Whoa. I have to admit, I haven't heard Watt's new album. Initially, I wasn't going to go to this show because I knew it was a departure, soundwise, for him and I figured I'd be better off listening to the record and then going to see how it's replicated live. I love Watt and have much respect for him, but when he walked on stage and said "We're going to play a really long, weird song for you. Hope you like it", I knew that I was in for something. What that something was, I couldn't really be sure of aside from my past live Watt experiences and the tight bass/drums/hammond configuration on the stage before me. Throughout the show the only thing I could think of was Ren and Stimpy and Coltrane while Watt sang about pissbags & tubing and the Pellican Man. I sat in the back, which was up higher so I could see the stage and watch the audience and how they responded. With the exception of a few people in the front who were bobbing their heads to some beat that I certainly couldn't pick up on, most people just stood there. I couldn't help but think 99% of the people there were like me and haven't heard his new record and didn't quite know what to think. I wish I could have seen their faces. 60 minutes and one album later, the song was over. They walked off stage for a few minutes. You could see heads turn and look at each other. Some slightly cocked, some with expressions visible through the dim lighting. I could swear that I saw a couple of large, glowing question marks floating above some heads. I probably had one above mine. They came back on stage to do an encore that included a few Minutemen songs, including "This Ain't No Picnic", which was worth the price of admission alone - especially to hear the hammond organ do D. Boon's guitar parts. That gave me chills. But after a few songs, they stopped. I wasn't expecting to see the 48 State Kuda-Bake Tour all over again, but damn. I wasn't expecting tonight's set either.
Much love and respect to Watt. I still love you, man.
