BARENAKED LADIES, BETTER THAN EZRA AND KT TUNSTALL DEFINED ENTERTAINMENT AT THE STIR

A Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies at the Harrah's Stir Cove Summer Concert Series on Sunday, June 3, 2018. Photo credit: Dean Birkheimer

“Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June” – Al Bernstein

Let’s imagine all the “important” people sitting around a conference room table at Harrah’s Casino in Council Bluffs. Topic up for discussion: What show will open our 2018 summer concert series. I can imagine somebody saying, we need somebody that people will come in droves to see. Another person says, Yeah, somebody people are familiar with and somebody they can sing and dance to. Then somebody else says. “I agree, maybe a good country band?” With that, the table let’s out a collective BOO!, NO,YUCK!! Then all of sudden, some genius, somebody we don’t know says, How about Barenaked Ladies. Now the members begin a Daniel Bryan chant – YES! YES! YES! YES!. If you’re not familiar with Daniel Bryan, google “Daniel Bryan Yes Chant”. And there you have it, the first show is set. Barenaked Ladies, Better Than Ezra and KT Tunstall. I just don’t know how it can get any better, or at least I didn’t know until I showed up at the Stir. The weather was PERFECT. The temperature was in the high 70’s, it was sunny and the sky was as Michael Johnson once sang, Bluer Than Blue.

In my opinion an opening act has but two jobs. Prepare the crowd for the show and do it by entertaining them. Oh my Lord, did KT Tunstall meet those requirements and more, a whole lot more! She opened with “It Took Me So Long To Get Here, But Here I Am.” A really wonderful up-beat song that immediately engaged the crowd. KT is so involved with the audience, she makes each person feel like she is performing solely for him/her. After “Other Side Of The World” we got “Black Horse And The Cherry Tree”. This is the song she did as her television debut on Later with Jools Holland. I’ve provided a link to that performance, please find the time to watch it. I’m a big fan of Later with Jools Holland. Once in awhile an artist and/or band will perform and all the other bands will stop preparing for their respective spot and simply just watch what’s going on. You’ll always see this happen when Morrissey is on the show. Well, even though this was her first T.V. appearance you can see in the video the other artists were mesmerized by what KT was doing. Just a brilliant piece of live music. KT Tunstall on Later with Jools Holland and in what I thought was her best moment she mashed this song with The White Stripes Seven Nation Army. Just awesome. There was another mash up of her song “Hold On” and the BanglesWalk Like An Egyptian” If anybody wasn’t dancing before this mash-up they certainly were during it. She did a cover of the Violent Femmes Blister In The Sun and closed with the ever popular Suddenly I See. KT went through several guitar changes and was constantly utilizing her foot pedal which she affectionately calls “wee bastard” KT is a rare talent and if I were you, I would do what I plan to do and that’s see her every freakin’ chance I get.

KT Tunstall Setlist:
IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET HERE, BUT HERE I AM | OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD | BLACK HORSE AND THE CHERRY TREE / SEVEN NATION ARMY | HOLD ON / WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN | BLISTER IN THE SUN (violent femmes cover) | SUDDENLY I SEE

Better Than Ezra is made up of Kevin Griffin, founding member, (vocals) – Tom Drummond, founding member, (bass) – James Arthur Payne Jr. (guitar) and Michael Jerome, who you might know from the Toadies, (drums). BTE opened with Insane, but it was Extra Ordinary that really got the crowds attention. Brilliantly sung and performed. Kevin vocals are still amazing. He still hits the high notes with ease and is also an accomplished impersonator. He does a great Mcconaughey and Springsteen. You just don’t know what you’re going to get at a BTE show, at one point there was even a Rush medley. They are a fun band whose sole mission is to entertain you. When they played Good the crowd hit another level and the air was filled with various voices. They ended their set with In The Blood, but while we waited for Barenaked Ladies we were all either singing or humming BTE songs.

Better Than Ezra Setlist:
INSANE | EXTRA ORDINARY | A LIFETIME | DESPERATLEY WANTING | BREATHLESS | CRAZY LUCKY | GRATEFUL | GOOD | IN THE BLOOD

Barenaked Ladies were asked to close the show, they did 19 songs all of which were amazing. After they did Brian Wilson, they went on an acoustic trip that went on for four songs. It was really fantastic. KT Tunstall came out and joined the band for a song and BTE Kevin Griffin came out and did Looking Up with the band. Their show was lively and funny. Fan favorites from the past were dealt out regularly and everyone loved singing along. There was even some freestyle hip hop rapping that had the audience smiling from ear to ear. When $1,000,000 was performed the call and response was astounding. The fan voices echoed through-out the cove. Although the cove allows lawn chairs, not many in the crowd were sitting. There was a great story about Hollywood Candy and its hot dogs that was hilarious. We were all focused on this band and waiting for what was to come next. They were all over the place and we didn’t mind a bit. A really entertaining band and set. An absolute must see

Barenaked Ladies Set List:
ODDS ARE | SAY WHAT YOU WANT | PINCH ME | BRING IT HOME | GLOBETROT | 20/20 HINDSIGHT | BRIAN WILSON | CANADA DRY (acoustic) | BLAME IT ON ME (acoustic) | THE TOWNSHIP OF KING (acoustic) | ENID (acoustic) | WE TOOK THE NIGHT | LOOKIN UP (with Kevin Griffin) | BIG BAND THEORY THEME | ONE WEEK | IF I HAD $1,000,000 | BARENAKED RAP | ENCORE: LIGHT UP MY ROOM

– Dean Birkheimer, Photojournalist for Go Venue Magazine [all photos by Dean Birkheimer, otherwise noted]

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Better Than Ezra


KT Tunstall


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