Stream This Show
- Watch exclusive Livestreams.
- Stream professionally-mixed concert audio.
- Watch archival concerts on-demand.
- Unlock member discounts, giveaways, and more.
Buy Full Show
$9.95
$9.95
Show Notes
5/19/03 Berlin
Columbiahalle
Just as the broadcast from Boston felt like the band’s official return to the stage, the way they sounded on the broadcast from Berlin was as if they’d suddenly hit their live peak. Having been moved from the Casino to the larger Columbiahalle due to demand, the band’s setlist is similarly expanded here, a masterful 30+ song display. Coming just weeks after the breakout shows in April and the exploratory performances in Scandinavia, Berlin takes the Elephant set and firmly baselines it into a 90 minute powerhouse. Like watching a racehorse lap effortlessly around the track, over and over, they just sound so healthy here. From the whammy-and-feedback opening in Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground to the final singalong in Boll Weevil, you get the full course – a virtual blueprint for the rest of the Elephant tour. The Hardest Button To Button gets a unique spot near the top of the set just after the openers, which extends the energy rush to great effect. Listen for the ad libbed line “Beating up Swanson and Damstra with a baseball bat!”, a funny reference to tourmates Whirlwind Heat during the marathon version of I Think I Smell A Rat, which also features When I Hear My Name, Take a Whiff On Me, and Mr Cellophane, now in its official live arrangement - complete with Jack letting the audience know when it's time to adjust the rhythm of their clapping. After an excellent Hypnotize, Jack introduces the band to the audience with an appropriate “Hot and sweaty in Berlin!”. Death Letter follows and is just about perfect, complete with Jack yelling “Let’s go Meg!” which she responds to by joining him in a run that culminates with a fantastic burst on the kick drum. This sets up Grinnin' In Your Face, one of the first times that listeners had ever heard the band perform the Son House song live. Again, just about perfect. There are performance highlights all over this show, including the adlib of “I can tell that we are going to be friends...Berlin, Berlin, Berlin” and the nod to Burt Bacharach and Marlene Dietrich before Look Me Over Closely. Even the out of tune guitar that pops up during the transition from Let’s Build A Home into Goin’ Back to Memphis still ends up resulting in a wonderful improvisation that they use to push through and close the main set. The encores play out like a continuous medley, including a complete version of Fell In Love With A Girl, the rare occurrence when they played the song in full. Having also used the soundcheck to record the future B-side cover of Soledad Brothers’ St Ides Of March, on this night they really could do no wrong. Do yourself a favor and fall in love with Berlin all over again, a mandatory performance from the Elephant tour.
Reviews
Products
Setlist at Columbiahalle, Berlin, GER on May 19, 2003
Set One
626339-TRACK
626340-TRACK
626341-TRACK
626342-TRACK
626343-TRACK
626344-TRACK
626345-TRACK
626346-TRACK
626347-TRACK
626348-TRACK
626349-TRACK
626350-TRACK
626351-TRACK
626352-TRACK
626353-TRACK
626354-TRACK
626355-TRACK
626356-TRACK
626357-TRACK
626358-TRACK
626359-TRACK
626360-TRACK
626361-TRACK
626362-TRACK
626363-TRACK
626364-TRACK
626365-TRACK
626366-TRACK
626367-TRACK
626368-TRACK
626369-TRACK
626370-TRACK
626371-TRACK
626372-TRACK
626373-TRACK
626374-TRACK
Start a free trial now to get unlimited streaming of professionally mixed audio and high-quality video. Paid subscribers get access to exclusive livestreams and more.