Where Is My Mind?

Ryan Adams the the Cardinals
Friday, Sept 28: Madison

Setlist(courtesy of the archive)
On: 8:05pm
1. Goodnight Rose
2. Games
3. Wildflowers
4. Peaceful Valley (Blew Doors WOW!!!)
5. Cold Roses
6. Everybody Knows
7. Rescue Blues (RA on Piano)
8. Two
9. Mockingbird Song
10. What Sin (with long noisy jammy ending)
It Seems What Sin is out of this world,
11. Beautiful Sorta
12. Dear John
13. A Kiss Before I Go (Slower)
14. The End
15. Freeway to the Canyon
16. Bartering Lines
17. When The Stars Go Blue
Encore
18. Sylvia Plath (solo piano)
Off: 11:02 (EST)

So CNN is covering Ryan Adams's meltdowns now? I heard about the debacle that was the Minneapolis show Thursday night. And due to unfortunate circumstance, I was forced to miss the Milwaukee show last Tuesday, where I heard he was near hostile and produced a slow, sleepy show. So my anxiety was up and my expectations down as I walked into the Barrymore Theatre in Madison Friday night, for a sold-out show.

Maybe it’s the small venue, maybe it's the town's liberal bent, maybe it was the Spotted Cow on Tap! Whatever the case, there was no sign of a meltdown or tantrum as Ryan and his band treated us to two hours of musical delights!


With a fairly diverse setlist, RATC tore through song after song despite sound/monitor problems. Even after “Two” when RA noted to the sound guys their sound was so loud they couldn’t hear a thing, he made a point to tell us it was him, it was nothing against the audience. So someone in the audience yelled out a “Thank you for coming to Madison” which Ryan took the opportunity to tell us , "It's great to be here, you have no idea", talking about how playing in Mnpls was like ‘playing in a beer hut.’ (Hey, where do you get these beer huts?).

I’ve seen the previous show setlists, but I still gasped at the start of "Stars Go Blue." Hearing “Wildflowers" for the first time live was a treat, and I was pleased he included a few JCN gems like "The End." They kicked it up a few notches for an energizing "Cold Roses," and as noted, they really did blow the doors off on “Peaceful Valley." Wow. I think that one may be the new "Monsters" for me ... but nothing opens a show like a searing "Goodnight Rose."

It couldn’t have set the tone any better. The lights dimmed, the stars came out, the harmonies were tight and I felt like we all knew this was going to be one of those shows …

Still, I think what set this show apart was not the setlist (while it was better than the last few nights', it still did not beat out his 3 hour show at the HOB in January) but the vibe. Ryan seemed at ease, upbeat, professional and even managed a fair amount of banter, joking and (gasp!) laughter. Gone were the zombies playing because they had to; in their place were musicians pouring themselves into each song with force and passion much to the rapture of the audience.

I think Martha Quinn noted before, accurately, how difficult it is to write when it's your favorite. I couldn't agree more. I sound like I'm just blowing smoke up RATC collective ass, but I would tell you if this was a mediocre show. It wasn't. But somehow, I doubt CNN will be covering this one ...
Next up: Chicago Theatre, 9/29.

update: a review from the Madison paper, The Isthmus. It's always nice to a) hear you weren't alone and b) read it from from a better writer.
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=9191