Another polite but noticeably engaged crowd as the show begins with blue mood lighting and a confident Ed, arms up, eyes closed for Release. The song is very measured, and despite a few wavers, Ed hits the high notes. Unlike…
Main Set: Release, Present Tense, Animal, Last Exit, Lightning Bolt, ½ Full, Untitled, MFC, Even Flow, Light Years, Glorified G, Can’t Deny Me, Mind Your Manners, Unthought Known, Inside Job, State Of Love And Trust, Do The Evolution, Porch
encore 1: Bee Girl, Man Of The Hour, Just Breathe, Once, Black/(We Belong Together), Rearviewmirror, Alive, Rockin’ In The Free World, Yellow Ledbetter
Show Notes:
Show Notes:
Another polite but noticeably engaged crowd as the show begins with blue mood lighting and a confident Ed, arms up, eyes closed for Release. The song is very measured, and despite a few wavers, Ed hits the high notes. Unlike the clear and plentiful tributes/dedications of the previous night, this show is subtly dedicated to Chris Cornell, with the band wearing various Soundgarden/Chris Cornell project t-shirts. Ed, eyes still closed, sings “Oh Kevin’s dad, can you hear us?” which is a nod to the father of one of the band’s good friends. Present Tense picks up the speed and aggression, with added F-bombs and use of the added industrial/strobe lighting, ending big as though it was the end of a first set. Super-tight drumming from Matt on Last Exit. Ed thanks the crowd in Dutch and shares a story of practicing guitar earlier that evening, reaching for a metal doorknob, and getting electrocuted, stating “it’s a once in a lifetime event that’s happened to me 3 times.” Not missing a dad-joke beat, Ed requests more electricity from the crowd for Lightning Bolt. Mike and Ed play off each other after Mike’s solo. During 1/2 Full, Ed holds up his blue Duesenberg guitar to shield himself from the spotlight (which reflects back up to the ceiling) during Mike’s solo. Ed channels his 90’s hand gestures and eye flutters during Even Flow, and Mike goes into a 3 minute solo with extra-long notes, fast runs and plenty of distortion. Audience takes the last chorus. Someone in the audience has a Green Disease t-shirt and Ed asks the band if they remember how to play it, and they toy with it for 20 seconds or so before rolling into Light Years. Ed compares the pure sound of Dutch children at a school near the hotel to the feeling of fear when thinking about US children and gun violence at schools and beyond. Ed states Holland is “a beacon of responsibility” and would rather have “the freedom to not be in fear” rather than gun ownership. Ed prefaces Can’t Deny Me as having “absolutely nothing to do with Trump” and calls him a “narcissistic motherfucker” just before hitting a cowbell hard. Porch ends the main set, starting off bluesy and speeding up in the second verse. Boom is more prominent on the keyboard, and Ed starts pouring wine for the audience, while he himself appears to be drinking tea or coffee. The band gathers around Matt and Ed smashes a mic stand. Man of the Hour is also dedicated to Kevin’s dad. Energy ramps up greatly for Rearviewmirror with total audience investment, a fast bridge, with Ed dancing, playing off Stone and windmilling on an extended outro, with a subtle “I will forgive.” Mike and Jeff switch out their instruments and Stone takes the solo on Rockin’ in the Free World. Ed acknowledges the 37 years Jeff and Stone have been playing together and the band’s 15 years with Boom. Ed vehemently tries to get a tambourine to a particular fan during Yellow Ledbetter, and when unsuccessful, decides to crowd-surf his way over, to the delight of the fans and amusement of the rest of the band. Comfortably Numb was on the setlist but not played.
Written by: Hillary Wood
