Checked probably the Biggest One off the concert list over the weekend. the Mountain Goats did a solo show at a new place in Philly. It was seated, but not in the way I expected, as they served food, so I was at a table with people I didn't know eating food, which would have been better if the person who bought the seat next to me decided to come, but they didn't, and I was opposite a couple.
Anyway, it was, predictably, everything I hoped for and more. John dipped pretty far back in the catalog, doing some songs that he hasn't done in years, even if he there are still a ton of personal favorites that occasionally get played which still escape me at these Philly shows. Played a song that was cut from
In League With Dragons that apparently had never been played before, this really amazing new song was debuted, though he said it's unlikely to make the next album, and a decent mixture of newer tMG stuff that, thankfully, didn't lean super heavy towards ILwD or
Goths, nothing from
Beat The Champ either, all of which were fine, and I like all those albums a good deal, but saw the tours around each one. Plus he hasn't really been doing my favorites from each of them live, so it's alright. Still a woeful under representation of
All Eternals Deck, though I guess he's mostly chopped that down to one or two songs that make the usual rounds. Unfortunately still no "Your Belgian Things" but I'm hopeful to see that at some point, and he has been playing more (and did different ones than the usual) from
We Shall All Be Healed as that album kind of continues to, rightfully, have its moment, and is perhaps my favorite of their post-AHWT work. Speaking of, there were a couple of
All Hail West Texas ones in there, but I think I've seen at least one, if not both, before, and neither was "Pink And Blue" or "Fall Of The Star High School Running Back" which I would have liked to see. Don't think there was anything from FFG either.
The encore did end with "Going To Alaska" which was incredible to see live, and my favorite "Going To..." song (except for maybe Maine, which I think I may like more), and I'm super jealous of the people in Frisco who get a chance to have three nights of solo shows in a row, I'd flip a shit seeing that. Do hope to get a chance to see another, but I know they don't happen super often or super local, this really was an awesome surprise when it got announced. I also was very close to the stage, which I always make sure to get there super early so I am, since I bought the highest tier the venue had or whatever, but the website was shitty and obtuse, though it worked out because I was right in the center.
Anyway, if anyone want to look over the whole setlist,
it is posted here.