If you were to ask me for my top five current bands in 1999, at the time The Smashing Pumpkins would have been on that list. I was not on the Gish train, it wasn't until the single "Today" from Siamese Dream slid into heavy rotation on MTV in the later half of 1993 that I got on board, scooped up Gish, and started buying everything I could get my hands on. If a UK 3-song single appeared in the bins of either Madhatter's or Finder's in Bowling Green, I was grabbing it. I obsessed over Pisces Iscariot - "this compilation is better than most bands regular albums!" - and fully digested Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The Aeroplane Flies High single box? Purchased. Huge left turn with Adore? Not a problem.
After the turmoil of 1998, the death of Jonathan Melvoin and departure of Jimmy Chamberlain, I wasn't sure what to make of the band, as they seemed to heading down the road of collapse. However, in 1999, it was announced Chamberlain had rejoined the band, reforming the original lineup, and the band was heading out on a nine-date tour dubbed "The Arising!" with Queens of the Stone Age as the opener. There are a lot of things, in retrospect, that changed after this tour. First, it was D'arcy Wretzky's last tour with the band, soon replaced by Hole bassist Melissa Auf de Maur. Second, Queens of the Stone Age were largely unknown, and just over a year later would release their second album, but first as a true full band, Rated R. Queens when on to become the hard rock band of the 2000s, and it could be argued that this tour was a preview of the passing of the torch. How so, you may ask?
Showing posts with label cincinnati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cincinnati. Show all posts
Concert Review: The Twilight Singers @ Top Cats, Cincinnati, OH (10/15/00)
After the demise of my beloved Afghan Whigs, frontman Greg Dulli quickly returned with a supergroup of sorts, The Twilight Singers. Comprised of Satchel & Brad frontman Shawn Smith and Howlin Maggie leader Happy Chichester, the band boasted three unique talents, voices and songwriters, which of course meant it couldn’t last.
If fact, by the time this early tour took place, Shawn Smith was already out of the band, leaving Happy in second banana role to Greg, even though the band was comprised of the then current roster of Howlin Maggie on drums, bass and lead guitar, with Happy on keys and guitar and Greg on rhythm guitar.
Since the band was relatively new, songs were culled from both the Afghan Whigs and Howlin Maggie catalogs. As it was the Howlin Maggie band, seeing them play Whigs tunes with Greg out front was a bit odd, yet any chance to hear those songs played live was appreciated.
This line-up wouldn’t last, as the Twilight Singers would essentially become an outlet for Greg’s solo output, with a new cast of characters seemingly weaving there way in and out record to record and tour to tour.
SETLIST
The Twilite Kid
Clyde
That’s Just How That Bird Sings
King Only
66 (AW)
Easy To Be Stupid (HM)
Love
Annie Mae
Umbretta (AW)
Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin For Yang)
Last Temptation
Crazy (AW)
A Love Supreme
Please Stay (Once You Go Away)
Twilight
Black Love (AW)
If fact, by the time this early tour took place, Shawn Smith was already out of the band, leaving Happy in second banana role to Greg, even though the band was comprised of the then current roster of Howlin Maggie on drums, bass and lead guitar, with Happy on keys and guitar and Greg on rhythm guitar.
Since the band was relatively new, songs were culled from both the Afghan Whigs and Howlin Maggie catalogs. As it was the Howlin Maggie band, seeing them play Whigs tunes with Greg out front was a bit odd, yet any chance to hear those songs played live was appreciated.
This line-up wouldn’t last, as the Twilight Singers would essentially become an outlet for Greg’s solo output, with a new cast of characters seemingly weaving there way in and out record to record and tour to tour.
SETLIST
The Twilite Kid
Clyde
That’s Just How That Bird Sings
King Only
66 (AW)
Easy To Be Stupid (HM)
Love
Annie Mae
Umbretta (AW)
Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin For Yang)
Last Temptation
Crazy (AW)
A Love Supreme
Please Stay (Once You Go Away)
Twilight
Black Love (AW)
Concert Review: The Afghan Whigs & Howlin’ Maggie @ Bogarts, Columbus, OH (9/25/99)
This was it, supposedly the last Afghan Whigs show. For most people, that doesn’t mean much. The Whigs were an acquired taste, first with their midwestern bar band brand version of Husker Du meets The Replacements, and later with their refined soul rock that combined ’60s Motown and ’90s Seattle.
Like the legendary KISS, their records never did justice to the band the way their explosive live shows could. Lead singer/guitarist Greg Dulli, currently fronting the more sedate Twilight Singers, could be cool and seductive one moment, acerbic and nasty the next. At this particular show, Dulli was more reflective and unguarded than previous shows.
After a solid opening set by Whig contributor Happy Chichester and his reformed band Howlin’ Maggie, Happy joined the Whigs on stage for the set-opening cover of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town, engaging in some triple guitar fun while Dulli adjusted the lyrics to “The Afghan Whigs are back in town.”
Drawing from their vast catalog of originals and covers, the band stuck mostly to the later era of the band, ignoring the earlier material, while sprinkling in their trademark covers of The Supremes, Steve Wonder and others. Still, this was not the Whigs at their best. Maybe it was the moment, knowing this would probably be the last time the band would ever take the stage together (unless someone, say, threw a bunch of money at them to unite at Cochella or some other destination show), that cast a somewhat somber note on the whole evening.
AFGHAN WHIGS SETLIST
The Boys Are Back In Town
Superstition/Going To Town/In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Uptown Again
Come See About Me
Be Sweet
Neglekted/Do You Feel Like We Do/Nasty
King Only
If I Were Going
Debonair
Bad Girl/66/Little Red Corvette
I’ll Be Around
Somethin’ Hot
Crazy
Bulletproof/Baby Love
People Get Ready/Faded
Fountain And Fairfax/Hot For Teacher
Omerta/The Vapire Lanois/All You Need Is Love
Into The Groove/Rebirth Of The Cool
Like the legendary KISS, their records never did justice to the band the way their explosive live shows could. Lead singer/guitarist Greg Dulli, currently fronting the more sedate Twilight Singers, could be cool and seductive one moment, acerbic and nasty the next. At this particular show, Dulli was more reflective and unguarded than previous shows.
After a solid opening set by Whig contributor Happy Chichester and his reformed band Howlin’ Maggie, Happy joined the Whigs on stage for the set-opening cover of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town, engaging in some triple guitar fun while Dulli adjusted the lyrics to “The Afghan Whigs are back in town.”
Drawing from their vast catalog of originals and covers, the band stuck mostly to the later era of the band, ignoring the earlier material, while sprinkling in their trademark covers of The Supremes, Steve Wonder and others. Still, this was not the Whigs at their best. Maybe it was the moment, knowing this would probably be the last time the band would ever take the stage together (unless someone, say, threw a bunch of money at them to unite at Cochella or some other destination show), that cast a somewhat somber note on the whole evening.
AFGHAN WHIGS SETLIST
The Boys Are Back In Town
Superstition/Going To Town/In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Uptown Again
Come See About Me
Be Sweet
Neglekted/Do You Feel Like We Do/Nasty
King Only
If I Were Going
Debonair
Bad Girl/66/Little Red Corvette
I’ll Be Around
Somethin’ Hot
Crazy
Bulletproof/Baby Love
People Get Ready/Faded
Fountain And Fairfax/Hot For Teacher
Omerta/The Vapire Lanois/All You Need Is Love
Into The Groove/Rebirth Of The Cool
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