4/15/2000 - Las Vegas

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 16, 2000 2:25 am

Posted By Parrothead Jim
!-NOTE: Message edited by 'admin'-!>MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV
Beach House on the Moon Tour

Before the show started:
Space Oddity (David Bowie)
Fly Me to the Moon (Frank Sinatra)
Walter Cronkite Counts down the launch of the Hemisphere Dancer

Set One:
1) Lage Nom Ai
2) Gravity Storm
3) Ringling, Ringling (?? lost RM connection)
4) Pencil Thin Mustache
5) Coconut Telegraph
Geography quiz: What city in Nevada has a volcano on the strip?
6) Volcano
7) Schoolboy Heart

Permanent Reminder of a Temporary Feeling
9) Changes in Latitudes
10) Son of a Son of a Sailor
11) Come Monday
12) I Will Play for Gumbo
13) Brown Eyed Girl

Intermission

Video: In the City

Acoustic Set:
14) Who's the Blonde Stranger?
15) Grapefruit (with Fingers Taylor)
16) Looking Back (Mac McAnally)

17) Why Don't We Get Drunk ... and Moon
18) Southern Cross
19) Cheeseburger in Paradise
20) Cairo (sung by Tina & Nadirah)
21) Fins
22) A Pirate Looks at Forty
23) Margaritaville
24) One Particular Harbour

1st Encore:

Love and Luck
We are the People Our Parents Warned Us About

2nd Encore:
Viva Las Vegas

(thanks to Wanda Wroblewski & Jeff Ashmun for contributing to the set list)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 1:41 am

Posted By Bill Putnam
Jim, Just got home from Vegas. I must say it was one of the best shows we have ever seen!!! The energy of Jimmy and the whole crew was awsome. I think it is time for a new Parrothead t-shirt with the theme of a Parrot talking on a cell phone. I will have pictures of the pre-party and anything else that is worthy to you by Wednesday. Take Care,FINZZZZZZ WAY UP!!!! BILL PUTNAM in Auburn,Ca.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 1:55 am

Posted By Pirate Mermaid
Haven"t heard Who's the Blonde Stranger in many moons!!!! fins up!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 4:58 am

Posted By CaptnDave
The Parrotheads ruled the day at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday! The pre-party outside was an afternoon full of singing and dancing. These folks were so much fun to party with!

As we were watching the phlock and walking around, my better half turned to me and said, Look, there is Greg "Fingers" Taylor." We said hello and shook hands with him...he is a really nice guy!

Inside the Arena, before the show, the phlock was bouncing beach balls, sharing stories, toasting each other and having a great time.

A special "Bula Bula" goes out to my new friends John and Mike who toasted with us! Mike was a Buffett concert virgin, until last night! (grin)

We love it when Jimmy is on the video touring the city the concert is in and "In the City" is playing in the background. As we have seen at other shows, some of the phlock make it to the big screen too...some with clothes and some without! (smile)

My personal favorites of the night were the acoustic version of Who's the Blonde Stranger, Pirate looks at 40, and Southern Cross!

Hope you all get to see him soon!

Thanks goes out to the girl who took my giant lime and fanned me with it when I needed it.

God Bless, CaptnDave

P.S. There was a guy who looked just like Elvis who stood next to me at the show. Did anyone else see him?

Viva Las Vegas.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 5:55 am

Posted By broyer
Maybe you'll think I'm just being negative but I was severely disappointed with the entire experience of Jimmy's concert at the MGM in Las Vegas. Jimmy has said repeatedly that he is all about his fans. After all, if it wasn't for us Parrotheads he'd be playing to empty venues. So why does he continue to do business with with those that would gouge his loyal fans so blatantly. I am a resident of Las Vegas so I know for a fact that the MGM marked up its prices unfairly. I mean, come on, $5 beer, $7 Margaritas?!? Thats a special Buffett weekend mark-up. As I said, I live in Vegas and have a decent job but I still was outraged. I can't imagine what it must have been like for someone that travelled to the show, maybe on a shoestring budget and finding that the party was priced out of their reach. Hotel rooms, food, drinks, whatever. We're being taken advantage of and we put up with it because we love Jimmy but its got to stop. I myself have looked the other way before because, hey, I had to see Jimmy. But enough is enough. By playing at such venues Buffett is basically condoning his fans getting raked across the coals. The evils of Ticketmaster have been well documented so why does Jimmy continue to do business with them? They sell big blocks of good seats to legal scalping outfits. How these agencies remain legal is beyond me and why anyone would do business with a company that chooses to sell to them seems like a crime as well. I was a fan of the Grateful Dead before I became a Parrothead and I found their mail-order ticket system to be beneficial and fair to all concerned parties. It was a nearly flawless process. My own experience with Ticketmaster is pretty crummy. 2 out of the last 3 times I've dealt with them I've had a negative experience. Lost tickets and such. For this concert I specifically requested aisle seats. I am physically closer to an aisle sitting here at this computer then I was Sat. night at the MGM.
But hey this is all about the music of Jimmy right? He sounded good. The sound problems that were present the last time Jimmy played Vegas were gone this time. Could've been a little louder though. But all the same I was in far too big of a bummer mood for even Jimmy to bring me up. Plus it was pretty much the same show I had heard two days before on RM and essentially the same show he had been doing for a year or more. I left during "Gumbo", deflated.
Now I don't want to put a damper on anybody's good time I'm just sick of getting taken advantage of. I feel like I woke up one day to find the only good time left in the world gone, the sun would never rise again. Its depressing. I've still got the albums, I guess. At least I know they're worth the money.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 3:23 pm

Posted By Margrocks
Wow! What a party!!

The workers on the floor may take their job a bit too seriously but they couldn't crash the party! The whole experience from the parrothead paradise outside to the Viva-Las Vegas encore was spectacular!!

It's been three years since my last show and I almost forgot how good the Coral Reefers are. That lady who hails from Trinidad can sure sing!!I can't decide which was better--Brown Eyed Girl or Fins. The acoustic version of Who's the Blonde Stranger was awesome too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 4:15 pm

Posted By Michael McKuin
I thought the show was absolutely fantastic. I literally had to fight back tears when Jimmy did Pirate Looks at Forty. However, I can identify somewhat with Broyer's comments. In buying tickets, it took me two hours (hitting auto redial non-stop on the phone, while simultaneously trying to click through on the web site) to get through to Ticketmaster. When I finally got through, the only seats left were 3 rows from the back of the theatre. Since I'm now well past 40, it's getting harder to see the stage from that distance. I'm glad I brought my binoculars. Everyone should have a fair shot at the best seats, without having to pay ticket agents scalper prices.

With the above said, however, nothing will ever destroy the magic of Jimmy's music. I won't let it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 5:37 pm

Posted By seanandchristy
I guess you can't please everyone. I had what were possibly the worst seats in the entire Auditorium... Very Very back row. And guess what? I had the time of my life.

I spent two hours on the phone and internet to get these seats, and was prepared to spend all day. Sure, it's tough to get tickets, and you have to pay more for rooms at a Buffett Show, especially in Vegas (at least in Vegas there is a small chance that you can win a portion back). Also, free drinks are easier to come by in Vegas than any City in the world. If you got overcharged, its your own damn fault.
There was no charge to get into the theme park. That party was worth big bucks alone.

The point is THE SHOW WAS GREAT! When he played "Viva Las Vegas" the crowd went nuts...as if the crowd had ben calm before that.

I totally disagree with Broyer. I am sorry to hear that everyone didn't have as much fun as I did.

Even on the back row, We could hear everything loud and clear. The good thing about the back row was that we could stand on our chairs and lean against the wall. Maybe more people were disappointed with the experience. That would mean that it will be that much easier for me to get tickets next year.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 5:59 pm

Posted By Doug
Viva Las Vegas! This was by far the best concert I have seen...(we've been to many) The crowd was On high gear all night, and the band was fantastic. It was a hit with two of our guests who were first timers. When Jimmy was playing I forgot about taxes, stock market plummeting, slot machine losses and 5$ beers! (I had enough before the show anyway.) I will definitely be back, the arena was rocking so loud even Jimmy had to stop and laugh a couple of times at us. Fins up!
Doug

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 6:38 pm

Posted By Espo
I have to totally agree with the above except for Broyer (sorry)! I traveled from Chicago with my boyfriend for one reason, BUFFETT! I thought that the show was terrific and worth the money we spent. ( I would to it again and again) The pre-party was a great warm-up for the show. The other Parrotheads in attendance were dressed very well (as always) and great to hang-out with! Thanks for the great party JIMMY!! See you in July!!! I can't wait!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 6:39 pm

Posted By Anonymous
I have been attending Jimmy Buffett concerts for 10 years and have seen him at least 15 times ( I stopped counting). This was the 3rd show I have seen at the MGM. Of all the shows I have seen this was the most disappointing. The first half of the show Jimmy seemed to be on auto pilot and would rather have been some where else. It felt as if his energy level was low and he was ready for the tour to be over. He even made comments to that effect. I was disappointed to see the same video of Jimmy on the bike. I like his creativity and sense of humor and would have rather seen something new or nothing at all. The second half of the show did improve. I did enjoy the acoustic songs and hearing the regular crowd favorites. BHOTM is my least favorite album so that also influenced my opinion of the show. I think it is time for Jimmy to take a break and/or change his tour. I would like to see him play smaller, more intimate venues and play more old stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love partying with the huge crowds in the parking lot. But, it would be fun to do something different and have a change. Even though I wasn't pleased with the show, I will always be a parrothead and will continue to go to future concerts.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 6:50 pm

Posted By almost40pirate
I have seen Jimmy everywhere from Michigan (where I live) to Tampa to Boston to Las Vegas, and this show was one of the wildest ever...but, then again, I guess everything is a little wilder in Vegas! Message to broyer: There's good and bad in everything in life....but life's experiences are what YOU make them out to be...not anybody else...including those that run Ticketmaster or those that run beer stands! Sure, getting tickets is a pain and I had to go through a broker and pay more than twice face value just to get in the door...but what do you expect? Jimmy is now 52 years old, only tours about 4 months out of the year now and only plays on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays....and there's about a million Parrothead fanatics who are willing to travel across the country in vans with shark fins glued to their roofs wearing grass skirts and coconuts just for the opportunity to see "Bubba" live. What do you expect...that places like the MGM Grand aren't going to raise the price of a Corona by a buck or two to take advantage of it? Of course they are....this isn't some charity deal, it's a business for them and it's a business for Jimmy. Sure, he loves his fans...I really do think he gets an enormous kick out of it all and laughs his ass off at all the pre-show antics...which is the very reason he sends his video guys out ahead of time to tape it all and show it during the concert...but it's a business for him too. broyer should feel lucky that he actually got in to see the show. I guarantee that there were hundreds of others who would have loved to have had his ticket. And, as for the actual set list itself, my opinion is that there really is only so much that Jimmy can do to mix it up. I've seen this exact tour show now three times...and he HAS mixed it up with stuff like "Who's the Blonde Stranger" and "Viva Las Vegas" which he threw in at the end just for our benefit...but he's smart enough to know that there are certain classics that he HAS to play....like Margaritaville, Volcano, SOASOAS, Pirate, Changes in Latitudes, Come Monday, Fins, Cheeseburger,OPH, and (of course) Why don't we get drunk.......(or a Love song from a different point of view), and if he doesn't do THESE, then a lot of people are going to feel cheated. In my opinion, it's the fans themselves that have actually forced Jimmy into a set list that he really can't vary from very much, and he would probably enjoy the chance to do a bunch of his other stuff that might actually have more personal meaning for him than some of those songs...but the success and popularity of those classics has him somewhat trapped and he can't make the show last 6 hours! Am I ever really going to hear "False Echoes" or "The night I painted the sky" at a live concert?.....Maybe, or maybe not....but I'm certainly not going to trash Jimmy's set list just because those are MY favorites!

Personally, I go to those shows expecting that I already know what I'm going to hear even before I go in, but I have a great time anyway just watching the Parrotheads and looking at the extremes of the outfits and the wide difference in the age groups that are now appealed to Jimmy's music and to just be in the same room with a guy who is a legend in his own time. I like to listen to his little comments between the songs (like pirate ships and volcanos being on the strip, and the fact that, on Palm Sunday weekend, this show will probably be as close to a "religious event" as most of us will have)...and I like to hear him work the local scene into his lyrics (like in Margaritaville, his tattoo "might be a Las Vegas cutie...or maybe she's from Reno, I haven't got a clue" and, in Volcano, he "don't wanna land at no San Juan airport but Vegas on Saturdays nights fine with me!" and in Come Monday when he sings in the last verse that "California has worn me quite thin...it's so good to be back in Las Vegas again")....it's stuff like that that's classic Jimmy, trying to make the local crowd feel at home and let them all know that he really DOES give a [color=ff0000][/color]...that's the WHOLE reason he's even still doing this. Let's face it, between sold out concert tours, successful Margaritaville stores and restaurants opening all over the country, and now even his own brand of tequila....he's not in this for the money anymore...Jimmy and his band work their asses off for every show I've ever seen...all 14 or 15 of them personally now....they put everything they've got into making each one the best one yet, every single night....and when Jimmy is still standing on stage after his 2nd encore is over and the crowd is still screaming and the Coral Reefers have left the stage and he's still walking around high fiving the fans in the front row and throwing guitar picks into the crowd and waving and bowing and thanking everyone for coming and giving a little "fins up" with his hands before the security guys practically have to remove him from the stage.....does that look to you like a guy who is only in this for the money? Not me...and that's why I'm there. The fact that Bubba is still out there doin' it is what matters.....not the price of the Corona that you're drinking while you take it all in!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 17, 2000 10:18 pm

Posted By Anonymous
Whasssssssssupppppp???!!???

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 11:02 am

Posted By MINISTEROFMARGARITA
ALOMST 40 PIRATE- V-E-R-Y WELL SAID. THE ONLY TIME I WAS IN LAS VEGAS, OCTOBER 1997, IT WAS A GREAT CONCERT THEN, AND SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS JUST AS GREAT THIS YEAR. I'M GREEN WITH ENVY TO ALL OF YOU WHO GOT TO GO. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF A FAN CLUB I BELONG TO HERE IN IOWA MADE THE TRIP. I WASN'T ABLE TO, BUT AM IN LINE TO GO TO A COUPLE THIS SUMMER. BUT I DO HAVE TO AGREE WITH BROYER ON SEVERAL POINTS, ESPECIALLY THE DIFFICULTY GETTING TICKETS IF YOUR AN AVERAGE FAN. THAT IS IF THERE IS ANY SUCH THING AS AN AVERAGE JIMMY BUFFETT FAN. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'LL CONTINUE TO GO TO CONCERTS, BUY HIS "RECORDS" (I'M AN ALMOST 50 PIRATE-I'LL ALWAYS CALL THEM RECORDS), BUY HIS T-SHIRTS (ALREADY HAVE AT LEAST 50), AND IN NOVEMBER I'LL EVEN MAKE IT TO KEY WEST FOR THE FIRST TIME (TAKE CARE OF ME, FELLOW PARROTHEADS).
I'VE ALWAYS HAD GREAT TIMES AT EVERY JIMMY BUFFETT CONCERT I'VE GONE TO (FIRST ONE WAS IN HAWAII, 1987), AND HAVE BEEN TO ONLY SEVEN SINCE. THE LAST ONE (OR TWO, ACTUALLY) WERE THE TWO IN CHICAGO LAST YEAR AT THE NEW WORLD MUSIC CENTER. BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT I PROBABLY GET JUST AS MUCH FUN, IF NOT MORE, MEETING AND PARTYING/TAILGATING WITH OTHER PARROTHEADS IN THE PARKING LOTS AND AT PRE-CONCERT PARTYS WHEREVER THEY MAY BE. AS LONG AS THERE ARE PARROTHEADS, FOR ME THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FUN IN LIFE ON THIS DAY, AND LONG AFTER JIMMY IS GONE, AND GOD WILLING, MAY THAT DAY BE A LONG, LONG WAY OFF. THE SAME TO ALL OF THE PARROTHEADS THAT I'VE MET. THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY LIFE FUN, AND TO THE ONES I HAVEN'T MET AND THE ONES I HAVEN'T MET YET, I FEEL A SPECIAL KINSHIP TO ALL OF YOU. PARROTHEADS ARE THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE, BAR NONE. GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND OF COURSE TO JIMMY AND THE CORAL REEFERS JUST FOR BEING JIMMY AND THE CORAL REEFERS. STAY SAFE, FINS UP, GOD BLESS ALL. NOW LET'S GO HAVE A CORONA.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 3:58 pm

Posted By brady
As an older fan of Jimmy's, I hesitate to call myself a full fledged parrothead. My wife and I still very much enjoy the concerts. This was our 4th in Vegas. One thing though that amazes me is how parrotheads can have so much fun and still be such nice people (roudy but nice). Watching the fans is as fun as watching the show. Thanks Parrotheads and thanks Jimmy.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 4:04 pm

Posted By Rebecca Schwartz
By: ReeBee Tuesday 4/18/00 9:50 A.M.
I have been a Buffett fan or Phan for years and live in Las Vegas. I loved last Saturday's concert at the MGM. I am still recovering! It was exhausting! The theme park scene was just crazy and yes, we did partake in one of many Conga Lines!!!!! This is truly one of those events where "audience participation" is an understatement!! Hope you see this Jimmy because I too loved "Who's The Blonde Stranger" and expecially because of how you performed it - ALONE.
Your band is great but.....please consider doing more solo stuff. It's where it began and isn't that what it's about?
I will be there every year along with all the other loyal fans. It's an event that no other musical artist comes close to presenting. We all loved the OLD stuff. After all it's what we heard first....way back then and it's better than ever.
A final note: I had wonderful seats (floor, near the stage. I paid dearly for them too) and can't imagine the feeling Jimmy gets to be the leader of 14,000+ fans and see what looks like all of them standing doing "Fins" united! The house lights went on and we looked around to see a "SEA" of FINS! I know you all know what I mean.
What a lovely cruise!!
Till next time.
Fins Up

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 5:07 pm

Posted By Kim Parker
Vegas was the 5th time I'd seen the BHOTM tour. (Saw him in Indy x's 2, Columbus, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.) In comparison to those cities, I thought he was the most energetic and enthusiastic at this show. The pre-party was a blast! Yep, the drink prices were expensive, but what do you expect? The best songs of the night were "Who's the Blonde Stranger" - acoustic version, and "Viva Las Vegas" with a reggae beat. Outstanding! I traveled from Indianapolis just for the show. Was thankful I had tickets and I will definitely go next year. Note to Jimmy: Please do more acoustic sets. That's what your true fans crave! Thanks for the great time. See ya in Indy and Cincy this year!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 6:52 pm

Posted By Anonymous
Did anyone see the afro guys at the pre-concert party or on the big screen?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 6:53 pm

Posted By Anonymous
Did anyone see the afro guys at the pre-concert party or on the big screen? What a great day!!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » April 18, 2000 9:05 pm

Posted By Anonymous
Do not disturb / No Moleste
Are you Don?