This was my first Nields show ever, and it was also the first time I ever heard them. I think that I was lucky to see them live before I heard any of their records, so I could fully experience them first! The songs I remember (the ones that stuck with me) were: “I need a doctor”, “Merry Christmas, Mr. Jones” and “Best Black Dress”. Another thing that was awesome about this show was that Dar Williams came out and played two songs with the Nields. Woo-hoo!
Jam For The Van, Hatfield MA, 6/98
After seeing The Nields for the first time, I waited quite awhile before seeing them again (just because I could never make it to any of the shows that I could have possibly gone to). During the interim period, I acquired all of their albums! The Jam is probably the best Nields show I have ever been to. They played for about 4 hours, including lots of rarieties in their set. It was such a bacchanalien experience, since it was pouring rain out, and everyone was dancing like mad. It was incredible-very bacchanalian. If I hadn’t been hooked on the Nields before that, I was then!
The Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton Ma, 10/98
There was so much anticipation for this show! It didn’t seem like the days could go by any slower. Overall, it was incredible! I could only go to the 10 pm show (the dancing show), but I still had an amazing time. They debuted a song that was rarely played again, “Mob Zombie Boogie Woogie”, and did tons of stuff off all of their in-print albums. It was great! FYI, at the 7pm show (which I heard all of standing outside of the Iron Horse), the played “Boys Will Be Boys”, which David hardly ever wants to do. Hearing it was incredible, and I’m sure that actually seeing it must have been totally mind-blowing.
The Calvin Theatre, Northampton MA, 2/99
Ok, if I thought the anticipation was hard for the last Iron Horse show, this one was brutal!! The Nields played at a special show commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Iron Horse, and I spent $35 to be in the second row. The Nields themselves only played six songs, but it was well worth it! Katryna sang to Andrea and I during “Check It Out”, and later, we got to hang out with David, Katryna and Dave Chalfant at the after party. Katryna told me that I should go to Hampshire (which I am, yay!).
The Iron Horse, Northampton MA, 2/99
Three days after the Calvin show, I got to see two Nields shows at the Iron Horse. They debuted a whole bunch of new songs (including “Jeremy Newborn St” and “Keys To The Kingdom”) and played a lot of old favorites. After the show was over, David and I switched shirts (mine looked really funny on him), and I talked to Nerissa (who I hadn’t seen all of February, since they had been on tour). It was an amazing night!
The Eighth Step Coffee House, Albany NY, 4/99
I give mad props to Ofer, for driving me and Andrea all the way to Albany for this show (down Henry Johnson Blvd, which we thought they should say instead of “Jeremy Newborn St”). You can read everything you wanted to know about this fomative night on my Albany page.
Homegrown Coffeehouse, Needham MA, 5/99
This show was great! Since it was Katryna’s birthday, she got more say in the set list, so they played “Me and Little Andy”, a major Nieldsian apocrypha song. Abigail Nields also came up on stage to sing a trio, which was beautiful. After the show, I hung out backstage with Nerissa and Katryna as they packed up, and ate the amazing cake that Patty made. It was good!
Sailfest, New London Ct, 7/9/99
I went to this show as a birthday celebration for myself (as my birthday was the day before). It was great to see The Nields, but this show was definitly not the best I've been to, by any means. As it was part of a festival for New London, there were a lot of people there who had never heard The Nields before, and also a lot of people who had had a lot too much to drink. If the Nields play at the Sailfest again, I might go, but I'm not going with high exceptations. I did, however, take some great pictures of them, which you can see here.
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, 7/99
This was pure folk music heaven, and having The Nields there made it all the much better. Their mainstage set was great; The Kennedys joined them for a four song encore that paid tribute to Bob Dylan, Buffalo Springfield, and the upcoming wedding of Katryna and Dave C. (with "I Still Believe in my Friends", where Eddie From Ohio, Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert and others joined them onstage!). The two workshops were very satisfying as well. At FRFF, I also had many Nields close encounters, which was great fun (Katryna doing a photo shoot for Jenna, Beaner and I, eating David's stolen gazpacho, and getting many, many pictures)
Levitt Pavillion, Westport CT, 8/14/99
It's stretching it a bit (ok, a lot) to call this a full-fledged show, as The Nields only played two songs (due to a very big electrical storm), but I had such a fun time, it seemed like I should put it here. Highlights include: driving Katryna to the train station (!!!), a very cute David and Katryna doing a broadway-esque number while mopping off the stage, and of course getting to see my wonderful girls, Beaner and Jules (and doing some major Julie bonding in the car)
