From: Tracy Feldman <tracy@membrane.com>

The show at the North Star Bar was probably one of the best performances
from any artist that I've ever seen. There were a few annoying factors;
This girl who was way too obsessed with Elliott (is this possible?) and
she was right in the front, requesting Condor Ave--and he was like, 'but
i fucked that one up last night'. . basically, she was trying to have
private conversations with him during the show. And she kept smoking
right in front of the state. If I were Elliott, I would have slapped
her. .There was also some dyslexic punk was also shouting "Play 'okay,
oh well'!". . . Aside from that and the fact that the bar was across the
street from a crack house, the show was amazing. When he was done his
set list, he went to go offstage, but the door wouldn't open. He layed
down on the stage (while everyone was laughing) and then quietly came
back and played a few more songs. Anyone who can do that and also say
during a song 'i fucked that one up' so gracefully deserves some
respect!
Every single person in the audience was in awe of Elliott's beautiful
voice and amazing guitar skill. As my friend so elegantely put it
"Everyone wanted to sleep with him; even the guys."


Elliott played such a great selection of songs; I didn't write them down
til after the show (damn) so my setlist is not that acurate. . . .

(not in the right order)
XO: Waltz #2, Pitselah, Independence Day
Either/Or: Between the Bars, Angeles, Say Yes, Rose Parade
Elliott Smith: Needle in the Hay, Southern Bell, Coming up roses, St.
Ides Heaven, Good to Go, The biggest lie
Other: Son of Sam, Pretty Mary K, Nighttime (Big Star cover)

From: "Amy " acschnei@wam.umd.edu

Hey all...this is my first post, yay! :) I was at the Black Cat
show and so I thought I ought to add my two cents since so few people
have...so, here goes. This was my first time seeing Elliott so I
don't really have anything to compare it to, but I thought he was
AMAZING!!! I could only see his head because I was back a little bit
and Elliott seems to have lots of tall fans...although I am 5'3" so
most people are tall to me. Umm...the first time he came back for an
encore he started playing and then decided his guitar was out of tune
("What the fuck?")...and once he asked if everything was all right
because we were apparently too quiet ("It's weird"). I don't think
he really played any of the requests except for "say yes"...lots of
people wanted "Thirteen" and he was like, "But I already played a Big
Star cover!" Umm...well I don't really have anything else to
say...the set list I think is up on Sweet Adeline, right? And I only
wrote down the beginning anyway, and then I got too caught up in it
to care. So anyway, I thought he was incredible, I can't wait 'til
the next time he comes around...and I guess that's it so have a nice
day!
-- Amy

From: jlangdon4@aol.com

so elliott performed to a sold out room in Washington D.C. and there is nobody
out there who is so anal that they remembered/jotted down the set list...
Washington D.C. you must represent?

I was there, amongst all the cute girls...but I can barely remember half the
songs, and I was counting on someone out there in the nether world to hook me
up.

I can say this:

It was intimate, in more ways than one...sardine intimate, atmospherically
intimate, sonically intimate.

It was good, it was memorable, it was at the black cat.

"Black Cat, Black Cat"

The Hollywood scenesters and the New York scenesters had their "star
sightings"...the closest thing we had was Ian MacKaye (thank god it wasn't a
politician, right?)

Ted Leo/The Pharmacists (chisel r.i.p.) opened up, and I thought were pretty
good...although lackluster crowd response. c'est la vie, word? word.

babe the blue ox,
JL

From:  <abe_dukenheimer@yahoo.com>

So, the black cat show was good... the E-man rarely
made mistakes... he finger-picked the set. but he is
definitely a lethargic rotund rocker these days... i
guess the cigs and booze don't help the boys health
any...

so the E-man played son of sam followed by pretty mary
k and then i lost track of the order but he threw in
last call (how can he not play that open D chord with
passion...I SAY GROW SOME TESTICLES!) he has to learn
how to strike his instrument like a man... i mean, it
is pretty manly when he plays electrified...but...oh
well, you can't have everything.

i also think it is fairly pathetic that people get-off
when someone brings himself to crack a smile... WOW!
I mean, that's always fun to see with Elliott and it
is like its some kind of big deal when he smiles. But
i guess it is pretty cool when you don't really have
to do anything at all (or show any charisma or
showmanship) to get people's attention. And the
ladies scream "ELLIOTT, YOU BREAK MY HEART!"

that honky played 'say yes'...that song is strictly
for the ladies! to me it is unscrupulous of him to
play it! shit... goddamn!

the opening band was pretty swell and i liked them a
bunch...THE PHARMACISTS...they have this kind of crazy
aesthetic and some cock-rockin' riffs!!! sweet... BUT
THEY WERE NO... NO. 2!!! But who is???

so elliott closed the show by taking a request to play
'i figured you out' which he said something like "i
don't remember that one, I'll just fuck it up." then
he proceeds to play it... he did botch it, but when he
finally got the chords down, he played it right
nice... i say, bad way to end a show. but he was
complaining about him losing his voice...

it was fairly interesting, but not any sort of
religious experience that one might expect. The e-man
also wore this goofy '84 LA olympics sweatshirt...very
goony looking. and he had a niffty haircut too!
looks like he got a FLOWBEE for christmas...

the day before I went to the Beck show in a Korn
shirt... i thought there would be an aggro-metal
modern rock audience there...but nope, i was wrong.

Beth Orton almost ruined the entire show because lo
and behold: SHE SUCKS MY ASSSSSS! no, really... she
does.

boring chick rocker if i ever seen one...ouch! well
at least she told a joke, but the worst part of it was
that no one could understand the punch line. Beck
salvaged the show by roling around on some satin
sheets...and screaming in falsetto and saying things
like "I wanna heeeer some beatz that iz just
REDICULOUS!!!!"

it is cool though that they sell all of Elliott's 7"s
and stuff and XO on vinyl at the show... my friend
picked up all of them.

see yall in hell.

ph.

From: StIdesMoon@aol.com

Can anyone confirm that Dave Foley was actually at the Philly show? I'd hate
to have missed the opportunity to see my favorite Kid in the Hall wandering
the apocalyptic North Star Bar. (Okay, maybe it wasn't such an apocalyptic
setting. Only, the exposed, scarred & gashed brick wall made my overactive
imagination wander.)

As previously mentioned, what a wonderful, spellbinding show.... Elliott's
cover of "Nightime" gave me the most delicious chills. The little slapstick
Elliott moment when he fell was the cutest. But the photo flashes went
overboard; too many simultaneous and/or successive flashes going off. The
poor man was wincing and flinching the entire night. I know I'm really no
better, since I took pictures too. However, I tried to be discreet and
considerate, taking pictures only in between songs and when was looking down
or away.

By the way, when were they playing Belle & Sebastian? I remember hearing Big
Star and the Velvet Underground, but no B&S. Perhaps I was just too
mesmerized by the Elliott-euphoria to notice... or maybe I'm getting early
Alzheimer's.

Didn't meet any list members at the show, but I remember hearing Rebecca's
comment(s).

Beth :)