Live in Concert @ the Henry Fonda Theater (Songs From Black Mountain Tour)

Atilla and I saw Live at the Henry Fonda Theater in LA two weeks after seeing them at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. Although Atlanta is our hometown, I have to say that the LA show kicked more ass. Maybe it was the intimate theater (about 800 people, about 40% smaller than the Playhouse), maybe it was the fact that the band just came from the American Idol taping, but the band came out firing.

Click here to see the pics--i got a ton of goods one--was about ten feet from the stage

Thanks to google video, here is Lakini's Juice (click here to go straight to my google video page)



and here's live's incredible cover of johnny cash's 'i walk the line' (click here to go straight to my google page in case the embedded player below does not work)

Before I go any further, I have to say that this tour desperately needs a new opening act. I'm sure Mr. Shapiro is a nice guy, but he managed to sound even worse in LA than he did in Atlanta. His songs are bland, his lyrics laden with clichés, and his stage presence jumps way past the line of earnest into naive. Please, please, for the sake of the fans, find a new opener. Live is such an awesome band that they don't a lame opening act to make them look good.

[Apologies to Mr. Shapiro and his family, friends, and fans. I know he's just doing his best.]

Live opened with Simple Creed, setting the tone for an upbeat, powerful set (in Atlanta they opened with Rattlesnake, which sadly did not show up in the LA show). Ed ran out, crouching at the front of the stage, and high-fiving fans. Ed always has a great stage presence. The biggest difference was that the rest of the band really let it rip loose. From the first B6 chord, Chad and Patrick were all over the stage. While the set list was largely similar to the Atlanta show, it generally felt a lot looser and raw. The Johnny Cash cover of "I Walk the Line" was immense. The crowd kept time by clapping along, and the band ripped it open for the chorus. Live did not disappoint with the crowd pleasers. "Lakini's Juice" (my all-time favorite) blew my eardrums away. Of course, "White, Discussion" and "The Dolphin's Cry" cranked it. Live balanced out the singles with four songs from the new album. The crowd seemed to respond well to "Show" and of course went nuts for "Mystery," which the band had just played on American Idol.

Breaking out some old school songs put a smile on my face--"Voodoo Lady" and "Mirror Song" showed how well the band's early work stands up.

Here's the set list.

1. Simple Creed – V

2. All Over You – Throwing Copper

3. Selling The Drama – Throwing Copper

4. The River – Songs From Black Mountain

5. Mystery – Songs From Black Mountain

6. They Stood Up For Love – The Distance To Here

7. I Walk The Line – Awake / The Best of Live

8. Wings – Songs From Black Mountain

9. Lighting Crashes – Throwing Copper

10. Lakini's Juice – Secret Samadhi

11. The Dolphin's Cry – The Distance To Here

12. I Alone – Throwing Copper

13. Heaven – Birds of Pray

14. Show – Songs From Black Mountain

15. Run To The Water – The Distance To Here

16. Mirror Song – Mental Jewelry

17. Iris – Throwing Copper

18. White, Discussion – Throwing Copper

19. Sophia – Songs From Black Mountain

20. Voodoo Lady – The Distance to Here

21. Beauty of Grey – Mental Jewelry

22. Dance With You – The Distance To Here