Sonic Bliss in Hoboken
The Feelies - Now I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms
B- side of “Doin’ It Again” promo 12″, A&M Records, 1991
I’m like a Deadhead, except the band I follow around is the Feelies. Since they don’t play around here much, this necessitates occasional trips to the East Coast. I saw them for the third time in the past nine months at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on July 4. Another triumph.
The set opened with “When Company Comes,” one of my favorite tracks from The Good Earth, and one I never dreamed they’d trot out live. “Sunday Morning,” “Egyptian Reggae,” and “The Undertow” followed, none of which I’d seen at the earlier shows. The first set was pretty heavy on material from The Good Earth, including “Let’s Go,” “On the Roof,” and the title track.
I guess they’re planning to play Crazy Rhythms in its entirety at All Tomorrow’s Parties in September, so they’ve clearly been whipping that material into shape. Between the second set and the encores, all the tracks were accounted for except “Forces at Work” and Loveless Love.” Particularly spectacular was “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide (Except Me and My Monkey),” with Dave Weckerman wailing away on some pipe-type contraption.
Encores (there were four of them, two songs apiece) included a couple of very interesting surprises: REM’s “Carnival of Sorts,” and The Doors “Take It as It Comes.” Also present were “She Said, She Said,” “Paint It Black,” “Outdoor Miner,” and the Jonathan Richman tune heard here.
This is not a “reunion” tour. This is a great, great American Rock ‘n’ Roll Band, as tight and powerful as anything I’ve ever seen.
-Jon Harrison
Eric H said,
July 7, 2009 @ 5:47 am
Sweet news about the Crazy Rhythms and Good Earth reissues on the Feelies blog.
http://www.thefeeliesweb.com/
I guess it is time to replace the original vinyl copies on my archive…
Andrew said,
July 8, 2009 @ 11:28 am
Their Philly show two months ago was rather spectookular as well.
lowdownkids said,
July 10, 2009 @ 3:05 pm
I think klfgl nailed it right on the head.
lowdownkids said,
July 11, 2009 @ 1:35 am
Hmmm… now klfgl’s comment has been removed it kinda impacts mine. OK then, The Feelies: excellent band, though (boringly predictably) much preferred the earlier records. Anyway, I’m gonna check if they’re coming anywhere near here…
Mike said,
July 28, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
I’m sorry I missed the track.
My favourite track from this time was ‘Decide’ from the Time For a Witness LP. I have the cassette somewhere but no way of playing it.
Do you have it? - could you post it and fill an empty hole in my soul?
Great blog
Mike
Mike said,
July 28, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
Just seen yr latest entry - I’m gutted.
Hopefully, they’ll re-issue Time For a Witness at some point?
Good luck for the future.
Mike