Memphis Feb. 24 – Set List

Welcome, ‘ hawk. Thanks for posting.

Good, accurate setlist, Nigthawk: a happy show for Lucinda. At the risk of seeming a “curmudgeon,” however, I must qualify your praise of the venue and its patrons, to some degree. It is certainly new, as you say: the fresh paint was pungent throughout, and when I showed up for will call around 5, a couple of electrician types were finishing up some wiring just off the main entrance. Later, the venue offered free drinks throughout the show, which seemed to be some Customer Appreciation gesture–but Security set me straight: the caterer had just lost his license, so the Minglewood kitchen could serve no food and thus could not sell drinks without food sales. Still, free drinks.

Butch gave a shout-out to merch person Susannah, which corrects my misunderstanding of her name (probably still not spelled right). Chet managed four syllables after a fine Buick 6 set: “Thanks a lot, y’all.”

Susan Marshall (‘homegirl”) joined Lu for the last two encore numbers. It was great to hear the tour debuts of “Plan to Marry,” “Are You Down,” and “Memphis Pearl.”

OK, I have to continue my venue rant. I was surrounded by some pretty rough trade, though I thought first “row,” hand on stage, would be great. Lots of jostling for position, some accusing others of taking up their previous space. People throwing Mardi gras beads on stage during songs (harmless enough I guess), but also one chick begging Lu to accept her beads personally, this speech happening at full volume while Lu was introducing a song. Once I was tapped on the shoulder during a slow song and told to pass a note to the stage, handed it in fact. Then there was that slurred request at one point for the old Lu standby “Just in Time.” Periodic cacklings from Sorority Row on my left flank were annoying too. What I’m saying here is that these were not the folks you’d meet in the same spot of First Ave. Minn. or Fillmore West, put it that way. When the techs peeled the setlists off the floor at end, elbows were being thrown to claim them. The woman from the local CBS affiliate to my right couldn’t take all this and left after about a dozen songs–can’t blame her. I realize people were still in a Fat Tuesday mood (so was Lu), but I was much more in an Ash Wednesday frame of mind by evening’s end, wishing I had hung back or to the side as in other recent shows. Or, to put it more positively and to look ahead, yearning for a reserved seat venue a la Alabama Theatre. As Scott Miller sings, “there ain’t no ‘ham/like the Birmingham.” Onward ho.

Thanks to tOverby also for New Orleans setlist.

Surmise to say the free alcohol flowing could have been a contributing factor, Roger?

I’m so ready for Atlanta, especially since it’s the only show I’m attending on this leg of tour.

I have found GA shows, no matter the artist, almost ALWAYS requires more patience than usual. Thanks for the reminder to keep it in check on Saturday.

Thanks for the interesting report, stoger. I’m sorry to hear you had the bad experiences you did standing at the stage. I, too (although not at a Lu show specifically) have had some bad experiences at standing shows up by the stage due to rude & obnoxious people. Yet and still, for Lucinda shows, I much prefer the energy & excitement of the standing shows up by the stage as opposed to the reserved seating shows. I’ll never forget that night at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Nashville last fall (you were there, too!). The incredible change in energy & fun that occurred between the first half of the show when everyone was seated and the second half after Lu invited everyone to get up on their feet and come up to the stage was something I will always remember. I had so much more fun (and so did Lu as she told us after the show) the second half that I am willing to take the chance on encountering some numbskulls in order to “get down” and have a good time. Fortunately, the numbskulls, at least in my experience so far, have been few and far between…

Tom

@stoger wrote:

Yeah, Tom, “numbskulls” is about right, better than my phrase “rough trade” really (though Lu has never been on the Numbskull record label: Ha!). As someone who lives more or less halfway between Nashville and Memphis, I try to stay neutral–but you’re right that that Nashville crowd, though not large, was better behaved and more attentive up front.

Yeah, stoger, the geographical comparisons can become quite interesting. Having gone to most of my shows (naturally) in the Atlanta area, I don’t see as many drunk / physically obnoxious folks at shows as much as I see “yakers”. People talking during performances seems to me to be out of control here in Atlanta. One notorious venue for that problem here is Chastain Park (outdoor) Ampitheater. Coupled with the fact that this venue is located smack dab in the middle of an affluent residential area, and therefore has a decibel restriction, the talkers become more than a nuisance, they become unbearable. Chaistain Park has a Summer concert series every year that is more of a yuppie social scene (the venue allows coolers and picnic baskets which, in and of itself, is a fantastic feature) than a music-lover’s paradise. In fact, IIRC, the last time Lu played there was when she opened for Neil Young several years back and that is the night that Neil verbally chastised the crowd for talking during his set. I don’t blame him – it’s downright rude to both the performers & the other audience members & It’s gotten to the point where I won’t go there for concerts any more (the outside food & beverage notwithstanding).

And, to bring this back on point, standing up front & close to the stage also serves to solve this talking problem for me quite nicely, so that is another reason I enjoy these type shows (provided I get there early enough to claim my spot up front, of course!). But, I do also see the attraction to a nice, comfortable reserved seat that you know you will be able to see from and don’t have to worry about unwanted physical contact from the sweaty drunken stranger to your left / right / front / rear. So, I don’t mean to dismiss your perspective – I suppose it does indeed ultimately depend on the type of crowd and venue.

I’ll see you tomorrow night in B’ham, my friend. Will Paul be there as well? I will shoot you a PM w/ my cell phone number so we can meet up. I should be getting in town between 5:00 & 5:30 PM. Do you like BBQ? I know a good spot a few miles from the theater… 😉

Tom

The concert at Minglewood was great, and the “rough trade” wasn’t that rough at all. However, I’m sorry that you guys missed Lucinda at the Poplar Lounge afterwards. It was a real treat to meet Lucinda in a small, intimate setting (aka, “dive”), and she was very gracious to all of her admirers. She sang only one song, but it was much appreciated by the 30 or so people in the bar. Thanks, Lucinda!

@Parker wrote:

The concert at Minglewood was great, and the “rough trade” wasn’t that rough at all. However, I’m sorry that you guys missed Lucinda at the Poplar Lounge afterwards. It was a real treat to meet Lucinda in a small, intimate setting (aka, “dive”), and she was very gracious to all of her admirers. She sang only one song, but it was much appreciated by the 30 or so people in the bar. Thanks, Lucinda!

That sounds cool. What song did Lu sing?

Tom