Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: The Gourds, GAMH, 4/11/07

The Gourds
Great American Music Hall
SF, CA
4/11/07

This review is going to go backwards, like having dessert first.

The band encored with Gin & Juice. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I can't believe they actually did it, I'd heard the recording plenty of times but last I knew they were sick of it. Turns out someones brother was in the crowd and he really really wanted to hear it. It was actually a G&J>When the Lights Go Down in the City>Up on Cripple Creek>G&J ha ha. Fun stuff. The first song of the encore was the guitar player singing, accompanied only by the drummer...a Gallows Pole sort of variation.

They closed the set, which was pretty short, just over 90 minutes, with Dear Prudence. It was nice, but the show started with a bunch of slow stuff, it took the crowd far to long to get moving. A whole bunch of stiff people in the crowd. But by the end they were getting their boogie on

The middle of the set was accordian heavy giving it a distinct zydeco feel. My friend turned to me and said 'so this is what you mean when you describe zydeco?' Oh the joy! He actually listens and remembers when I talk!! We had a zydeco conversation many many moons ago...

The venue has had a bit of work done, anyone else see the "new" GAMH yet? The shot and a beer bar is gone! It's looks great, the new bar extends the old bar and wraps around the corner, taking over the shot and beer space, it really opens the back corner up. And the smoking nazi's were no where to be found, I was actually a little surprised at how lax things seemed, new manager perhaps?

I won my tickets to the show, so for free, I give it two thumbs up!

They also did a nice cover of Dylan's You Ain't Going Nowhere.

I liked that too.

Saw 'em the night before at the Palms and they tore it up as usual. I had been to the last 3 shows at the GAMH but this time they scheduled it during the week, so I got real lucky that they played Winters. Along with the DBTs these guys are my favorite live band going, have been for the last 7-8 years. Buy their albums, these guys are so fucking good! From what I've heard the G&J has reappeared in setlists of late, guess they didn't shelve it forever. Below is what I remember of the setlist

Collection's
I'm Troubled
(after this I don't recall things in the proper order, so sorry)
I Like Drinking
Grievin' & Smokin'
two new songs, one Kevin, one Jimmy
O Rings
El Paso
My Name is Jorge
Ants on the Melon
Hellhounds
Decline-O-Meter
Shamrock Bound
Mister Betty
Burn the Honeysuckle
Pill Bug Blues
encore
All the Labor
Gallows Tree
Oh Sister
Turkey Through the Corn

Nice reviews!

Buncombe - thanks for turning me on to these guys - they're excellent!

I wish it could have been a Friday night, these guys definitely have some shit kickin', beer drinkin', knee slappin' good times in 'em...

the last 3 times at the GAMH were on a Friday or Saturday and shit happened! We had about 12 people there last time for my belated birthday party and it was a rock and roll tequila fest

Dave, my pleasure- I'm Johnny Gourds-seedin' everywhere I go!

>>>anyone else see the "new" GAMH yet?<<<

This kind of thing always frightens me. I haven't been there in a while, how different is it? Is it just the bar that they changed? I always worry about "suits" coming in to old places thinking they are the next Bill Graham and changing things for the worse. I LOVE that old place and would just as soon see it left completely alone.

BTW, was the show sold out?

I wasn't there, so I can't say, but I would be surprised if it was sold out. Don't even know if they sold out the last 3 that were on the weekends. For whatever reason CA hasn't caught onto the Gourds like WA, OR, & MT, all places where they draw well for multiple nights at the same venue. Eventually I'm just gonna break down on go on the NW tour with them, especially to Missoula, which for whatever reason has become their home away from Austin

just to keep this thread from dying, I don't know of too many bands who pull more songs into the setlist than do the Gourds, and the thing that makes them uniques is that they don't rely heavily on covers to do it. They are some quality songwritin' motherfuckers. They do amazing covers, but they are selective and not featured as much as their own material. I can't recommend these guys more than I already do. Anyone not familiar owes it to his/herself to check these guys out