Gig Reviews - April 2, 2002 St. Ann's Warehouse - Brooklyn, NY

Tuesday Show Rocks Brooklyn!!!

posted to Strummer News Message Boardby The Web Princess

I liked the fact they started with Bhindi as the opener. It has an excellent tempo to get people ready to go! After this they broke into a version of Junco Partner. Steve Buscemi was there and rocking out through the whole show!

This was followed by London's Burning and before Shaktar Donetsk, someone threw a FDNY shirt on stage to which Joe replied "This is a great gift for an Englishman".

Their version of Tony Adams was completely on. This is one of the best versions that I have heard live. Quite a treat.Rudie Can't Fail was fun as always with the crowd filling the hall with "RUUUUUDIIEEE CAN"T FAIIIIILLL!!!" near the end. I always get a kick out of that.

They really were in top form tonight, with a lively version of Cool 'N' Out and a jamming Global A Go-Go - "The Skatelites in New York City - Hey Skatelites!". On to Police and Thieves where again the crowd fills in and Scott did an excellent job with his own version of the mid-song solo!

White Man in Hammersmith Palais was absolutely amazing. I've noticed the last couple of nights that Joe doesn't sing the first bit, letting the crowd do it up until "Ken Booth..." The sound of the crowd belting out this song is one of the best sounds I've heard so far.

Armagiddeon Time is done Willie Williams style (the original) including Simon on the trombone doing a superb job.

With Bummed Out City - Tymon - the God of the violin - once again never ceases to amaze with his powerful violin solos in this song. There's nothing like seeing him and Joe jamming together on this tune with a combined intensity that blows the roof off the place!

Mega Bottle Ride (I always love the "Yeah - there's no smoking anywhere" - you can hear the crowd on it a lot) and Johnny Appleseed were excellent.

I think I love Pressure Drop live again for the sheer sound of the crowd participation - "Ohhhh Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaahh!" Followed by Police on My Back. I was bouncing around the whole time as were plenty of other folks. "Running Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...."

The encores were a lot of fun. Yalla Yalla just keeps getting better and better - it was definitely spot on tonight. He did Walk on the Wild Side (dubbed by Joe as a "great American folk song")inspiring some to put their lighters in the air.

After that people in the audience began saying "Hey! Ho! let's go!" and Joe sort of pretended to be mad and was saying "Oh yeah Hey ho hey ho". Then he smiled and broke into Blitzkrieg Bop.

After that, they exited, the house lights came on and everyone expect the front of the crowd thought it was over. They were chanting "Joe! Joe! Joe!" The sound guys were already disconnecting the equipment, but the crowd stayed and kept making noise promting them to come back on stage about five minutes later, much to the surprise of those of us who were milling around!!!

They broke into Bankrobber. It was an excellent way to end a fantastic show with solos all around (including drums!) as well as Joe ad-libing saying "New York is our second home" - definitely - and with performances like that, feel free to stay as long as you'd like!!!

What a night!

Random Thoughts on Tuesday Show

posted to Strummer News Message Board by HPBrooklyn

Others have already handled the set lists and the reviews, so I’ll offer just a few off-the cuff comments.

First and foremost a great show, can’t emphasize that enough. Total top-of-game stuff, one of the best I’ve seen. Worth the exorbitant ticket price--but please Joe, a little kinder next time!

St. Ann’s is a pleasant little place, not overlong on personality but decidedly feminist in its bathroom accommodations. (Gals get ALL of the actual bathrooms, boys get Port-O-Johns. You go, girls. Literally.)

Great to meet our webmistress! This is one dedicated woman.

I am distressed to report that Joe is clearly missing a tooth! Guiseppe, my dear one, it’s all about modern dentistry...didn’t you learn that the hard way once (or twice or thrice) before? Paging Lucinda, your man needs you. Or at the very least he needs a Chicklet.

The delight on Tymon’s face throughout was a true pleasure to behold. Joe amused him, the crowd amused him... And why not? What are the odds he’d end up back on stage as he is? Looks to me like one happy guy, which made us punters happy too.

Scott Shields is clearly the It Boy of the band. His skinny n’ slouchy stage presence has serious Tiger Beat potential that should be exploited immediately.

Luke, as has previously been observed, is an animal. Fantastic.

One small gripe: we Tuesday-night people were denied both Lose this Skin and the new material. Bad! Wrong! Bring back immediately. (Does somebody have a tape of Monday??)

Question for the floor: Does Joe not chat anymore? I saw the 10/10/01 Irving Plaza show and he was pretty clammed up there as well. Interested to hear others’ perspective whether this is a positive or negative development. On the one hand, I miss the interaction. On the other hand, as I recall, our boy is prone to random declarations like "Fuck Christianity!", made with great passion but no apparent reason. So, maybe this is okay.

I picture Lucinda: "Sweetie, not so much with the yelling..."

Anyway, I’ll leave it at that for now. You folks with tickets for later in the week have much to look forward to! I'm envious already.