A lousy picture, but an amazing show (even though I really do hate “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”, the song they used to end the first encore). Not as marvelous an experience as when we saw them in 2005 — no cover of Randy Newman’s “Political Science” this time around — but how can you argue with what was essentially a two-hour-ten-minute set?
(Well, okay, I can argue, because I am snooty and this is the Internets. Nice attention to SKY BLUE SKY, but no “Either Way“, probably the best song on the album, or natural closer “What Light“? Really? No “Misunderstood“? Okay, okay, it’s overplayed, they have this huge back catalogue of great music that never winds up on the set list, I get it. But that’s why the reliance on the snooze-inducing noodling jamfest of “Spiders” sticks in my craw — seems like a waste of precious show time at the expense of better material.)
Andrew Bird opened for them. Although Casey had burned the disc for me a few weeks back, I hadn’t given it a listen and consequently knew next to nothing about the guy. After being almost moved to tears at one point during his set (!), rest assured I’ll be remedying that this week.
