Set List: Love Boat Captain, Even Flow, Save You, Cropduster, Corduroy, I Am Mine, Rival, Given To Fly, Wishlist, Jeremy, You Are, Untitled/MFC, Whipping, I Got Shit, State of Love and Trust, Grievance, Don't Go;
1st encore: Last Exit, Evolution, Down, Small Town, Daughter, Alive;
2nd encore: Indifference, Baba O'Riley

Poster credit: David Lee

Opening the show with Love Boat Capt. was great. Just set a good mood right from the start.

After a few songs Eddie commented that since the show started too early at 5:00 pm, he didn't have time to brush up on his Japanese and thank the crowd politely in their own language. But he thanked everyone anyway (in English) for standing out in the heavy rain waiting in line to get in (doors opened 25 minutes late). The crowd understood and cheered loudly in response.

Everyone seemed to recognize all the knew songs right away. Crowd sang along for most of the old ones. It was cool of Eddie to dedicate I Got Shit to us losers who were destined to enjoy the show in the 3rd level balcony. It was funny. Just before that Eddie held up the eternal red wine bottle and said this toast is for those sitting in the 2nd level balcony. But this song is for all of you who got shitty seats in the 3rd level. Well, then he looked one level higher and saw the spotlight guys stuck up even higher, behind the 3rd balcony... and Eddie says well they got a shitty job. "maybe this songs for you then... I got a shitty job". By this point, the average Japanese has no idea what Eddie is yapping about, including my Japanese wife. I was laughing my ass off because it was so quiet. Then he asked the spotlight guys to move the spot light or put it on him or something. The guy didn't understand and didn't move. Eddie said "your fired" etc. Still nobody has a clue what he is doing and people are starting to look scared because most Japanese know what "your fired" means. Eddie starts asking the spotlight guy to just put the light on him for the start of I Got Shit. Jeff starts to look uncomfortable, walks near Matt behind Eddie. Eddie starts laughing, like he has no idea what to do next. Then miraculously the spotlight shines on Eddie and he starts off I Got Shit just beautifully.

The crowd was not as noisy as I've heard. I'm from Seattle, and I'm used to getting crushed in the mosh pit and I certainly have partial hearing loss loud bands and crowds. But everyone was dancing and jumping. I would not call it a tame crowd. I think Japanese have a different style of expressing their joy at a show. They were loud a couple times, but more just jumping and enjoying the jam sessions. (also, I was on the 3rd level, so it was a different show for me) Especially from Jeremy until the end, the crowd (and me) were in a trance. Constant moving and just floating with the band. Nobody was still for the last hour. It was great.

Ticket credit: David Lee

It was also good to see them in a small venue after the last several shows I saw were Arena shows or Portland Meadows long ago. This time the vocals were loud, and tweaked just right by the time Love Boat Captain ended smoothly. First time I heard Down live, and I liked it.

The venue holds about 5,000, it was ok. It's kind of like the Moore Theater in Seattle, but more vertical and slightly muffled (at least on the 3rd/top level balcony, 2nd row where I was). But being vertical means we were only about 25 or 30 rows back from the stage, looking down on the band. It was still an intimate feeling, and at times the vocals were super crisp, unlike I've heard before standing on the floor. I'd take it over a large arena any day. The crowd was loud in between songs, but mesmerized by Mike and Stone during. I didn't hear a lot of whistling or screaming during the killer solos or "soft" moments. It was kind of a cool groovy small show.

David Lee
Tokyo