Click here for Part one of this review, which covers two earlier nights in Montana.
Part 2: Virginia City
It is there that we would be camped out for the next 3 nights with 3 more shows. After the short 4 hour ride it was gratifying to settle into our five bedroom ranch house in the Big Sky Country and finally meet up with the rest of our friends, whom had just arrived that day.
The venues in VC were different then the past few years and I was quite impressed in what we walked into the first night. The venue was spacious with a magnificent sound system and an even more impressive lighting set up. You could tell the band was quite pleased with what would be its “office” for the next two nights. Once again 10:15pm rolled around and it was business as usual with them starting things off with a heavy hitting version of the elusive Tarantula Hawk, which incorporated the better part of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years.” With such a heavy hitter to start things off and seeing immediately that Jerry was amped and ready to go, I knew this was going to be a spectacular night. “Chinese Balls” came next, keeping the rowdy vibe that was ensuing on pace. The beloved “Brother Michael” emerged from “Chinese Balls” and as it does every time put the band and the crowd into a rather in sync madness, which makes this experience sooo much fun. Everyone was getting down. The momentum was nearly impossible to curb at this point as the band turned to a newer song “Spit” that is definitely one of my new favorites, but brings such a killer fury to it, that makes it very hard not to dance. After a couple deep breathes, Jerry broke the opening notes to an older are now rare favorite “Easter.”
I personally couldn’t have asked for a better closer to one of the more raucous sets. I couldn’t wait to hear what the second set would bring. A band with this large of a repertoire can still stump the most knowledgeable and veteran fans, as to what they may play. The certainly didn’t leave us disappointed by opening up Second set with “Welcome to the Other 95%” I absolutely love this song! The highlight of my night came with the “Letter to Chico”” that followed. I have somehow missed the potential of this song and the great lyrics that come with it. It must’ve been one of the only times that I have heard the JMOS play this as a band, but there must be more. Anyway, I can’t stop listening to it and hope to hear it again soon. “Fastest Horse” really got the crowd bouncing again, and my favorite suicide song, “The Jump” kept us all loving it. However it was the “Election Day>Francine>North> SpinCycle” to close the set that left everyone wanting more! Insane. The band came out for one more to close the night. The highly anticipated and most appropriate “Montana” kept the crowd in a raging ‘till the end.
8/30/2013 Virginia City, MT (Community Center)
Set I: Tarantula Hawk>Reelin’ in the Years> Tarantula, Chinese Balls, Brother Michael, Spit, Easter
Set 2: Welcome to the Other 95% of the World/Brother John is Gone, Letter to Chico, Fastest Horse in Town, This is How You Lose Her rap>The Jump>Until the End of the World>Jump, Temple of Love, Election Day>Francine rap, North>River Runs Dry rap>Spin Cycle.
Enc: Montana
To say the least we were blown away once again and brought our party of 12 or so back home for a little late night festivities and a well-deserved late sleep in. We ended up having a bbq at the house that next afternoon and brought some old friends out to join us. Truly, this is what it’s all about. Nothing beats a “family reunion” with your best friends from far and near some seen recently and many seen only a couple times a year. Never a dull moment. After a true feast it was back to the venue for night two.
At this point in the game, Jerry, Steve, & Junior have such a tight chemistry that the music is so tight and the bands momentum gets so strong that I (and many, many others would agree) don’t really care what songs we are going to hear. I do know that in 5 shows, I nay here 1 or 2 repeats. So going into each show, it is like being a kid in a candy store, no worries or great expectations because you know that you will be surprised, and excited to hear whatever comes next.
The second night at the Community Center proved my above statement opening with one of the fastest and fun “Pumpkin Times” that I had heard in a while. Newer songs off the most recent Happy Book album raged next… These songs have really found their spot over the last year or so. “Big Things” took the reins next, and if it couldn’t get any better, one of my personal favorites, “Fiona” closed the first set.…
It was second set that got a little crazy with technical difficulties almost ending the set early. As I came walking in from the outside, the familiar notes of my favorite drug-addled JMos songs started with “Get Down”. This slowly led into the crowd favorite and Jerry’s soul driven version of the Staple Singers, “Heavy Makes You Happy”. This continued into more mellow raps of” Maybe I’m Amazed, until the opening notes to “Savage Garden” threw the crowd back into a frenzy, proving once again that tonight, Jerry truly was ,,,, “the fukkin King of the Disco.” After that chaos, they started to play “Both of you” which was aborted as the kicked into “Wisconsin Death” trip. This is where the technical problems began. Right after starting the song JJ’s amp blew, and after a lot of techs looking into it, it looked as though the show was done. Somehow, they were able to get JJ on acoustic, in which he did a solo version of “Eat My Soul.” Beautiful and inspiring at the least. Things seemed to be in order so the rest of the band joined in with JJ still on acoustic for killer acoustic versions of “Jacob Ladder” and “World Will Turn”, but it was the “Kline>Aint No Way>Happy Book>Kline” that was the best closing I could expect after all the difficulties. GO JMOS!!!
08/31/2013 Community Center, Virginia City, MT
Set 1: Pumpkin Time, Campo Miguel, Wonder Wheel>Scarlet Begonias tease, Big Things>Come Together>Big Things, Fiona.
*Set 2: *
Get Down>Heavy Makes You Happy>Maybe I’m Amazed>My Sweet Lord rap, Savage Garden>Lets Get It On>Sexomatic>Maybe I’m Amazed>Savage Garden>Both Of You tease, Wisconsin Death Trip
<<>>>
Wisconsin Death Trip, Eat My Soul (Jerry solo acoustic), Jacob ladder, World Will Turn, K Line>Ain’t No Way>Happy Book> K-Line
What a crazy night again!!! This night we stopped off to visit with some friends that were at the local campground for a little after show gathering that brought us together with some more familiar faces. After a couple hour post party it was back home to rest up for the annual softball tournament held annually by JR on the day of the final night. To say the least, it is always a comical spectacle to see so many of us ready by 1, or even up yet, to actually play a legitimate game of softball. In between the many missed grounders, pop ups, and easy outs, there were just as many magical moments. After a sweaty 7 to 9 innings it was back home to rest up for the final night. This night was going to be at a much smaller and more “intimate” venue…….
The band chose to open the show with an acoustic first set and brought with them, their old Friend Frank Ruffolo to sit in on Accordion. He is amazing. The acoustic set opened with “Nigh I got Drunk, followed by the always lovely, “Under the Lilacs.” Breakfast at Lucilles” ensued next with a great rap by Jerry of Taj’s Johnny Too Bad. A personal favorite and I know I am not alone. Miles from Here graced our presence next, with another playing of the more elusive Panama. “Ten Killer Fairies” closed the set, and allowed us to go get some fresh air.
The second and electric set would prove to be the most solid of all five nights and finish off this journey with most memorable versions of. Pretty cool and never seen before the long awaited (for that weekend, “Radio Cab” opened things up. This has definitely become a fan favorite over the years, Beautiful Dirt showed up for its second time this run and the as if I thought I was getting ready for another Electra Glide in Blue, Jerry sang a near complete version of The Clash’s “Police & Thieves” and the into the verses of another spectacular reggae driven “Electra Glide in Blue”, The building up of “Power Out” and its rock solid groove kept things touching that fast rocking momentum we love. The decided to slow it down next with an angelic bust out of “Beautiful Child of God”, and finally one of the most hoped for and appropriate moments occurred with the opening notes of “Wild, Wild West.” What else could I ask for other than a sweet segue into “Heart Gone Blind”. This is always a smoker and tonight proved no different. “Road to Damascus” rocked the show to a close, with an infamous version of we’re fine to close it out. This version brought back memories from the one JJ did with Stockholm back in 2004. That’s another story. Regardless, I was blown away, satisfied and overall amazed at what we had just seen. It would take one hell of an encore to appropriately close this night out. The band did not disappointed with a raging version of “Sweedwater,” which had Jerry’s vocals and overall soul shouting out many different raps. The man is a literary genius and it truly shows in these moments. There aren’t too many singers with this much soul! An out of this world playing of “Hallelujah Trail” topped it all off, and left us wanting more……………..Damn!
9/1/2013 Virginia City, MT (Pioneer Bar)
Set I: Entire set w/ Jerry on acoustic guitar and Frank Ruffalo on accordion
The Night I Got Drunk, Under the Lilacs, Breakfast at Lucille’s>Johnny Too Bad rap>Breakfast at Lucille’s, Miles From Here, Panama, Ten Killer Fairies
Set II: Electric
Radio Cab, Pure Life, Beautiful Dirt (w/ 25 Lighters, Lie Down Here (And Be My Girl) raps), Police and Thieves’>Electra Glide in Blue, Power Out, Beautiful Child of God, Wild Wild West, Hearts Gone Blind (w/ Jet Song, Heart of the Matter, Flying Cowboys raps), Road to Damascus>Yeah, We’re Fine(w/Paradise City raps).
Encore:
Speedwater (w/We Will Not Be Lovers, I Shall Be Released, Dweller on the Threshold, Let it Be raps)
Hallelujah Trail>Busload of Faith>Hallelujah Trail!!
As we filed out into the night and said our good byes to great friends, I couldn’t help but think how blessed I truly am to have this band, this family, and these kind of adventures. It was a long ride home but well worth it. If you ever get a chance to see this band or go to this beautiful part of the country, it is a true must.
All Photos courtesy of BillyMac Photography
All shows are currently available for free on archive.org
As always I dedicate this to my Mother, Kathleen McAlaine. You are my inspiration!! RIP.
