Audio By Carbonatix
EELS
With Jesca Hoop
10.05.10 | Ogden Theatre
When we interviewed Eels frontman Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) last week, he said he was having the most fun he’s ever had on tour and that it might surprise people how much fun the shows are. Sure enough. Last night’s show at the Ogden Theatre was a surprise, especially to those who came expecting something like the Eels last show at the Fox Theatre, which featured Everett and his guitar player, the Chet, telling stories about the songs. The Ogden show was indeed just as Everett said it would be: One big, fat celebration.
But Everett eased into things first. After the Disney classic “When You Wish Upon A Star” played on the system while the house lights were down, Everett came on for a bouncy solo take of “Grace Kelly Blues,” the opening cut of his 2000 album Daisies of the Galaxy. He then yelled for the Chet, who came out to join him on “3 Speed” and “End Times.”
The party officially started when the other three guys in the band, including Colorado’s own Kool G Murder (whose family was in the audience), took the stage and ripped into the boisterous “Prizefighter.” The energy surged into “She Said Yeah,” the Sonny Bono tune that appeared on the Rolling Stones December’s Children (And Everybody’s), and “Gone Man,” which somehow sounded kind of like Everett fronting the Allman Brothers.
Everett then asked, “Everybody having a good summer?” A few moments later, he says, “The Chet has just informed me that summer is over a week or two ago. It sure feels like summer around here. Fuck it, why don’t we just extend summer?” The guys then launched into a gritty take on the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City” and then into chugging rocker “Tremendous Dynamite.”
Afterward, Everett and company pulled back a bit and took a breather on some gorgeous versions of “In My Dreams” and “In My Younger Days,” during which Everett’s voice strained just a bit as he sang the line “I don’t need any more misery to teach me what I should be” near the end of the song.
The guys dialed it back up for a few with “Paradise Blues,” “Jungle Telegraphy” and “My Beloved Monster” before slowing things back down on “Spectacular Girl.” The tranquil transition was short lived, though, as the band went right back into the rock with strobe lights flashing and Everett howling on “Fresh Blood.”
As the outfit started in on “That Look You Give That Guy,” a few roadies changed out the monitors in front of Everett, who then joked, “I blew that shit out.” While it was a pretty damn endearing tune and all, it also kind served as the lube for bombastic thrusting of “Souljacker Part 1,” which might have been the most vigorous tune of the night.
After letting Knuckles the drummer get his ya-ya’s out, the guys started into a tune that sounded like a Beatle-esque take on “Twist and Shout,” but it was actually “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” doused with Beatle-like “Twist and Shout” back-up harmonies. The group then rode out the set with “I Like Birds,” which rocked hard as hell, followed by George Gershwin’s “Summertime,” and closed out with the revival feel of “Looking Up,” from Eels’ latest effort, Tomorrow Morning.
CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK
Personal Bias: While Everett has written some remarkably touching songs about death and loss over the last fifteen years, it’s great to see the guy just rock out and have fun.
Random Detail: Everett gave out Otter Pops during “Summertime”
By the Way: Jesca Hoop delivered a charming yet too short opening set.
SET LIST
EELS
10.05.10 | Ogden Theatre
Denver, CO
01. Grace Kelly Blues
02. 3 Speed
03. End Times
04. Prizefighter
05. She Said Yeah
06. Gone Man
07. Summer in the City
08. Tremendous Dynamite
09. In My Dreams
10. In My Younger Days
11. Paradise Blues
12. Jungle Telegraph
13. My Beloved Monster
14. Spectacular Girl
15. Fresh Blood
16. Dog Faced Boy
17. That Look You Give That Guy
18. Souljacker Part 1
19. Talkin’ ’bout Knuckles
20. Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
21. I Like Birds
22. Summertime
23. Looking Up
ENCORE
24. I’m Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn’t Break Your Heart
SECOND ENCORE
25. I Like the Way This is Going
26. Baby Loves Me
