Spring AK Concert Tour - Second Stop

In the midst of all the Easter celebration (more on that later), I made my second stop on my concert tour and found myself at Club Cafe down in the South Side. I went with my friends Val and Brian to see Will Hoge.

I have been told before, lots of times actually, that I am obsessed with this band. Sure, this was the 13th time I have seen them in less than 3 years. Really, it is not that big of a deal. I have just seen them every time they have come to Pittsburgh. A couple times I did go to Cleveland to see them too. I traveled down to Morgantown, WV to check them out once but that was mostly because I hadn't seen them for a few months AND they were playing at my old hang out. And I guess there was that one time when I went all the way to Annapolis, MD to see them. Oh, and that time I drove a mere 9 hours to see them in Greenville, SC. If it is obsession, I am proud of it and I can almost guarantee if you have any respect for good music, you would be blown away by this band too.

Great show of course, but that is to be expected. They have got so many songs now that each show is a surprise set list. That is the first show I have ever been to where they didn't play "Woman Be Strong", the song that stopped me in my tracks and commanded me to pay attention to this band. When their newest album came out last fall, I wasn't all that impressed with the title track, "Draw the Curtains". I certainly wasn't impressed when they started using up their precious stage time by playing that song. I am still not a huge fan of the song but they just killed it. I had goosebumps. Interesting how a song that I am not that crazy about can still be performed with such perfection to move me like that.

The only unfortunate part of the show was that they were playing the early slot. Which of course means that there was a late slot, giving them a strict time at which they had to be out of there. Despite the best efforts of everyone in attendance to get them to play for four more hours, they had to be out of there. So, they just played. No talk, no messing around, not even wasting time with leaving the stage to come back on for an encore.

After the show I only got a quick hello to Will. I asked about his son. He asked about my kids. (This guy does 200+ shows a year and somehow still remembers his fans, even if it is just little things like the fact that I have a kid or two.) And just for the record, I may be obsessed with this band but I assure you that the fact that the lead singer of this incredible band is named Will and my son is named Will has no correlation.

A loose set list for my own entertainment:
Secondhand Heart
Sex, Lies, and Money
Pocket Full of Change
She Don't Care About Me
Silver and Gold
I'm Sorry Now
Wait 'Til Your Daddy Gets Home
Baby Girl
When I Can Afford to Lose
Wish
Draw the Curtains
Sweet Magdeline
Ms. Williams
Dirty Little War (first time I have heard this one live)
Not That Cool
Washed by the Water

Val, Brian, and I were in attendance for the opening act. After all the comments I made about the band's excessive peppiness and stupidity of banter, Val and Brian called me a hater and even went as far as claiming I hate freedom. Out of respect to my friends (who I don't even think read my blog), I will not make any further comment about the opening band.

(Concert update news: I found someone - or two someones - to go to Billy Joel with me. The ticket options are awful though so I don't really think I even want to go now. Also, totally forgot that I was planning on going to another concert here just before Memorial Day so I think that needs to be added into my plans for my spring concert tour.)