Guster (10.29.09 & 10.30.09)

the Band: Guster
the Date: Thursday - Friday, October 29 & 30, 2009
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Amy Willard and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/amywillard//)

I’ve been a big fan of Guster for years. The band was formed by Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel back in 1991 while attending Tufts University. Joe Pisapia joined the band back in 2003. This current tour was in support of the 10-year anniversary of the album Lost and Gone Forever. They played two nights at the 9:30 club and luckily we picked up two-night tickets.

Basically, the shows were amazing. Each night, Guster played two sets: the first was a mix of songs from all of their albums, and the second was Lost and Gone Forever in its entirety. Both nights, the crowd was in a fantastic mood and everybody was dancing and singing along to every song. The setlist was fantastic. They played some older tracks from as far back as the Goldfly album and songs that are not even released yet. Yup, the boys played a few brand-spanking-new tunes that will hopefully make an appearance on next year’s new album.

Between the two sets, Guster played a small video showing some old footage of the band during the recording of Lost and Gone Forever. It was a nice look back at where it all began … well, at least where this particular album began.

The second set was a fun and vibrant run-thru of Lost and Gone Forever. For most of these tunes, Guster brought horn and string players on stage to enhance the sound. On both nights, for All the Way Up To Heaven, a small children’s choir came on stage to perform harmony and whistle. Also on each night, Guster closed the show with a completely unplugged version of Jesus on the Radio.

(Photo credit to Amy Willard and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/amywillard//)

Full setlist for October 29: SET ONE / The Captain / One Man Wrecking Machine / Red Oyster Cult - Reaper / X-Ray Eyes / This Could All Be Yours / Manifest Destiny / Keep It Together / New Song # / Demons / Ruby Falls / C’mon / Airport Song / SET TWO / What You Wish For / Barrel Of A Gun / Either Way / Fa Fa / I Spy / Center Of Attention / All The Way Up To Heaven / Happier / So Long / Two Points For Honesty / Rainy Day / ENCORE / Hang On / Come Downstairs And Say Hello / Jesus On The Radio (unplugged)

Full setlist for October 30: SET ONE / Ramona / G Major / The Beginning Of The End / This Could All Be Yours / Demons / Diane / Satellite / The Captain / Bad Bad World / Manifest Destiny / Rocketship / Come Downstairs And Say Hello / SET TWO / What You Wish For / Barrel Of A Gun / Either Way / Fa Fa / I Spy / Center Of Attention / All The Way Up To Heaven / Happier / So Long / Two Points For Honesty / Rainy Day / ENCORE / Hang On / Airport Song / Jesus On The Radio (unplugged)

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I am one man wrecking machine ...