That Sad Feeling When Your Favorite Isn't Your Favorite Anymore

I finally got to see Tom Waits last night. I've listened to his music since around 1989, and with his tours being few and far between I never thought I would have the chance to see him live. He hadn't been to Atlanta since 1978, so I was shocked when tickets were announced about three weeks ago. Despite it selling out in about 20 minutes we got tickets, and last night was the big night.

There are two types of Tom's music that I really love. I love his early ballad style of music. Those sad love songs played mostly at the piano, that is really great stuff. I also love the really weird stuff he did in the 80's and 90's. Unfortunately, neither of these types were on display last night. Tom played the blues, almost all night long.

The set seemed very heavy on material from "Real Gone", an album I wasn't crazy about, but even the songs that I like had undergone a bluesy makeover. And for a guy that isn't that crazy about the blues (me), it made for a frustrating night.

I did enjoy some of the show. My favorite song was a really quiet and pretty version of "Blue Valentine", but I also enjoyed "Shore Leave"(which was one of the few jazzy sounding songs of the night), "Singapore" and the two Bone Machines songs he played ("Murder In The Red Barn" and "Going Out West") even though they both received the aforementioned bluesy makeover.

Still, I find the complaints wanting to come out. Tom looked great (Leigh Ann said she spent half of the show trying to figure out if he had had some work done, the guy doesn't have a wrinkle), but he sounded horrible. While singing he sounded like you expect him to, but it was hard to understand him when he was talking. I got the feeling that he was performing his "Tom Waits" character a little more than I thought he would, and wondered how much the voice was a put-on, but by the end of the show I was thinking that he was speaking in his real voice. The piano portion of the show was dissapointing short, with "Tango Till They're Sore" being the only highlight I remember from that part of the show.

If you add the long line to get in, the hour delay in starting the show, the tightly packed crowd (it was sold out) it made for a long, hot, sweaty night. The crowd seemed to love the show, I felt like James, Leigh Ann, and I were the only dissapointed people there. Oh well. I don't hold it against Tom, I just don't care for this direction he has taken. I won't ever go see him again, but I probably won't have that chance anyway. I still love his records and the performances on them. And I hope he keeps recording long enough to get out of this blues phase.

Security was tight getting in and they had a "No Camera" policy so I didn't try getting my camera in. You can check out AJC.com's photo's here.

Setlist taken from a forum posting

Make It Rain
Hoist that Rag
Shore Leave
God's Away on Business
November
'Til the Money Runs Out
Blue Valentine
Lucky Day*
Tango til they're Sore*
House Where Nobody Lives*
Don't Go into that Barn
(Lie to Me, Baby) - Unsure about this title
Whislin' Past the Graveyard
9th & Hennepin
Trampled Rose
Get Behind the Mule
Murder in the Red Barn
Shake It

(encore 1)
Singapore
Goin' Out West
(encore 2)
Day After Tomorrow
Heartattack & Vine

*Tom on piano, Larry Taylor on upright bass