The band consisted of Michael on guitar and vocals, Klem on bass, Nick on drums, Rich on saxaphone and vocals. This was an outdoor fest in a quaint residential neighborhood of Lincoln Park, in a closed side street and courtyard of a church. Lots of munchkins dancing up front by the stage, a lot of families with dogs. Beer and food were plentiful. There were seats on the sides and in the back and although the kids did more dancing at the start, the crowd was pretty into it by the last few songs.
Unless indicated, it's full band
Grace of God (Michael, solo, guitar)
Sword of Damocles
Gonna Be Good
Shadow of the Capitol
Hellfire in the Holyland
No. 49
Spark (Rich on vocals too)
Darkest Night of All (Rich on vocals too) Michael put his hat on before he started this song
Unemployed
Wounded
Cal-Sag Road Song
Freedom Highway (Staple Singers)
Arm Yourself
A Wall I Must Climb
20 Miles south of Nowhere
Encore:
Junkie Girl
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Steph, I, like you wondered about the appearance of Cal-Sag in the set list. But if there's one thing I have learned in the year I've been helping out with sales for our friend Michael -- don't question the set list. Now about the dogs, hmmm, not sure what their favorite song was.
Counting down here until the July 4th gig when Michael opens for the Gin Blossoms. It's sure to be the biggest show of the year.
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My thanks to Cindy also for the setlist, info, etc.
As for Cal-Sag Road, I've certainly never made it a secret that personally I wish he'd throw the song itself into the reservoir -- never to be retrieved!!!
And Steph, as far as "futility" becoming your "new obsession", remember, "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things..."
In other words, we can still hope Cal-Sag disappears for good one day...hey, you never know!!!
This message has been edited by artistinsane on Jun 24, 2003 9:11 PM
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I love the Cal-Sag Road song. Is it an old one that has recently been resurected? I heard it for the first time at the March Schuba's shows I think. I am also looking forward to the July 4 show. I haven't been able to make a show since the Clearwater Theatre show.
Karen
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I will admit that the Cal-Sag is the ONLY song of Michael's that I do not like. In fact I hate it. I know it's just a song but I get horrific visuals every time I hear it for 2 reasons.
#1- A family friend was kidnapped back in the 70's here in DuPage County (she was believed to be hitch-hiking) She went to school with my brothers. I went to school with her brother. Her body was eventually found
18 years later in the Naperville area. The serial killer named MAJOR MORRIS was caught at that time and charged with at least 2 other deaths- he finally confessed to this one which is how they found her body. Every time I hear that song I think of her.
#2- I work practically right on the Cal-Sag channel. The Cal-Sal road runs along side of it. I work down the street. Every time I see the sign or drive down the road which is every fricken day,cept the weekend, I think of that song and then think of her.
Me, being a mother,I can't help but think what her mother felt like waking up every morning wondering where her baby was(though she was 19 at the time) and if she was dead or alive and what some sick **%^%$$% did to her. The family is of course now at peace. Her name was Margaret Stern, being Catholic Mary Margaret but we called her Margie. God rest her soul.
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Kat, seems like you have a darned good reason for not liking Cal-Sag. Sorry to hear about your friend.
For me, it's just that the "story" being told in that song is sick and twisted (at least from my world view) and it seems that someone with such amazing talent and perspective as michael could do much better...and does, in fact, do so much better a great majority of the time. I guess if I had to come up with a word to describe Cal-Sag, it would be "pedestrian." Hey, but if he keeps it in the setlist going forward I'll at least have a prime opportunity for a bathroom break, which heretofore usually occurs during Wall...not because of the quality of the song, but simply due to necessity and not wanting to miss a gem I've rarely or never heard before.
And Kat, I think you're in good company with finding Cal-Sag objectionable. A few years ago when Cal-Sag was new to the setlist, Michael commented on stage that his mother didn't like that song.
Steph
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Although I hate the song I will also admit that it is a brilliant song I think anyway. Not that I'm sick and twisted but we all have a "dark" side I think. It's a matter of whether we visit it or not, and how often. Michael takes us there in that song. I hate it because I can get to the "dark side" on my own and frankly I don't like to spend too much time there. The thing with the "Cal-Sag" song is that without a doubt it could be true. The whole scene. It could easily happen and I 'll bet most likely it has happened to someone, maybe not exactly as the lyrics go
but very similiar.(Margie Stern for one). The reason we don't like it is because when we hear it- we get a visual, imagery which is not very pleasant. People get murdered everyday but nobody wants to be dragged down by hearing about sh*t like that. In the back of our minds we (meaning the general public) always think it always happens to "someone else". If and when it happens to you or a family member or someone you know...that's when it becomes real- other wise, it's just a story you heard. Who in their right mind would want to go there and think about stuff like that? These days it's much easier to pop a happy-pill and not think about it.
This guy I work with wont even watch the news because it is so depressing. It's not like I spend my day worrying over it either but it just makes you realize just how many sick,twisted mother-f***ers there are out there. In the CAl-Sag road song it starts out with a typical night out in town and look what happened. That's exactly how it does happen.
Some people don't want to think, I think too much. I'll tell ya- when I see a dead squirrel in the middle of the road I have to stop myself from thinking about it. To most it's just a dead squirrel, to me, I wonder if he died instantly or had to lay there and suffer, and if he had to lay there and suffer,if it was a smoldering hot summer day, was his face burning on the blacktop? Was he going out to get food or coming back with food? and so-on. It's a curse. Then it's out of my mind. ok so I'm weird.lol.
The main thing with Cal-Sag and our friend is since we don't know what exactly happened to her, what all he did to her before she died and how exaclty he killed her, well that is left up to the imagination. Some things are most definitely better left unknown to most people. I always want to know. As much as her mother doesn't want to know, deep down in side she really does
just so she knows what she had to go through and not have to wonder. It's a compassion thing.
enough of that....how about this weather?!!!!!!!
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I'm very sorry about your friend, Kat. I can only imagine what it must be like to not know what has happened to a loved one.
I guess I like the song because it is so different from Michael's other songs. I'm glad...I wouldn't want all his songs to be like that, but I like it as something unique for Michael. I guess I'm also kind of fascinated by the dark side you spoke of. I wonder how people like that think and what has happened in their lives to make them that way, or are they just forsaken by God from the beginning. It's like that saying about the train wreck for me. I find it appalling, but I can't look away.
Karen
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Believe me, I have no problem going to and "seeing" the dark side of things...which, from most people's perspective, I visit a bit too much. However, I think the line from Leave Her To Heaven (In Darkness Will Light Be the First To Appear) encapsulates how I feel about Cal Sag. What I hear is a complete absense of light in it. It's too matter of fact...this is what happened...a guy meets two women in a bar, gets drunk, goes back to their hotel with them, kills them and throws 'em in the river. It has no depth. Like you, Karen, I want to know why? Why are Rita and Gwen in that bar looking for a guy (and seemingly a three-some)? Why did Rita feel the need to expose herself to the guy in the bar? Why is the guy someone she "could never offend"? Why does he kill them? Etc.
I think michael does an amazing job of providing more depth in his character sketches in most of his songs. Even 20 miles, where characters are coming and going pretty quickly throughout the song, he at least gives us a bit of the "why". I think Annie is quite compelling because he delves more into the "psyche" of her world...and his (or whoever the receiver of the cross is)...rather than providing just a simple "psycho" scenerio.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents. As I said, it affords me a bathroom break.
Steph
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I am now wondering if Michael will be doing this one at the Valpo show.....because...... I always try to get front row seat and I'll tell you I wouldn't have the gutts to get up and leave the front row during a song. I did it once at Ravinia but#1 I was not any where near the front row and #2 if I didn't get up and leave I would have peed my pants! Tee Hee!That was during 20 Miles.
I guess if he does play it and I get to the point of throwing up well that would justify leaving for a moment. That song doesn't bring me to that though. Of course the song really has nothing to do with my friend
other than the fact that for me- it just reminds me of her disappearance and wondering what happened to her.
Personally I think Michael plays it because he knows people don't like it and it gives him some sort of power. Not like a power trip or anything but face it..
if it were a book or a movie- the viewers or the readers have the choice to read or view it.In a song I guess you have the choice not to listen by going to the bathroom but it is still part of the show which you have no control over. Personally I love those kinds of movies. I am for some twisted reason fascinated by the criminal mind or psycotic mind (provided I don't get too close that is) The movie "Seven" "Silence of the Lambs" "Mysery" etc.. are my kind of movies. I am in fact working on a book of my own and if it goes to print hopefully...someday- you all will definitely think I am sick and twisted to write stuff like this. But hey- someone has to do it right? Plus it's based on a true story ( but aren't they all?) What I really need to do is quit my job because it is interferring with my writing and my life! lol! My plan is for it to go to print, then get a movie deal, then I will work out a deal regarding the soundtrack and maybe get some cool songs in it for once! That's the plan anyway! We'll see. There's no harm in dreaming.
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I'm sorry to say that the Cal-Sag Road song is not planned for the soundtrack. Believe it or not, but even Cal-Sag is nowhere sick & twisted ENOUGH for this movie! You think Steve King has an imagination? Wait til you read this stuff. Don't hold your breath though- It may take me 5 years or so.
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