When we look back at My Morning Jacket's career, I believe we'll see a long path littered with history making performances, "one for the record books" evenings where many of us were lucky enough to witness the collective gatherings when music makes us one.
This is the third time I've been with MMJ at Bonnaroo. I thought 2004's Thunderdome performance where lightning flashed and the rain blew straight into the stage while I ran around trying to find Jim's shoes (praying he didn't get electrocuted) as the band got soaked to the magical strains of "Steam Engine" could never be surpassed so I skipped '05 and '06. Then last night happened.
The show started at midnight and four hours later (or 15 if you ask Paul Scheer), as Bo Koster Tommy Lee'd the final notes of Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home," it ended. But not before we were treated to John Coffin, whose saxophone sang sweetly, on a handful of songs, a kick ass solo from the object of my stalker affections, Kirk Hammett, on "One Big Holiday," and an appearance by Zach Galifianakis as... Annie. Annie in green briefs singing a legendary Crue ballad. I did say epic, didn't I?!The band blazed through 35 songs including all of Evil Urges, save "Remnants" and "Look at You," along with a good chunk of Z. They brought Erykah Badu's "Tyrone" back into the mix while adding delightful covers of James Brown's "Cold Sweat" (Jim as James was quite a sight to behold) and Kool and the Gang's "Get Down On It" The in-honor-of-others portion concluded with a lovely version of The Velvet Underground's "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'." A few tunes were omitted due to time concerns and the equation of rain + gear = technical opportunities. Oh yes, it rained again. Same stage. Same rain pouring in while the crowd rocked on. I can't tell if Mother Nature is doing some voodoo with the band or merely showering them with her approval.
The most magical moment for me had to be standing alone in the center aisle between the two halves of the crowd watching "Phone Went West" and remembering how my love affair with the band began. All the trials and tribulations I've experienced with them washed away in water and light and supersonic sound.
I feel evangelical (and if you know me, you know that's out of character) about the moments I get to spend hearing these guys create something so much bigger than any one of them, the sum of their parts equaling infinity.
I am super freaking proud to be married to Tom (the bass guy), and it's fun to separate the wizard under the lights from the guy who mows the lawn and takes out the trash.I kept asking T after the show, "How did you do it?" All I did was scooch around taking 9 million photos and I could barely speak when it was over, but the band was in good spirits enjoying what was left of the night.
The sun had started its ascent on Day Three of Bonnaroo as we finally went to sleep, but for me time stopped when My Morning Jacket took the stage.
Goodmorning,
Ms. P
ps. You can click on the pics to see larger versions. More shots at the MMJ website, if you're interested.
What songs were omitted?
ReplyDeletebeautiful.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but you are wrong. AGAIN. MMJ is the most over rated band of this era. Some of their new songs sound like Kid Rock's redneck ballads and the rest is boring and irrelevant in its suicide inducing attempt at diversity. You are proof why girlfriends/wives of the band should always be ignored in regards to the band itself. Seriously. I would say get off their nuts but since you are married to two of them I will just again sigh at the zombie-like herd mentality this band inspires and continue to ignore Velocity and its gang of cultural critics/mutants. Why I clicked here I will never know. A perfectly good five minutes wasted.
ReplyDelete"Hater" or "hate" implies passion which I certainly do not have. Bored and unimpressed is more like it.
ReplyDeleteIf you say so, hon.
ReplyDeleteThat comment is pretty long and seems to be full of passion, champ.
ReplyDeleteadam you my friend are a tool
ReplyDeletenice write-up. wish i coulda been there, but definitely looking forward to seeing them in louisville in august. peace.
Thanks Anna and the Anons (sounds like a weird bar band). I appreciate the kind words.
ReplyDeleteWhat i love about Adam is that he is the tastemaker, one of those beautifully ignorant knobs that think only his opinions matter and the rest of us are all morons, I'm sure Adam is a big fan of the Pussycat Dolls and while i don't particularly like their music i don't feel the need to visit their a website and have a meltdown about it, MMJ have been blowing my doors off for a good 7 or 8 years now, one of the only bands i still travel to see and if i didn't have a small child i would've tried to make Bonnaroo, and what i think Adam's diatribe boils down to is that he's pissed that he's not married to someone in the band... or any band for that matter.
ReplyDeleteAdam!
ReplyDeleteYou need to get over to Wilcobase.com -- Stat!
Someone just defended "Sky Blue Sky" on one of the bulletin boards!
Let me start off by saying what an amazing show I was able to witness so early last Saturday morning. I must go back to Wed. night however, because something happened or I guess I should say didn't happen that night that I've been kicking myself for ever since. My friend Eric and my sister and I were returning to our hotel from a night of billiards in downtown Nashville. We got back fairly early that night (11:30) because we wanted to crash early and get rested up for the rest of our journey to Bonnaroo. As we walked into the lobby I looked over at the bar/lounge area and who should be sitting on the couch watching the news but Jim James and I believe Patrick Hallahan. I told my sister and my friend who aren't as much the fan that I am and they urged me to go say something. It looked like the boys were eating and I didn't want to be rude so we went to the bar and ordered a drink. They finished what they were doing and ended up coming right over where we were. I couldn't say a word, not even a hello. The cat truely had my tongue. Jim was standing right behind me and I said nothing. I might add that aside from the five individuals I have mentioned the only other people there were the bartender, a waitress and some other guy that didn't seem to know who was standing there. My friend and my sister got sick of waiting for me to speak and headed to our room. I followed. I never said hello, how much I admire their music or how excited I was to see the show at Bonnaroo. I saw and had the opportunity to speak to members of one of the greatest bands of all time and I let it pass me by. Maybe I'll get another shot someday and maybe not. It was my third show and there are two more in the works this summer but It'll be hard to top the one I saw at Bonnaroo!!
ReplyDeletePeace and Love,
Jason