The Doors 21st Century

Roseland Ballroom, New York City, NY

April 24, 2003

It was 8:30-ish as Carmina Burana played and the Joel Brodsky young lion photo of Jim 1943-1971 was projected on the  screen behind the drums.   There were no screens on the sides of the stage for closed circuit projection.  An unidentified woman appeared onstage to introduce the band, and announced that The Doors would be back for two more shows at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey and at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.   Ty Dennis jumped up on the drum riser in a grey short sleeve shirt and black knit cap;  Angelo Barbera on bass was in a dark turtleneck shirt and blue jeans;  Ray waved to the crowd as he sat at his Alesis keyboards in dark slacks with a dark jacket over a white shirt with an apricot colored scarf;  and Robby appeared in his camouflage pants and a cool new shirt I've never seen before:  shiny dark blue with black sleeves, and a paisley cactus pattern on the back, over a tee-shirt.  I like that shirt!!!   Under certain lights, the shirt would look dark red or maroon.   Ian strode onto the stage in black tee-shirt, wraparound sunglasses, black leather pants and his Bathing Ape leather jacket.  

There will be no discussion here about the videos which accented each song.   If interested in that detail, please refer to the Houston review.

Roadhouse Blues opened the set.  This was a standing room venue except for some VIP seats on the side on an elevated area and in the balcony ... so everyone was already on their feet and ready to dance.  Robby went stage front for his solo, and then moved over towards Ray.

Break On Through followed.   Robby danced over toward Ray, and then hopped backwards during the "she get high."   Ray inserted "let's get George Bush high" during the song.   Ray removed his dark jacket to reveal a white shirt with a black pattern, but he kept the scarf around his shoulders.

Ty's cap was off as When The Music's Over followed next, at 8:50.   Robby came front and center before the "what have they done to the earth" section.  Ray rolled up his sleeves and was intently watching Ian, seemingly nodding his head in approval of that intense performance.   Robby sang the 2nd line of "we want the world" and Ray sang the 3rd.   After the song's thunderous climax, Ian stood at the very lip of the stage.   Robby put down his guitar for a jump.   Ray introduced Ty, Angelo, Ian, Robby, and himself.

Next up was Love Me Two Times.   Robby took a side trip to speak with Marco at the side of stage, then returned and stood in front of Ray for their musical exchanges.  At the end of that song, Robby left the stage.   Ray seemed surprised by that, and laughingly said 'where the fuck did Krieger go?"   Robby returned, switched guitars, faced Ray and pointed to his waist and said his belt broke!!!!!

Ray's shirt was now fully unbuttoned to reveal a blue knit shirt under his white shirt, as they began  Moonlight Drive.    Robby already had the bottleneck on his finger as they went into Horse Latitudes.   Ray did a fancy outro to that song which got my attention:   I thought he was leading into Crystal Ship, but it turned into Wild Child instead.  It was now 9:15, and Ian had removed his sunglasses.

 Next came the now-familiar opening chords of Cops Talk.   Ray and Ian traded verses.  Ray explained that  it was one of their new songs, with lyrics by Jim Carroll, and went on to say that the new album due later in the year would also contain a song titled "American Express" as well as another song title I missed.

It was now 9:20.   Alabama Song was next and segued into Back Door Man.

Ray explained that the next song was done on Carson Daly but still hasn't been shown ... due to the line 'we've got the guns.'   Ray said they "support the troops, but let's not have any more wars ... let's take this country back ... Carson, if you're here, play this song"   and then they went into Five To One.   Ian whirled and spun as the song wound down.    At the part in the song where Ian talks about what he was gonna do out in that car -- with Ray egging him on -- Ian included some Dixie Chicks, acid, mescaline, cocaine, pot, etc.   When the song ended, Ian said that was "for Jim, wherever the fuck he is."

A surprising change of pace was indicated as Ty and Angelo left the stage, and two stools were brought out and placed in front of Ray's Alesis keyboards.  Ian took the stool closest to Ray, so that he was between Ray and Robby.   Robby began strumming his Rick Turner guitar which is usually brought out only for Spanish Caravan.  Possibly in response to a call-out from an audience member,  Ian smiled and said "it's all theater, darling."

Robby was strumming flamenco-style and then -- OMIGAWD -- Ian began to sing Crystal Ship, my personal fave.    I have never been lucky enough to hear Robby play this in his solo shows, but Ray has been performing it on piano in his solo performances the last few years.  At those times, Ray fancies up the song with intricate, extended keyboard work ... both inspiring and spiritual.  Tonight, Ray went into that song doing the same complex keyboard flights, but it seemed difficult for Ian and Robby to smoothly join in the song.   It was an absolutely terrific unplugged "moment" but the overall effect seemed to be rough and disjointed.   I was thrilled with the effort but disappointed with the result ... but I hasten to add that two nights later in Philly, they had this tune perfected.

Now 9:45, and Robby left the stool and picked up a light-colored knit cap which he put on his head as he returned to the stool, where they did another unplugged song, this time:  People Are Strange.   It was soft, gentle, and straight-forward -- without the menacing edge of the LP version.   Very nice, indeed! 

The stools were removed as Ian left the stage and Ray introduced Robby, saying nobody else can do this.  Ray also left the stage then as Robby -- still wearing that odd knit cap and alone in the spotlight, began to play his intricate, all-too-brief flamenco precursor to Spanish Caravan.   As Robby's fingers moved into the familiar chords that signaled the start of the song, Ray, Ty, Angelo, and finally Ian, returned to their places on stage.   Ian enhanced the song on tambourine.

They picked up the tempo with Maggie M'Gill ... Ian energized the mood with major head and hair slinging ... and, Robby was still wearing that knit cap!!!   :=)

10:00 brought us the thrilling opening notes of L. A. Woman.    Before singing the 'Mr Mojo Risin' section, Ian twice shouted:  Jim lives, Jim lives!   Near the end of this song, some asshole threw a cup of liquid onto the stage which landed on the floor right in front of the drums, with liquid splashing everywhere.   Ian ended the song with a leap off the drum riser.

Next up at 10:10:  Ray introduced the next song by saying that Jim called this a "radio song" as they went into Light My Fire to everyone's delight.   Ian left the stage during the solos, and could be seen sitting on the side, off the stage.   Robby strolled over to Ray during Ray's keyboard solo, then came stagefront for his own spotlight solo.    Ian returned to the stage at 10:17, but he was a little early -- the solos were not finished yet.   Ian stood at the mike, then kneeled down as Ty took the spotlight on the drums.   When Ian resumed, he began with the "get up, stand up" line.   He took a leap off the drum riser, taking a spotlight with him that got tangled in the microphone cord.   At the end of the song, Robby put down his guitar, jumped, and threw water from a water bottle into the crowd. 

At 10:18, Doors 21st Century manager Tom Vitorino came to the center stage mike, asking if we wanted one more?   To the resounding sound of audience cheering and applause, the sounds of thunder -- accompanied by smoke effects onstage and thunderclouds on the video screen behind the drums -- the band returned to the stage and slid into Riders On The Storm.   Ian's sunglasses were back on, and his Bathing Ape black leather jacket was zipped closed.  Robby's long sleeve shirt was now off, revealing that the white t-shirt he was wearing was actually a band tee for Bloodline.   Bloodline was both the name of the band and their CD released in 1994, which included his son Waylon.   The front of the tee had Bloodline written in red letters over a black & white band photo.   The back of the tee listed all the band members' names.   I've never seen Robby wear this shirt before!

10:32:  Ian's glasses were off again, and the band launched into Peace Frog.   Robby has always said that this song is the most-requested song when he has played NYC with his touring band --- so for sure, it was going to be in tonight's encore!   Ian sank to his knees in front of Robby during his guitar lead and finished the song with a leap onto the stage from the drum riser.

Ty tossed his drumsticks into the crowd, and Ian threw the remaining full water bottles to the audience.  Although everyone else had left the stage, Ian remained at the mike, saying "I'm a Doors fan, I know where I'm standing.   Ray and Robby go through an incredible amount of shit to do this   (and something about every fucking asshole) .. and said that these guys want to play!!!

Marco came onstage and began to unplug the mikes, then got the signal and plugged them back in.   Ray led the return to the stage, holding up a finger to signal "one more, one more."  Robby put that knit hat back on again.   Ian's glasses were off, and at 10:40 they began Soul Kitchen.   In LA and at the Texas shows, this is where the audience members began climbing onstage to dance with the band.  There was none of that this time:   the stage was very high, and there was a photographer's pit and barrier between the stage and the audience.  However, a blond in a gauzy tan outfit sashayed onstage from the side of the stage, dancing around and teasingly sliding down her spaghetti straps until she finally flashed her breast implants a few times.   As she moved over to Ray, Marco approached and escorted her offstage.

It was 10:45 when that song ended and the house lights came up.   WOO HOO

to compare all set lists, go to:   set lists   or:   set list grid

read another fan review:  by Glyn Emmerson
 

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by Ida   4/28/03