themachinelive.com

I haven't posted in probably 6 years. Thought I would share the setlist and my thoughts of the November 14, 2008 show at Higher Ground located in South Burlington. In a comical moment reminiscent of a beer commercial in which a lead singer yells "Thank You Detroit", and band member whispers over "we're in Cleveland", Joe similarly shouted "Let me hear you Winooski!" (the previous location of the former Higher Ground), Ryan leaned over and must have corrected Joe, and they both got a big smile. No one was offended, I got a laugh out of it.

By the second set the place was pretty much standing room only. The only way to move was around the perimeter, there was no way to move through the crowd. It was an enthusiastic crowd as well. For those that crave the Pre-Dark Side obscure songs, like myself, the show featured two oldies: "Let there be More Light" from Saucers, and "Cymbaline" from More - I admit when I got home I had to look both up to identify the titles.
But the event of the night was the playing of the entire Dark Side album straight through featuring spectacular cameos of a dazzling woman singing the choral portions of the album, and not the usual sax player. My apologies as I did not get the names of the singer or the sax player. The singer was not Nina. The Wizard of Oz was not displayed at this show.

The show also featured something new to me. Near the end of the night Joe and Ryan exchanged instruments, and Todd and Scott exchanged their Drum/keyboard seats for a nice jam session. I knew they were talented at their own instruments, and I figured they were talented enough to play multiple instruments, but I didn't know to what extent. I spoke briefly after the show and he told me the jam is something they recently started doing, so it sounds like if you missed it chances are you may see it again in the future.

After seeing probably 2-3 Machine shows a year since 1991 I can still say I'm thoroughly entertained. You can usually spot me at show donning the original The Machine black t-shirt. I'll be at the show in Troy's Revolution Hall next month. If you haven't been there before it a little smaller than the other common Machine venues. For me it is closest to home in Saratoga.

Setlist disclaimer: This is by memory, and I admit I sometimes don't get The Wall songs titles right, feel free to post any corrections:

Showtime: 9:30
Set 1

In the Flesh
The Thin Ice
A Brick in the Wall (1)
The Happiest Days of our Lives
A Brick in the Wall (2)
Sorrow
Pigs {my personal favorite}
Shine {not sure which edits}
Let There be More Light
Hey You

Set 2
The Dark Side of the Moon album in its entirety
+
Welcome to the Machine
Cymbaline
Empty Spaces/What shall we do now?
Young Lust
Jam in which they all switched instruments
Wish You Were Here {dedication to the late Richard Wright}

Encore
Echoes
One of these Days {show closed a bit after 1AM}

Thanks for posting about the show. This was in my top 5 in the past few months.. Whoever is making that set list is doing a heck of a job! All that jamming. What a crowd too, Scott's mother. Geeze Louise!

for the record ... i knew we were not in winooski ..... i just like saying "winooski"
joe the singer

6 years? How did you stand it? Seriously, glad to have you back in the family!

So glad to see someone else thinks of all us crazy Floyd/Machine friends as FAMILY!!!!!
Makes you feel loved..... ; )

"Away 6 years", simply put, couldn't remember my password, and couldn't figure out how to re-register while keeping my same username, and same e-mail address. I was getting "mailbox full", when trying to re-register, I gave up after a while, but still read other posts. Then one day I gave it another try, maybe I did something different, and I finally got back.

Thanks anyway for the welcome (back). Want to thank the posters that make available the sweet sounds of The Machine shows available on the web. Gets me through those peroids when The Machine are in Europe or the West Coast. But my favorite is the acoustic CD The Machine sells. Pick it up last year at the SYD tribute at BB Kings. Yes, I'm the crazy always yelling "SYD!" at the upstate NY/Vermont shows.

And Joe I agree W I N OO SKi is fun to say. I used to travel the two hours there to get the pony kegs of the smooth Vermont brewed ale not sold in NY for my kegerator.

I keep meaning to post in this thread... sorry for the delay... been busy with other stuff...

First of all, thank you for reviewing the show, I Like Bike. I do believe we met and talked at the show a couple times... I was wearing a green tie-dye with a sunflower-like pattern, and we talked about your old TM t-shirt with the "Celebrating 30 Years of Dark Side of the Moon" swirled on the back, and about the Let There Be More Light song title, among other things... was that you? If so, I'm pretty sure I've seen you at other Burlington shows too, as you looked very familiar. Anyway, great review, and good to see you on the forum!

By the way, your setlist was all correct, except that wasn't The Trial before Young Lust, it was Empty Spaces. Also wanted to add that the female guest vocalist's name way Myra... she could sing, but her voice/tone/inflection/whatever wasn't right for Great Gig... or let's put it this way, she was no Nina. Also, I think the guest sax player was introduced as Mikey C... he was good, but he didn't have Norbert's tone/style. I should mention to the band... my brother was at the last Burlington A-Z show where you used a local sax player, Dave Grippa, and he commented on how excellent he was and that it would've been nice to get him again... but maybe he wasn't available. Oh, and I talked to Joe after the show and confirmed that neither Nina or Norbert are out of the picture or anything like that (I didn't think so, just checking, lol)... they'll use them whenever they can get them, as always.

For my brother's sake, I'm glad this was a Dark Side show, as I believe that's the album that introduced him to Floyd, a little late in the game actually. In college (68-72) he'd heard of Pink Floyd but didn't pay them much attention I guess... he was mainly into The Grateful Dead. Then in maybe the early 80s my other brother gave him Dark Side and told him to check it out, and he was blown away... I remember him commenting back then that if he were ever to be standed on a desserted island and could only take one album with him, that would be it. His next album was Wish You Were Here, which he loved just as much I think... would be cool if he could get a whole Wish show in Burlington sometime. He's still not real familiar with most of Floyd's other albums, mainly just what he hears on the radio and at Machine shows... I told him he seriously needs to buy a few more albums, Meddle and Animals if nothing else, and I think the tastes he's been getting at Machine shows is encouraging him to do just that, as he seems to thoroughly enjoy both the familiar and non-familiar at their shows.

This was a lively, rockin show, and a very enthusiastic crowd... the band seemed to be really having fun up there. My brother said "the base player didn't look as bored as usual"... LOL... yeah I know Ryan, you're just a mellow guy, that's cool. The boys sounded terrific, as usual. Joe kills on the guitar and talkbox on Pigs, of course... glad my brother got to see that. I always love to hear the obscure and beautiful Cymbaline, and Let There Be More Light was a treat.

As ILB pointed out, it was a nice long show, as all Higher Ground shows tend to be it seems... but at this venue that's like a double-edged sword... the extra music is wonderful of course, but it's a long time to stand. Burlington is a college town and I'm sure all those kids don't mind, but let's face it, I'm getting old (and I have a problem with my one foot too), and my brother is 18 years older than me! I also don't like being packed in like sardines with two 7' tall guys standing in front of me (I'm 5'2"). Also a drunken brawl almost broke out a couple times between two assholes standing beside and in front of me, putting me in almost the middle... I got shoved and bruised in the process... just not cool. Higher Ground is a cool place in a lot of ways, like they let the guys play late, and I know it's near and dear in the hearts of the locals, but it's not one of my favorite venues.

Oh by the way, I had a feeling Joe just liked the sound of "Winooski"... my brother and I and the whole crowd got a laugh out of it. The next day I passed a Winooski sign on my way to the Lebanon NH show, and the word was stuck in my head all day!

At this show I unexpectedly got to meet Sue from Bruce's office, only because her husband was wearing a Skyline Music t-shirt... very nice lady, good to put a face with the name. Also nice to see Ron again. And I got to meet a nice couple, Angela and I forget her husband's name, who go to all the New England shows, and I've seen them at Burlington shows before.

Well I wasn't going to bother saying this much, since so much time had passed, but I guess I got carried away, lol.

--Vik

Yes! Vik that was me you talked to during the intermission and after the show. I hadn't checked the forum in a while, but since I'm going to the Troy, NY show Saturday I poped on to see if anything was new, and saw your post. Thanks for the correction to the setlist. I'll try to post a setlist for the Troy show Sunday. I think I recall telling me you won't be at that show - catch you at the next Vermont show then. I see The Machine will be playing in Raleigh, NC in January where my brother lives, tempted to fly down and turn my brother on, but probably won't this time.

Trying to get some of my local friends to go to the Troy show they may opt to get tickets day of -always a pain to coordinate others. In the past I didn't mind as much being packed in, but now I'm finding if the crowd gets too inconsiderate I'll find a new spot to watch/listen from. Vik thanks for the post and I have read your posts in the past, glad I have a face to go with a name.

"What Shall we do Now?" not "Empty Spaces" as i just learned. Check Wikipedia for an interesting story of when at the last minute Pink Floyd replaced "What Shall we do Now?" with a shorter "Empty Spaces" on The Wall vinyl record due to time restraints. I recall thinking while listening to The Machine play it that it was the Movie soundtrack version, "What shall we do now?" rather than "Empty Spaces". The studio version has never been released, although it is featured live on CD. When Floyd plays the part live they play "What shall we do now?" rather than "Empty Spaces".

I never get tired of Floyd or The Machine I'm always learning something new.

thanks " I like bike." I love The Machine too! I'm always happy to see " what shall we do now" on the set list.
It's a real rocker, and the lyrics, brilliant!! That Rog!

I always get mixed up about those two songs and sometimes end up writing both titles down on my setlist with a "?". I have one of the band's setlists from this show and it says Spaces, so that's what I went with, but they don't always exactly stick to what's on the paper, lol. Thanks, ILB... and nice meeting you too!

--Vik