEZ (gotta keep up their energy they burn).

We headed up to the balcony to eat dinner before the show, and when the guys would walk across the stage to get an instrument (to take backstage to tune?), the audience below would just hoot and holler...well, on one occasion when James walked across the stage, Steve just happened to be upstairs too, and we caught him hooting and hollering along with the audience, he turned around, and in one of those unexpected moments of silence, when the background music is changing tunes...I was caught saying in a sing-song Sandra Bullockesque from Miss Congeniality--"You know you want him"--okay, Steve sooo was not suppose to hear that, but um, yeah he did...and the expression on his face was just priceless. (hugs to Steve )

Food arrived, we ate and see Kevin setting down the set lists by each of the guys positions on stage. About 5 minutes later, the guys take the stage and start rocking into the intro they do for "Liar".
The guys were actually lit-up at this point, and man could we just see Aaron's drumsticks literally as a flying blur. Double-A is just ferocious on those drums.

James enters on-stage and the singing begins...gotta say, this is still one of my favorite songs.

Next James introduces the guys, and then states "This is Goodbye" and promptly states they aren't going anywhere, that is the name of the next song. (Deja Vu of Chicago, as if anyone would leave after one song was played--NOT ;) )

"Over Now" was next, and this is just one dramatic song...the words, the change up of the music/chords? during the song. I really like this song, and am thankful i heard it for the first time in Chicago, where when James donned his guitar, introduced the song, you could literally have heard a pin drop.
Sadly at KF, there was some buzz from the floor going on ~~suggestion, if you make it to see GotR play, and this song comes next...nudge that talker next to you and shush them.
"Over Now" is a somewhat quiet, subtle song, and not one that you'd maybe even sing along too...just might be my opinion, but this is a song to LISTEN to.

About here, I believe James' ear monitor quit working...not sure if the sound man got it working again, but James was very smooth with the vocals and notes.
"Valerie" was just as rocking as ever--very smooth...love the call of the guitar in this one...

James introduced "Blocking Brainwaves", Charlie started the chords of the song, James got ready to jump into singing, and Charlie stopped.
Yeah, Charlie got himself one of those WTF?? looks and a comment...but Charlie had to tune his guitar, and spoken like a trooper, replied that "If it's not in tune, why bother?"
So guitar is tuned back up, and the song begins...Love the intro verses of this song... (Yeah, we were happy and having FUN!!)

"Call 911" (another personal fav) just rocked and exploded (sorry for the pun). "Mad Brilliant" just rocked, as usual...

From comments I hear, this next song is fastly becoming a new fav of people~~
"Katie"...a very fun song for those who haven't heard it yet, and yeah, even hearing it isn't enough...you have to catch a live show to see Charlie's interaction on this one...from his one-finger "Devo" pose piano playing, to him leap-frogging over Steve, playing Hide-n-Seek behind Aaron's drums, to skipping/running/frolicking back over to do his piano piece...this song is just pure fun, i think as much for the guys to play, as it is for us to dance, listen and watch.

"David Letterman" just rolled on...i still love the mid-song guitar riffs in this one...many discussions have been started over which song has the best guitar riff (when we aren't discussing and making plans to make the World a better place to live in ;) ), and this one is hands down my #1 choice.

About now, Charlie is gasping for water...and looks at James (who usually has his bottle of liquid). James hands it over, Charlie takes a few swigs, and then mimics that he is going to spit it back into the bottle, OMG...the hijinks just do not stop with this guy,
thank-goodness, the World needs more hijinks in it
Charlie hands the bottle back to James (no backwash or spit in it) and we hear this voice from the back calling James' name, twice i believe, and this hand reaches out over the drumset. Poor Aaron is just dying for a drink too...so the guys are somewhat quenched, and Charlie quips "Look for it (the bottle) on e-bay".

The guys rock-roll and rip into "German.Jewish" and "New Man 2000" (or whatever it's current name is).

They leave the stage, and of course, everyone yells, hollers for more, so after quenching the rest of their thirst (as James demonstrated them drinking from the faucet) the guys play "Good Night Sweet Girl" (my other personal fav) and end the show with "Vehicles Shock Me".

It was really cool, and kind of cute to see Kevin sing along with all the songs, even when he wasn't on microphone.

As mentioned in other accounts, Steve did smile a lot more than he has at other shows, and even did some front stage posing...go Steve!!

James was total "game-on" face and poses...was interesting to see the audience reaction and interaction to these.

Not sure of the placement of when these interactions occurred...but here they are:

I think it was during "Mad Brilliant" when Charlie just rocks out on his guitar, James started rocking and weaving along with him...was very cool to see that unity of lost in the music.

During one of the songs, Aaron's drumstick went flying (forget to get him some "stickum" ;) ) and Steve to the rescue grabbed it, and played out the last few beats of the drums.

Charlie at one point told the audience he wanted to see everyone "jumping, dancing, moving and ...stuff" afterwards we were like "stuff???" he better be careful what he asks for ;)

Charlie also had a stretch/tennis type headband on...i think it was after all his romping about after "Katie" that he mentioned the headband was for the cardiovascular.

Twice during the performance, James did comment how happy he was to be back in L.A. (We were glad to see them at the KF too, that place just seems to really meld for them).

Last, but certainly not least, James did give a HUGE shout out to their soundman...and said they'd follow him anywhere he was
Yeah the guys sounded just great, and even seemed able to do some ad-lib notes in the songs...it seems no matter how many times I've seen these guys perform live...it's always a new experience.

Rock-on...and take Europe by storm!!

All in all, it was a great weekend with friends and fun and GotR.


by raindog, dall'international Forum

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