Salt Lake City, Utah

Zephyr Club

September 24th 1999

Joel Peterson has taken a excellent set of pictures [dead link] of this concert ! He says

I used an Olympus C-2000Z Digital Camera. I was in the front row, center stage. I took most of the pictures without a flash and a few with. The Nite Club didn't say anything about me bringing my camera in and the band didn't seem to mind. I took over 60 photos that night. In fact at one point while Marty was playing I was taking a picture of him and he leaned down with a big smile and said "NO PICTURES", but he was just kidding. It surprised me so much I forgot to push the button so I missed the shot.

Brett
The moon was full, the day almost equalled the night and The Church sounded excellent. Better than last year. Much cleaner. Although, the energy level was perhaps a little lower. The vocals were the best of any Church show I've been to. Tim's drumming was more interesting than last year. On the down side, the set was too short. A band this good with this much excellent material should play longer.

The warm-up band was painful.

Brett

I met them all later (along with many others) in the dressing room upstairs and this of course being my first time was a little surreal. I think Steve was having some problems and was not at all talkative, but Peter was making up for the silence. It was very disturbing to watch people bring ten or more albums and cds to sign, I mean come on what's the point of having something signed if everything is signed, kinda loses meaning. The band was amazingly patient with all this especially Steve who didn't look happy to begin with. When you meet someone you really like is it normal to only think of yourself.

The CHurch has given me so much over the years I really couldn't justify asking for more so I just asked them how they were feeling, are they driving to Denver in one night, things of that nature and they seem to genuinely appreciate my genuine concern. These guys are really a class act to have put up with each other and all us nosey fans over the last twenty years and still put on a incredible show night after night. I think Ed said it best now I know even more than ever why The Church is the best band on earth.

Sorry to ramble Steve E.

ps they fly between shows when they are far apart and let their roadies do the driving.

Anyway...Grind and Cortez were in my opinion the hi-lites of the evening. I think Ed (?) in Seattle may have hit it on the nose when he said that the band seemed to really gel after Grind...I got that sense in Salt Lake. Steve also threw in a reference to Salt Lake in Dome...I used to be be really fond of drummer Neil Peart from Rush (still am actually), but Tim was spectacular! He's the only other guy I've seen live that plays with such intensity. As usual, these guys played like professionals and despite all the hoopla from last week acted like it too...For any of you who may have been alarmed/concerned about what direction the band was headed...Fear Not! These guys are just hitting their stride! Enjoy the shows!

PS...The opening "band" was pathetic, but worth a laugh or two...for those of you who were there, you know what i mean. Cheers, Rich

The boys were all pretty quiet. Steve said thanks after most songs but nothing else. Peter moved around a little more than last year but still stayed in his little space. Marty of course was very animated and looked like he having lots of fun. I think Tim is the best drummer The Church has had. Marty was messing with his amp during the end of Tantalized, that sounded really cool. After the show about 15 of us stood in front of the back stage door and eventually got in to get our records and CD's signed. The boys were very kind and seemed in good spirits. I can't believe I got my copy of Sing Songs signed by Steve, Marty and Peter!!! I bought this cool white pen so their signatures stand out against the dark cover.

Pictures to follow in a few days.

Thanks
Curtis

1. Hiroshima Mon Amour
2. Ripple
3. Dome 
4. Kings
5. ? (we haven't heard this one before)
6. Myrrh 
7. Anesthesia
8. Tranquillity 
9. Buffalo 
10. Grind 
11. Endless Sea 
12. Two Places at Once 
13. Destination
14. Tantalized
15. Day of the Dead
16. Cortez the Killer

First and foremost, a Church show should never open with a Cure-esque band that's fronted by a dread-locked Pavorotti wanna-be with a punctured lung. It was painful to listen to. Absolutely horrendous. Goth opera, I'd call it. From the other reviews I've read here on this site, I'd have to say that the only band that should open for the Church is the Church. 'Nuff said.

The Zephyr club is not the best place to see a band that you really like. Sure, it's small and intimate, but it's also full of buffoons that are simply just there. I wonder how the Church felt about entering the room behind the people playing at the pool table! This club is one level removed from being a biker bar. The guy sitting next to me had won free tickets from a local radio station. He kept asking me if he "would have heard any of their music on the radio." After 8 or 9 beers, he exclaimed that he really liked the Church "because they sounded a lot like his favorite band, Depeche Mode." Whatever.

I thought the band sounded great, and they played a nice mix of their stuff. I don't have the set list, but just trust me...it was great. I think Marty was having some problems with the sound, because after the encore (Cortez the Killer) he proceeded to rip the sound man a new one.

Marty was very animated, and Peter moved a bit and looked around. Steve on the other hand, looked like he was bored to death. I thought he might fall asleep during any number of songs.

After the show, I wandered back stage (the "back closet" is more like it) to say "hi" to the band. The first person I spoke with was Steve. I asked him if this whole "backstage thing" was a little weird. Here he was, trapped in a little room mobbed with people shoving Sharpies at him. His reply was a monotone "I do it every night." No expression, no emotion. I then told him that in my book, Heyday is one of the finest records ever made. Right up there with Hendrix' Electric Ladyland. No reply. I asked him if he missed his family, and if touring was difficult. "Yes." For a guy who's so good with words, he doesn't seem to have much to say. Maybe he just prefers to communicate via the stage.

Next, I spoke to Peter who was very, very friendly. I told him how much I loved Heyday and again, I mentioned it up there with Electric Ladyland. He seemed surpised and said, "Really"? He then told me that he "really enjoyed working on that album." I told him that they needed to go to Phoenix so I didn't have to come here. He said they'd tried several times to go to Phoenix, but that it didn't pan out. He saw the new copy of Love Era I had bought at the show and he told me I'd enjoy it. Very nice guy.

I then shook Marty's hand, thanked him for coming to SLC, and told him I had really enjoyed the show. Marty gave me the old Seinfeld two-handed shake, looked into my eyes and said "thanks for coming."

All in all, a great evening. Long live the Church.

todd

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