Just got back from seeing GBS at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. Excellent show. Second time we've seen them and this time we brought our teenage son and daughter. They dug it too. A lot of stuff from the new album as well as some old favorites. One question for anyone who went, or who may have an answer: In the second encore they rocked out with a song I've never heard before. Sean sang something that featured a line in the chorus about "hangin from the gallows pole." Anyone familiar with the song, and can you tell me the name and what album it's from?

That reminds me of one problem we've experienced, and it may just be because we're getting to be old farts. In a live show, if you don't already know lyrics well enough, you're going to be out of luck. Whether it's the sound crew trying to compensate for all the clapping and crowd noise or whatever, the words are always hard to make out. Unless it's a slower number where the crowd settles down and isn't clapping along with the band. Our solution was to replay the songs on our way home so the kids could hear the words to the songs they enjoyed in concert. It's not just GBS, but most shows in big theatres or arenas. Just too hard to get the sound mixed right, I guess.

 Anyway, GBS rocks. They've been my favorite band ever since I stumbled across them two years ago. I already can't wait to see them again. Too many favorities and not enough time in a 2-1/2 hour show. When's the next flight to Newfoundland?

I totally agree, the show was amazing! This was my first GBS concert and will definitely not be my last. The guys were absolutely awesome and totally exceeded my expectations! They truly look like they love what they do and the audience just loves seeing that. Thanks for being true to your art!

Gallow's Pole was a freebie when you bought Walk on the Moon from iTunes (come to think of it I may have bought the single from the website, can't recall) before the release of their new album. Not sure if there was any other way to get it just that that is how I got it. Nice to hear it live! There was another bonus song that came with it too called Belong. Another good one.

 Thanks for a fantastic night guys and good luck on the rest of your tour!

Shoot! I bought the EP of Walk on the Moon from iTunes, but I didn't get that song. Got two others (Wandering Ways and Metrobus) but not those. Any idea where they might be available? Or better yet, I'd love to trade CDs with you. Send me Gallow's Pole and Belong, and I'll send you Wandering Ways and Metrobus.

What an awesome show!  Thank you Great Big Sea!  My first time seeing them live and it was great.  My teen son and pre-teen daughter need to lighten up and learn how to "not be embarassed" by mom dancing and having a good time.  They had fun though.  Our extra tickets didn't go to waste as we brought my sister in law and my neice and they're now fans!  The seats were excellent!  Better than I thought they'd be.  Up close was NICE!

I got Gallow's Pole, Belong & Walk on the Moon as a zip file when I bought the album from this site.  Awesome song.

Thanks for the great shows boys! Hope you got that bar tab paid off at the Ark!

 

I can send them to you tomorrow, I just have to figure out how to send the file.  It came as a zip file.

mini

Mini,

That may or may not work, but it's worth a try. My e-mail is jamie@cybertude.com Just send the zip file as an attachment to an e-mail. Include your mailing address and I'll send the other two songs as a CD, along with any others I can fit on the CD if you have a particular request. Since I got them on iTunes, their encryption won't let you play my song files, but I can burn them to a CD and you can import them from that.  Sound like a deal? My wife will be very grateful. She loved that song!

By the way, I know what you mean about the kids being embarrassed. My 18-yo daughter was rolling her eyes as I was jumping and singing throughout the show. But ... she wants me to burn her a CD, so ... mission accomplished. 

 Thanks for the help. Look forward to hearing from you..

Gallows Pole is a cover of the Led Zeppelin song.  Actually it's older than that, but Led Zeppelin recorded it years ago.  Check out the Toronto show archives on this board.  I gave a link to a video I took when we were at that show.  Sorry, too tired to find and post the link right now.

By the way, were right in front of me? Are you the family from Jackson?

Agreed - great show.  And how about Alan coming into the crowd to sit and watch Sean sing?

We're from just outside of Jackson. We were on the right side, Row U. Were you behind us? I'm curious, how did you suspect it was us? Hope I didn't block your view.

Slavamon,

We were the group from Jackson in front of you.  Thanks for giving us the green light to stand, as it would have been impossible to sit.  Yes, it was a fantastic show!  Alan was getting pretty comfortable as a spectator, I think!

Talk about an amazing show..  The energy in the room was beyond amazing!
And that was from back in Row 'Z'..  I didn't hear about the show in time to get better seats.

It was a first exposure to GBS for my GF and she enjoyed every minute of it.  Now she understands
why I played GBS on our last few trips to prepare her.

One thing that was something to note... Not many people left their seats for an accordian 'Solo'
and a waltz at that.

 James
MrGuard

tk:

 Alan was getting pretty comfortable as a spectator, I think!

 

I got a picture of Alan the Audience Member -

 

 

As for the show - we all had a blast!  Even though my 12 yr old didn't show it much (I think he was embarrassed to be seen having a good time.)  My 8 yr old got tired abut 2/3rds of the way through but still had a great time - as did her teddy bear ;)

The music was fab - of course.  The new stuff fit in with the old stuff seamlessly.  I didn't get a set list this time, but they played some from the new album - Long Lost Love, Hard Case, Company of Fools, Straight to Hell, Here and Now, Walk on the Moon, Dream to Live (all of which were warmly received and loudly sung along to, good audience that we were)....and all the others - Mary Mac, Sea of No Cares, Everything Shines, When I am King, When I'm Up, Scolding Wife, Old Black Rum - and I was slightly giddy to finally hear Donkey Riding live b/c my kids love that song and were hoping they'd play that one. Oh, and Gideon Brown, Captain Kidd, Ordinary Day of course!   They also did a sing-a-long medly and went to do General Taylor, only that switched quickly into Hanging Johnny (which is where Alan ended up in the audience with us.)  Bob did a solo, they did the Hangman song as well.  Bantered, talked, earned a dollar coin for their efforts ;)

 All in all, a packed house enjoying a great show.  My husband was very impressed with Bob, and really dug Kris on the drums as well.

Highlights -

Watching my 12 yr old sing along to Gideon Brown - he really likes that song, so it was cool that they played it. 

Alan sitting down by my husband during Hanging Johnny and turning to my 5 yr old daughter to shake her hand (she got all shy and hid in daddy's shirt, lol!)

Watching my husband singing alng.

Meeting a woman who remembered us from the Kalamazoo show - she's the one who threw the dollar coin to the band during the whole "So what do you call a dollar coin?.....a dollar coin."  discussion.

The boys threatening to rap - word up to the 709!

Watching my 12 yr old sing along to "Straight to Hell" - LOL!  Not to mention the 8 and 10 yr old getting all into that song as well.

And being in the front, there was a brass railing to keep us from falling into the pit...well, my 5 yr old kept trying to swing down, and during Straight to Hell, got one good swing and nearly took off but I caught her easily - but Alan watched the whole thing, his expression was priceless, and yet he didn't miss a beat or a word of the song! 

Funny.  You fit the description of the family in front of us.  Just coincidence I guess.  I found the link to the Toronto performance of Gallows Pole that I shot.  Just a partial clip.

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k212/slavamon/GBS%20Toronto%20July%202008/?action=view&current=P1000705-1.flv

Got some others last night.  Will post later.

All sent, let me know if it works.

Phoebz, I love the picture. It's my friend in green behind Alan. We were sitting right behind you. Is it ok if I forward the picture to her? It was fun seeing your little girl again with the rest of your family. I enjoyed watching their reactions. How did their class pictures go today?-- It was a great show! My ears are still ringing and I can still hear and see them singing in my mind. Favorite things were seeing all of the great fans from last year, meeting Alan before the show, Gideon Brown, Alan keeping my dollar coin, Alan sitting in front of us, Bob's solo, etc. I could go on and on. After the show, I got one of the stage hands to give me Alans set list. I think I got the better of the deal - Alan has my dollar coin and I have his list. I'm not sure how to post a picture of the actual list, so here is what it said: - SET ONE: TONIGHT, WHEN, PADDY, CONS. FREE, ENGLAND, GIDEON, HARD CASE, KIDD, HERE & NOW, BOB SOLO, FOOLS, RUN. SET TWO: DONKEY, KING, LONG LOST, SHINES, SCOLDING, Request, DREAM, NO CARES, MARI, ORDINARY, MOON, BLACK, GALLOWS, HELL. I have a nasty few days of work, so when I get a chance I'll post some pictures of the show. I hope everyone had as great a time as I did. Awesome show! Sue

---

Peace,

Sue

So there's at least two families of Great Big Sea-gulls in the Jackson area? Drop me an e-mail and let's keep each other informed about the next time the boys swing through this area.