(a) setlist

1. What Happened to Delisa?
2. La Rue D’Awakening
3. White Dove
4. Getaways
5. Hold That Line
6. Animal Husband
7. The Void
8. Cocktail Party
9. What The Night Can Do
10. I’ve Been Sentimental Lately
11. Living In Pictures
12. Replica
13. Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover)
14. Another Satellite
15. Neon’s Not Enough Light

(b) highlights

• the band kiiillllllled it – probably my favorite show of the second album tour
• RVJ, does that even need to be said at this point, I wonder
• the Troubadour just has an awesome set up – killer sound, great lighting, solid stage set-up
• the crowd was so much better than the night before – people were actually moving and dancing to songs that had only just come out that day
• lines like, “Oh, the mic is hot. This band is hot.” ” we’re Big Talk and we’re from Malaysia!” “Old Pinkie (the guitar) is out of tune.”
• I took probably my favorite photos at a show ever! mostly due to the Troubadour’s lighting and set-up, thx Troubs.

(c) lowlights

• really really really wish I could’ve heard “Katzenjammer” live just once

(d) overall thoughts

This show felt like the perfect set-up for the band to shine. Ronnie was totally “on” all night, the audience was receptive, and every song just felt like so much fun. It made me so happy that it finally felt like people were getting what the Big Talk schtick is.

The Troubadour is freaking cool and every show there feels special. The stage juts out a bit like a diamond and there’s a beautiful balcony that overlooks the space. The production level was higher than previous shows, which – along with other factors – really highlighted the performance aspect of the band. While San Diego felt like a jam-band session, this gig was all about performance. Whether that was with in-between song jokes or really letting the new songs breathe, this felt like a show. Ronnie Vannucci basically needs his own comedy hour at this point, and everyone else at Big Talk plays their role well. A part of me wishes Big Talk would do a full tour, even just 10 cities or so, just so they can really get into a rhythm and mix up the setlist; it’s in variety and different circumstances that Ronnie most shines, I believe.

After the show, I talked with other Big Talk and Killers’ fans, which was cool, and chatted again with Ronnie and Taylor – basically the best dudes of all time. Full stop. Period. I will fight anyone who disagrees that Big Talk isn’t awesome and definitely hurt anyone who says anything against those dudes, but oh wait, no one can say anything bad about them or has because they’re wonderful, the end.

Bottom Line: I love Big Talk, I love Ronnie, I love Taylor, I love all of them, I love Big Talk and Straight In No Kissin’, and I just can’t help it.