The Mountain Goats Live::Bottom Of The Hill, 10.23.02 (WIBLT: V.1, P. 15)

For this week’s “What I’ve Been Listening To” I’m going to forgo the smattering of singles and random tunes in favor of highlighting a stunning Mountain Goats set that I’ve had on repeat the last couple days. The set was recorded by Chris Bellew at Bottom Of The Hill in San Fransisco, Caifornia on October 23rd 2002.

The performance took place about a week before the release of Tallahassee - the second release of 2002 - the first being All Hail West Texas. This period marks a period of incredible output for John Darnielle, which I guess is the norm rather than the exception. But the older records have quite a few songs that are under developed, whereas this period is full of stunning achievements. All Hail West Texas is amazing front to back, Tallahassee is the first album to feature songs that sound notably darker, and We Shall All Be Healed which featured songs written at the same time is darker still and is the first to see Darnielle really playing in the studio.

Tallahassee is notable for several reasons. It’s the first album that takes advantage of studio recording. As Darnielle notes during the show, the record sounds much slicker than anything previously recorded under the Mountain Goats moniker. Also, Tallahassee contains No Children which has become probably the most requested song in the Mountain Goats’ 400 plus song catalogue and is the Mountain Goats’ sing-a-long song.

Given its current status as the song everyone knows it’s interesting to hear the crowd reaction to their first taste of the song (listen). Laughter can be heard after Darnielle sardonically declares his desire for the death of his lover and himself. Other than laughter the crowd is relatively quiet which for anyone who’s seen the Mountain Goats live before is very odd sounding (listen to a version of No Children recorded in 2006). However, immediately upon completion of the song the crowd absolutely errupts which is evidence of the instant love many feel for No Children. It was the third time the song was played for the public.

Darnielle also explains the decision to name the album Tallahassee. According to him it’s the last stop of the alpha couple written about in length throughout his recordings. And although buying a house does not settle the couple’s troubles he finally felt closure with the couple and proceeded to write more autobiographical material culminating in the phenomenal Sunset Tree. See America Right is the final song he plays from the then yet to be released Tallahassee.

Other notable sections of the performance include a performance of The Sign, which has become a rarity now that he’s almost exclusively touring with Peter Hughes who Darnielle comments hates playing it (ironically, the Mountain Goats cover of the song appears on the Songs For Peter Hughes EP). Darnielle’s commentary before and during the song is almost as fun as the song. It starts on the topic of baseball and Cubs In Five and moves into reasons to retain publishing rights and ends in a declaration of Ace Of Base as the last indie rock band.

There is a lot to say about almost every song on the bootleg, so I leave you with a few songs other than the tracks previously mentioned that I particularly enjoy.

My Favorite Things (Unreleased) - A song that wonderfully demonstrates how much better life can be when filtered through great music. It also does well to capture the sense of happy frustration with the inability to accurately describe the feelings certain music can incite.

Going To Scotland (Nothing For Juice) - “I took your hips in my hands and I drew you down to the new found deep brown rich wet ground; Had a vision of you burning in my mind.” An almost unabashedly positive love song, a rarity for the Mountain Goats.

The Recognition Scene (Sweden) - Simple, elegant, and featuring restrained lyrics which is not Darnielle’s trademark.

Full set list with album information from The Mountain Goats.net after the jump. Recorded Chris Bellew and published via Archive.org.

1. Intro
2. Jenny - All Hail West Texas
3. The Recognition Scene - Sweden
4. Nine Black Poppies - Nine Black Poppies
5. Minnesota - Full Force Galesburg
6. You’re In Maya - Unreleased
7. Going To Queens - Sweden
8. Palmcorder Yajna (Sacrifice) - We Shall All Be Healed
9. Riches and Wonders - All Hail West Texas
10. The Mess Inside - All Hail West Texas
11. Tallahassee - Tallahassee
12. There Will Be No Divorce - The Coroner’s Gambit
13. Shadow Song - The Coroner’s Gambit
14. No Children - Tallahassee
15. Source Decay - All Hail West Texas
16. My Favorite Things - Unreleased
17. Going To Scotland - Nothing For Juice
18. See America Right - Tallahassee
19. Grendel’s Mother - Zopilote Machine
20. Twin Human Highway Flares - Full Force Galesburg
21. Ontario - Full Force Galesburg
22. The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton - All Hail West Texas
23. The Sign - Happy Nation (Ace of Base Cover)/Songs For Peter Hughes

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