*** EV Tour Memphis Fanviews Here 11/21/12 ***

such a shame to read all this...

im more sad now than angy from last night....

cos its unfair and fucked up when you want to do good for your child..to enjoy a night with music..

and some ....ok,ill not call names...some people with not shame..no quality in caracter ,spoilled and with no manners not respect even a small children that waiting from April this show.. who travel all day long a 7 hours ride just for enjoy 2 hours with her mom good music of their favorite artist...

its a shame...really..

I think security needs to be beefed up in these venues if they are going to allow alcohol in the theater. I'd venture to say that the ones that are the most trouble are the ones who are the drunkest. It seems pretty simple to me. Either limit alcohol to the bar/lobby or double the security.

I had a great time at the show last night, despite the drunks around me. I'll get to that in a second. But it really didn't ruin my night, although it could have. I had a 4th row seat, which was fantastic. Glen Hansard was absolutely amazing! I became a huge fan of his over the summer and I was very excited to see him play. He didn't disappoint. He definitely is one of the best artists that I've ever seen play live. He exudes so much energy into every performance. The audience was really respectful of Glen. At the end of his set he was given a standing ovation, which was really neat. I felt like he really won a lot of people over. I'm just glad that I was more than a casual fan of his music before I arrived. It really made a difference. If you haven't listened to any of his stuff yet, please check it out. You won't regret it.

Eddie's set was fantastic as well. I'd seen Eddie solo once before in Nashville in 2009, and I felt like this show topped that one by far. I really enjoy the Ukulele Songs album, so the fact that a good amount of Ukulele was featured in this show really added to it to me. Opening with Brain Damage into Trouble was a treat for me. I've been wanting to hear trouble for a while. The run of Can't Keep through Light Today was heaven for me. The Ukulele is paradise for me. There were quite a few surprises for me throughout the rest of the main set. Speed of Sound was a real treat for me. His acoustic demo that was released right before Backspacer has always been one of my favorite songs, and I never thought I'd hear it live. It didn't disappoint. He messed up the guitar part once or twice throughout the song, but the performance was beautiful nonetheless. I'd seen several of the Into the Wild songs in Nashville, but they also were beautiful. I particularly enjoyed Setting Forth and Long Nights. I had never seen either of those, and they are two of my favorite songs. Long Nights in particular got me through some hard times a few years back, so it was really neat to hear in person. In the last few years I've gotten into Cat Power as well, and to hear Eddie do Good Woman was fantastic. I feel he does a great rendition of Chan's song. A definite highlight for me.

I hope that Eddie records Loud Uke really soon. I couldn't understand a word of what he was singing, really. But it was just a rocker and really catchy. It's something that I can get into really easy. Ed's really good at getting melody out of the Uke, and this is no exception. I thought the Hey Fahkah license plate ukulele was a really cool thing. A fan out of the first few rows gave it to him as a gift. To clarify, Ed talked about how the top of the license plate said live free or die, and then Fahkah was underneath. So it really said, live free or die fahkah. He then plugged it in and tried to play, but then just did the Hey Fahkah bit. He said that he had a 14 hour drive to Jacksonville today, and that he knew what he'd be playing on the way down there. Very neat. I'm One was a nice treat, along with Immortality. That song is just amazing. I fell in love with the version Ed played on Immagine In Cornice, and this just topped that. It was really amazing. Ed really gets into it. The Pump Organ song is basically a reworked version of the Canyon from the beginning and end of his solo DVD. He does the same bit from the beginning, but then he added lyrics. So if you want a glimpse of what the song sounds like, just watch the beginning of the dvd again. It's really a beautiful song, but then again I always liked the Canyon anyway. I really really enjoyed the Eddie and Glen duets. I feel their voices just compliment each other and harmonize so well. I enjoyed all 4 of them. For whatever reason, Ed missed the solo in Society, so they looked at each other while Glen kept strumming and laughed, while trying to get back on track. I love little flubs like that in the show. Makes me feel better about when I mess up when I play, haha. Sleepless Nights, Can't Help Falling In Love (which was definitely a crowd favorite), and Falling Slowly all were basically perfect. Arc was spine chilling, as usual. The way it builds is just fantastic. I always love Hard Sun, and was very very happy with the Dream a Little Dream closer. Ending with the Ukulele was perfect for me.

So there are my thoughts on the songs that were played. I hope I didn't ramble too much. It really was fantastic. Now for the crowd. In comparison to Nashville, the crowd had about a million less screamers. I didn't hear many people being too dumb, at least in that sense. However, I noticed a lot more flashes and people taking pictures. It really makes no sense to me. I understand wanting to snag a picture or two at the appropriate times. But a flash pictures from 20 rows back isn't going to come out as anything good! If you must take a picture, please just turn your flash off. Almost more annoying than the flash pictures were the freaking flashlights from the security guards telling people to stop. The flashlights are about a thousand times brighter. They really need to rethink how to enforce this rule. Not very many of the security guards or staff were very serious about it. They would only say something to someone if it was distracting someone's view, ie. if someone stood up in front of someone else to get a video or picture. But they either need to all be on board, or the rule never ever will be listened to. It just won't happen.

I noticed a lot of the people that showed up just for Eddie's set, right after Glen's set, were already hammered when they got there. I don't have a problem with someone bringing a drink, but getting up 4 or 5 times to get beer is ridiculous. ESPECIALLY getting in peoples way during the slow, beautiful songs like Long Nights, Better Man, or Good Woman. It's just rude. And if you're so drunk to where your butt is hanging out every time you stand up, you can't find your hands when you're trying to clap, and you can't remember how to whisper instead of yell during soft songs, then you really shouldn't be at the show. The guy directly in front of me was all of the above. I really have no doubt that he was a nice guy, but he just had lost all control of himself from the moment he arrived because he was wasted. He tried to whisper, but it was just a slurred yell into the ear of his buddy to the right of him. Then you have the girls to the left of me that for whatever reason felt the need to tell past stories or funny things about Eddie as he was telling funny stories in the present. Please, reminisce about stories before or after the concert and just enjoy the moment!

The tattoo lady with the Michael Jackson gloves snuck up to the row right in front of me during the last two songs. And she couldn't even stand up straight. She fell over 5 times, just during Hard Sun. It was ridiculous. And then she was trying to tell me something, for some reason, and I couldn't understand a word she said. But she left before Dream A Little Dream. That lady was wasted. All in all, they should stop selling alcohol at the time the event starts, in my opinion. The only problem I saw were from the drunks. Everyone else was polite and enjoyed themselves. Memphis handled themselves well, there weren't a lot of people shushing one another, and there were really no screamers. Only drunk altercations here and there. I'm sorry that some of the drunks ruined people's times. I was lucky that the people around me didn't get on my nerves too badly. It was only one or two people. And that's a shame.

I know this is a long one, but thanks for reading. It was worth the 8 hour drive from Northeast Tennessee to see Eddie again. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Enjoy the rest of the shows!

I just have a couple of things to add...

First - dammit - I'm counting Hey Fahkah as an official play. Not in the least because I was the guy who shouted out for him to play it. Not sure if he heard me, but 2 seconds after I shouted it, he said something like "all right, I'll play Hey Fahkah on this." That was the only "song" I shouted out during the show - I wasn't one of the idiots yelling out for old PJ songs. So, I'm adding that one to my personal set list.

The other thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that Lukin was basically the last part twice, LOL. Ed completely skipped the entire first stanza! Good stuff!

Heisenberg wrote:

show previous quotes

dasvidana wrote:

I think security needs to be beefed up in these venues if they are going to allow alcohol in the theater. I'd venture to say that the ones that are the most trouble are the ones who are the drunkest. It seems pretty simple to me. Either limit alcohol to the bar/lobby or double the security.

Totally agree. Part of the problem is that alot of these classic, old theatres are staffed with security that are not used to rowdy rock audiences (even though Ed's solo shows are not rowdy rock shows, they attract the crowd). They also have an awful lot of elderly men and women who have been at the venues for a long time as "security" or ushers. They aren't equipped to deal with aggressive drunks because they aren't typically their clientel and in the end, can a 70 year old woman break up a fistfight?

You nailed it. We saw Social Distortion at the Ryman in Nashville last year. For those not familiar with the Ryman, it's about the same age as the Orpheum, about the same size and is closer to more bars/clubs than the Orpheum is. It also doesn't have theater seating - all of the seats are the restored wooden church pews. So you dont even have your own space. Alcohol was sold at the show and the overall "look" of the crowd was rowdier than Ed's show. Would not have been surprised at all if we had seen several fights at that show.

But we saw zero fights, arguments, heated discussions, etc. None. The difference was a yellow jacketed security person was standing in each aisle toward the back. Their presence kept things under control. Was surprised we didn't see more security people in Memphis Wednesday night. Plenty of traditional ushers but very few recognizable security people.

Love Cat Power... Need to hear Eddie's version of Good Woman.

Heisenberg wrote:

A couple more notes.

1. Glen tagged "Movin' On" with part of "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry

2. Ed never told us what he "figured out" about "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" He mentioned before the song that he had figured something out about it and would tell us after he played it yet I don't think he ever did. Way to leave us hangin' Ed.

You're right, I forgot about #2. I did think about it right after the song, but not for long.

And I agree with all about the crazy drunk people. I thought the hecklers were fairly tame, but the people stumbling to the front were frustrating. The only one that really annoyed me was the guy who walked all the way down center aisle and stood directly in front of Ed taking pics with his flip phone through all of Long Nights. I love seeing that song live, and the guy was a huge distraction.

Regardless, I was thrilled to be there, loved the performances, was happy with my seats. AND i got to meet some of the cool people from here! Now I just wish I was going to Florida.

Well...after reading all this...I think we have a better understanding of why the band hasn't played Memphis properly since 2000. :roll:

PBM

apsuhead42 wrote:

Had a great time. Sorry a few drunks kept going to the bathroom over and over again, standing, screaming, videoing with their cell phone, fighting down the aisle during the whole show. I just happened to be sitting in an unlucky spot on an aisle seat. Sorry the people in front us from NY came all the way to have it somewhat ruined to a few idiots. One guy brought his daughter in front of us and they left early because of the bahavior. Stupid Eddie Vedder shoulder blade tattoo girl in front of us kept blocking our view by standing and dancing while everyone else in the venue was seated. Also kept blocking our view with her cell phone raised in the air videoing. The guy from NY asked the usher to take care of her as he couldn't see the 1st 2 songs because of her cell phone camera way up in the air. He asked her again towards the end to "Shh' during Sleepless Nights (no mics - quiet duet) and she responded with "F U Ahole" - that didn't go over well with the fed up people around us. She also wore MJ sparkle gloves on her wrists
Also had a big fight break out in the aisle - two big boys slinging each other around the aisle. Almost hit my wife and I - I thought for sure a knife was going to come out. Security finally got there. Still had a great time - just lots of distractions.

I witnessed this woman's behavior outside the venue before the show and hoped she was not sitting anywhere near me. She wasn't, and I had a fantastic time. Love the poster too!

maj4e wrote:

This was Ed #5 for me. As far as the D-bag quotient, I'd say it was in the lower percentage of the shows I've seen.
Really the endless drunks going to the bathroom was far worse. I really don't understand how you can pay $80 bucks for a ticket then drop another 50 getting shit faced only to have to piss all night. Hell the show was a block from Beale Street and got out at 11. Party your face off after!!

Great show though and Glen brought it as always, the Elvis moves at the end won it for me.

This was also EV #5 for me and I thought it was BY FAR the best crowd I've seen at his shows. There was minimal yelling and I thought everyone was very respectful. I was shocked to see so many bad experiences on here. I must have lucked up with my seat location or something b/c I don't have one negative thing to say about the night. It was incredible.

Glen's Elvis moves were excellent. What a cool guy. They're a great combo.