Spoon: ACL Taping @ KLRU Studios (7/7)

Last night, Spoon taped a set which will air during the 36th season of the legendary PBS series Austin City Limits. Their 2 previous appearances on the show were 30 minute sets, sharing the program with another band. For their third visit, they’ve been given the full hour of airtime and it will debut on PBS affiliates across the nation beginning October 9th (which is the weekend that the Austin City Limits Festival happens right here in town).

This was also my third visit to the ACL studios and I was really excited to attend because, shockingly, I had never seen Spoon play live before. The last time I remember them booked to play in Cincinnati was a show that got cancelled because it was scheduled for the same night they had been asked to appear on Saturday Night Live.

You really can’t ask for a better experience to see ANY band play, never mind one you’ve always loved but never had the chance to see on stage. The sound in the ACL studios is always magnificent. It didn’t hurt that we sat directly under a speaker that was suspended from the ceiling. Britt’s voice was beamed directly down into my ears. I can’t wait to hear the final mix for the show, but it sounded perfect in the room.

The band were joined at different times by several special guests including Craig Ross, Charlie Sexton, Steve Patterson of White Rabbits, and a 6-piece brass section that helped them fully and faithfully recreate songs like “The Underdog.”

The absolute highlight for me was perhaps the night’s biggest surprise. Britt & Eric did a beautifully stripped down guitar & piano version of “The Mystery Zone”, which is my favorite track from the new album. It was great because it was such a different interpretation and I hope they use it (or a similar recording) for a b-side or digital download.

Everything they played was pretty much spot-on (although Britt did a few bizarre vocal adlibs that reminded me of Mr. Ed). I knew that the evening would be pretty Transference heavy, but it was great to get some older gems like “Jonathon Fisk.” The only thing that could have made me happier than that would have been “Car Radio”!

Spoon, ACL taping (7/7)
Don’t Make Me A Target
Trouble Comes Running
Rhythm & Soul
Stay Don’t Go
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
The Ghost Of You Lingers
Is Love Forever?
Don’t You Evah
Love Song (The Damned cover)
Nobody Gets Me But You
I Saw The Light
The Mystery Zone (Britt & Eric solo)
I Summon You
Who Makes Your Money
Written In Reverse
Jonathon Fisk
The Underdog
Black Like Me

encore:
Got Nuffin
I Turn My Camera On
Anything You Want (Gtr Version)

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