WEEN
I 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 tour. Their latest
album "White Pepper" was the incentive to finally get my ass on the
road to 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 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 ...