5/7/05 Chicago
Congress Theatre
Green Pass Day
After scoping the situation the night before and realizing that we weren't going to make some mad rush for the pit, we joined a bunch of folks in line a bit later at about 5:30. Doors opened again at 6:00 and we feel like veterans now since we are familiar with the system ahead of us! We file inside and once again get into the "holding pattern" of waiting for them to let us into the actual theatre. We move with the group but let everyone who is going to run- just run, we stop off to get some water and take a bathroom break. Amy and I just laugh.
We take our place next to the soundboard again and from the balcony we look like an island in a dense ocean of chairs. If there were 2800 people in the Congress on 5/6, there were 3800 people in the venue tonight. It looked much more crowded, the aisles were full all the way back to the board, the pit was packed, where on 5/6 the back of the pit was still partially "breathable." Even the rows of seating were more packed than the night before. Apparently, the rumor after the show wrapped was people had a tunnel and other "backdoor" ways to enter the show besides actually buying a ticket.
Once again the Dresden Dolls take the stage and I have to be honest, from seeing them the night before so close (about 3 pit "rows" out) and then seeing them tonight up in the seats- it definitely is a different experience. Although I believe their set was the same, from a distance you don't get the details as well and their mix was phenomenal while standing in the pit- but flat and lifeless in the rest of the venue. "War Pigs" still brought the house down.
Tonight they got a heckler in the audience. Here is the best known transcript of the "conversation" as penned by Archetypal
Heckler: Show your pit hair!
[Amanda obliges]
[Right before they're about to start playing the first song]
Heckler: You better not suck!
[When on stage]
Heckler: Boston RULES!!
Amanda: And you must be the fine gentleman who asked me to show my pit hair before.
[Later]
Heckler: You Suck!
Amanda: Thank you.
[Later]
Heckler: Fuck you!
Amanda: Fuck me? Oh, you want to fuck me? You want to fuck Brian? Or you want to fuck both of us?
Brian [in an affeminite voice]: Don't be shy, young man. Come on up here. Just make your way to the front of the stage, and there is a security guard right here who will be happy to assist you in getting onto the stage and we'll take care of any problems you might have.
Amanda: Or maybe you want to meet up with us in our dressing room after the show.
[They play another song]
Amanda: So when we were asked to open for Nine Inch Nails on their tour, our friends were worried, they were really afraid for us. They said, "Oh, no. They're going to hate you." And I was reminded of this story I heard one time about Marilyn Manson when he was opening for someone. A guy in the crowd threw a water bottle at him before they started to play and he said "We're not going to play until someone beats the shit out of that mother-fucker." And so what we're going to do is we're not going to play until someone cuddles [Brian makes big hug gesture] that man. [pause] I'm sure that deep down there's a nice person in that man just trying to get out, and that he's really just a nice guy. [pause] I hope for the sake of the people around him that he's not too big.
They continue their set and play an extended version of one of their songs that for their fans I'm sure was like winning the lottery, but for most of us it kind of dragged on and on. The crowd for the most part cheered (I did hear quite a bit of booing though as well) and DD leave the stage.
Once again about 15 minutes between set change and it seemed as if it might have been even quicker tonight than last. With the house lights still up, you hear "Pinion" start to come in, most people are clueless at this point and think they are still hearing the pre-show music. I stand up and start yelling. My wife says, "What the Hell are you doing?" I said "Pinion is starting" to which the people around me start to catch on. The house lights drop and everyone seems to figure it out at that moment. Place goes absolutely fucking CRAZY. Trent steps on stage and launches into "You Know What You Are" and I thought the roof was going to come off.
The energy level in the venue tonight was significantly higher than last night, although the performance by Trent and Co, was as balls out tonight as it was last. The sound level was also higher tonight than last night. On Friday I could still hear my own voice above parts of the music, Saturday- not a chance in hell. The light show and sound were flawless tonight. I loved the "Burn" lighting in blue. Once again Trent was feeding off the crowd and at one point said, "Goddamn it feels good to be back!" to which the crowd nearly exploded.
This show just started off kicking you in the nuts and never really let up! You got a slight break with "Something I Can Never Have" and "Hurt" but that was about it! The crowd did a stellar job singing back to Trent with both "SICNH" and "Hurt" he even just played and let the crowd sing in parts. When "Every Day is Exactly the Same" came on I just kept saying "No Fuckin' way, No Fuckin' way!" It was a very cool addition into the setlist!
Setlist:
1. Pinion
2. You Know What You Are?
3. Sin
4. The Line Begins To Blur
5. March of the Pigs
6. Something I Can Never Have
7. The Hand That Feeds
8. Terrible Lie
9. The Collector
10. Closer
11. Home
12. Burn
13. Everyday Is Exactly The Same
14. No, You Don't
15. Suck
16. Gave Up
17. Hurt
18. Wish
19. Head Like A Hole
Tonight the crowd is stubborn to leave the venue, the pit stays about half full and people start chanting about wanting more. Freshly beaten faces of people now filing out all turn in one mass at the same time to see if they should return to their spot if the chanting were to actually work. Security was prepped from the night before and we lasted about 5 minutes before they started to push everyone out of the venue.
After the show was over and the masses started to file out, I went over to the Soundboard and shook the FOH engineers hand and told him that the sound on both nights was amazing and thanked him for his work. I didn't want to take too much of his time so I didn't catch his name, but he said he appreciated the comment and was glad we had a good time.
After the Show, it was meet back up with the group outside and figure out what we're going to do about food. Some folks bailed on us but we got to have dinner with three of them. It was a nice way to end the weekend. All of us just re-living our 20-minute-old experience and other memories and stories!
Overall:
Show: A+
Pit: Not Down In It (But looked more brutal than the night before!)
Crowd: A+
Sound: A+
NIN Historian
Overall 5/6 and 5/7 Comparison: I cannot make a stance that "one night was better than another." I had given my everything back on each night and both nights had sections of the performance or reasons for standing out in my mind as making the show special to me! The energy on both nights from Trent and the band was better than I have ever seen and the performances were both tight, and amazing. The sound was excellent on both nights (although slightly better on 5/7 in my opinion.) The lighting on both nights was equally good. The Crowd was more intense on Saturday than Friday, but the Pit was just as brutal both nights from reports and experience.
I'd like to thank Peter B. For making 5/6 a reality. I cannot thank you enough for the GIFT you gave me!
I also want to say it was GREAT to meet you siNNer and Mike, Ggina, The Me That You Know, Burning Soul, Vanilla, Shards, Stitches, aHlee. Hope to see you all on the Arena Tour!
NIN Historian
