The Shins, Liberty Hall, February 12

The Shins concert was solid. I will expand on that thought tomorrow or the next day (get ready for blurry pictures!!!!), but for now, it's late, and I just want to mention the setlist.

There may be others out there who, like me, have been searching to find what The Shins have been playing on their new tour, and have been largely unsuccessful in finding such information. Like me, you've like to give the collective concert-going blogging community a big "Up yours". Seriously, you music nerds need to step up your shit. And Shins fans -- where is there an active messageboard? Can somebody set up a goddamn messageboard already? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

We heard a lot of what was played in Minneapolis, with "Know Your Onion" and an extended "One By One All Day" thrown in the mix. It went approximately like the following -- I didn't keep a perfect list, because I didn't want to look like some dick who was going to post it on the internet. I would welcome any corrections in the comments:

Sleeping Lessons (extended version; 3rd verse same as the first second)
Australia
Pam Berry->Phantom Limb
Kissing the Lipless
Mine's Not a High Horse
Girl Inform Me
Girl on the Wing (alternate arrangement)
New Slang (alternate arrangement)
Saint Simon (alternate arrangement)
Girl Sailor
A Comet Appears
Turn on Me (James: "This is a song about being pissed off!")

[here is where my memory is foggy]
Gone for Good
Know Your Onion
Turn a Square
One By One All Day (extended outro)
[end fogginess]

Caring Is Creepy

[encore]
Pressed in a Book
So Says I

Sleep now. More later.

UPDATE! FEB 13, 11:30 P.M.!! BLURRY PICTURE TIME!!!

First, our group made it inside Liberty Hall and took a spot just in front of the soundboard.


Viva Voce took the stage at 8 p.m., and played an enjoyable set bookended with "We Do Not Fuck Around"s. During a break between songs, we were regaled with a tale from their last stay in Lawrence, when they stayed at a local establishment known as The Jayhawk Hotel. Upon entering their room, they found three items lying on their bed, "like a mint on a pillow": one used condom, one thigh-high stocking, and one lone Cheeto.


Banter was kept to a minimum until the very end of the evening, when James shared what little he could recall about living in Manhattan, Kansas from age 4 to age 7. He claimed his older siblings would go out to the Tuttle Creek Reservior to "smoke pot and listen to Foghat". To my dismay, they did not play "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" in tribute.

If I could have changed one thing about the show, it would be the setlist. This is a very minor quibble, but I felt the upbeat songs were superior to the slower ones. Further, The Shins decided to play most of the slow songs consecutively -- I would prefer spacing them out, playing them only when the crowd needed to catch its breath. Here's a photo I took during "New Slang", to reinforce the fact that I was growing tired of sad tunes, and passing the time until the rock returned.


I was relieved when James announced, "Enough of this sad shit!" and launched into "Turn on Me". And you may not think that "Turn on Me" is a rocker, but you'd be wrong. And you may buy into the popular theory that The Shins are a poor live show, but you'd be wrong again. Sure, James' voice cracks a few time a night, and yes, there can be problems with the levels at certain points -- but show me another band that makes high school kids and disillusioned young professionals bounce with joy and shout backup lyrics with the such unabashed enthusiasm.

If they're coming near your town, for God's sake, get a ticket and enjoy the show. And when you get back home, please get to blogging and share the setlist. Hop to it, music nerds.