This show was ALL ABOUT the second set. Granted I didn\'t walk in until the end jam of "Rising Sun", but to mine eyes, only "Blowin\' in the Wind" and "Blackbird" would have excited me. Maybe I have seen too many TT shows but it just seemed like a meh, 1st set..."a \'95 Dead TT set"
HIGHlight was by far "Shake For Me".
Now, the second set is up there with all the greats, without a doubt. "Castles" was made for the Boomerang and has quickly become one of my most desired TT songs. The sounds he gets out of that one are otherworldly. "Sparkle" always brings the energy level up in the Ric\', and tonight was no different. This is the song that began pulling more people from the front bar, and the rest of the set kept them there.
On a side note, there is something that happens in Richter\'s, when that room gets filled up(not that it got huge last night, but it did build in attendence)...I do not know if it is the lighting or the closeness of the tables and chairs and scattered dancing standing-freaks, but there is a special something there, but I digress.
As, "Crossroads" began I felt that this set was gonna be huge. This was again another fantastic version of this song. "Polly", although a fine TT song, with quite the backup vocalists, offered me my first smoke break. Remembering that I had requested "F.O.D.", by GreenDay, I quickly inhaled my cig and returned to those hallowed halls just as "Language" began...such a great song acoustic. As it became evident that this was to go into something else, the anticipation swelled, and what happened next was the HIGHlight of the evening, period. Harry Nilson\'s "Everybody\'s Talkin\' at Me", definitely a TT fav of mine, blew me away. This is why you fight downtown New Haven parking on a Wed night!
Now, sometime ago there was a certain soul who, upon yonder shitter, realized a slight resemblance in the melodies of said Nilson song and a certain \'60\'s television show. This being back in the 232 days, it was no big thing to ask for such an ignorant segue, and it began...The Wegwich!!! Although raw and sans intro/outro, the seed was planted, and oh has it grown.
To hear the "Genie" theme pop up in the middle jam of "Talkin\'" floored this writer. I cannot remember how many times this has been done since the first(I think once or twice at Martini\'s?), but seeing Genc\'s arm shoot HIGH in the air and hearing the corresponding "YYYYEeeeaaaaaaHHHHHH!", made this TT\'er know this set was HOT! Such an amazing palindrome, that I cannot believe it was only one person...wow!
"My Sweet Lord" another 232 throwback was well recieved and teaming it up with the Richter\'s big hitter in "Life\'s Been Good" was a great one-two puch. The rest of the set is a blur to me, probably due to the rocks glass full shots of Polish Blackberry that CJ was pouring, but this 2nd set goes down in my book as a keeper. Get this TT show for the 2nd set alone, if you like music you need to hear this.
Love to the BFam that was there last night and to those who were missed!!!
-WALSH
