07/18/03 - Alpine Valley Music Theatre - East Troy, Wisconsin
Set 1: Axilla, Rift, Bathtub Gin > Mango Song, Roggae, Discern, I Didn’t Know^ > Dust in the Wind^*, David Bowie
Set 2: Down with Disease > Catapult, Bug, Secret Smile, Two Versions of Me, Twist, Character Zero
Encore: Harry Hood
^ w/ vacuum solo; * for Dave, who won the hotline contest
This was my first show. Lots of fun…of course I was overwhelmed by it all. Deepest thanks to Mary for bringing me along for this weekend…I haven’t been the same since. 
I still listen to Down with Catapult every now and again. They are locked in for that jam.
After driving all night from Bonner Springs we arrived in Chi-Town super early to meet up with more dudes. This upped our crew significantly. I even picked up this dude at Bonner Springs that I met that night and gave him a lift to Alpine. He got left by his buddies in Utah and somehow made it to Kansas. I figured I keep him on his journey. Strung out dude, but he was fun. Wook’d.
Well were in Chi-Town by 9 AM and load up…I mean load up on brews for the Alpine shows. What cures tiredness and a hangover…yet more drinking. Once again we made it to the lots super early. Met more dudes here. These were fun shows becaues there was a crew of at least 20 of us there. A lot of first timers too!
I had pavilion seats Trey side (Fishman side now). Awesome way to start a show here with the ragin Axilla and Rift. They got us moving right away. Actually all in all an enjoyable first set. Bathtub>Mango. I’m a sucker for I Didn’t Know. No I didn’t cover my ears as the vacuum solo was for Dave. And a Bowie is always a great way to finish a first set.
DWD opens the second set and were off. I’m envisioning great things here. Love DWD second set openers. This one definitely doesn’t disappoint. Twas a rager. Can’t go wrong when a Catapult is sung over the end of the jam. Then we get Bug. Okay I like Bug. I wasn’t quite ready to slow down yet, but it’s cool. Still a beautiful song. Next is Secret Smile. What? Are you kidding me. My first secret smile and boy I wish I got this in the first set. The set is starting to go down hill now. Next is 2 versions of Me. What? Alright this set has officially lost me. I’m sleeping now. My first 2 versions of Me. Why of why couldn’t they have played this in this first set. Shit give me the Bowie, Mango in the second set instead. They then try to regain the crowd by going into Twist. Love Twist, but I was already a goner. This couldn’t salvage the set although it wasn’t a bad version. Character Zero closes the set. Ugh. What a bummer of a second set. Worst set I saw all summer. It starts so awesome with the DWD>Catapult then just peters out.
Hood is always a fun encore, but it was a little too late.
This review is pretty harsh, but it was honestly how I felt at the time. Maybe I was too demanding back then as I wanted to hear this or that. This second set definitely left alot to be desired. After Coventry I often thought of this show. I thought man what I would give to have this show again. Sometimes you have to appreciate what’s in front of you at the time. I still say the second set sucks, but not every show is going to blow you away.
Don’t mean to shit on your first show Hank. I know we’ve discussed this before. I’ve kinda come full circle on it now though. I definitely appreciate and cherish each and every show I attended.
Loving a two night stand so I don’t have to drive anywhere this night. A bunch of us stayed in a hotey in Milwaukee. I remember bitching nonstop after the show, but I knew just knew they would make up for it the next night.