From: cjones@physci.ucla.edu (Chad Jones)
Subject: 10,000 Maniacs concert in L.A.
X-UserAgent: Nuntius v1.1
Organization: UCLA Physiological Science
Date: 14 Dec 92 11:48:56 PST

I saw the Maniacs last Friday night at the Universal Amphitheater. 
Here's my account of the night's happenings:

The Wallflowers opened and I was somewhat impressed by them.  The
highlight was when, during the second song, Natalie came out and danced,
whirling about the stage in her typical manner.

The Maniacs played a very energetic set.  It was almost the same program
as they played in September at the Wiltern Theater, although in a
different order.  I kept track of the songs, and I'll put notes at the
end:

These Are Days  (1)
What's the Matter Here
Cherry Tree
A Campfire Song   (2)
Like the Weather
You Happy Puppet
Trouble Me
How You've Grown  (3)
Noah's Dove
Gun Shy
Eat For Two
Jezebel
Eden
City of Angels
Stockton Gala Days
Candy Everybody Wants
Hey Jack Kerouac
Few and Far Between
----(first encore)----
Everyday is like Sunday  (4)
My Sister Rose
Don't Go Back to Rockville  (5)
(two cover songs I couldn't identify)
Don't Talk
----(second encore)----
Dustbowl  (6)

Notes:
(1)  There's a great difference between the album version and the live
version of "These Are Days."   The album version is very produced and,
IMHO, better.

(2)  For the duet with Michael Stipe, Natalie pulled someone up out of
the audience.  He didn't seem to be anyone important, but at least he
knew the words.

(3)  For How You've Grown and Noah's Dove, Natalie played piano very
nicely.

(4)  Natalie led it off by telling a story about how she was stuck in
Toronto without her passport, ID, credit cards, and money, and that it
was very gloomy in Toronto (people didn't seem interested because she
said "in Kansas City they found this story quite entertaining").  Since
LA is a big Morrissey town, once people figured out what she was singing,
it was a hit.  (Of course, I knew what the song was going to be...)

(5)  I'm not sure if this was done impromptu or not.  She said, "Don't Go
Back to Rockville?  You're at the wrong concert."  She then started
singing it a capella, and the band eventually joined in.  The people
around me had no idea that this is an R.E.M. song, since many people
around here are under the impression that: 1) R.E.M. is a British band,
and 2) Out of Time was their first album (thanks to Rick Dees and
KIIS-FM).

(6)  Natalie said she got a card that had Santa Claus holding a picture
of the US government that said on the inside "Happy New Government." 
Then she said that the next song was a good-bye tribute to George Bush. 
She sat on a stool with Robert and Steven playing guitar and bass.  I
think that Dustbowl was written in response to GB's inauguration address
which contained the oft-repeated phrase "There's a new wind blowing."

It was a very good show.  The house wasn't full, probably 1000 seats in
the balcony were empty (out of 6,000 total).  I would probably still be
on a high from it, except that when I got home I was so tired that I
forgot to bring in my Discman.  Saturday morning, someone broke in and
took it.  Fortunately they didn't break one of the power windows, and the
CD inside the Discman wasn't "Our Time in Eden"  (it was Peter Gabriel).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chad Jones                 | Do I need someone here to scold me or do I
Network Manager            | need someone who'll grab and pull me out of
UCLA Physiological Science | this four poster dull torpor pulling
cjones@physci.ucla.        | downward?                 -- 10,000 Maniacs
Newsgroups: alt.music.alternative