kevins_concerts | Femmes in Chicago

I learned the Violent Femmes were playing Chicago, so I decided to take the day off and head to the city. I shot some photos, met a friend and we went to the show.

I had never seen them outside of Milwaukee, and was curious of the difference. I figured they'd have a lot more people with them while playing in the hometown, and I was right. The band was Gano, Ritchie and Sparrow, with Garza and three others. No Hamilton. They had the two roadies in the Horns of Dilemma, playing horns for "Black Girls" and percussion for much of the rest of the show, plus the woman named Jamie playing Trumpet.

My friend Brenda and I were down front in the crowd. A couple of large people moved in on our turf just before the show started, so it became even more packed. In the last third or quarter of the show, a bunch of kids came down and started moshing. It was distracting and a little annoying to have to spend most of your energy trying to keep your feet. And I pushed hard on the body passees, to move them away from us (I'm tall enough to get some leverage on them). Brenda and I got separated, and she was given some sanctuary right at the front. Man, I'm out of shape. Just a little bit of moshing and I was exhausted.

Other than that, the shows were similar. They played two songs that I was excited to hear. "Breakin' Up" was one. I didn't enjoy it as much as on the album. Too rough in concert? After fifteen songs, Ritchie strapped on his electric bass. That's always a good sign. I guessed they'd play "Gimme the Car." But Ritchie said they'd play a song they don't play very often. For a moment I thought that meant "Color Me Once," but he then said it was from their second album. It wouldn't be "Hallowed Ground" because there was no keyboardist on stage, so that meant "Never Tell"! I've heard it in concert many (several?) times, but it's probably my favorite Femmes tune. I danced my ass off (as did a very few people around me).

It was a fun show. As always. It was hot, and I was drenched in sweat. The moshers were only a little annoying. Between moshing and dehydration, I was exhausted by the end. I'm sure glad I bought water before the show!

As for the setlist, in comparison to the Milwaukee show...
They started both shows with "Blister" and "Kiss Off". Here, they added "Confessions" and "You Move Me", before "Good for/at Nothing", "Love Love Love Love Love", "Country Death Song", "I Could Be Anything" and "Prove My Love". Then they added "Breakin' Up" and "Believing in Myself". Then "Jesus Walking", before the added "Good Feeling". "Issues" and "I Held Her in My Arms" were common to both shows, but in Milwaukee, they had played "Old Mother Reagan", "Freak Magnet" and "Gimme the Car" between them. Here, they left out "Color Me Once", but finished up with "Gone Daddy Gone", "Black Girls", "American Music", "Memory" and "Add It Up". They switched the order of "Gone Daddy Gone" and "Black Girls". Other than that, each song that was common to both shows was played in the same order. Ritchie calls the songs from the stage. I wonder how much of the show is decided beforehand. "American Music" was called as a request by a kid in the balcony, though they always play it.

Ava Mendoza opened the show. She's a solo guitarist. She has quite a full sound. She sang a few songs, but I wasn't as thrilled with her voice. She has a low, husky sound, which fits her somewhat dark style of music. She joined the Horns of Dilemma for "Add It Up", and did the guitar solo near the end.

7-13-16