Mercoledì 11 Giu 2008, 11:51

It was a great evening; from having a few drinks in the Big Chill House before hand to getting the train back to Bedford.
I read a review on another website, which was ranting about the venue and people there in a derogatory manner, so I thought I could do better.

Opening was Christine Fellows, who I didn't realise was married to John K Sampson. We missed her first few songs but what I heard was good and she sang her heart out, I'm sure she was crying at one point.
New York's Dawn Landes is very pretty and played country orientated songs on her acoustic guitar accompanied by an energetic drummer that reminded me of Animal from the Muppets. He was played the drums with maracus, a water bottle and anything else he could lay his hands on. It didn't phase him when Dawn's guitar strap broke and she shouted to him to carry on, she apologised very sweetly at the end.

Then the Weakerthans appeared, the white circles on stage (which were puzzling my friend, Philipa) became illuminated,they were subtle lighting, and John K Sampson launched into Bigfoot.

A rough setlist is:
Bigfoot
Our Retired Explorer
Civil Twilight
Sun In An Empty Room
Night Windows
The Reasons
Benediction
Tournament Of Hearts
Greatest Hits Collection
Reconstruction Site
Aside
Left And Leaving
Confessions Of A Futon-Revolutionist
Elegy For Elsabet
Plea from a Cat Named Virtute
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One Great City!
Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure
Without Mythologies
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My Favourite Chords
Pamphleteer
Watermark

The place was vibrant, every song was enthusiastically applauded. My friends & I sang along to the Reasons, Our Retired Explorer and most of the others. We guessed One great City would be in the encore, John did a brilliant solo for this and grinned broadly, when the audience sang the punchline!

Everything was perfect, a great venue, good company (cheers Matt,Philipa, Morph & Davina), excellent sound system and of course a brilliant live band, The Weakerthans.
The Weakerthans
Bedford