A brief tour for Tom Waits

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:37 pm

Cracking setlist! I guess he is the very top of my must see list.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:52 pm

me too

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:57 am

Just reading up on last night's Asheville performance. Tom mixed it up a bit, dropping "Lucky Day," "House Where Nobody Lives", "9th & Hennepin", "Shake It" and "Day After Tomorrow" in favour of "All The World Is Green," "Invitation to the Blues," "You Can Never Hold Back Spring," "Clap Hands," "What's He Building In There" and "Way Down In The Hole"

Gotta love Tom... he still mixes things up, even though he plays shows so seldomly.

newlacesleeves · Post by **newlacesleeves** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:06 am

wow.. would love to see him do 'invitation to the blues'...

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:11 am

Man I would love to have been at one of these shows. I was lucky enough to see him in 1987 at the Orpheum in Boston - a totally unforgettable show.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:03 pm

Just got back from the Ryman show in Nashville.... will post more later, just let me say WOW!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:11 pm

More, more, more! Spare no detail! Short of ever seeing him, reading lots of detail is the best I cam do. How did the set compare to others? What was he wearing? How many in the band? Marc Ribot? How many songs off rain dogs, etc, etc. Happy for and jealous of you!

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:54 am

Pophead, I happened to end up in a quick visit to Nashville last week and I snagged you a poster with SOLD OUT across the front. It was the only one I saw through town and it's in really good shape, considering I tore it off a telephone pole in town and it was a lot taller than I am.

I'll send it to you. I hope you enjoyed the show.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:33 am

Wow Spooky! Thanks a million! OK, here's my quick rundown of the show:

Can't post a setlist, because although I am very familiar with almost all of Tom's music, I don't know all song titles very well. I know the setlist was fairly close to the one posted earlier. He did do a great off the wall and strikingly minimalist version of 'What's He Building in There' and did close with the same two as on the setlist. My personal favorites were probably 'Blue Valentines', 'Waltzing Matilda', 'House Where Nobody Lives' , 'Murder in the Red Barn' and 'Shore Leave', as well as the aforementioned encore. Most of the set was in the 'clangy' mode, but the quieter numbers were handled with care and sounded fantastic.

The band was just tremendous. How so few people can make such a minimal and yet caterwauling sound I have no idea. Tom mainly just sang and played a little scratchy electric guitar, except for a couple numbers on acoustic and two or three on piano. His son Casey did indeed play drums and he captured his dad's 'oompah' sound perfectly; very few cymbals, almost all floor toms and bass. He used mallets and brushes on almost every song. A guy named Duke played guitar and he was excellent, soloing several times. Larry Taylor, a longtime sidekick, was on bass (and guitar for one song) and I did not catch the percussionist/keyboardist's name, but I know it was not Michael Blair.

Tom's voice was a thing of wonder. Although it has arguably grown even harsher in the past couple of years, when he revisited gentler old stuff (Waltzing Matilda, etc.) it sounded just beautiful. He did his shreiky falsetto thing a few times and the guy can really bring it live.

The lighting was very sublte and again, very minimalist, alternating between bathing the stage in soft shades of green, red, blue or yellow and lighting the band from the footlights and casting their oversize shadows on the back scrim of the Ryman. Tom didn't tell nearly as many anecdotes and stories as I thought he would, although he did crack the crowd up a few times, telling us he would have played Tennessee much sooner except his booking agent told him not to 'saturate' the market (he hasn't played there since '77!). Still, he went on, Larry Taylor was from Tennessee and he figured he'd come on out, even if it was just to buy fireworks.

The Ryman was beautiful, our tickets were superb (7 rows back in the balcony, seats dead center aisle). The church pews got a little uncomfortable, but no one cared. The whole night was just a dream come true and whittled down my list or must see artists by one very important number.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:45 pm

The next best thing to going is reading this! Sounds utterly fabulous. He must be one of the most exciting artists to be performing live. and he's playing What's He Building In There?! Shore Leave must be tremendous. Oh boy.

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:23 pm

Sounds awesome, pophead!

A few newspapers have announced Nov. 21 as the release date for Orphans, a 3CD box set of Waits rarities from through the years. Should be good!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:56 pm

Christ! More good news!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:59 pm

Nashville setlist:

Make It Rain
Hoist That Rag
Shore Leave
Gods Away On Business
All The World Is Green
Blue Valentine
Down In The Hole
Cemetery Polka
Tom Traubert's Blues
House Where Nobody Lives
Cause Of It All
'Til The Money Runs Out
Murder In The Red Barn
Shake It
What's He Building In There
Trampled Rose
Get Behind The Mule
Don't Go Into That Barn
It Rains On Me
Sins Of The Father
Going Out West
Day After Tommorrow
Heartattack And Vine
(Spoonful)

From a site with good photo of Tom + guitar at gig, and Orphans cover. Great! Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:04 pm

Not the tracklist, but a possible indication of potential content:

http://www.keeslau.com/TomWaitsSuppleme ... rphans.htm

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:28 pm

Gotta love Tom. Apparently he's added a late night intimate show in Cleveland for Sunday, August 13. Doors open at 11 PM!

What makes this so interesting is he has a show in Akron on the same night at 8 PM! I've never heard of anybody doing that sort of thing before, let alone someone as established as Tom. Granted, Cleveland is only about 45 minutes from Akron.

Emotional Toothpaste · Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:12 pm

Just got back from Chicago. Came away a little disappointed. It was a great show, but not from where I was sitting. Might as well been at Soldier Field.

And whoever Duke Robilard is -- the guy ain't fit to carry Marc Ribot's guitar case. Very unimaginative and bland.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:11 am

Oh dear!

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:35 am

The Cleveland show from Aug 13th is now torrenting here

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-deta ... ?id=107835

Tom Waits
House of Blues
Cleveland, Ohio
8-13-06

Recorded Center Balcony using
Audio Technica 943 Mics>Battery Box>
Sony SBM1>Sony D-8
Transfer Via Sony PCM-R500>HHB 850>
Sound Forge 8.0 (Fades & Tracking)

I put the main set on Disc I & The
Encores on Disc II

Disc I

1. Goin' Out West
2. 219 ( My Baby's Leavin' On )
3. Way Down In The Hole
4. November
5. Blue Valentine
6. Big Black Mariah
7. On The Nickel
8. Cemetery Polka
9. I Wish I Was In New Orleans
10. Johnsburg, Illinois
11. Metropolitan Guide
12. Heart Attack & Vine/Spoonful
13. Make It Rain
14. Circus
15. Singapore
16. It Rains On Me

Disc II - ( Encores )

1. Don't Go Into That Barn
2. Ramblin' Man
3. Whistlin' Past The Graveyard
4. Buzz FledderJohn

After seeing a midnight show added to the tour
I knew it was going to be something special so I opted
to take the 8 hour trek from Jersey. And I'm glad I did.
When you hear this documentation of history I'm certain
you will be too. Enjoy!

Emotional Toothpaste · Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:20 pm

Akron OR Cleveland. Those would've been good. Last night of the tour, impromptu setlist, last minute ticket announcement, Jim Jarmusch in the audience, etc.

Chicago was good. I just had shite seats, the sound was bad, and it was hot up there in the rafters. I was watching 90% of the show squinting with one eye thru a crap pair of binoculars and missing the jokes. What I could see with one eye was really good. He was giving his all. I'm complaining about being hot, but Tom's out there howling, making all these animated contortions and SOUL moves, facial expressions, double-jointed finger-bending, and HIS jacket is soaked through with perspiration. I really shouldn't complain about what I saw, even if it was limited.

Still, its not the same as seeing Elvis front row.

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:25 pm

It's official: Tom Waits' Orphans is out on Nov. 21

From Billboard:

Waits Round Up Three Discs Worth Of 'Orphans'

August 17, 2006, 4:10 PM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Tom Waits opens his vaults for the first time on the three-disc collection "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards," due Nov. 21 via Anti-. Of the 54 tracks, 30 are new recordings. The set will also feature a 94-page booklet.

The "Brawlers" disc is dominated by Waits' more blues-leaning material, and boasts contributions from Primus' Les Claypool, guitarists Dave Alvin and Marc Ribot, saxophonist Ralph Carney, harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite and drummer Brain.

"Bawlers" features ballads, waltzes and Celtic tunes, including "Goodnight Irene," "Little Drop of Poison" and "Bend Down the Branches." The "Bastards" disc loads up on Waits' experimental side via such songs as "King Kong," "Spidey's Wild Ride," "Army Ants" and "Book of Moses."

Waits says the album is full of "songs of dubious origin rescued from cruel fate and now left wanting only to be cared for. Show that you are not afraid and take them home. They don't bite, they just need attention."

The artist just completed a rare, short tour that featured a midnight show at Cleveland's House of Blues, Waits' first club date in 30 years.

Here is the track list for "Orphans":

"Brawlers":
"Lie To Me"
"LowDown"
"2:19"
"Fish In The Jailhouse"
"Bottom Of The World"
"Lucinda"
"Ain't Goin' Down To The Well"
"Lord I've Been Changed"
"Puttin' On The Dog"
"Road To Peace"
"All The Time"
"The Return Of Jackie and Judy"
"Walk Away"
"Sea Of Love"
"Buzz Fledderjohn"
"Rains On Me"

"Bawlers":
"Bend Down The Branches"
"You Can Never Hold Back Spring"
"Long Way Home"
"Widow's Grove"
"Little Drop Of Poison"
"Shiny Things"
"World Keeps Turning"
"Tell It To Me"
"Never Let Go"
"Fannin Street"
"Little Man"
"It's Over"
"If I Have To Go"
"Goodnight Irene"
"The Fall Of Troy"
"Take Care Of All My Children"
"Down There By The Train"
"Danny Says"
"Jayne's Blue Wish"
"Young At Heart"

"Bastards":
"What Keeps Mankind Alive"
"Children's Story"
"Heigh Ho"
"Army Ants"
"Books Of Moses"
"Bone Chain"
"Two Sisters"
"First Kiss"
"Dog Door"
"Redrum"
"Nirvana"
"Home I'll Never Be"
"Poor Little Lamb"
"Altar Boy"
"The Pontiac"
"Spidey's Wild Ride"
"King Kong"
"On The Road"

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am

Here's a decent clip of Tom playing Tom Traubert's Blues from the Ryman show I saw. The person filming must have been very near me, because this view is pretty identical to what mine was.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SUJCXMinOII

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:29 pm

That's great. Good sound. Image none too steady! I love the bit where the bar is blocking his head out, so he looks like the Headless Pianist of the Apocalypse!

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:43 pm

Emotional Toothpaste wrote:Just got back from Chicago. Came away a little disappointed. It was a great show, but not from where I was sitting. Might as well been at Soldier Field.

And whoever Duke Robilard is -- the guy ain't fit to carry Marc Ribot's guitar case. Very unimaginative and bland.

Duke Robillard - you must have caught him on an off night - he's been around forever in Roomful of Blues (Rhode Island based) and he's played with a lot of the blues greats - don't know if he's on the new Dylan album, but he was on Time Out of Mind.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 3:31 pm

Now this would be cool to own. Unfortunately, I don't have a few grand burning a hole in my pocket!

http://cgi.ebay.com/TOM-WAITS-AUTOGRAPH ... dZViewItem