just saw it. what a wierd crowd. who told the frat boys about jamc

Somewhat boring on Letterman.

go to bed, vin. he's right about the frat boys though

When everyone complained that the tickets were $45 - $60, I personally was not so upset, since it was to see the JAMC!!!! After seeing the show tonight, I now am upset about the price too. That is a lot of money for a show that was just about 1 hour long. There were 2 encores, but on whole, it was not long enough. It defintely felt like the crowed wanted to hear more, much more. I am now glad I bought tickets for both nights. That said, I think Jim Reid sounded great, as did the whole band. I especially enjoyed the second half of the show. I found the crowd annoying from where I was standing. People kept going back and forth and pushing and it was hard to concentrate on the music.

Having been a JMC fan for some time, but not a HUGE follower, I thought the show was decent, nothing spectacular. What was the last song played by Sam Roberts Band? That was a hell of a song.

Setlist was the exactly the same as Cochella + one more encore. Besides the bad mix, they did not seem like a real band. They seemed like they were still rehearsing. When they first came on, you could barely hear Willima's guitar. They probably need to play a few gigs to work out the kinks. Overall they got better as they went along but very dissapointing. Tomorrow night should be better.

i am not sure that tomorrow night will be better. I dont think its a matter of working the kinks out. I am a huge fan and i had seen them a few times in their heyday. The band is not the same now of course but Jim and William are just not the same players anymore. This band used to play with a menacing force. When they came to town there was the real chance something crazy or violent would happen. It is just not that way anymore. Hearing Jim tell the frat boys(yes i agree with the above posters on that) to calm down was kinda weird. They are just not into it as much as before but hey what are ya gonna do. That being said, the show started off weak i agree but about 25 minutes in they started to kick in. AFter that it was great. William really started ripping into his guitar solos. The Syd Barrett cover was an especially nice treat. Overall great to see them back again and hopefully they will get into it again although I would not count on it. The Reid Brothers really dislike each other and William is a nutjob.

Yeah yeah, my spelling sucks! Too much tequila @ the show!

Yeah yeah, my spelling sucks! Too much tequila @ the show!

Yeah yeah, my spelling sucks! Too much tequila @ the show!

Anyone know what time they came on?

The last song by Sam Roberts Band was Mind Flood off Chemical City Cd. They're great - unfortunately no one knows in the US. When they come around, they play Mercury Lounge, Maxwell's etc, which is great for fans b/c their live show rocks.

the comas own shit

The band picked up a lot of meathead fans when they opened for Depeche Mode on a 1990 stadium tour. I saw a lot of people wearing Jesus and Mary Chain t-shirts after this, which I suspected they bought at the shows just because the name sounded edgy. Then there's the "Lost in Translation" influence, too.

Was wondering if they'd play "Bo Diddley is Jesus" since the poor guy's been sick. Did they?

set list?

Being a fan of Psychocandy and Barbed Wire Kisses and not much a fan of anything else in their catalog, I was pretty disappointed by the show.

For one thing, it wasn't loud enough and there was no feedback on the guitars, which was just strange. And hearing Never Understand played straight without the onslaught of noise was just plain wrong.

Some Candy Talking was far and away the best song of the show. A lot of the other material they played seemed like Stooges rip offs.

"They're great - unfortunately no one knows in the US. When they come around, they play Mercury Lounge, Maxwell's etc, which is great for fans b/c their live show rocks."

Agreed. Sam Roberts Band is one of my favorites.

They headlined Bowery back in November and are playing the Prospect Park Bandshell with The Stills and Malajube on 6/30.

Setlist

Never Understand
Head On
Far Gone and Out
Sidewalking
Snakedriver
Happy When It Rains
Some Candy Talking
Between Planets
Blues From a Gun
Cracking Up
All Things
Teenage Lust
Just Like Honey
Reverence
Encore: Upside Down
Vegetable Man

And stage times? Please...

The most important question here is: who the hell is that guy playing bass in the You Tube clip?! Douglas Hart must be turning in his grave (or at least he would be if he was dead).

Back in the late night with David Letterman days, the stage was so small that only the main members of the band played and were back by Paul schaffer and company. That guy is whoever was subbing for Will Lee that night.

Sam Roberts went on at 9:00 and JAMC went on at 10:00..However there are two openers tonight (The Comas and a Place to Bury strangers) so who knows.

definitely pick up any of sam roberts' records. all are highly recommended if you like a good solid rocknroll record.

I especially enjoyed when the singer came in at the wrong time for the final chorus of 'Head On.' Come on, people, let's get it together- if your music was any simpler it would be one chord.

I don't know why people still expect them to do something violent. Should Jim, age 46, really come on stage in leather pants and roll around on the floor screaming "jesus fuck" for 20 minutes? Seriously? I saw them at Coachella and they didn't seem in need of more rehearsal time then. And they were loud as loud gets; I thought my chest would explode. Kind of glad they didn't go with the feedback, because a) there's more to their sound than that, b) they used it sparingly after psychocandy anyway and c) that would be trading on past reputation and being a one-trick pony.

man there were plenty of douchebags in the crowd last night. At both the Silversun show at this one a good majority of the people there were looking for a fight rather then enjoy the music. Its about personal space people!

Never Understand sounded like The Bangges playing it!

I think they left their balls in Scotland.

Uncle wrote...
>>>if you like a good solid rocknroll record.

Holy shit, what's that music??#%@? Is that music you play quietly and stand around with your arms folded?

i don't think they played "upside down." pretty sure it was just "reverence" and then an encore of "vegetable man." am i wrong?

and yes, there was definitely a high bro-factor at the show. sam roberts band is total khaki-pants rock, so maybe that's why? who knows.

Sam Roberts = Dave Matthews

sam roberts does not in any way = dave matthews

okay but does sam roberts = poor man's beta band? just curious.

sam roberts was very jam-bandy, very "rootsy," very much about the kind of -- shudder -- "groove" that dave matthews and his ilk are into. as far as the spirit of the thing, i don't think the dave matthews comparison is too far off base.

I heard that tonight they are only going to play for ten minutes and then all the frat boys are going to riot.

I heard that tonight they are only going to play for ten minutes and then all the frat boys are going to riot.

no - that comparison is really off too.

Their first cd is REALLY GOOD anthemic canadian pop-rock -and their second cd is psychedellic rock (not done particularly well, but there are a few gems on it)....their first cd is quite good though

"Should Jim, age 46, really come on stage in leather pants and roll around on the floor screaming "jesus fuck" for 20 minutes?"

yes please! he's still hot...

ANON wrote:

"Should Jim, age 46, really come on stage in leather pants and roll around on the floor screaming "jesus fuck" for 20 minutes?"
Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 10:30 AM"

Uh... I didn't know there was a proper way to behave on stage in rock 'n' roll. So, Jim, like Clint Eastwood in UNFORGIVEN, should play his age, and act like a future geriatric? What fabric should his pants be made from, and should he just stand there (like he already does) sans the menacing gaze, charisma, and tension and release, of a another stationary vocalist, Liam Gallagher?

Imagine if Iggy wore khakis or clamdiggers, and stood at the mic like Charles Osgood.

FANGIRL wrote:
"yes please! he's still hot...

Posted by fangirl | May 22, 2007 12:41 PM"

lmao!

For whoever asked about the bassist, it's Phil King who used to play with (reverse chron order) Lush, Felt, the Servants, and Biff Bang Pow, among others. Their drummer is Loz who used to be in Ride (there's a band that actually would be a welcome reformation).

Phil King is also the man behind those junkshop glam compilations, Velvet Tinmine being the best and best known.

And Sam Roberts is actually energetic on stage. The one time I saw Dave Matthews, I fell asleep.

JMC should hit the stage around 10:15 tonight. Two openers

yeah, when he pranced around at one point with his hands in the air leading the crowd in a clap-along, i was really moved by the Spirit Of Rock.

Since they went on last night at 10:05 and played for 65 minutes, if they hit the stage tonight at 10:15 does that mean they'll play for 55 minutes?

I thought it was a good show. This was only the second time I had seen them since the first Lollapalooza in 1991 (just kept missing them). Everything was good except for the fucktard behind be who kept yelling "woo! Muthafucka!!!!"

I was disappointed with the show, I was pleased as punch to see JAMC walk onto the stage, but from there it was pretty much down hill. I was really expecting to have my ears blown out, instead I could've had an hour long conversation on my cell phone. I still have very vivid memories of the last time I saw JAMC at Roselands, there was so much fog/dry ice, you couldn't see them. They had a movie screen behind them playing all sorts of subliminal S&M images, and the music was deafening. I think it was '92, can't quite remember, but I was wearing a NASA shirt ( old rave club ) and this dude spotted me, and gave me a handful of mushrooms. Come to think of it, I remember when I went to pick up my date, her father gave us a tuperware pitcher filled with vodka and fruit juice to drink before we went into the concert. We were both under age, I thought that was one of the coolest things ever. Anyway, I came to the show to hear loud screeching guitars with tons of feedback, correct me if I'm wrong but that is the JAMC trademark sound, one they left home, or maybe the gain knobs on their amps fell off. I wasn't expecting high energy, but I was expecting to use my ear plugs.

"yeah, when he pranced around at one point with his hands in the air leading the crowd in a clap-along, i was really moved by the Spirit Of Rock.

Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 12:57 PM"

Heh... and you presumably paid at least $45 USD for the privilege, too.

It could have been worse: if you had to pay by the Euro.

This is a band that's supposedly reunited and blazing their own comeback trail, and yet, they get more ink for the Left Coast gig's Scarlett-Surprise, and their website is still under construction.

Excellent mgmt., for certain.

"yeah, when he pranced around at one point with his hands in the air leading the crowd in a clap-along, i was really moved by the Spirit Of Rock.

Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 12:57 PM"

Heh... and you presumably paid at least $45 USD for the privilege, too.

It could have been worse: if you had to pay by the Euro.

This is a band that's supposedly reunited and blazing their own comeback trail, and yet, they get more ink for the Left Coast gig's Scarlett-Surprise, and their website is still under construction.

Excellent mgmt., for certain.

i think he was talking about sam roberts leading the clap-along. JAMC didn't do anything like that.

"yeah, when he pranced around at one point with his hands in the air leading the crowd in a clap-along, i was really moved by the Spirit Of Rock."

this is directed at Sam Roberts, not Jim Reid. The thought of Jim prancing around the stage leading the crowd in a hand clap makes me laugh..The JAMC were good last night. It was only an hour set and at a high cost but

A. they packed the set list with pretty much all the classics and only one new track..There wasn't five minutes of bs inbetween songs elongating the show.

B. Aside from two or three shows out west, their only scheduled stateside shows since the reunion. NYC should feel privillaged that they were willing to come here for two shows and a Letterman apperance.

C. If people can pay $45 for snow patrol at the Theater at MSG, they why not JAMC at Webster Hall who were/are one of the most important bands in rock.

BTW..all the shirts they were selling at the show can be purchased at Generation records for $15.00 on Thompson St.

i did indeed mean sam roberts.

thanks for the heads-up re generation records. i think the shirts were $25 at the show??

no prob..yes shirts were $25..

ANON wrote:

"i think he was talking about sam roberts leading the clap-along. JAMC didn't do anything like that.

Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 3:20 PM"

Thanks.

My bad... still, in light of that correction, it doesn't change the ticket price, though -- and for the earth not moving once, but twice, at that.

actually, is generation the store that gives you complimentary cat hair on all items purchased (in the basement at least)? i sneeze every damn time.

yeah there is a cat in the basement usually chillin out on the vinyl..never had hair on my purchased though.

Please oh please god will you idiots who know nothing about this band stop saying you were expecting their trademark feedback drenched sound last night. If you knew anything about this band you would know that sound was on Psychocandy only and actually was not a planned thing but worked and they liked it. None of the records after that had that sound nor did any of their shows after that. Look at the freaking Letterman YouTube video posted above from their first time on the show. Do you hear any feedback drenched sound you dopes? And that was them touring for Honey's Dead which was an amazing record and a great show in NYC that i saw. That being said i agree that "Never Understand" really sounded lame last night although in fairness it was the first song of the set.

That being said i agree that "Never Understand" really sounded lame last night although in fairness it was the first song of the set.

Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 4:11 PM

so when you agree it's not idiotic?

loser!

They were good, or I shoud l say OK, but the show seemed a bit meaningless. It reaked of a "come round one more time and grab the money and go home" vibe. There was no effort put into anything about the show. There was no film behind them, no theatrical effects, not even a simple ice machine, and no effort towards showmanship of any kind. They just showed up, played all the stuff they assumed you wanted to hear in their most basic form, said thank you a couple of times and left. The overpriced t shirts didn't even have the dates of the shows on them. They just grabbed the same old shirts that you can buy in a record store (as per the above posts) and sold 'em in the venue for more money.

the Jesus and Mary Chain: Take The Money and Run Tour 07.

First of all, I got there way late, I simply assumed they'd be getting on closer to 10:30pm and missed a fair amount of the show. That said you'd THINK I'd be walking into a passionate crowd singing along, jumping up and down and generally going with the music as the band was deep into the second half of the show. Instead I got a bored crowd and an ear full of lameness. There were frat boys in the audience, yes, but more disappointing was the bad sound, and no energy coming from the band at all. I practically yawned during Reverence. For my $45 I got a new bad memory of a band I've seen live twice before in MUCH better days. At least the Pixies reunion felt like a reunion amongst the fans, and not like a bad High School reunion that you realize was a mistake to go to the second you walk into the gymnasium.

Funny to hear people shouting 'Louder' or 'More volume' in Webster Hall...good formula to hear nothing in that venue, no? Anyone see the bassist get clocked with a thrown bottle?

They sounded good, but for one hour, then two encore songs (70s mins total), a little pricey at $55 total from TicketWeb. Still worthwhile, given that they...might not play again in NYC after tonight...ever?

It just wasn't loud enough. Granted my ear drums are all the better for it. I think one of the guitars wsn't working for the first 4 songs. Even after switched guitars it was still pretty much by the numbers JAMC minus the feedback. I don't know who the girl who sang back up for Just like honey but she sounded pretty good. I wish they kept her around for Sometimes Always. Oh Well, didn't blow me away, but the Coachella reviews I read made it seem better than the NY shows.

Anon 4:14pm-
Learn to read you fucktard. You are apparently as big a schmuck as that Tim guy who called Williamsburg the center of the unvierse in the Lady Sov post.
It was clearly stated what and who was idiotic and why. It is not about agreeing or disagreeing on the point being made which is the sound of the first album was just that. Only on the first album and certainly not their signature sound as they made 5 albums after that without it.
Dummy

If they have as much interest in playing in the future as they showed they had last might, then I'd be surprised if they ever played again.

It seemed like a cover band doing Jesus and Mary Chain songs.

Of course they looked bored. JAMC has never looked like they wanted to be on stage... they pretty much spawned a genre based on that very fact.

Is it that everyone that's complaining on this point just didn't know what they were getting themselves into, or that they somehow expected the band to spontaneously have more stage presence now that they're older and likely even more jaded?

I saw them at Coachella and if that's any indication, the songs sound great... yes, they're straight up interpretations, but that's pretty much what I expect of a reunion tour.

Now if something's changed between the Coachella performance and last night, then well, I dunno... I guess I'll find out tonight.

Anon 4:14pm-
Learn to read you fucktard. You are apparently as big a schmuck as that Tim guy who called Williamsburg the center of the unvierse in the Lady Sov post.
It was clearly stated what and who was idiotic and why. It is not about agreeing or disagreeing on the point being made which is the sound of the first album was just that. Only on the first album and certainly not their signature sound as they made 5 albums after that without it.
Dummy

Posted by Anonymous | May 22, 2007 4:43 PM

Wow, following the gradual degeneration of this thread - since you hopped aboard - and you "sound" so frustrated, angry, and lonely: basically, like a sociopath.

Who do you work for -- Pitchfork?

All of this huff & puff, because some opinions about who-is-and-who-isn't-idiotic, don't line-up with your own thoughts about a show by a couple of third tier bands?

Get over yourself, before it gets over you.

i thought it was great.

mrrenegade,
You say:
Wow, following the gradual degeneration of this thread - since you hopped aboard - and you "sound" so frustrated, angry, and lonely: basically, like a sociopath.

Who do you work for -- Pitchfork?

All of this huff & puff, because some opinions about who-is-and-who-isn't-idiotic, don't line-up with your own thoughts about a show by a couple of third tier bands?

Get over yourself, before it gets over you.

Couple of things to say to this.
1)This thread was degenerating long before I got into it but thank you for the honor.
2)Lonely , angry and frustrated.A sociopath huh? "Sounds" like you got a psych degree from a crackerjack box
3)A couple of third tier bands????? Who are these couple of bands you speak of??? I believe we were talking about ONE band called the Jesus and Mary Chain. And im sorry you might think that band is third tier. Still the point has to be made that YOU in fact were reading a topic of what you consider to be a band of no significance. Now who is the lonely one?
4)Seems like you need to get over your obvious anger towards Pitchfork

But thanks so much for taking the time out from your busy sched of listening to whatever you consider a top tier band(aka Justin Timberlake im sure) and commenting. Now please crawl back to your hole.

The JAMC plays vegetable man live and ya'll are complaining.. unbelievable..

"If you knew anything about this band you would know that sound was on Psychocandy only and actually was not a planned thing but worked and they liked it. "

Word. Also, yes, still hot. But leather pants at this point? Personally, I prefer his Ben Sherman look.

As a JAMC live novice, I had a blast last night. It was everything I expected. Was I supposed to expect more? Oh well. I'll take what I can get right now.

The crowd was eclectic. As many artists as there were hipsters and yuppies. No one got out of hand as far as I could tell. Everyone seemed to have fun.

The Comas! the Fucking COMAS! Young Schoolin' the fucking old! Much love for JAMC...but shit.

A review and some bad pictures are up here:

http://ireadsomething.blogspot.com/

okay, just got back from the second night and my biggest complaint is that it wasn't loud enough. they sounded much better at coachella, not necessarily because they played better but just because it was a fuller sound. it should have been like 50% louder, songs like reverbation sounded much better than the rest because you could feel the volume.

other than that, it was pretty much what i expected since this is clearly not a tour they had planned. the coachella promoters kept offering them more cash and the band finally gave in. there was practically no stage production, which is unusual for jamc as their past tours have included tons of background visuals, strobes, smoke machines, etc... combined with the sound issues, everything came across as just a little bit anemic.

despite all that, it was still a good show. the songs sounded good and i thought the band performed well, especially when you consider how long it's been since they've been playing actively.

for me, it's really something to hear all these songs performed live again. bottom line is that it was a fucking jesus and mary chain show.

that last sentence either means the world to you or it doesn't. if you weren't there, use that to determine whether you missed out or not.

Tonight nobody moved like they were stuck in glue unlike last night where people were moshing..Closed with Vegetable Man and Upside Down!!!

PS..The Comas blow!

They didn't play Upside Down at the end, they played You Trip Me Up.

I thought they were stronger tonight than they were yesterday, but A Place to Bury Your Dead blew everyone off the stage.

They didn't play Upside Down at the end, they played You Trip Me Up.

I thought they were stronger tonight than they were yesterday, but A Place to Bury Your Dead blew everyone off the stage.

I went both nights and for me I thought the first night was the superior night, mainly because tonight it was too loud. I truly don't understand people who are complaining that it was not loud enough. Personally, I think music played so lound completely spoils the quality of the music. Tonight the band seemed to just be going through the motions, whereas last night it really seemed quite moving. The crowd seemed to be quite taken over last night, whereas tonight it truly seemed like there were bunches of drunken frat boys (who I didn't really see yesterday) trying to act cool.

Didn't go because I'm not rich, but saw them on Letterman. Severely boring. This reaffirms that very fact: http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/music/archives/2007/05/jesus_and_mary.php
Thank God I didn't skip lunch for a week and decide to buy a ticket . . .

Went last night and it was definitely worth it. A Place To Bury Your Dead were mind blowing. The Comas, were rather boring. But JAMC did not dissapoint and Jim did actually crack a smile a few times. Whoa! But really, why is he so miserable?

how were a place to bury strangers?

Boring....they sounded alright...but they are just too sedate

I saw both nights and also saw them back in the days many times. They were great.

The Mary Chain live is a different experience than it is on record. Those who weren't expecting that may feel reason to complain but this is the freakin' Mary Chain and this is how they've pretty much always played live. William rocks when there're solos, but Jim has always looked a bit indifferent. They don't exactly run around stage hamming-up poseur rock moves for crowd response.

Cranking volume just for the sake of it can ruin a live show, and I'm glad their sound people didn't fall into that trap. Both shows could have been way longer, but I felt it was money well spent.

You can always wish they would have put more of your favorite songs in, but then again, the only track I could have taken or left was "Head On." They played "Some Candy Talking" both nights for F's sake! "Snakedriver," "Happy When It Rains," "Cracking Up" and their b-side cover of Syd Barrett's "Vegetable Man!"

Would have loved to get even more b-sides in the set bc they have tons of them — and at least one track from Stoned & Dethroned would be nice. "Write Record Release Blues" would fit PERFECTLY into the current set.

Any case, anyone who really wants to enjoy the classic sound of "Psychocandy" can do it anytime they please. Grab a remastered copy and listen to it on very good speakers, and all should be right with the world again.

never understand, right enough.
for all of you twats expecting a recreation of 1985, the last poster is on the money: if you want to hear psychocandy, guess what, you can, any time of the day, repeatedly, in fact - just play the fucking record. the whole point of a live performance is it's not the bloody recording. as for set length... grow up, quantity is mor eimportant than quality? i'm very pleased they're back and it's good to see them at least being able to share a stage, but i'll be a lot more interested if they can keep it together long enough to come up with more new stuff.