Set List: Love Boat Captain, Hail Hail, Save You, Corduroy, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Thin Air, Help Help, You Are, I Am Mine, improv - Don't Drive Me, Green Disease, Wishlist, Better Man, Insignificance, Evolution, Porch/(Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney);
1st encore: Thumbing My Way, Black, Bu$hleaguer, Daughter, Go;
2nd encore: Soon Forget, Crazy Mary, Rockin In The Free World

I have seen the band on the last 2 tours (I saw Yield in Denver and Binaural in Albuquerque). This show was the best I have heard them sonically. I have been plenty close to the band on previous tours (again, thanks to the Ten Club) ... but the band sounded crisper then I have ever seen them (it's my 7th show). They opened with a soft touch, as they always do... then tore into some serious rockers! Right off the bat we got Corduroy and Save You... which just rocked the place. The band was in great form as always, in case you haven't seen them: Jeff Ament is pure business, he doesn't pose or smile. He stays back and plays his instrument like a mad man. Stone was his reserved self, the least likely person to be in a huge rock band. Stone just lays low and plays his part. Eddie looked unique in that it was the first time I had ever seen him groomed. No beard, no long hair, and (after the first song) no military jacket). As for McCready, he was the same as always... a bit camera friendly and schmaltzy... but the best rock guitarist in the business.

Some stand out performances were the intro to 'Better Man.' Eddie referenced a local basketball player (Brian Williams of the Denver Nuggets, who later went by the name Bison Dele). Anyhow, the significance is that Bison turned up missing last summer on a tour to Hawaii. It turned out (this was all the news in Denver) that his brother had killed him. It was a very thoughtful elegy.

Perhaps the best performance was 'Even Flow.' Here is where McCready just thrived. I mean. We all know he can tear apart the bridge to 'Black' with no effort... but his solo work on Even Flow was genuinely inspiring. Trust me, I don't often hand out accolades like that... but McCready is the best rock guy in the business! Late in the second set we got to hear 'Go' This was a wacky choice because by this time I was dead tired... but the band rocked 'Go' with a merciless abandon.

When the band came back after their first set break. Eddie came out by himself and played 'Soon Forget.' It was great fun because he blew the lyrics. Other highlights were the show starting with hard rockers like Hail Hail and Corduroy. Later in the show we were treated to 'Crazy Mary.' The significance of this super rare tune was that it showcased their awesome keyboard player 'Boom.'

The last song was 'Keep On Rockin In The Free World. Anyhow, my ears hurt a great deal and (Need to get to bed.) Thanks as always.

Kevin Lang
Parker, CO

After a great Even Flow, Ed then said how happy he was to be in Salt Lake City. I'm sure it was intended to be ironic but it seemed to be part of a strange vibe around the show. Thin Air was given several titles when it was introduced including one about Denver. Lots of Riot Act tonight which was great. After a great version of I Am Mine, Ed did a little number that I'm gonna call S.U.V. before going into Green Disease. After Insignificance, Ed wanted to talk a little about politics and war when someone in the crowd yelled "shut up" he gave a nice lecture about the First Amendment.

Then came Evolution and a wild version of Porch. Second set highlights, wow what wasn't a highlight? The Daughter tag was a sing-along spelling L. O. V. E. Finally the encore, Soon Forget was great and including a few stops and starts by Ed that he indicated might be the result of the bottle sitting next to him. Crazy Mary, beyond words. The few folks starting to leave missed out on the hottest jam of the night when the closed with Rocking in the Free World that I can only describe as a rock and roll revival of the collective of elated spirits. Great night. Thanks to everyone who made it happen including the crowd.