GLB in Pontiac - The Performance

My concert experience.....page 6 (cont.) [ 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7]

I met up with Terry and Laura again before the show. They told me that they followed Grant, Joey and Bill to this small cafe just up the street. Terry said that they sat close to the trio and watched them. He didn't want to just walk up and say 'Hi', thinking that the guys might not want to be interrupted. According to Terry, the trio seemed to sampling a rather wide selection of beers, all arranged on their table. Grant saw Terry wearing his Copperopolis t-shirt and remarked, "Nice shirt" and smiled. Terry shook his hand and introduced himself and his girlfriend, saying hello to Grant and the other two guys.

I couldn't believe I missed that!

The show started a bit late but it was well worth the wait. The downstairs club was dimly light with a few small tables spread throughout the room. A bar was located to the back and some comfy couches ran along both sides in clusters. Howe Gelb (Giant Sound), opened with a mix of sythesized drum beats and jangly guitar chords. Kinda strange...not my stlye and I can't honestly say I enjoyed it but I give the guy credit for getting on stage and doing it.

Then GLB came on. Grant immediately invited everyone to come closer to the stage, even inviting those close enough to climb onto the small space left on it. I eagerly clammered onstage along with about ten other people. I couldn't believe it. Here I was, sitting at the feet of Grant Lee and the rest of the guys and they were about to perform songs that I had listened to countless times but now got to see and hear.....LIVE!

Their stage presence was awesome to say the least. Grant was dressed in a fitted tux type suit with bow tie, Phil had a brownish suede type suit on and Bill and Joey just sported jeans and shirts if my memory serves me correctly. As reported by others, Grant had his usual audience banter going on, joking and kidding around, trying to loosen the crowd up a bit and also himself and the band I suppose. One of the things I recall him saying was that he was going to sing for us....."I'm gonna sing for you tonight ....yes...yes...I do intend to sing for you tonight.....", after which he asked for a drink of some sort for him and the rest of the band.

He was true to his word alright. With that great voice of his, he did sing. And we all loved it.

The set list is as follows:

Honey Don't Think

The Hook

Arousing Thunder

Lonestar Song

Mockingbirds

Bethlehem Steel

Drag

Jupiter and Teardrop

Mighty Joe Moon

Truly, Truly

Super Slow Motion

It's The Life

Testimony

Dixie Drug Store

"El Nino" - w/ audience participation. Grant said that maybe they could "get that to work"for the next album! *LOL*

Fuzzy

encore was a song (name?) with Howe Gelb.....lyrics read off a sheet of paper that Grant had a girl from the audience hold.

Other notable highlights (mentioned in other reviews on the GLB mailing list):

a guy came up and showed grant the birth certificate of his daughter who's middle name was "Jupiter". He and is wife just had their baby and had met at a GLB concert. They both obviously loved the song "Jupiter & Teardrop" (also one of my faves). Grant promplty launched into the song after this.

after the first song, someone yelled, "Hey Grant, when was the last time you played in a church!?". (Clutch Cargos being an old renovated church). Grant looked puzzled for a minute...thought about it.....looked at his surroundings...and replied, "Oh yeah....I guess this is a church isn't it....well then....this was the last time." As the audience laughed, he launched into "The Hook" (one of my personal faves...hehe).

Grant's "El Nino" song and his Boston riff during a break between songs. Hilarious. Grant said something to the effect of, "Sorry... don't know where that came from...that's just such a great chord..." (or was is riff? tune? I forget....sorry!)

Acquired at the concert:

promo cassette with 3 tracks ("Truly, Truly" , "The Hook", "Candy Says")

"Yours, Truly" GLB promo CD featuring their "first radio single", "Truly, Truly". I got the whole band to sign the sleeve of one copy and I have another that I play...:)

GLB "Jubilee" t-shirt (the design of the four dancing cats on the shirt is the same one that was on Joey 's bass foot drum)

After the show, I spoke briefly with all the members of the band. I asked Bill how long he had been with the band (forgot what he told me...sheesh my memory stinks...partly due to nervousness probably....*LOL*) and told Phil that he did a great job on the keyboard. I passed out the business card to Grant and Joey which had the URL for my webpage on it. They both thanked me and said that they would check it out!
Joey, who must be a somewhat avid web surfer said, "The Hook? I don't think I've been to that one...is it new?" and then remarked, "Hey, thanks...thanks for doing that..." and smiled. (Thanking me for hosting a website dedicated to the band.)
I thanked him for a great show.

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