Tom Waits

CraggyIslander

mbroaders wrote: »

There were 2 tiers of tickets for this remember, Standard and Premium. I can't imagine that the Standard tickets (if they actually existed) had a worse view than the seats we were in.

Apparently the 'standard' seats were the 2-3 rows of the side stands that were on the side of the stage....... i.e. behind speakers with 0% view....... and surprisingly they were all empty :rolleyes:

Especially with the difference being 20 yoyos

Fanny Cradock

Ohhhh, that (Thursday) was enjoyable!

I feel sorry for those who got the bad seats. There really were a number that were unfit to be sold.

Still, ending on a positive not - that was a really fantastic gig. GJ Mr Waits!

jimd2

I never thought that I would be logging on to say this but I was so disappointed tonight. As we were over to the side, we actually had a restricetd view (that I only really realised at the end of the gig). To pay over €130 per ticket and not see any of the band except Mr Waits himself is not right. Also, I didnt even realise that there was a green background until I went back a bit at the end!!

Regarding the concert, I am sure that the Tom Waits afficinados will come on saying how brilliant he was and I am sure he rocked your boat but I have to say, while I was expecting a large amont of the booming, hoarse wailing etc and like a certain amount of that part of his repitoire I did not expect the whole concert to be essentially like that. I will probably get lambasted as an idiot for saying that but I was expecting more for €260plus.

Where was Tom Trauberts Blues, Ol 55, Heart of A Saturday Night, Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis, Piano Has Been Drinking, Downtown Train, I Hope I dont Fall in Love With You , Jersey Girl, Closing Time, Martha etc etc??

I realise that the songs I wanted are a particular type and that he played a few of them including Tom Trauberts Blues and Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis last night. But does anyone expect us to go to two or three concerts to get any of these songs? I had considered getting tickets for more than one concert as I suspected this might happoen and I think that I drew the short straw on the setlist front.

Definitely a great performer but a little OTT and self indulgent for me which is a BIG disappointment to say as I have about 6 of his albums. He was definitely funny in his conversations but I would have sacrificed all of that and some of the extended song endings for just one or two of the songs listed above and I would have been a happy camper.

On a side note, I thought that the ticket organisation went well and is a great way to keep the touts off the scene.

starkinter

I thought it was a phenomenal gig, I was sitting in the tiered seats at the back; could see the whole stage though.

Would have liked to see Tom Traubert's Blues or some of those songs. As far as I can tell the oldest song he played was Invitation to the Blues off of the same album. But what he played was fantastic, Innocent When You Dream in particular.

As a big fan of Real Gone and Mule Variations, I got really lucky with the setlist. Here's everything I can remember, in no particular order:

Rain Dogs
House Where Nobody Lives
Make It Rain
Hoist That Rag
Hang Down Your Head
Innocent When You Dream
9th and Hennepin
Lucinda / Ain't Goin Down to the Well
November
Invitation to the Blues
Black Market Baby
Hold On
16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six
Misery Is the River of the World
Come On Up to the House
Picture in a Frame
Chocolate Jesus
All the World Is Green
Trampled Rose
Lie to Me
Bottom of the World
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Tango Till They're Sore
Heartattack and Vine

cormie

Went last night (Thursday) and had great seats, 3 rows back (which was REALLY close because they squeezed us in so much and right bang in the middle). The stage was understandably high so I couldn't see the keyboardist but that was it, everything else was in perfect view and the sound for me was fine. I was close enough to be spat on :pac:

I can imagine it would be very annoying to get **** seats after paying so much and it being a rare touring gem such as Waits. It probably would have been much different back further. I could only see a few people get up and go to the toilet, nothing wrong with that. Nobody was nattering, everybody was very much into it and I didn't see anyone leave permanently. Everybodies full concentration was on the music

Regarding his voice? I was amazed by it. I think it's only gotten better, his vocal range and how he uses that distinguished sound is astonishing. I would have said it's gotten better over the years not worse:eek: I was sitting there smiling shaking my head at what he was doing with it.

Regarding the few hit songs played? I'm only a yung'n so don't even know what would be classed as his hit songs really. I wasn't recommended any songs when I first started listening, I was just recommended Tom Waits, so I did all the exploring of his music without any influence on which are the popular ones or the ones I should listen to. I've over 30 of his albums and would find it very hard to leave out any song in the narrowing down process. His work is amazing, don't be disappointed not to have heard these hit songs, but be grateful to have heard songs you may not have known so well.

Worth every penny and so much more, I wouldn't even put a monetary value on what it's worth, you can't. Amazing all round. Sorry to hear those of you who got terrible seats!

Oh, if anyone saw a guy in the third row centre munching on an apples and satsumas throughout the whole show, that was me :P

dreddie

Excellent show last night start to finish! Haven't enjoyed a gig as much in years.

Admittedly we had great seats, perfect view, perfect sound. I can imagine not being happy at €130+ if this wasn't the case. Anybody in good seats who didn't enjoy last night---weird.

delbertgrady

jimd2 wrote: »

Where was Tom Trauberts Blues, Ol 55, Heart of A Saturday Night, Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis, Piano Has Been Drinking, Downtown Train, I Hope I dont Fall in Love With You , Jersey Girl, Closing Time, Martha etc etc?? ... I think that I drew the short straw on the setlist front.

I appreciate you like the barfly stuff more than the Island and Anti albums, but considering we got a lot from Rain Dogs and Mule Variations last night, you really didn't draw the short straw. Wednesday night probably would have left you even more disappointed (despite him doing Tom Traubert's Blues and Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis) 'cos he did much more from the recent albums.
Also, he hasn't played most of the songs you mention for a very long time (and I think the two he did on Wednesday night are the only two on your wishlist that he's done on this entire tour anyway), so it would have been a minor miracle to get some of the ones you really wanted.

eyeball kid

Does anyone know what seats 36 Row L Block D are like? Going this evening and starting to get worried after the report of bad seating:(

Are the seats in Block B better?

numbersix99

Wow, what a gig. Admittedly, I was lucky to nab tickets for Block A, Row C, giving me a great view, and the sound was perfect.

Highlights for me were Hoist that Rag, which rocked, 9th and Hannepin, which was a total surprise, November, Tango Till They're Sore, and Chocolate Jesus.

Also, props to the saxophonist who played two sax-o-mo-phones simultaneously!



Problems?
Well, the no camera policy was a bit ridiculous, especially since people can use their phones. A simple, explicit request before the show to not use flash is all that's required. Nevertheless, I managed to sneak my camera in and I wasn't spotted by the bouncers.

But, to the middle-aged couple sitting in Block A, Row D, about seats 19 and 20, you are the worst humans in existence. You came so close to destroying the whole experience. Not only did you insist on blabbing away about the songs as Tom Waits was playing them, but you were virtually shouting. And when I and my partner turned around and shot you dirty looks and obvious gestures, you still continued talking. What sort of moron talks about songs as they're playing? And what sort of selfish bunch of pricks are you to ruin the experience of those around you, an experience that cost me 260 Euro, to waffle on completely unnecessarily. People in that area may know who I'm talking about, the guy was the one who screamed THAT'S MY FAVOURITE SONG OF YOURS when Tom played Hold On. It prompted the saxophonist to roll his eyes. That's how much of a goddamn idiot you are. If anyone knows who these people are, please, please, deliver onto them as much pain and hatred as humanely possible. I wish them nothing but misery.

It's just lucky that Tom and his band were so damn engaging that I forgot your ignorance for most of the show.

Back to the gig- yes, it was probably my favourite gig of all time. He played some of my favourites, and some that weren't my favourites on the records (e.g. Lie to Me) were far better live. I do pity those who didn't have a great experience (too far back to hear properly, or in those awful side bleechers), and you should certainly write to Aiken en masse to complain. That's the only way you can make an impact.

AlaskaFox

Last night's setlist:
http://swearimnotpaul.blogspot.com/2008/08/setlist-tom-waits-ratcellar-phoenix.html

Lucinda
Down in the hole
Come on up the house
The bottom of the world
Jockey full of bourbon
Chocolate Jesus
Misery is the river of the world
Picture in a frame
Tango till they're sore
Invitation to the blues
House where nobody lives
Innocent when you dream
Lie to me
Sixteen shells from a thirty-ought six
9th & Hennepin
Black market baby
Trampled rose
Hoist that rag
All the world is green
Hang down your head
Raindogs/Russian Dance
Make it rain
----
Heart attack and vine
November
Hold on

Easy Rider

I have tickets for block A, row C, but right at the side, not centre....so if you are in Block A and that close will it be okay view wise?

numbersix99, yes those kind of 'fans' are at all gigs....thing is they think they are the best fans by singing (if I wanted to here some idiot sing a Tom Waits song I can sing to myself in the shower), talking about the songs during the song and shouting stupid comments that are far from funny....it was the same at the Cohen gig, full of idiots who think they are the best fans in the world....

marylou82

OP here.....all i can say is...WOWWWWW

numbersix99

Easy, my mate was in Block A, row B, over at the edge, and he said he could see everything perfectly, so you should have no problems. Enjoy the show, it's the last one so it should be special.

Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that the cow of the couple in question attempted to sing along to some songs but was so moronic that she kept missing the timing- like when Homer sings "Mono" at the end of the Monorail song in the Simpsons. Only it wasn't funny.

cormie

I had what I thought was a funny heckle but kept it to myself.

When the saxophonist was playing two at the same time "all the money we paid and you can't even afford a 2nd saxophonist":o:( terrible.

Mary28

I thought that was the most amazing gig (Thursday night). We had great seats (Block B, F69-70) and the sound was fine (although I wouldn't be a sound expert) but I think it improved as the night progressed as I was able to make out more words. It would have been well worth buying tickets for all three nights in my opinion, 7.5 hrs of live Tom Waits would be well worth it for €390-420. I also wish I was going again tonight.

garlad

Brilliant gig last night!
Was in Block A, Row N to the right.
They had removed some of the front left and right seats in Block A for last nights gig, probably due to complaints from the night before. These people were seated somewhere else (not sure where). Felt sorry for those in tiered seating to the front left and right.
Loved it.

loyatemu

garlad wrote: »

Brilliant gig last night!
Was in Block A, Row N to the right.
They had removed some of the front left and right seats in Block A for last nights gig, probably due to complaints from the night before. These people were seated somewhere else (not sure where). Felt sorry for those in tiered seating to the front left and right.
Loved it.

well thats tantamount to admitting that these were sh1t seats - bad form from Aiken and they should be offering some sort of partial refund to anyone who was in them for the first night.

I'm going tonight, I'm much more familiar with his post-swordfish albums than his earlier piano stuff so the setlists look great to me.

Really though - its 25 years since Swordfishtrombones came out - anyone going to one of his gigs now and expecting an evening of his 70s stuff really hasn't been paying attention. Each album he's released has moved him further and further away from that style its inevitable any gig he does now is going to be heavily biased towards the blues\polka\circus\avantgarde\boneshaking style he now favours.

I'm very excited - hoping to hear "Don't go into that barn" and "lie to me" in particular.

cormie

This is the gig that they changed the seating plan for to add more, right? Or was that ticketmaster? It was supposed to be about 3,000, but went up to about 5,000?

Legion

Mary28 wrote: »

I thought that was the most amazing gig (Thursday night). We had great seats (Block B, F69-70) and the sound was fine (although I wouldn't be a sound expert) but I think it improved as the night progressed as I was able to make out more words. It would have been well worth buying tickets for all three nights in my opinion, 7.5 hrs of live Tom Waits would be well worth it for €390-420. I also wish I was going again tonight.

Heading to tonights gig and really looking forward to it, we are sitting in Block B Row B Seats 49-48 so once I can see the stage and sound is good I will be happy enough.

From the past two nights set list's I'd be more than happy with either of them,and if he throws in little bit more seeing as its the last gig of the tour even better

I missed him the first time around due to being youngish and drinking being more important at the time and with the attitude that "sure he'll be back" .... twas a long wait :P

The Chessplayer

We had some bandy corner seats that were taped up because of a leak in the roof so got moved to deadly seats with a great view. Best concert I've ever been to by a country mile.

flogen

I'm going tonight but on the issue of people wandering around during the gig - I just can't fathom it.

It was the same at Leonard Cohen - people wandering off to get food and drink (the decision to leave the stalls open was stupid), go for a piss and have a smoke.

It's bad enough that people fill up on drink beforehand and then need to use the toilet but I really can't get why they feel the need to nip off for a smoke. I'm not a smoker myself and I understand that cravings can be tough to deal with but surely you have enough willpower to fight the urge for under 3 hours.

I'd normally not be bothered about it - it's their money to waste if they want to - but it's quite distracting to see people swarm around you constantly when you're trying to sit back and appreciate the show... it's particularly distracting when you have to stand up every few minutes to let them in and out.

numbersix99

I hear ya, Flogen. I was close to the aisle and I was worried that it would be hell. But, it wasn't too bad. There are always going to be smokers, and I don't know about you, but even after 2 pints my bladder goes into overdrive. I abstained from booze for the gig last night specifically because I didn't want to have to get up.

What's worse is when people are drunk and start shouting or talking during the songs (see my post a few pages back- die, couple who were in Block A, row D, about seat 19-20), if you manage to avoid them you'll be laughing.

What was everyone's highlight of last night (thursday's gig)? I loved the woo's of Lie to Me, and Tom's voice going all over the place for Misery's the River of the World.

LadyMayBelle

Gping tonight but still have some questions regarding getting there...Coming up on the train, but ppl have told me that its a 40min walk to the north of phoenix park, other option is get a bus to o connell st and then a number 10 bus out to the park, dunno where it drops us or anything...would you suggest getting a taxi instead? there will be four of us, at 5.30 on a friday eve is that a mad idea?!

numbersix99

Well there's a taxi rank at the train station- you'll be queuing for a while but it's the best option if it's raining.

I don't think the 10 is a great option, you'd be better off walking. It's just a hassle and the 10 stop by the park will still mean a 15-20 min walk to the tent (I think).

Euchrid

LadyPennyworth wrote: »

Gping tonight but still have some questions regarding getting there...Coming up on the train, but ppl have told me that its a 40min walk to the north of phoenix park, other option is get a bus to o connell st and then a number 10 bus out to the park, dunno where it drops us or anything...would you suggest getting a taxi instead? there will be four of us, at 5.30 on a friday eve is that a mad idea?!

Heuston? You would be mad to go to O'Connell St. It shouldn't take 40 mins to get there.. According to Google maps, it's just over 2.5km from train stn to tent... If you get a taxi you will be paying to sit in traffic and provided it's not pouring (Fingers crossed) it's a nice walk and if you land at stn at 5:30, you will have loads of time. The last couple of nights the pubs at Parkgate Street, across from Heuston have looked packed at 6ish so there will be loads walking in to the park..

LadyMayBelle

numbersix99 wrote: »

Well there's a taxi rank at the train station- you'll be queuing for a while but it's the best option if it's raining.

I don't think the 10 is a great option, you'd be better off walking. It's just a hassle and the 10 stop by the park will still mean a 15-20 min walk to the tent (I think).

So you'd go with taxi? Great, that's the worst thing about heading up for a gig, and not being familiar with where things are..pity no directions were made readily available for us blow-ins!

LadyMayBelle

Euchrid wrote: »

Heuston? You would be mad to go to O'Connell St. It shouldn't take 40 mins to get there.. According to Google maps, it's just over 2.5km from train stn to tent... If you get a taxi you will be paying to sit in traffic and provided it's not pouring (Fingers crossed) it's a nice walk and if you land at stn at 5:30, you will have loads of time. The last couple of nights the pubs at Parkgate Street, across from Heuston have looked packed at 6ish so there will be loads walking in to the park..

Brilliant, thanks, I kinda figured all right that oconnell st is a bad idea but wasnt sure about the taxi option..hoping the sun shines:)

AlaskaFox

LadyPennyworth wrote: »

So you'd go with taxi? Great, that's the worst thing about heading up for a gig, and not being familiar with where things are..pity no directions were made readily available for us blow-ins!

When you get to the park, just follow the crowd. They'll all be going to the gig. There are signs up in the park for it too.

Mary28

I'd say a taxi should be fine. We drove into the park for about 7.30 last night, came in the Castleknock gate and there was no traffic on that side of the park, parked no hassle and took say 5 mins to walk to the venue. Experienced no delay leaving either. But yeah if it wasn't for this thread I wouldn't have known what to do about getting there, I couldn't find any info on it anywhere else.
I really wish I was going again tonight, I'm trying to think of a gig that topped it and I can't.

All the people coming and going was a bit mad but they mainly kept it to between songs which was good, maybe that made it seem like more people were moving cos it was all at once.

flogen

iseult.s wrote: »

Hello all, myself and my boyfriend are both working musicians who would never be approved for a credit card by our banks, and therefore never stood a chance of obtaining Tom Waits tickets from the money hungry bastards at MCD! We're desperate to go tonight and wondering if there are 2 people with spare tickets who could find it in their hearts to donate them to us? It would be the best karmic decision you could ever make!!
085 104 8837

Your bank won't even give you a laser debit card? That's odd, given that they're now standard issue with every current account.

As the poster above me says you could also have queued up on the morning of the sale and paid cash if you wanted, and there were more tickets put up in the last few days that didn't seem to go too quickly.

I'd hate to miss this gig so I would have had a smidgin of sympathy for you if it wasn't for the fact that you don't appear to have made any effort at all to actually get tickets.

numbersix99 wrote: »

I don't know about you, but even after 2 pints my bladder goes into overdrive. I abstained from booze for the gig last night specifically because I didn't want to have to get up.

I'm also up and down to the toilet every few minutes once I've had a few drinks and you've hit the nail on the head with the solution (which I'll also be following tonight); but it seems the thought "don't drink before the gig if you can't hold your piss" just isn't rattling around in too many people's minds.