From: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org (support-system-digest) To: support-system-digest@smoe.org Subject: support-system-digest V6 #304 Reply-To: support-system@smoe.org Sender: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-support-system-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk support-system-digest Monday, November 17 2003 Volume 06 : Number 304 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [support-system] Liz Phair at the ICA (London,UK) October 7th 2003 ["Pau] [support-system] RE: Liz Phair at the ICA (London,UK) October 7th 2003 [] [support-system] Liz/John Cusack ["Orange Nish" ] [support-system] my liz toronto experience pt 1 [Dan MacDonald Subject: [support-system] Liz Phair at the ICA (London,UK) October 7th 2003 Very belatedly, here is a set list and a review for Liz's gig at the ICA in London on October 7th 2003. This was one of 4 gigs in which Liz played Europe - population 400,000,000+ - this year. 01 - Stratford-on-Guy (solo) 02 - Hurricane Cindy (solo) 03 - Polyester Bride 04 - Johnny Feelgood 05 - Extraordinary 06 - 6' 1" 07 - Rock Me 08 - Glory 09 - Favorite 10 - Red Light Fever 11 - Help Me Mary 12 - Divorce Song 13 - Uncle Alvarez 14 - Perfect World 15 - Never Said 16 - Fuck and Run 17 - Why Can't I? 18 - Supernova Encore 19 - Mesmerizing 20 - Flower (with an extra verse) 21 - HWC Early on, she told us that her whole life story was in the set list. This lead me to expect "Little Digger" (how that song has grown on me) at some point, but so such luck. Overall, she gave us 21 songs over one and a half hours, including three songs for the encore. That's more - I think - than most recent gigs. Overall impression? She rocked, she really did. She started off quietly, though, with a couple of solos - Stratford and Hurricane Cindy - before the 3 band members joined her on stage and the rocking started. I was very pleasantly surprised how well many of her oldies adapted to the full-on rock band treatment. Plus, the Matrix songs really rock when she plays them live, and I even caught myself clapping Uncle Alvarez, which is something I thought would never, ever happen. Stratford, Johnny Feelgood, F&R and Red Light Fever (my favourite from "Liz Phair") stand out as the highlights for me. I called out for "Explain it to me" and someone else wanted "Can't Get Out Of What I'm Into", but Liz's response was "so many songs, so little time". "Flower" had an extra verse that I hadn't heard before - the first line of the last verse ended with the words "English Rose", so maybe it was added in our honour? Other add-on Flower lyrics include a line like "some things I do and some things I don't", but I'm afraid I didn't catch it exactly. Does anyone recognise this? She also sang a few verses as impromptu filler in the main set - again, not lyrics that I recognised - they may have been from Comeandgetit, which I hadn't downloaded at that point. Liz was confident, talkative and totally at ease throughout, with lots of lingering eye contact with the fans up front, including me :-). She was wearing a white top, jeans and brown stiletto boots - maybe a vaguely cowgirl look for us poor Europeans who have never seen a real one before. One funny story from the show, triggered by something the lead guitarist did. The week before, she played in Amsterdam (Club Paradiso) and was hanging out with Dave Navarro who was also playing locally. At some point Dave suffered a broken string, so put his foot on a pedal and held the note while the guitar tech rushed on and helped him change instrument. According to Liz, her lead guitarist remarked "Hey, I could do that. Hey, I'll do it at the next concert. Hey, I'll do it twice". Lots of laughter from audience (it's the way she told it). Compared to recent gigs that I've seen reviewed, she played more or less the same songs but adjusted the order - perhaps she was experimenting or adapting for a UK audience? Whatever the reason, the ergonomics were not optimal - she changed guitar after many songs, as did her lead guitarist, but it was all done smoothly. The hall was full but not packed tight (tickets having sold out well in advance). Mix of fans though - some (like me) who have known her music for years, some who had never heard of her. I was standing next to people who were unaware that some critics credit her with having made one of the 100 Best Albums of All Time. It still amazes me how many people in the UK "don't know who Liz Phair is". Liz told me afterwards that she'll be back in Europe in two years' time. I'm hoping that was career planning from a forward-thinking lady and not just a diplomatic answer. Being an optimist, I have started a queue. Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:24:48 -0000 From: "Paul Spinks" Subject: [support-system] RE: Liz Phair at the ICA (London,UK) October 7th 2003 Very belatedly, here is a set list and a review for Liz's gig at the ICA in London on October 7th 2003. This was one of 4 gigs in which Liz played Europe - population 400,000,000+ - this year. 01 - Stratford-on-Guy (solo) 02 - Hurricane Cindy (solo) 03 - Polyester Bride 04 - Johnny Feelgood 05 - Extraordinary 06 - 6' 1" 07 - Rock Me 08 - Glory 09 - Favorite 10 - Red Light Fever 11 - Help Me Mary 12 - Divorce Song 13 - Uncle Alvarez 14 - Perfect World 15 - Never Said 16 - Fuck and Run 17 - Why Can't I? 18 - Supernova Encore 19 - Mesmerizing 20 - Flower (with an extra verse) 21 - HWC Early on, she told us that her whole life story was in the set list. This lead me to expect "Little Digger" (how that song has grown on me) at some point, but so such luck. Overall, she gave us 21 songs over one and a half hours, including three songs for the encore. That's more - I think - than most recent gigs. Overall impression? She rocked, she really did. She started off quietly, though, with a couple of solos - Stratford and Hurricane Cindy - before the 3 band members joined her on stage and the rocking started. I was very pleasantly surprised how well many of her oldies adapted to the full-on rock band treatment. Plus, the Matrix songs really rock when she plays them live, and I even caught myself clapping Uncle Alvarez, which is something I thought would never, ever happen. Stratford, Johnny Feelgood, F&R and Red Light Fever (my favourite from "Liz Phair") stand out as the highlights for me. I called out for "Explain it to me" and someone else wanted "Can't Get Out Of What I'm Into", but Liz's response was "so many songs, so little time". "Flower" had an extra verse that I hadn't heard before - the first line of the last verse ended with the words "English Rose", so maybe it was added in our honour? Other add-on Flower lyrics include a line like "some things I do and some things I don't", but I'm afraid I didn't catch it exactly. Does anyone recognise this? She also sang a few verses as impromptu filler in the main set - again, not lyrics that I recognised - they may have been from Comeandgetit, which I hadn't downloaded at that point. Liz was confident, talkative and totally at ease throughout, with lots of lingering eye contact with the fans up front, including me :-). She was wearing a white top, jeans and brown stiletto boots - maybe a vaguely cowgirl look for us poor Europeans who have never seen a real one before. One funny story from the show, triggered by something the lead guitarist did. The week before, she played in Amsterdam (Club Paradiso) and was hanging out with Dave Navarro who was also playing locally. At some point Dave suffered a broken string, so put his foot on a pedal and held the note while the guitar tech rushed on and helped him change instrument. According to Liz, her lead guitarist remarked "Hey, I could do that. Hey, I'll do it at the next concert. Hey, I'll do it twice". Lots of laughter from audience (it's the way she told it). Compared to recent gigs that I've seen reviewed, she played more or less the same songs but adjusted the order - perhaps she was experimenting or adapting for a UK audience? Whatever the reason, the ergonomics were not optimal - she changed guitar after many songs, as did her lead guitarist, but it was all done smoothly. The hall was full but not packed tight (tickets having sold out well in advance). Mix of fans though - some (like me) who have known her music for years, some who had never heard of her. I was standing next to people who were unaware that some critics credit her with having made one of the 100 Best Albums of All Time. It still amazes me how many people in the UK "don't know who Liz Phair is". Liz told me afterwards that she'll be back in Europe in two years' time. I'm hoping that was career planning from a forward-thinking lady and not just a diplomatic answer. Being an optimist, I have started a queue. Paul ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 14:26:16 -0600 From: "Orange Nish" Subject: [support-system] Liz/John Cusack A message board about fame and celebrities I go to occasionally has sporadic threads about Liz. On these threads, I've seen several posters mention that "Johnny Sunshine" is about John Cusack. In a later reincarnation of the thread, a poster said that "Johnny Feelgood" was about Cusack. I've never heard either of these theories, although the feeling on the board is that "Johnny Sunshine" really is about the actor, and isn't even considered a theory. Are any of these theories true? _________________________________________________________________ Crave some Miles Davis or Grateful Dead? Your old favorites are always playing on MSN Radio Plus. Trial month free! http://join.msn.com/?page=offers/premiumradio ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 19:59:36 -0500 From: Dan MacDonald Subject: [support-system] my liz toronto experience pt 1 i'm a long winded bastard, so i'm gonna cut this into two reviews - and it makes sense, since i actually had the brilliant honour of seeing liz twice yesterday. so where do i begin.. i left my house in windsor for toronto at 5:30 a.m. her in-store signing and acoustic performance was scheduled for 1 p.m. - that gave me enough time to get there and get into the gigantic line that i just KNEW was gonna be there. cut to 9:30 a.m. - we arrive in toronto and decide to drive by Sunrise records - i knew there wouldn't be a chance in hell that there would be anyone there yet because i was so ridiculously early. The line up was almost around the block. my jaw almost hit my tits. i was floored/furious/angry/confused. i didn't understand how there could POSSIBLY be that many people waiting for her three and half hours before the show. we parked the car, and i dragged three of my friends by their ear lobe to the line and we began to wait. i couldn't help but notice how everyone in the line was like, 12 years old. i heard one little boy in front of me talking about wrist bands, so i patted him on the shoulder and asked what the hell was going on. he mumbled something about tickets selling out and how they JUST went on sale today..and i asked him, my copy of Juvenalia in hand "This is for Liz Phair isn't it?" and to my relief, he replied "Liz who?? This is for Blink 182 tickets." I can honestly say i have never been THAT happy after hearing blink 182 tickets went on sale. anyway - fast forward to the show: i had front row directly infront of liz and her little stool. the ditz from 99.9 fm the mix came out and announced liz phair to a semi-excited audience. liz came out dressed in a black lacy top, these god-awful orange gloves - they were SERIOUSLY ugly - fingerless a la avril lavgine kinda arm-warmer thingies - - jeans and TINY pointy black sequined high heel shoes. she looked beautiful. she had an acoustic guitar and her lead guitarist with her. the set list was as follows: "Okay...how about we start off with some perfect world...." Perfect World Extraordinary Rock Me (she mentioned something about that christopher guest film "A Mighty Wind" and motioned to her guitar player - he kinda looks like one of the folk singer dudes. then everyone started yelling out for classic songs and she said "Okay...before i dip into the catalogue - I have to play Why Can't I." - (things that make ya go Hmmm.... she "had" to play it? says who, i'd like to know) Why Can't I? Fuck and Run (then the girl who works at the damn record shop asked for polyester bride and i was annoyed cuz i kinda wanted to hear songs that would NOT be played at the big show later that night...but whatever polyester bride rocks and it's always great to hear it.) Polyester Bride and that was the closer. fantastic set. she fucked up the last chord of Fuck and Run and smiled. i also exchanged brief words with her just before perfect world: Me - "Liz!! I LOOOOVE your gloves!!" Her - "Thanks." and then after the set was done, i offered her my juvenalia CD with a black magic marker and said: (Liz Phair/Dan MacDonald dialogue exchange number two:) Me - "If you wouldn't mind....." Liz - "of course not..." (started signing) Me - "You sounded kick ass - great teaser for tonight's show." Liz - "Aww thanks." Me - "And hey - you were hilarous in Cherish." Liz - (she started chuckling) "Thank you. Hey - Can I keep your magic marker?" Me - "Of course!!" and that was it. so that was that. at one point, some doorknob in the audience yelled out for "Favorite" (u know - "The Underwear Song") and i immediatly got this bad taste in my mouth and was terrified she was gonna waste a perfectly good acoustic set by ruining it with that ear-sore - but she didn't play it - thank GOD. jase was there - and he said that at that exact moment, i actually MADE a face. this scared me because i had no idea i actually MADE a face. goes to show you - i don't even know my OWN depth of disgust for this song. but regardless - it was so intimate and nice and cool she sounded great, she was in a good mood - nice and mellow. it rocked. i pity the people who were more than 10 feet back because there was no stage. but for those of us in the front - kick ass and up close with liz phair. there's no better way to spend an afternoon... so i got stoned with a few friends and started hyping myself up for the Big show at 6 p.m..... more to come... dan ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 20:25:43 -0500 From: Dan MacDonald Subject: [support-system] my liz toronto experience pt 2 okay - the big show. what can i say - i didn't think ANYTHING could compare to that fanastic and intimate acoustic set at sunrise records. and nothing really could... except - having front row to a completely amazingly ridiculously rockin show at the guvernment. it was bloody incredible. it was my fifth time seeing Liz live. this was by far one of the greatest - only because she was in SUCH a great mood and i have never known her to be a "jammer" on stage - but she just cut loose with her guitar and was all over the place, improving with vocals, just whaling on her guitar, crazy solos - it was soo hot. she wore a white t-shirt with a big pink "L" on it - (wonder what that stood for?) - she had a zebra print skirt thing on - that was (pardon my french) *fucking* short. the back of it was even shorter. i can honestly say that i have now seen liz's ass. i don't know if she was wearing a thong - but she sure as hell was NOT wearing her favorite underwear. all i saw was bum cheeks. and yes, she had "the headset" on. but i didn't mind it as much. anyway - i am not completely sure about the set list...i know the order is wrong in the middle...but it went something like: Mesmerizing Johnny Feelgood (she SOOOO jammed this one up at the end - it was brilliant) 6'1" (this is when the audience just kicked in and it was pure old school liz - everything i always loved about her was there) Divorce Song (at the "take a deep breath and count back from ten and maybe you'll be alright" part - she stared right at me and smiled - i think she kind of recognized me from the show earlier in the afternoon cuz she sorta gave a little wink i dunno. maybe i'm just being wishful..but it's totally possible) Polyester Bride Rock Me ( i wish i was straight ) Perfect World Flower (this was my highlight of the night. normally i kind of consider this song a joke song. it's cool, funny...but i could take it or leave it. this version is bloody amazing. i wish there was a studio version. raunchy guitar solos, drums that creep up on you, and then bite your head off when you least expect it and a trembling guitar that made me wanna drop to me knees and thank the sweet lord i was alive to witness this. i felt like a cigarette after the song cuz it was seriously as good if not better than honest-to-goodness old fashioned sex. and I liked it.) Help Me Mary Stratford-on-guy (i wasn't really "the one", mister emil breton.i yelled out for it a few times in the beginning and heard her say a little "Uh-uh" and i thought it was a negative "uh-uh" to me, so i shut up about it.) Friend of Mine ( so sad and sooo rockin) Extraordinary Never Said (rockin) Why Can't I Jealousy (CRAZY new arrangement - schizophrenic almost - it was truly awesome i loved it. soooo catchy, all riffy.) Supernova (wow!!!! again - one i could take or leave cuz i made myself sick of this song back in highschool - but it was given new life last night i melted) encore: (liz came out and was like "OKay..so we kinda just went back stage and stood by the bar...and just kinda waited..." Red Light Fever ( i like this song, but honestly - i could take it or leave it live) "Time to spice things up a little" Fuck & Run HWC my drunk friends near the back of the audience said the sound was shitty. there were a few technical hiccups throughout the show, but i thought for the most part she sounded kick ass incredible, and i wasn't being biased. the head set...well..it didn't bug me...but it didn't really do anything for her vocal acoustics. like, when it came time for her to raise her voice in songs, normally she would pull her head away from the mic. since that is impossible to do with a headset, we just got her screaming. but - she sounded great. maybe the sound was different/shittier from different aural perspectives, but in the front row - it was kick ass. if anyone went and knows the ACCURATE set list - please correct me. i'm sure i got all the songs down - but the order I KNOW is wrong. but she really mixed the set list up from other shows. totally different order, so it was nice to not know what to expect. and some of the songs...they were just sooooo rocking and different...it was truly one of the greatest liz shows i have ever seen. she was just a total rock star - having a great time - actually JAMMING with the band...it looked so fun. anyway, that's my story. liz twice in one day. two great and drastically different shows. an autographed copy of juvenalia. and a fridge magnet that some dude at sunrise records gave me of liz - only it doesn't work. the damn thing isn't even a magnet and he told me he would only give it to me if i had a fridge. so yeah. that's that. dan ------------------------------ End of support-system-digest V6 #304 ************************************