Mason Jennings, 6/23/06, Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI

I realize that I'm slacking on the Mason Jennings concert review. There just seemed like there was so much else going on this weekend, it stole some of the concert's thunder. I'll try to come up with something though, for the one person who probably cares at all... me.

Besides for one friend deciding he didn't want to go at the last minute, all went well with the show. The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee is one kick ass venue for a show like that. The hot wife wasn't too excited about sitting on the second level, but it beat having to stand up when everyone else did. At least we were front row on the second level.

The show started with Teddy Thompson I don't know... I don't want to say I didn't like him, I just wasn't very impressed by his music. It bored me. But he is pretty popular, opening for Dave Matthews and playing on late night shows like the Conan O'Brian show. Check him out, maybe you'll see something I didn't.

Mason played a great show, though it was strange with the piano player. The set list was something to the effect of:

Be Here Now
Bullet
If You Need a Reason
Crown
Sorry Signs on Cash Machines
If You Ain't Got Love
Adrian
That Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven
In Your City
Jackson Square
Ulysses
Ballad For My One True Love
Damn What a Beautiful Man
Which Way Your Heart Will Go
Moon Sailing On The Water
Killers Creek
The Mountain

Encore:
Jesus Are You Real
Butterfly
Godless

I'm sure I'm missing some. I think That Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven is a John Prine cover. It was a great song, whose ever it is. I think that was the only cover he played.

I was disappointed he only played the harmonica on Crown, and only played solo on the piano for In Your City, which is my favorite song. Whoever decided to take the harmonica out of Jackson Square was wrong. Take the piano out, put the harmonica back in. There were some other songs that I like but made me sleepy. Like Ballad For My One True Love. Maybe the theater seats were too comfy, but I think I dosed off on that one. Maybe it was all the Pabst beer we were drinking. In 16 ounce cans!

Don't drink 16 ounce cans of Pabst at a show. I think I had to go to the bathroom like every 15 seconds. I should have went with mixers.

I think that's about it. I wish I had some pictures to show, but I wasn't sure if you could bring a camera in. The tickets said no cameras, but everyone had them. We snapped some with the camera phone, but I doubt they turned out. Sucky. I stole the one for this post from here.

If Mason is coming anywhere near you, go see him. For $15-$20, you can't go wrong.

Nick