The Time February 2, 2007 Mobile, AL review

I went and saw the Time at the Civic Center in Mobile, AL on February 2, 2007. This was my first show of the year and my 34th overall.

Of course there was the typical drama and back story that goes along with all my concert trips. When I first found out they were going to be in Mobile I was ecstatic. That's only 45 minutes away, definitely better than the 6 hours or so that we have to drive most of the time. Well as luck would have it. I needed another foot surgery and guess what day they scheduled it. That's right you guessed it. February 2. Well I couldn't get it changed unless I wanted to wait another month and then spend all that extra money redoing the physical and other test that I had already paid for. Well I decided it was just better to get it done and over with and take a wait and see as far as the show was concerned.

It turns out that the concert was a private show and no guests were allowed. I was kinda of relieved. Of course I wanted to go, but duh I was having surgery. Well we decided that we would see how I felt that evening and if I was up to it, maybe just go and hang out at the hotel with the fellas before or after the show. Well two days before the show, I found out we could get in. Again it was play it by ear and see how I felt after the surgery. I had my surgery early in the morning on Friday and came home. Ate and went back to sleep. Jason called at 6 something and asked me if we were going or not so I was like "fuck it' lets go. Jason and Ashley showed up around 9 p.m. and we got on the road. What a motley crew we made up. Jason couldn't drive for reasons I won't go into, Ashley was sick with strep throat and I was stretched out in the back Seat with an ice pack on my foot. We got to the band's hotel shortly after 10 p.m. Anita was in the lobby and we said hey to her. Shortly after we got there, Jesse showed up. He gave all of us some passes and said to follow the van to the show. Around 10:45 p.m. or so, all of the band except Morris showed up. I road in the van with the band while everybody else followed.

We got to the civic center and I hobbled around on crutches in the bowels of the Mobile Civic center, up stairs and all over the place. Needless to say I was exhausted. We were in the locker room for the local basketball team. I sat next to Morris and talked to him a little bit. The group was pretty low key tonight. After about a half hour or so it was show time. We did the pre show prayer and huddle and headed for the stage. I was going to sit, but there was no where to get a view so of course like a dumbass I went out front and leaned up against a pole for the whole show. The show was a private Mardi Gras show and most of the folks were in Tux's and Evening gowns.For some unknown reason, they had this big line go past me, around the back of the stage to the other side to get there pictures taken. Why they just didn't go directly to the other side is beyond me, but that's Mobile for you. The show started around 11:45 p.m.

Here is the Line up

Morris Day- Vocals and Cool
Jellybean Johnson- Drum
Roman Johnson- Keyboards
Monte Moir- Keyboards
Ricky "Freeze" Smith- Bass
Tori "Freakjuice" Ruffin- Guitar

Here is the setlist with my ever insightful comments to follow:

1. The Skillet!!!
2. Cool
3. Get it up
4. Pandemonium
5. Chocolate
6. Wild and Loose
7. The Stick
8. Blondie!!!
9. My Drawers!!!
10. Fishnet
11. The Oak Tree
12. Jerk Out
13. 777-9311
14. Girl-
15. Sometimes I get lonely- Morris sang a few verses from off stage
16. Gigolos Get Lonely Too
17. If the kid can't make you come
18.The Walk
19 The Bird
encore
20. Jungle Love


The crowd was decent. They really got into the last 2 songs of the night(Imagine that). I did have one couple next to me dry humping. Get a room. There was also this Holley Marie Combs look a like that I was drooling over all night.Well as you can see from the line up, a big part of the show was missing and you could definitely tell. The band sounded great(except for the bass being low in the mix) and Morris was in good form, but there was that little extra that Jerome brings to the show that was sorely missed. Hopefully the issues will get resolved soon and he will be back in the fold. I just live for the skillet. That shit kicks ass. Tori started the get it up chant that Jerome usually does and it just didn't seem right. You could really hear the keys on this number, more like the album version instead of the typical concert version. During Chocolate, Jaybe brought the mirror out for Morris. Again strange. The Stick also had the keyboard out more in front in the mix than usual. Tori was just Tori and he really ripped on Blondie. Tori and Freeze were doing the la la la chant on Fishnet and Freeze did the "Morris what's that dance your doing"line on the Oak Tree. Jaybe came back out with the mirror on 777-9311 and Tori ripped it up after the fake pause. Next was the slow it down and take it back to the 80's. Morris actually sang a few verses of Sometimes I get lonely from off stage. Something just a little different. Next was the dreaded Kid/Ice Cream Castles bit that I hate. Anita got on stage for Ice Cream Castles and hopefully the picture we took comes out. We then had the typical ending of The Walk, The Bird and the encore of Jungle Love. The show ended around 1 p.m.

We headed back stage and hung out for a few minutes and then we headed back home since the band all had early flights that morning. Well what can I say. The show was still better than 95% of the other bands I see, but it would have been 100% if my man Jerome would have been there. Freeze, Tori and Roman covered for allot of Jerome's bits and it just seemed weird. They should probably just drop that stuff until if/when he rejoins the band. Hopefully he will be back for show # 35

Its kind of... weird: those guys old enough to be grandparents singing those freaky/sexy songs. What time is it, anyway?

Too late, perhaps.

So, what's the story on Jerome?

Always love reading your stories/reviews