Point one: Holy hell those kiddos could rock, and the Chicago Theater was perfect.
Point two: Loved the audience, and particularly their love for Andy the approx. 16 year old saxophonist. I love sitting next to strangers who have either not seen Ben ever or in years - or in this case ever with a symphony. Watching their delight makes my delight even that much more meaningful.
Point three: Poor pianist girl in the symphony, I think the only thing she even played on was Cologne and she sat there all serious through the show with her hands in her lap.
Point three b: She did erupt into a grin after each song, and particularly One Angry Dwarf.
Point four: I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS NEW RECORD. I mean I anticipate any Folds release, because there is no other choice being me and all, but I am SO enthralled by this new sound. I can't even come up with adequate words. I hope it does well - even if it's just in the indie circuit well.
Point five: This show will likely be my last show before July 4th, and it was a hell of a show to end my (first) decade of Folds Fandom. (July 4, 2005 was my first show and the day I became a fan).
Okay here be the set list.
1. Effington (loved that Sam stood up and sang the opening line and wasn't amplified at all but we had no problem hearing it.)
2. Jesusland
3. Erase Me (reportedly the second time that it's been played with a Symphony so the arrangement is technically a work in progress. AND HOLY CRAP it was intense and wonderful and I want... no. NEED. a symphony recording of this song)
4. Cologne
5. Concerto Movement II
6. So There (which I was quasi-surprised that new stuff was being played, but I'm not a composer - at all - and don't know how time consuming it would have been to take the yMusic arrangement and make it a 60 piece)
7. Steven's Last Night in Town
Intermission
8. Zak and Sara
9. Capable of Anything
10. Rock this Bitch
11. Landed
12. You Don't Know Me (which featured one of the young girls from the symphony on the female vocals, clearly not very rehearsed but I was super proud of her)
13. Brick
14. Not the Same
15. One Angry Dwarf (which was particularly wonderfully loud)
Encore:
16. The Luckiest