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“We came here to play two styles of music: country AND western.” Normally this statement is not something you would expect a punk band to say at the beginning of its set, but for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, the statement could not have been more fitting.

The Gimmes took the stage in complete western attire. The band members all had matching outfits that included black cowboy hats, blue cowboy shirts with rhinestone designs, and black jeans. Singer Spike Slawson’s outfit also included a black suit jacket and a pair of aviator sunglasses that he did not remove during the entire length of the band’s extended set.

The band opened with John Denver’s "Leaving on a Jet Plane," which they identified as a “cover” when it was finished. They then proceeded to introduce practically every song after that as a cover. This played into the hilarious on-stage banter the band is well known for.

The Gimmes played a number of the songs off of their new album Love Their Country, fitting in with the theme of the evening. They played “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky,” “Desperado,” “Jolene,” and “Goodbye Earl.”

While their earlier releases did not get that much attention in their set, the band still managed to touch on all of them. Spike even broke out the ukulele on R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.”

The set ended appropriately with Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” but Joey Cape was back on stage by himself quickly to begin the encore. He began to play “Stairway to Heaven,” but had the very energetic Magic Stick crowd sing the first verse instead of him until the rest of the band joined him on stage for the second verse. The Gimmes closed their encore and the evening with Elton John’s “Rocket Man.”

The Gimmes played with their standard lineup: Spike, Joey Cape, Fat Mike, and Dave Raun, but with one exception: Chris Shiflett was not playing this tour and was replaced by his brother, Scott Shiflett.

It is truly unfortunate that the band is a side project for its members and rarely plays extended tour dates, because this evening with the Gimmes was about as fun and entertaining as music gets.



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    Posted by tylerb1085 on 2008-02-28 03:05:03

    Good review. That show was amazing. I love how Spike kept saying "We hate music." And I touched Fat Mike.

    Posted by jetsto on 2006-12-21 10:33:58
    My Score:

    i wanna see them in florida

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 18, 2006 at 11:44 PM (EST)

    Downtown Brown is gay.

    -Wixson

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 18, 2006 at 11:46 AM (EST)

    downtown brown is horrible im suprised more people dont shit talk them

    Posted by hitlerbadzakgood on 2006-12-18 01:03:16

    thought i'd mention also, after listening to the recordings, i am proud to say the only thing that is clear that i said is "FUCK NEW YORK!"

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 10:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    All they were missing was Trevor Keith and Pete Parada and they could have had a Face to Face reunion. Sniff...

    Posted by Ollywood on 2006-12-17 22:23:33

    sounds exactly the same as the santa cruz show last night

    Posted by spalmer on 2006-12-17 21:20:13

    they talked about how much Off With Their Heads rocked and said in comparison Downtown Brown has songs about stupid things.

    "THIS NEXT SONG IS ABOUT WOMEN WHO TAN TOO MUCH, THAT'S SO CRAZY!" i believe was said.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 3:41 PM (EST)

    "Haha, at the Minneapolis show the night after this Dead to Me shit talked Downtown Brown"

    whatd they say?

    Posted by nifty on 2006-12-17 01:34:40

    sizzla , yes that was Scott at the Toronto show. He's been filling in for Chris for over a year now. But he said Chris is supposed to be playing the Punk Rock Bowling Awards show in Vegas next month and not him.

    And being that Scott is the older brother, Chris looks exactly like him. ;)

    Posted by spalmer on 2006-12-16 23:16:57

    Haha, at the Minneapolis show the night after this Dead to Me shit talked Downtown Brown

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 16, 2006 at 7:20 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    the whole show is here

    http://www.sendspace.com/file/qhx9uw

    Posted by noway on 2006-12-15 17:22:36

    San Diego show was fucking Great...I think Chris and Scott are twins because the look exactly alike. I think Spike's greatest quote was "All abortion baby's go to heaven"...I forgot how the whole abortion thing got brought up but even Fat Mike looked in AWE when he said it. I thought it was funny that Spike's wife hits Joey every time he messes up. They do need to tour more often!!!

    Posted by niveK82 on 2006-12-15 14:35:43
    My Score:

    At the Chicago show some guy spit on Fat Mike. This was pointed out to Limo who jumped into the crowd and punched the guy in the head repeatedly.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 15, 2006 at 11:17 AM (EST)

    They should do a big north american tour, what a fun band...

    Posted by maverick on 2006-12-15 10:06:36

    Scott and Chris look almost identical. When I saw No Use For A Name this past March, Dave Nassie's wife had gone into labor so he had to fly home and be with her, and Scott Shifflet flew out to replace him. It was kinda creepy, how much he looks and plays like Chris.

    -Scott

    Posted by sizzla on 2006-12-15 10:00:23
    My Score:

    that wasnt scott shifflet on the toronto date was it? i could've sworn that was chris.

    Posted by hitlerbadzakgood on 2006-12-15 09:45:22
    My Score:

    here lemme log in and add a score to the comment below.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 15, 2006 at 9:44 AM (EST)

    this show was amazing. me first knows how to have fun, and i think this was one of the only shows they played that didnt have a barricade with security on the other side. so prettymuch i spent the entire night crushed at the front, sitting on the stage, or at one point lying on the stage. my high point: fat mikes awesome new bass in my mouth. score is for his bass.

    Posted by mikeinflames on 2006-12-15 08:25:15

    "i'd love to have a count on how many times spike said "this next song is a cover""

    at the toronto show he said it about almost every song
    it actually started to get old

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 15, 2006 at 2:28 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    agreed with the man below me.
    best movie ever.

    Posted by saint_nick on 2006-12-15 00:25:46
    My Score:

    score is for opening with a blues brothers quote

    Posted by skolarx on 2006-12-15 00:23:32

    i spent most of this show drinking in the back and trying to avoid getting shot by plastic bb's. great show when i was paying attention though. i'd love to have a count on how many times spike said "this next song is a cover"

    Posted by Garrett_Fucking_Brannagan on 2006-12-15 00:17:59

    im kicking myself for not going to this.

    *hangs head in shame*

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