Ween
Friday 6/16/00 - City Market - K.C., MOI was unsure of what to expect from Ween having never seen them live before and aware of their fondness for various substances, especially while on the road. Their latest album "White Pepper" was the incentive to get my ass on the road to finally witness a show. And now I wish I'd gone to all the other area shows the past 10 years. I guess the Flaming Lips were supposed to open but they weren't there for whatever reason. Ween started promptly at 8 pm and played 15-20 minutes over 3 hours. It's not often I get to say that about a live show: '3 hours'. Ween were a 5 piece this night with Gene on vocals and some electric and acoustic guitar, Dean on electric guitars, a bass player, a keyboard / piano player and drummer. They were really solid and I was especially blown away by Dean's skill on the guitar. And they sounded great in the open air of downtown Kansas City's City Market. The set drew heaviest from "Chocolate and Cheese" and "White Pepper" but touched on everything they've done. Songs included:
Freedom of '76
Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)
Mister Would You Please Help My Pony?
Voodoo Lady (with long jam in the middle)
Buenas Tardes Amigo
The HIV Song
Piss Up a Rope
Mister Richard Smoker
Doctor Rock
The Mollusk
Even if You Don't
Bananas and Blow
Stroker Ace
Back to Basom
The Grobe
Pandy Fackler... and many others I'm either forgetting or don't know. The encore was 5 or 6 songs, the highlight being an absolutely smokin' cover of Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" with the drummer on vocals. The final song (which I don't know but the central theme was a certain part of a woman's anatomy) was somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes long as the band thoroughly jammed it out with solos by everyone. I don't think I've ever seen a band smile and enjoy themselves so much on stage as Ween did. They had a great time and so did we! Ween are currently on tour worldwide throughout the rest of the summer ...