June 12 , 2008

        I got to Hoople’s at about 10:30. The 1st set had already ended. On my way in, Sam told me that the 1st set was just about the best set he’d ever heard. I was curious. After getting to the front, Dom & Brett both confirmed that the 1st set was MASSIVE. The X factor this evening was Brother McFadden’s brother on bass. I’d seen him play with Glenn before in the configuration known as “Doppel McFadden,” but it had been a while. Tonite was not “Doppel McFadden,” but it WAS Glenn joined by the best Irish rhythm section in the world.

      I won’t give a song by song review, but I’ll tell you that GS was bombastic this evening. His playing was precise and relentless. Every song was taken up just a few more notches that usual (and that’s about 40 notches beyond anything ever  play-ed by humans in the last 34 years (since 1974)).

        There was some Motor City, Wagon Wheels (to open the 2nd set), a little bit of “When He Returns,”  a shred of “Man Gave Names to All the Animals” (1st time ever) “I’ll Fly Away,”  and allegedly a very hot “Ode to Glenn Schwartz (promises, promises) “ in the 1st set. Unfortunately, from what I’ve been told, there is no audio archive of this show, but there was a guy taking video of the 3rd set. Alas,  someday we’ll see the machine gun style attack that was perpetrated via Glenn’s guitar this evening on the internet.

        I think McFadden on bass was an inspiration to Glenn and pushed him farther than we’ve seen (technically) of late. His bass playing is ROCK SOLID. He simply does not let up nor does he play bad notes . Hence,  since GS recognizes this, he takes his whole approach to the guitar to a level that is simply unconscionable to us mere mortals.