I've seen the Feelies a couple of times before and while they were enjoyable, the shows never really grabbed me. Maybe all I needed was to see them in a small sold out club because last Saturday, they put on a hell of a show.
The first set was acoustic and when the band started playing, the crowd treated them like they were an opening band. I mean the noise (talking) in the club almost drowned out the band at times. If they had finished the set and called it a night, I wouldn't have blamed them. The set was heavy on covers with their usual touchstones (Velvets, Beatles, Jonathan Richman) and ended with the Stones 'Paint it Black' which seemed to wake the crowd up.
Perhaps determined to show the crowd what they were capable of, the second set was all electric, all originals and all power. The sound was great even percussionist Dave Weckerman's various instruments rang out loud and clear. To the moron that kept yelling out for the vocals, it wasn't the sound that was the problem it was that Glenn Mercer just didn't seem interested in singing into the mike. He'd move back to play some solo and belatedly get back to sing into the mike. Actually it wasn't really a problem because the crowd supplied the vocals and not in the loud, overwhelm the music kind of way but in a way that augmented the band. It was pretty cool.
Then came the encores. Every time, I've seen them there are multiple encores so I was prepared but they outdid themselves this time - five encores. The best thing was after the first two, when they would leave the stage. their guitar tech would look backstage to get a confirmation that they were coming back before he would start tuning the guitars, so I guess the last three depended on the crowd and were not planned. Real encores.
The Feelies said they were planning a fall tour and I've seen a dates set in NJ and CT but hopefully it will expand so more people can get a chance to see them.
Setlist
Acoustic Set
When Company Comes
Sunday Morning (The Velvet Underground cover)
Egyptian Reggae (Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers cover)
The Inner Light (The Beatles cover)
In Between
Everyday (Buddy Holly cover)
Let's Go
The Undertow
Shakin' Street (MC5 cover)
Nobody Knows
Find a Way
Invitation
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey (The Beatles cover)
Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones cover)
Electric Set
On and On
On the Roof
Change Your Mind
Higher Ground
Decide
Two Rooms
The Final Word
Away
Doin' It Again
Too Far Gone
Raised Eyebrows
Crazy Rhythms
Encore 1
Slipping (Into Something)
I'm Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground cover)
Encore 2
Original Love
Fa Cé-La
Encore 3
Heart Full of Soul (Graham Gouldman cover)
Mannequin (Wire cover)
Encore 4
Speed of Life (David Bowie cover)
I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover)
Encore 5
She Said She Said (The Beatles cover)
We're Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (The Velvet Underground cover)
