Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS 1/28/08

The sweater stayed in the box tonight…Lot’s of Folks saying, “WOW” on the way out this evening, me included. Sorry to the Ryan haters that I don’t have any fuel for your fire here…Left tonight’s show to decide whether or not to buy a ticket for tomorrow tonight, and I’m sold. Not a chance I’m missing out on another remarkable show.

So for the Review of tonight…

First set opened with Peaceful Valley. Within a minute, Sammie was looking at me pointing to her ear with a big smile on her face. The sound was crisp right from the get go. Peaceful was jammed out right into Magnolia Mountain. Smooth as can be the segued continued right into a delicious Dear Chicago.

Now was the first break in the action. I’m not one to yell things at shows, even at Ryan shows, as enticing it sometimes is. But this evening I couldn’t hold myself back. And before any of that tension that Rob mentioned in his review from last Wed could build up, I had to let it out…

“It sounds AMAZING in here Ryan!!!”

With Sammie tugging on my sleeve not to…

No tension tonight…

The set continued with TWO and had Ryan up on the piano. Slow, mellow, and Tight as could be. Rescue Blues followed, into something I’ve never heard before I don’t think...so I’m gonna call it When You Left Me All Alone??? My ears were in heaven. It slipped right back into Rescue Blues.
Ryan dropped all instruments, except his voice…Nailed it Lance…for The Sun Also Sets.
Some talk about Glen Danzig, then another smokin’ hot Shakedown on 9th St that flowed perfectly into Beautiful Sorta.

Now Ryan was talking up a storm this evening. There were times I swear he would go on for 5 min. But the crowd was very responsive which in turn gets Ryan talking even more. Yes, there are nights were you’ve heard it before, but then there are evenings that the man's whit and pure genius sparkle. Where he comes up with this shit, and how…My face hurt by the end of the evening I was laughing and smiling so much. Been a long time…

The set continued with Halloween Head. Now this wasn’t the Halloween Head I’ve heard before. Not hard and dark, but rather soft, and beautiful with him on the piano. How he can change it up so amazes me.
Bartering Lines closed out the first set and also was slow, and mellow, with that Berkeley Psycadelic groove.

Couldn’t wait for the second set as Ryan had described it as totally different and people were mostly much higher for the second set…or something to the like.

Sammie and I were stoked to hear Wonderwall again. Love that song, and the way Ryan sings it makes me melt. Everybody Knows had Ryan and Spacewolf grooving off each other. I love it when you can see 2 musicians connect like that, but even better is when you see a whole band connect like that. I can’t quite put a word on it…but tightness doesn’t quite do it justice.
Sweet Carolina followed…and again, just absolutely brilliant. Next was When the Stars Go Blue. Now how many artists do you know that can cough in the middle of an accapella section, yet not miss a beat and make it flow? Yes, a COUGH.
Goodnight Rose had it all, brilliant vocals and harmonies, groovy psycadelic jams, smoking guitar licks…And Off Broadway that followed did as well. They had been building to such a point, how was the night going to get any better?
With more incredible musicianship.
Oh My God Whatever Etc. had John on piano, and Brad on a shaker that added just the perfect touch.
After some great crowd play with the explanation to the album title Heartbreaker, the stepped into Elizabeth You Were Born to Play That Part.
Cold Roses preceded and had the glory of recent versions, and then right at the end came a quick Mockingbird tease, but no…the end of Cold Roses right into Mockingbird. Easy Plateau ended the second set and Ryan said, “This one goes out to my man Lesh.”
I think Phil’s boys were in attendance and probably hangin’ with Ryan before hand.
Rather than the band leave the stage and return in the traditional manner, the band gathered at the front of the stage with Ryan and Neal on acoustic. They had them raise the house lights and closed the evening with a tender Pearls on a String.

I feel very luck and treated to be at the Zellerach this evening, and hope some of you were able to catch this most wonderful show.

See ya tomorrow…PEACE

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Zellerbach Auditorium
1/28/2008

Set I
Peaceful Valley >
Magnolia Mountain >
Dear Chicago
Two
Rescue Blues >
(??? When You Left Me All Alone???) >
Rescue Blues
The Sun Also Sets
Shakedown On 9th St. >
Beautiful Sorta
Halloween Head
Bartering Lines

Set II
Wonderwall
Everybody Knows
Oh My Sweet Carolina
When The Stars Go Blue
Goodnight Rose
Off Broadway
Evening Joke w/ John Graboff
Oh My God Whatever Etc.
Elizabeth You Were Born To Play That Part
Cold Roses >
Mockingbird
Easy Plateau
Pearls On A String

RA indeed made a nice shout out to his man "lesh" before the last song in berkeley

"TWO" from easy tiger played in the 1st set and "oh my sweet carolina" in the 2nd

the acoustic 2 mic "pearls" encore was a treat

what a great show

hope it was taped