Old97s.com

Not sure how I lucked into this but evidently the Old 97's are playing aboard a Hornblower Cruise for KPRI this Thursday on San Diego bay. It's not on their tour list, but a friend called with 2 tickets and my lady and I are in.

Has anyone been to see the boys in a venue such as this? I fear an abbreviated set list, and since the station doesn't normally play them, an ambivalent crowd.

 

Even if the crowd starts off being ambivalent, surely once the band gets playing, the crowd will be quickly won over?!?

I got tickets too.  I'm thrilled that I get to see them, BTW, Murray Hammond is playing in San Diego the next night at a coffee house. I hope to see him too!  KPRI is great for these "private listener" concerts.  I have been on the boat a  couple of times.  You just need to know where to get the tickets.  (They're free) ;)

I signed up on the e-mail list to get notified about the tickets, but it sounds like they already gave them out. . . At least I'll get to see Murry!

What a great night, if a little short by their standards. The setting was unreal - aboard a large boat, navigating San Diego Bay in perfection weather. Highs today were around 90, and by showtime things cooled down to about 70 with clear skies and a glorious sunset, lighting up the San Diego skyline. The guys in the band were clearly stoked, taking pictures with their cellphones before they took the stage. A good sign.

My wife and a friend met Ken Bethea and requested Bel Air. I've seen the band 7-8 times and have never seen them play it. Sure enough, midway through the guys convened at midstage and the next thing I know I'm singing about a "mouthful of her hair, a handfull of skin."

Here's a stab at the setlist:

Victoria

Here's to the Halcyon

Crash on the Barrelhead 

Bel Air

Barrier Reef

Rollerskate Skinny

Smokers

No Baby I

Dance With Me

Timebomb

Encore

Four Leaf Clover 

 

I'm sure I'm missing something, but it would be from Blame it on Gravity. For the first time in my experience, they didn't play Big Brown Eyes. Nor did they play Doreen, but that seems to be less of a given lately.

 

  

 

 

 

 

I was surprised to see them play Bel Air.  I have only seen them play that once, and I definitely didn't expect to last night given the brevity of the set.  Glad yall convinced them to!

 

To be honest, I didn't have any idea what to expect, and the show definitely went better than I expected.  That poor PA system was being a little overdriven, but I thought the extra noise sounded kinda cool.  I do wish that the opening musician wouldn't have taken 45 minutes to an hour given the strict two hour time slot for the entire show, but what can ya do. . . 

Preston, what did I miss on the set list? Aside from the opening act taking too much time, the only other neg was the large amount of chairs 10 feet from the stage. I was glad those women started dancing up front (I'm sure the band was too.)

 

 

 

 

Oh, how did I forget about the chairs - those were awkward. . .

 

The only song that you missed was "My Two Feet," if memory serves me correctly.  They played it fairly early in the set. . . maybe after "Crash On The Barrelhead"

What a beautiful night!  I was actually headed up to Oregon to catch the Eugene show when I found out they were coming to San Diego the day after a Portland show. After Labor Day weekend in S.F.,  we did a U-turn instead.  KPRI was nice enough to give us passes.  It was such a big turnout, that they booked the largest ship available.  Thanks guys, San Diego loves you. Please come back soon.

Here are a few pictures I took at the show.  They aren't great, but if you went you might be interested.

I was interested, and they are great