[thewave@oils-forever.com]

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Hey folks, I know I'm behind the times, but I wanted to comment on my own 4=
-gig Oils jaunt this time around.  Most of the hard details have been cover=
ed already, like setlists and the like.  I saw them at House of Blues Chica=
go Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (10/20-22) and at The Rave in Milwaukee on =
Tuesday (10/23).

First, it was great meeting so many fellow Powderworkers, as well as fellow=
 Oils fans who aren't 'Workers.  I spoke with so many of each, I don't reme=
mber all the names and don't want to leave anyone out =96 and I=92m not eve=
n sure if certain ones are on the list!  Suffice to say, I had a great time=
 chatting with all of you, classy bunch of folks.  Not only that, though th=
e vast majority of the audience was white, it was quite a diverse bunch of =
white folks, and a few other ethnic groups represented at each show as well=
.  I=92m constantly amazed at the diversity amongst Oils fans.

As corporate and fake and expensive as it is, the House of Blues is a nice =
venue and its staff was great.  On the other hand, the sound at The Rave wa=
s bad, echoed too much, and I didn=92t like that security threw away my two=
 ball point pens (which I carry around because I need a pen from time to ti=
me =96 wasn=92t going to do anything with them).  Plus, initially, the Milw=
aukee crowd seemed really into the show.  But as it went along, I figured o=
ut a bunch of them are =93_Diesel and Dust_ and older=94 crowd who didn=92t=
 know some of the older songs, and a few were acting like jerks.

I think I counted a total of 22 or so different songs I saw performed live =
over those 4 shows.  They of course played most of the U.S. standards, and =
several songs from _Capricornia_, including (best I can tell):

=93Capricornia=94
=93Golden Age=94
=93Luritja Way=94 (played acoustic at every show)
=93Under the Overpass=94
=93Mozzie March=94
=93Too Much Sunshine=94
=93Tone Poem=94

Great tunes, especially =93Luritja Way=94, =93Under the Overpass=94, and =
=93Too Much Sunshine=94.  I especially love the killer opening hook in =93S=
unshine=94.  I can=92t wait for the new CD!

Surprises:  =93No Time for Games=94 (woo-hoo!!), =93Now or Never Land=94, =
=93Best of Both Worlds=94, =93Stars of Warburton=94, =93What Goes On=94, =
=93Spirit of the Age=94, maybe a couple others.

They also played =93Bullroarer=94 at 3 of the 4 shows, I didn=92t realize t=
hat was such a regular.

Disappointments:  Nothing from _Breathe_; only the title track and =93What =
Goes On=94 from _Redneck Wonderland_.  =93What Goes On=94 is not my favorit=
e, would have rather heard =93White Skin Black Heart=94 or =93Cemetery in M=
y Mind=94.  Also, didn=92t play =93The Real Thing=94, would have loved to h=
ear that.  However, I do realize it=92s next to impossible for the Oils to =
please us all.  They have such a huge catalog, and we=92re all so familiar.=
  Plus, I=92m glad they didn=92t deny every concert-goer songs like =93Some=
times=94, =93Short Memory=94, =93Beds Are Burning=94, and =93Forgotten Year=
s=94.  And hey, I finally got to hear =93Short Memory=94, =93Power and the =
Passion=94, and =93Put Down That Weapon=94 live!

As someone else mentioned, at Monday=92s show, people kept shouting out req=
uests, which Peter acknowledged.  He said if everyone could get a consensus=
 together on what song to play, they might do it.  Many of the folks around=
 me were calling for =93Put Down That Weapon=94, so they played it during a=
n encore, Peter saying they=92d give in to our =93Florida version of democr=
acy=94.  He also made some digs at the House of Blues artwork and at Alice =
Cooper during those shows (Cooper was to perform House of Blues on Tuesday =
night when the Oils were in Milwaukee).

Here=92s an opinion:  =93Say Your Prayers=94 is, or will be, one of the all=
-time live Oils classics, right there with =93Read About It=94, =93Sometime=
s=94, =93Hercules=94, etc.  It=92s a fantastic live performance.

I agree with most of you about Will Hoge.  I think he and the band are tale=
nted enough to keep doing what they=92re doing, but they just don=92t overl=
ap real well with Oils music.  I got tired of most of the songs.  Anyone el=
se think he resembles Rob a little?  And his drummer =96 =93Twitchy=94 - re=
sembles Andre the Giant, no?  Actually, =93Twitchy=94 is cool, he obviously=
 enjoyed watching the Oils performances.  I think he=92s an Oils fan now.

Finally got to meet all Oils members =96 well, I don=92t know if you could =
say I met Martin.  I was dialing my sweetie on 1-800-COLLECT to let her kno=
w I met 4 of the 5 when he walked by, so I just shouted out to him.  (Yeah =
that=92s right, I use 1-800-COLLECT, because I like their comedians and TV =
has-beens a lot more than 1-800-CALLATT=92s comedians and TV has-beens.)  I=
 saw the other 4 before Monday=92s Chicago show going out of the venue afte=
r their soundcheck.  I went up and shook hands with each, saying stupid thi=
ngs =96 that=92s okay, they didn=92t understand what I said and I didn=92t =
understand them.  Funny thing is, I can=92t visualize meeting Peter very we=
ll now, I must have blacked out or something.  I only had the sense to ask =
=93Where is Youth?=94 to Bones and Peter.  Bones said =93You=92re a Powderw=
orker, eh?=94 or something like that.  Peter didn=92t seem to know what I w=
as talking about though =96 you screwed me again, Justin!!  Actually, he sa=
id =93she=92s back home in Sydney=94 or something.  I thought he was talkin=
g about his kids or something, but Justin, is =93Youth=94 someone who works=
 for the band from home?  Anyway, I didn=92t want to trouble them by asking=
 for backstage passes or anything, but that=92s okay, I=92m just happy to h=
ave shaken hands with them! =20

Also got my first drumstick.  I was pretty close to the stage at all shows,=
 but at Monday=92s show, I was right up front against the barrier.  As it t=
urns out, I was directly in front of Peter=92s station, and in front of Rob=
 during the quasi-acoustic set.  I didn=92t actually catch the drumstick th=
ough.  Jon next to me did.  But he already had one from a previous show, so=
 he gave it to me on the condition that I send him the 20,000 Watt RSL prom=
o video!

Anyway, fantastic shows, I now feel redeemed for missing the 1997 Mercury L=
ounge shows!  I still have to get my fianc=E9 to a gig though, and still ha=
ve to get my arse to Australia to see them live on their own soil (which I =
just had a dream about last night).  Talk to you all soon, thanks for indul=
ging!

Jonathan









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