So I'm a bit late with this, but I'm writing it before the next Chickenfoot gig so I think it's still OK. ;-)

I've seen back-to-back Joe shows about five times in the past, and it was always the same...like I was seeing the same band twice (which I was). But these Chickenfoot gigs were completely different.

The San Francisco show felt like the hometown show of a band that had been around for a few years, and Sammy even made a comment to that effect. The Los Angeles show had more of the "we're a new band and this is our fourth gig" feel. There were high points, but the energy level didn't quite stay up like it did in SF. I don't know if it was the smaller venue that caused that, or the "LA crowd" that has very little interest in anything.

And Tracie, the line outside the Roxy was very organized...there were paper signs taped to buildings telling people where to wait. We all got wristbands before we went in and no one cut in line. So the LA crowd would have won, were it not for the guy a few people to my left who peed all over the floor and the guy in front of him a few minutes before the band went on. Wonderful.

I was in front of Joe in SF and between Sammy and Mikey in LA, so I got to see the show from both sides. I think what sticks in my head most is just how much Mike brings to this band. His bass playing is more interesting than it ever was in Van Halen (he even played a bit of slap bass at one point), and man can he SING. Because of where I was standing at the Roxy, I actually heard his unamplified voice more than what was coming through the speakers...it sounded great and looked so effortless.

Highlights from SF include Avenida Revolution (I already mentioned the crowd response after this was the loudest I've ever heard for Joe), Oh Yeah, Learning To Fall, and Highway Star.

LA highlights would be Get It Up, Down The Drain, Bitten By The Wolf and Bad Motor Scooter. BBTW sounds unlike anything else on the album, so I think I'm glad it's a bonus track. It's very swampy/bluesy, and I love the Louisiana lyrics (I'm from there). Joe used the doubleneck here...most of the song was done on the top, but he switched to the bottom for the ending solo.

My Kinda Girl and Turnin' Left were solid both nights. Sammy played guitar on Turnin' Left and Bad Motor Scooter, but I wish he would've played on a few other songs as well. Get It Up in SF sounded really empty, and even though it was better in LA I think a second guitar would have helped a lot. BBTW could have maybe used another guitar too, to keep the song "together" (it's hard to explain if you haven't heard it).

In SF, Sammy started a guitar "duel" with Joe during Turnin' Left that seemed too fake/staged to me because Sammy told Joe not to hold back (but he'd play circles around Sammy if he didn't). I think it worked better in LA, without the comment.

The coolest image from both shows would have to be during Sammy's Bad Motor Scooter solo in LA. Joe walked over to him and rested an arm on Sammy's shoulder...then Mikey walked over to his other side and did the same thing. I'll have to look for a picture of this...it was really funny.

I haven't said too much about Chad here, but he's incredible. I don't know how he does it, but he seems to pull amazing fills out of thin air. And he's hilarious too. We made eye contact several times during the LA gig...he sings along to all the songs, even if the mike isn't in front of him, and he seemed impressed I knew a lot of lyrics. But toward the end there was a part where Sammy or Mikey tried to get the crowd to clap to the beat. I didn't join in, and Chad gave me a really stern look...haha.

Lastly...Sammy made a comment about Montrose early into the LA gig, so Chad played part of the Rock Candy intro. They didn't do the song, but the setlist had that song, Goin' Down, and Rock and Roll printed on it at the end. So they might mix up the encores as the tour progresses.

I think that might be my longest single post ever...haha. 3,999 of the 4,000 allowed characters. Maybe I should have written to separate reviews, and not procrastinated. ;-)

Who here is going to tonight's Chicago gig?

Nice review Austin, thanks....sounds like the Fillmore gang could learn a thing or two about line control from the LA gang :) So there were no half naked wimmens tryin to cut in line at the front eh?

With these guys, I can only imagine that each show will have it's own "flavor" and rock n roll moments different from the rest. I hope they film each one of them and manage to share them somehow :)

Yamboy (webmaster Jon) tweeted that they have the footage ready from the first of the "12 Days of the Foot" shows.....can we be expecting a podcast mebbe, oh World's Greatest Webmaster??

cheese101 - Tracie, you're right...but, given the choice, I'll take half-naked women over a puddle of pee any day! ;-)

I can't wait to see footage of this. I know the webmaster recorded some shows, but I think it'd be really cool to have a proper Chickenfoot DVD. That probably wouldn't happen until after a second album, though.

As a slight aside, I've found these Chickenfoot shows were so good it makes me not want to listen to Van Halen because it just doesn't measure up. These guys are that good.

Austin - nice one, thanks. How is the job search going or you still on holiday?

Blue_Moon - Can I give you 4,000 words on how you told me several times before coming to CA that you weren't a hamburger fan, yet you went on to eat at In-N-Out probably about five times in a two-week period? :-)

Shot from inside the Chicago venue before the band came out here

Chickenfoot to appear on The Tonight Show June 5 here the in store is between 8 and 9pm

Pic of Sammy and Michael on stage in Chicago here

"Chickenfoot rockin the park west! Michael anthony lookin 4 some hometown love. Chad says hi to 82 year old grandma in the crowd"

Thanx skippy....especially the notice of the guys appearing on TV!!!! I'ma drink tons of coffee that night to stay up, lol!!

Hey y'all , glad you like my pics, Austin and Andrew (aka..the twin towers ) let me stand in front of them so I would have a better view for taking them. A big thank you to them !!

Tracie and Chris , my rock & roll co-pilots! We will ride again!! Thanks for sharing the experience with us.

LOL!!!

Saddle up anytime pardner and co-pardner, we're IN!

:)

Was Joe smiling and having so much fun before or after the half nekked ladies turned up??

Igneousiceman - took me a while to fathom what you meant about vid views. I didn't think about that. Yep, it's that scene I was on about. I've seen worse since, Hostel springs to mind. BTW, looks like upside down photos is something to do with either Twitterberry or more likely Twitterberry & orientation on a Bberry Storm as it's not just happening to me

Scubadaz - LMAO, rupert the bear pants. Ok, nice spot!

Skippygirl - I just woke up and wanted to play. I was naked when I fell out of bed, assumed that version wouldn't get passed on youtoob, so threw on a top and my Rupert bear trousers. The croissants lived that morning LOL

Fatape - pickled nipples!? Woah, what diet are you on?

Ozzy - but they don't have my pants?? I was obviously ; ) going for this look, sans jacket LOL (hover over the pic)

Do The Stu - nice head rocking throughout. Is there any vid you're not in? ha ha... and you love Marino AND Mountain Dew... that's stupidly coincidental. I still hate 13

Slansh - nice post (firkins). Long time since I've listened to any of his work. I have his first album somwhere, this was the opener, very catchy: Laughing Stacks

Burly - it's got to be just aero probs with McLaren as it looks to have good mechanical grip. They seem competitive so far (Monaco practice sessions). Qually soon so see what's what then. How's my burger loving mate Juan Pablo doing?

Cosmic Ape - did you really ask Blue Moon why he's obessed with In & Out? See any DCK posts for the answer to that (only messing with you McK)...

Mahavishnu - nice pics as always. See you in the fall maybe?

Has anyone here ever been to a taping of the Tonight Show? I'd like to go, but I have a feeling the taping will be late in the afternoon and I'll miss out on getting a spot in line for the signing at Best Buy. If it's one or the other, I'll go with the autographs...

cosmic_ape - I forgot about the Red Robin onion rings. You know, all this talk makes me want to try that place again...it's been quite a while.

Have you ever been to Outback Steakhouse? Their burger is one of my favorites...

Pip Satrini - I just checked the Bitten By The Wolf video on the Blabbermouth news page that Skippygirl linked to, and I'm not in that one. I'm too close to center stage, so I'm not ever in frame. Boo hoo... ;-)