Comments on: Review: Tom Waits – Moren Theater, Jacksonville

By: Phil Mellersh

Phil Mellersh — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:40:16 +0000

Off to see Tom on Sunday in Edinburgh…getting very very excited!!! If its as good as you say (and I know it will be as I flew to Berlin to see him perform on the Real Gone tour) I will be in heaven!!

Cheers

By: Brett

Brett — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:25:47 +0000

I was on vacation in Lake Como, Italy, just north of Milano, and saw in an Italian newpaper that he was playing in Milano JUly 17-19th. I took a chance and drove down that evening to Milano, got a ticket AT THE DOOR for 140 Euros, and waited by myself in the crowd for the concert to start. Then, from a side door, Roberto Benigni, the Oscar Winning actor for “Life is Beautiful” and Tom Wait’s co-star in the film “Down by Law” walks in and gets a standing ovation from the Italian crowd. He sits down 5-6 rows in front of me. People around me are chanting Roberto’s lines from Down by Law: “I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice cream.”
I’m in heaven, and then Tom puts on what seemed like the concert of his career. He didn’t talk much, but told one funny story about how everyone kept saying Buon Giorno to him and he didn’t know why.

By: kevjohn

kevjohn — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:49:58 +0000

Easily the best concert I’ve ever been to. It was worth the drive to and from Jax from Tallahassee, the $200 I spent on the ticket, gas, and parking, and sitting nearby those loud, drunk douchebags in the Loge everybody else here is complaining about. It was worth all that and a lot more. I never thought I would get the chance to see Tom perform Chocolate Jesus in person. I don’t know anyone, including myself, who would call that the best song he’s ever written, but it’s still a personal favorite of mine.

If I couldn’ve gotten the time off from work, I would have gone to his ‘Bama and Atlanta concerts as well.

Tom stopping mid-song to tell the audience to either stop clapping or stay on beat… priceless.

By: Jani

Jani — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:25:51 +0000

I was at my first ever Tom Waits gig in Atlanta yesterday and It was amazing. Set-list was great (and my seat and the place) so it was a night that I will never forget. But… I can’t believe how the audience was acting at the show. It was my second gig I’ve seen in USA so I can’t make much of it but never in Europe I’ve seen people act like bunch of sports idiots in a ball game. People were constantly whistling, cheering, yelling, shouting, etc. If I pay a hundred bucks for the best living artist on this planet, I don’t wanna hear some idiot next me but the artist himself. It was almost embarrassing when people shouted out lout every other second when he was playing more tender songs like Dirt In The Ground. And I don’t mean that people have to be shut up at the concert but there’s a line between being an idiot and a fan. Like Junco wrote above “have respect for your fellow audience members as well as Tom.” But anyway… it was the best gig I’ve ever been to but hopefully I’ll catch him next time back in Europe.

By: Joel

Joel — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:42:00 +0000

Agreed. I was at the show, and it was clear that Tom was as annoyed with the constant interruptions as us. He began by artfully deflecting, but soon giving up. He gave a half-assed encore because he didn’t want to be there one second longer than needed. These audience members screwed the rest of us out of at least half the banter Tom is known for.

By: junco

junco — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:53:38 +0000

I flew about half that distance, and I had the same feeling, doggedly focusing on the artful music being made and not letting one village idiot ruin my first-ever Waits show. Some guy kept yelling Waits’s name, as if it was going to impress everybody that he knew the performer’s name that night. Oh, well. He left after awhile, and those around us were relieved but felt bad for whoever had to deal with him next.

And then came “on the nickel”!

Very good acoustics that allowed you to hear the work the band was doing. Best vocal performance I’ve ever heard, hands-down. The guy’s an ironic american treasure.

By: Annie

Annie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:59:27 +0000

The show was astounding and definitely exceeded my expectations. This guy has soul! If anyone who was screaming out stupid comments after the rest of the audience had completed cheering between performances is reading this: I did not fly 2,040 miles round trip, pay for a night at the Hyatt, plus the cost of the concert tickets to listen to your stupid comments. And if anyone plans on attending his show in the future have respect for your fellow audience members as well as Tom. Let the guy do his performance!

By: uwmryan

uwmryan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:44:23 +0000

Set List:

oran theatre, Jacksonville, Fl.
July 1, 2008

Lucinda / Ain’t going down to the well no more
Down in the hole
Falling down
All the world is green
Chocolate Jesus
Cemetery polka
Get behind the mule
16 shells from a thirty-ought six
Hang down your head
Trampled rose
Dirt in the ground
Black market baby
Raindogs\Russian dance
On the nickel
I can’t wait to get off work
Invitation to the blues
Lost in the harbour
Circus
Hoist that rag
Lie to me
Anywhere I lay my head
Singapore
Cold, Cold Ground
Make it rain

House where nobody live

thanks to:

http://briangerard.net/2008/07/03/7108/#comment-66

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:52:56 +0000

Thanks for the description! I am going tonight with my fiance in Birmingham. I NEVER thought I would get to see him live, so I am pretty stoked. I can’t tell you how excited I am right now…I want to leave work!

By: Francesca

Francesca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:40:11 +0000

Thanks!!!! I’m waiting to see him in Milano and it’s nice to read such a good review and pics, well done!

Francesca