Zoo Amphitheater - Apple Valley, Minnesota - 8.15.10

 

Night three of the tour and we're starting to get a feel for what these electric only shows are going to look like.  About a dozen songs, give or take, and an evening stretched out with jams.  This one clocked in at 90 minutes.  Will all of these electric-only one-set shows be like this for the duration of the tour?  Who knows...the first two have both been in weird venues the band has never played before.  Capacity at the The Weesner Family Amphitheater inside the Minnesota Zoo is 1450 reserved and the show was sold out.  All shows are sponsored by Subway so you can guess what kind of eats might have been available for the crew.  

According to this review from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, it wasn't quite spider monkey bed time when the Sunday Service wound down, as the show "could’ve lasted a whole hour more without passing the zoo’s 10:30 p.m. curfew."  I checked the Sunday night tv listings and all I came up with was the Tebow debut in Denver that may have been the impetus for an early band exit.  

Stat line: 8/13, 105 yds, 1 rushing TD and as always, all glory to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  

Back to the show...

The One Mirror Too Many opener is said to have included a first-time jam on the end that definitely makes finding a recording of this a necessity.  No word on whether there were any tapers in the house.  If you took any kind of hallucinogenics before you entered the zoo, the How Much For Your Wings > Bring On, Bring On portion of the show was probably when things really kicked in.  Imagine every one of your senses firing on all cylinders during that middle portion...and right as the band gets to a really quiet, soft, mellow transitional section where you start to feel safe and cradled in their arms......your super hearing begins picking up on all the animal sounds coming from the zoo.  Hello psychedelic lift off.

Returning to normal consciousness - as it stands, so far a few people unable to catch one of the 3-hour acoustic/electric double setters are feeling a little gypped.  Others are saying the performances have been hot.  To quote Patrick Swayze in his immortal role as Dalton the Roadhouse cooler, "Opinions vary."  We'll get to the takes in a second; but first a few facts about the Minnesota Zoo's Weesner Family Amphitheater:

• Umbrellas are not permitted in the amphitheater.  Please leave umbrellas in your vehicle.  Ponchos are suggested for rainy weather.
• All guests older than the age of one will be charged full price.
• All concert goers, including Zoo members, will be charged a $5 parking fee.
• Tailgating is not permitted in the Zoo parking lot.
• Smoking is permitted in the merchandise area and the food service area between the caribou exhibit and the restrooms. Please respect all guests and limit smoking to these two areas. 
• Food and beverages are for sale at the Zoo. Please do not bring outside items.** 

Now let's hear  what the people had to say about the Crowe version of Music in the Zoo starting off with Appaloosa from Minnesota...

Another very solid and fun show tonight in Apple Valley, MN! Show length was about 105 minutes. The 'My Morning Song' change up with 'Stare It Cold' inserted in the middle, and the Croweology arrangement included in the finale was interesting and fun. 'Descending' was also a highlight. Luther continues to shine and Adam's piano solo at the end of Descending - also wonderful. Great energy, mood and perfect weather. On to the Bridge in Des Moines on Tuesday.

alzeppelin from Northern Iowa (who provided the setlist snapshot) says... 

Great, Great show. I cheated and checked out one of the setlists on the stage before the show and couldn't believe we were going to get 3 tunes off 3 Snakes. My second Mirror opener too so I feel really lucky.   Awesome venue with virtually no bad seat. Remedy was an addition since it was not on the printed setlist.  My faith is renewed!

From jknne...

This was actually not 120 minutes, it was only about 95. It felt short but it was  a great set and it was great to hear the TSAOC songs. Even the SYMM songs sounded great. Great show and the band is TIGHT. 

Some guy whose board handle is Marc Ford says...

The electric only sets look strong but seem short for the price paid to attend.

And zoso594 offers up...

It seems short but with those tunes in the set you can't complain.  (Well most will but realistically you shouldn't)

And what would a Black Crowes show be without some freaky behavior in the crowd?  Tela's take on the t-shirt waving monkey man at the zoo...

What was the guy in the handicap section doing with the tshirt the last 5 songs!!!!!!??? Holding up a tshirt right infront of CR and RR in the first row saying "the hippies were right" is just astonomically idiotic and really doesnt contribute to the/our overall experience, so please i nthe future keep it on and keep on dancing....not to mention how oft-putting it was to the really calm and beautiful night...so I can only image how the band felt

watching that moron perform this weird ritual 8 feet from their faces. 

Gotta love those freaks...unless of course they're hirsching your jig during the show like this guy.  Anyway you get the idea.  People liked the zoo set but wish it was longer.  Not sure how the fruit bats, warty pigs and ring-tailed lemurs felt about it.    

In the Too Late Because That Train Done Left The Station category:  If there was ever a show where there should have been a special t-shirt or poster made, this was the one.  I mean come on - we're talking about a band called The Black Crowes playing a show at the zoo.  Endless potential.  Swing and miss Crowe Nation.  Swing and miss.

A few videos have started popping up and the one you see below is Descending.  Is this the greatest Descending ever?  Nope.  There are spots where it kind of plods along and Luther doesn't quite hit the "But I will let it slide" lick.  This tune has some dust and cobwebs on it; they haven't played it since the encore of December 9, 2009 at the Fillmore.  Special note made on the nearly three minutes at the end where the band shuts down and lets Adam do his thing.  Did Ed's Descending outro ever go for three minutes?  If so, point me in the right direction and I'll dig out the tape.  The old Descending style had Ed play for about a minute and then the band came back in.  Anyway, here's your latter-day Descending...with a good bit of Elton John channeling around the 5:55-6:20 mark...



Well, we'll see how things continue to progress as we move along.  Monday is a day off and Tuesday the tour picks back up in the flood ravaged wetlands of Des Moines, Iowa where the show originally scheduled for the Simon Estes Amphitheater has been moved to the safe heights of Walnut Bridge. 

**No word on the adult beverage selection at the Zoo, or if there even was one.  Perhaps there was some lemonade available at the concession stand.