6/29 - Hampton Beach, NH

[uncle rickey]

With Deer Tick! On sale Friday. My first DBT show in the Granite State!

[CooleyGirl]

According to One of These Days, DBT has only played in NH once, in 2006!
Hooray!

[beantownbubba]

A no brainer of course.

The trick is going to be how to fit in a lobster dinner, preferably in Maine, considering that the Sunday nite traffic back towards the show and the city will likely be very heavy. Hmmm...this will require some serious thought and scheming. You in, GW?

[one belt loop]

Birthday show! Who's buying me a lobster dinner?

[beantownbubba]

Birthday show! Who's buying me a lobster dinner?

I'm not shipping it across the country, but if you make it to the old country, there will most definitely be a lobster w/ a candle in it in your future.

[one belt loop]

?







Though I guess that's a candle with a lobster in it.

[beantownbubba]

Come on in, the water's fine. After all, it's just down the road from the Seabrook nuclear plant.

I can taste that lobster already... and, oh yeah, a ROCK SHOW in my future!!!

[tinnitus photography]

my wife and i are in for this one, and i've got a couple of friends coming for their first DBT show too.


should be fun!

[CooleyGirl]

OBL's birthday show!

[MetalAl]

Really feeling withdrawal from rock shows ! After the Baltimore show! You guys have a blast! And raise a drink up for me during Grand Canyon please! Tears streamed during that one at Baltimore!!

[alquina]

I hear Patterson just sang a new song....and it ROCKS!

[uncle rickey]

The Righteous Path
Made Up English Oceans
Girls Who Smoke
3 Dimes Down
When He's Gone
Women Without Whiskey
Used to Be a Cop
Shit Shots Count
The Night GG Allin Came to Town
Carl Perkins' Cadillac
Go the Distance
Natural Light
Steve McQueen
Hearing Jimmy Loud
Ronnie and Neil
Zip City
Let There Be Rock
Encore:
First Air of Autumn
18 Wheels of Love
Marry Me
Don't Be in Love Around Me
Birthday Boy
Grand Canyon

[tinnitus photography]

fantastic show!

[uncle rickey]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the lovely dedication Patterson gave CG and me during LTBR. Love that guy. Love these guys.

[tinnitus photography]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the lovely dedication Patterson gave CG and me during LTBR. Love that guy. Love these guys.

right on. that was nice.

[beantownbubba]

Terrific show, many highlights. Many many 3dd sightings, some pretty rare. More tomorrow (later today).

[Tyler]

Am I the only one mega-stoked about the Righteous Path apparently returning to heavy rotation after a couple years of getting played like once a year, if that? Love that song so much live.

[tinnitus photography]

yeah that's a great tune and i was surprised to hear it right off the bat. was wondering what happened to the DD songs but a couple hit us towards the end. always up for hearing "Ronnie and Neil" too.

ok, gotta drive into work.... more photos later.

[pa_heathen]

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the lovely dedication Patterson gave CG and me during LTBR. Love that guy. Love these guys.

Very nice!!

After seeing the set list I'm very bummed that we didn't extend our weekend for this show.

[beantownbubba]

Am I the only one mega-stoked about the Righteous Path apparently returning to heavy rotation after a couple years of getting played like once a year, if that?

No.

And it makes for a great opener, too. Patterson repeated the same "mistake" in the lyrics as he did in Asbury Park so maybe that's the new "official" version. Maybe that boat finally saw the water after all these years so he can't sing it the old way anymore Whatever, the song still rocks and hits hard.

Note to DBT: Give a guy a break. I went to the NYC public schools for god's sake. How am i supposed to find the vocabulary to keep describing greatness and rock n roll transcendence in different words every night? I'll have to let it stew for a little bit before i can take a stab at last nite. Quite different from the Asbury Park show yet equally great in its way.

Great pic, tin!

And speaking of tin, might as well do my personal roll call while I'm waiting for inspiration. Was very pleased to see Mr. tinnitus but even more disappointed to not see the wonderful Mrs. tin. Saw Mike S, Bold 99 and Otis the bulldog for the first time since Athens a couple of yrs ago. Righteous Path for the first time since Providence a few yrs ago (so I guess it was inevitable that we'd get "Righteous Path" . And Cortez & bro for the first time ever (!). Plus the usual cast of characters, although it wasn't the same w/out worldwide bill. Come home soon, bill, we miss u!! Nice dedication from Patterson to uncle rickey and cooleygirl on their 152nd show (i guess 150 just isn't as big a deal as it used to be )

I was soooo glad that Cortez didn't recognize "Go the Distance" either. It was kind of embarrassing or at least unbalancing not to recognize a song so it was good to have company. Turns out it was a world premiere but Patterson just snuck it in there w/out saying a word about it. On first "ambush" listen, it's a good 'un.

The audience again had a higher than usual number of women (maybe it's becoming usual?) but despite the huge number of teens and twenties outside on the beach/boardwalk, not too many of them found their way inside. OTOH, if you forgot where you were, all you had to do was look around at all the couples who really needed to get a room and you knew that, yep, you were in always classy Hampton Beach. I haven't seen so much making out on the dance floor since...well...ever. I didn't see the flasher, but she apparently added to that special hampton beach ambience.

[tinnitus photography]

BtB, my wife and my friend Ted were over on Cooley's side of the stage, so after my back and forth out of the photo pit, i headed back over there. with about a 1/3rd of the show to go, Ted ended up on the rail. it was his first DBT show and he had a blast.

I didn't realize Cortez was there. bummer, would have liked to catch up a bit. super nice meeting OBL for the first time, happy b-day! and always good to see the regular crew (UR, CG, BostonReb and Kristin, etc - apologies for missing anyone!).


edit - i loved some of Patterson's banter. talking about playing in the same building as Duke Ellington and Led Zep was great, as was his call-out to Luke and Sarah (152 shows; some bands don't even play that many!)

[allisonsdc]

After seeing the set list I'm very bummed that we didn't extend our weekend for this show.

I was just thinking the same thing. Great setlist, sounds like it was yet another stellar show!

[RolanK]

And speaking of tin, might as well do my personal roll call while I'm waiting for inspiration. Was very pleased to see Mr. tinnitus but even more disappointed to not see the wonderful Mrs. tin. Saw Mike S, Bold 99 and Otis the bulldog for the first time since Athens a couple of yrs ago. Righteous Path for the first time since Providence a few yrs ago (so I guess it was inevitable that we'd get "Righteous Path" . And Cortez & bro for the first time ever (!). Plus the usual cast of characters, although it wasn't the same w/out worldwide bill. Come home soon, bill, we miss u!! Nice dedication from Patterson to uncle rickey and cooleygirl on their 152nd show (i guess 150 just isn't as big a deal as it used to be )

Relax! He is being shipped tomorrow. Promise.

[beantownbubba]

And speaking of tin, might as well do my personal roll call while I'm waiting for inspiration. Was very pleased to see Mr. tinnitus but even more disappointed to not see the wonderful Mrs. tin. Saw Mike S, Bold 99 and Otis the bulldog for the first time since Athens a couple of yrs ago. Righteous Path for the first time since Providence a few yrs ago (so I guess it was inevitable that we'd get "Righteous Path" . And Cortez & bro for the first time ever (!). Plus the usual cast of characters, although it wasn't the same w/out worldwide bill. Come home soon, bill, we miss u!! Nice dedication from Patterson to uncle rickey and cooleygirl on their 152nd show (i guess 150 just isn't as big a deal as it used to be )

Relax! He is being shipped tomorrow. Promise.

But who knows how long it will take him to clear customs?

[brett27295]

Am I the only one mega-stoked about the Righteous Path apparently returning to heavy rotation after a couple years of getting played like once a year, if that? Love that song so much live.

Nope, me too. I was so fired up to get it in Winston. It's actually in my top 5 of DBT songs...love it!

[RolanK]

And speaking of tin, might as well do my personal roll call while I'm waiting for inspiration. Was very pleased to see Mr. tinnitus but even more disappointed to not see the wonderful Mrs. tin. Saw Mike S, Bold 99 and Otis the bulldog for the first time since Athens a couple of yrs ago. Righteous Path for the first time since Providence a few yrs ago (so I guess it was inevitable that we'd get "Righteous Path" . And Cortez & bro for the first time ever (!). Plus the usual cast of characters, although it wasn't the same w/out worldwide bill. Come home soon, bill, we miss u!! Nice dedication from Patterson to uncle rickey and cooleygirl on their 152nd show (i guess 150 just isn't as big a deal as it used to be )

Relax! He is being shipped tomorrow. Promise.

But who knows how long it will take him to clear customs?

They should know him well enough at the customs/immigration by now.

[beantownbubba]

I loved this show. It was both very much a typical dbt show of this tour (that's intended as high praise) yet somehow different, too (also intended as high praise).

"Righteous Path" makes for a real attention grabbing opener, sort of like "listen up, we really mean it." I liked the Asbury Park version a little more but that's just splitting hairs. Good stuff. Then "MUEO" which at this point the boys have locked down and nailed. Then came "Girls Who Smoke" which was its usual rollicking rocking self until near the end when Patterson said to [girls who smoke?] [brits?][the world at large?] "fuck 'em if they can't take a joke " and WHAM, it was like he hit the warp speed button, the band just took off flying into overdrive, sorry for the mixed yet related metaphors. Damn they rocked the fuck out and the show hit that extra gear where it mostly stayed for the rest of the night. Easily the best version of the song I've heard.

I like to think that "3 Dimes Down" was for OBL on her bday though Cooley didn't say that. The song took off from "Girls" and just smoked, overpowering. "When He's Gone" was a little different than the sorta kinda soulful version I tried to describe from asbury park, but just as good. Hard to describe "WWW." Outstanding, overpowering, overwhelming. Cooley was all over it, vocals and guitar. By this point i started to get this image of the Mattador frantically twisting dials trying to keep things in balance while the boys on stage kept turning it up to 11 and beyond. The playing was so damn loud (in a very very good way) yet crystal clear and w/out losing anything in the way of song structure, melody, crisp solos, etc. "Used to be a Cop" wasn't as intense as some versions but was still menacing and creepy as hell and a welcome return to the set. Cole caught the mood perfectly w/ lighting that accented and enhanced the menace. I pretty much lost it at "Shit Shots Count". Again, that combination of LOUD and control, call it mastery combined w/ overwhelming waves of sound. Another "best I've ever heard."

I suppose this is where I mention Mike, I mean Matt, Patton (patterson referred to matt as mike to ph's embarrassment and everyone else's merriment). The guy can flat out play. He was just poppin de bass, LOL, and he's always doing something new, interesting and stand-out. I think it was during SSC that I started thinking of Berry Oakley. Not in a literal way, but I think of Oakley as a player who totally nailed down the rhythm while somehow making that bass sing in an almost melodic way and that's what Matt does, too.

GG Allin was fine, Carl Perkins was better, then came the new one "Go the Distance." Hard to say much on one listen but I liked it once i got over the confusion of not recognizing it.

The run from there to the break just kicked all kinds of ass. I had the impression that Cooley was really feeling it - he seemed to be taking more solos than usual (no idea if that's literally true but either it was or he was a particular standout on this nite) and I thought Cooley and Matt were just taking the band to higher and higher levels. Then Jay kicked in w/ some super solos on the last few songs as well as some great piano fills on "zip city" and the joint was rockin'. "Steve McQueen" was totally over the top but I'm not sure i can really single out any of those songs, it was just a stream of rock n roll heaven. (As an aside, I can tell u how good the asbury park show was 'cause i didn't even notice the absence of zip city and primer coat. Still no PC last nite but when Cooley's on, it doesn't get much better than zip city).

For those who care about such things, there wasn't any Jack to be seen, but it looked like the boys broke out the good stuff: It looked like a bottle of whiskey, perhaps glenlivet? maybe jameson? Anyway they seemed to be enjoying it

We now know that "First Air" is Mama Cooley's favorite song off of EO because Cooley told us so. "First Air" slowed things down a tad but the run from "18 Wheels" to "Birthday Boy" picked up where the main set let off. Patterson was in fine storytelling form and the rest of the band seemed to pick up on Matt's sorta funky playing over the spoken intro to 18 Wheels cause they got this real james brown-y vamp going that was right in my wheelhouse. I was lovin' it. Marry Me-Don't Be in Love-Birthday Boy were right out of the SSC school of rock i described above - powerful, loud, rocked out, stripped down but pumped up.

As always "grand Canyon" was a fitting closer. I thought the extended "beautiful noise" ending was the best I've heard and a fitting tribute to Craig. I can't even say that I didn't want the show to end. Of course I'd never turn down more live DBT music, but the show was complete and I don't think anyone, band or audience, had anything left to give.

One word: Portland!!

[tinnitus photography]

nice review BtB. i think it was a bottle of Jameson's.

[wooswiff]

Great review Bubba, sounds like another great show. Wish I could've gone but getting away from the fam just wasn't in the cards.

Oh, and those shots are amazing Tinnitus!

[cortez the killer]

I've spent the majority of my life living in New England (18 years in Massachusetts, 2 in New Hampshire, and the past 8 in Connecticut) and last night was the first time I set foot in Hampton Beach. Place is straight out of the fuckin' Twilight Zone. Certainly an eclectic mix of humanity. Phenomenal people watching! I can't believe in the 21st century that a seaside community like that exists 45 minutes outside Boston. A true enigma.

The venue was awesome - historic (Patterson seemed very pleased that Led Zeppelin once played there in the late '60s), spacious, great sound, short lines for beverages - the total package. It was easily one of the best Trucker shows I've seen - fantastic set list, band engaged & locked in. As bubba noted, Cooley, in particular, was in fine form. The early string of 3 Dimes Down, When He's Gone, Women Without Whiskey, Used to Be a Cop, and Shit Shots Count was outstanding. I was back just in front of the soundboard and the place absolutely exploded during the encore performance of "Marry Me." Again, Cooley was on top of his game.

It was very nice to meet bubba (spot on review) and OBL - I appreciate the tickets, parking tips/updates, and dining recommendations, loop. That biker bar, Wally's, perfectly enhanced the whole Hampton Beach experience. Not sure I'll soon forget the badass, heavily-tattooed barmaid with the Pippi Longstocking braids who waltzed over to the jukebox and proceeded to fill the joint with her three favorite Appetite For Destruction cuts, as well as the song "Black Sabbath" on repeat - three times straight. Tremendous!

Good to briefly meet the Rail Crew after the show. UR & CG - 152 Trucker shows??? I'm not sure I've been to 152 shows period.

Sorry I missed you, tinnitus, but (per usual) incredible photos. I saw in the thread you were going to be there and I figured we'd bump into each other at some point. I was driving all over the map earlier in the day. Didn't get home to Connecticut until 4:15am.

Those headed to Northern New England, enjoy! Portland, Maine is a GREAT city and I wish I could make it, but life beckons...