Hi all!
 
Well, if not actually a review, then at least a description and a setlist.
Went to the area about 1:15 (the whole thing was supposed to last from
12-6) to find out when they were playing. Turns out the Connells are third
of five bands, scheduled to play from 2:05-3:05 (nice precision on the part
of the organizers, btw). So I killed some time by buying some candy and a
liter of water (and I easily drank the whole thing before the end of the
show) at a store closeby.
 
The stage was set up in a kind of strange place - they had a street blocked
off and there was free stuff and tables from a lot of the sponsors, and the
stage was just sort of set up on the street, next to the Cinema 5. It
wasn't in the parking lot like I thought at all. Right before the Connells
came out one of the radio station people put out a big blue tarp on the
street between the stage and the soundboard, and everyone who had been
lining the curbs promptly went out and sat on it. (It was still hot as all
get out, but not as bad and scary as sitting on the street itself.) This,
and the early time of the show, lent a very casual quality to the
proceedings. Everyone pretty much stayed seated for the show. Plus, the
band was on the ground with us so standing up would have totally blocked
the view for everyone.
 
Before I forget, here's the set:
 
5th Fret
Maybe
Let it Go
New Boy
Doin' You
Any
74-75
Try
Fun and Games
Motel
Slackjawed
 
No encore or anything, and I mean, where would they have gone - in their
Ryder truck? But it was a pretty well-rounded set considering they could
have played the phone book and a lot of people wouldn't have noticed the
difference. They seemed to be having a good time with it, though, and Doug
made jokes about the movies playing listed on the marquee and a few other
things.
 
The cool part was going up to talk to them afterward, and having an
_Official List Encounter_ with Jamie, who actually did make it up from
Harrisburg. Doug had mentioned that they would probably be back when they
went on their "real" tour in October, so I asked about that. When Jamie
mentioned he had seen them in Harrisburg before, I asked if he was from the
list, and we had ourselves a little list moment, and the band now does know
that this list exists. I also learned that I was one of only a small
handful to have seen ever them in Detroit, since that was the only time
they ever played there and it was dismally attended. Anyway. It was a fun
afternoon.
 
pax,
Sarah