12 December, 2003, Showbox, Seattle, WA

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review by Jess

While tickets said the show was at 9pm, when the onewhiskey crowd showed up at 9:10-ish, the only crowd in the Showbox was in the bar areas. So we managed to get front-and-center and just stayed put. We waited until 9:45pm when Mike Johnson came on and played a short set. Someone in the crowd spit something at him, I didn't see what it was. People were kind of rude to him, which is too bad. I wouldn't mind seeing him someplace where, you know, he's opening for Mark Lanegan. Then there was more of a wait. Interestingly, there was no Geto Boys being played as the house music at the Showbox, only something that kind of sounded like circus music, which is worse. Enemy played at 10:30pm until 11pm. They were ok; I think their song on the SOTSA compliation sounded like a Foo Fighters ripoff. Again, I think they would have been better not opening for Mark. You know, better in a bar somewhere. From 11 until almost midnight we listened to the White Stripes' 'Elephant' album as house music. It seemed like maybe the wait was too long, as quite a few crowd members had gone from kind of buzzed to just plowed (how can you afford to drink like this at shows?). So, to echo other reviews: "After a very long wait, Mark came on."

Now, I know someone here has the setlist, so I won't try to be too specific about songs. The band was all 3 memebers of Enemy, Brett Netson, and Greg Dulli. It was very definitely a "plugged" set. Mark looked really good and, well, I won't use the word 'excited', but willing to be there. Someone yelled 'thanks for showing up' as he took the stage and he responded "my pleasure". He seemed pretty animated (for Mark), moving around the stage in between verses and looking out at the audience.

I don't know if this happens often, maybe I'm just an innocent, but do people heckle headliners often? It seems like if you pay $15 to get into a show, it's because you like the main act. If you don't, if you just wnated to see an opener, then leave before they start! People kept yelling at Mark 'you suck!' 'fuck you!' 'fucking sellout!' About 3 songs into the set, an older woman kept screeching "you're bullshit! You're bullshit!" over and over. Mark stopped, looked at her, and started in on her. "Hey, fuck you, lady. What's your fucking problem? Shut the fuck up, just shut up. Is there any security in this place?" I was worried that he'd leave the stage. But he gave as good as he got. "I'm just trying to do my job here. Do I come down to the 7-11 and unplug the Slurpee machine when you're working? Do I go to the Greyhound station and kick in the bathroom stall when you're trying to make a buck? You know, Mom, I know we've had our differences, but do you really have to do this?" It was great. She shut up, or at least disappeared, and the show went on.

I only remember the last 3 songs- "I'll Take Care of You", "Skeletal History", and "Methamphetamine Blues". Then they left the stage, there was the obligatory 5 minutes of cheering, and they came back out to do two songs. There were 3 listed on the setlist, but after 2 they left. We cheered more, then Greg Dulli came out (I really liked him, he seemed pretty cool) and introduced Mike Johnson, Van Conner, Ben Shepherd, Mark Lanegan, "and of course, myself". Seriously, I thought people were going to lose it. They did (I might be wrong about the first one, Josh and I don't remember for sure) "River Rise", then "Dollar Bill". Yeah, people lost it. It was fucking awesome. Also kind of funny to watch 3 bass players get up and play guitar (Mike and Van on accoustic, Ben on electric). Then they went offstage, Van wandering around on stage before wandering off. Then Greg and Mark came out and sang "Number Nine" from the Twilight Singers' 'Blackberry Belle' album together. They offered to take requests (I don't need to say that someone requested the F-song, do I?), and settled on Alice Cooper's 'I'm 18'. All well and good, except Mark only knew the first verse and the chorus. So as the chorus ended, Greg asked Mark if he was ok on the 2nd verse. Mark said something, then quickly stepped back from the mike, waved, said goodnight and walked off. Then the house lights came up.

After the show, we talked to Van for a moment and asked about the supposed Trees album coming out. Apparently Epic in Europe wants to do a 2-cd box of greatest hits and unreleased tracks, and the album that might come out on Rekords Rekords IS the lost Trees album, but it needs to be mastered and Mark wants to re-sing his vocals, because he sounded like shit then.

Special thanks to Josh/diggabug for help on this. Please don't hesitate to correct anything! I was real excited and didn't remember as well as I could.

review by Aaron

To concur with everyone else, the show rocked. I am very impressed with the new material that was played and thought it was a sweet that Dulli was there as well.

We arrived at the show fashionably early to catch a few drinks in the Green Room and listen to the soundcheck. Amphetamine Blues sounded good even though there was other music playing in the bar.

Mark really burned the woman and the few others who were heckling him during the intro to "Message to Mine". I'm listening to it now and this is exactly what he says:

"Get the fuck out of here. Go back to Tijuana and go fuck a Donkey. You payed good money to come up here and give me shit I ought to kick your fucking head in. Get the fuck outta here. Hey, is there any security guys in here 'cos my mom is giving me a hard time. C'mon mom, I know we've had our differences but I'm tryin' to work. Do I come down to 7-11 and unplug the slurpee machine when you're workin'? Do I come kick the stall door in at the Greyhound station when you're giving head? Why do you come here and give me shit when I'm workin'? What's your fuckin' problem lady? It's not my fault genetics weren't kind to you. I am singin', why don't you shut the fuck up."

Mark seemed pretty pissed and I was afraid he was going to walk off the stage.

review by Kirk

alright here we go: pendulum, borrachio(break in the action to call this woman assorted names,"listen lady, I'm working here i don't come to greyhound station and kick down the bathroom stahl where your giving head do i?" message to,one way,sleep with me,don't forget,???(didn't recognize)???,no easy,miracle,creep coast,death don't,jesus prog(real heavy),because of this into hotel back into because,I'll take care,sketal hist.,meth blues.* 1st encore troy and mark acoutic mockingbird, she done into river rise. **2nd encore Dulli,van conner, ben sheppard and mark oooh and mike johnson carry home then DOLLAR FUCKING BILL!!!!!. ***3rd encore dulli and mark acoutic the twiglight singers tune number nine then the first verse of 18 by cooper.

allright here's the review: the setlist should speak for it's self but it dosn't first my critisism (which is very minor in comparison) i really thought "the band" suffere noticably (sp?) without mike johnson it showed the basically just played power chords to everything, netson did not look happy. and after that heckle incident you could see it on the whole band and roadies (one of which had to be marks brother, i mean spitting image) faces they were almost like oh no looks like it's gonna be a short night. but this is where my praises come in. Mark suckjed it up threw back a few choice insults put his game face on and carried the whole show, i have seen him with the tress at least 4 times and solo 3 and this time he was different full of piss and vinegar if you will. where in the past that(cakle from ugly middle aged woman) might have threw him off this time it sparked something intense i have never seen him sing like that fucking belting the songs out like pavarotti. all in all he was a different person i have said before that there is no way he's clean from some of the pictures i've seen but i might actually think he is or he at least has it under control. when that second encore happened i swear to god some people were swelling up with tears, it looked like those commercials for the christian cd's you can by on tv, where everyone is standing there just basking in the glory of god! all in all the man came through like a champ, also i was standing next to a beatiful girl who i made small talk with but i was to much of a wimp to ask for her number or even her name so if you read this mystery I'm sorry please e-mail me i want to marry you