God Johnson
3/30/2007 
VIP Party at A440 Studios – Minneapolis


Source: Sony ECM-MS957>Sony MZ-M100
Lineage:Sony ECM-MS957>Sony MZ-m100 > audacity > Flac
Taped By: A440 Studios crew
Transfered by : Ryan Thomas

Recording Starts at Fame


GJ Time – 11:15
Brainwashed *
Walking Dead
Triscuit
Fame
Who Am I
Dear Prudence
Dynomite *
It's Coming Up *^+
12:23

??:??
Electric Shoes
(Thank You's)
Fairy Tale
Life During Wartime
Sweet Emotion >
Ramble On
1:17

* - Kevin Sinclair on sax
^ - John Heinen (producer, co-owner of A440 Studios) on vocals
+ - Debut!


Wow, what a fun night! I'd like to thank everyone involved with the
band, the studio, the merch, the incredible food, and the beverages
for putting together one amazing evening. It was unlike any event
I've ever been a part of, and it was just awesome from start to
finish. Upon arriving, we found Joe who usually keeps us in line at
the Cabooze checking us in and giving out the new Squirms discs. Once
we got inside, we discovered a fantastic spread of appetizers and
treats waiting for us. I'd have to say that Jen really outdid herself
this time, and those of us with some munchies truly appreciated every
last bit of it! Dawn even made some amazing guacamole and artichoke
dip that really complimented the beer selection nicely. So we were
all hanging out, having a drink or two and some hors d'oeuvres and
checking out all of the folks showing off their best VIP attire, and
then suddenly we heard GJ over the monitors throughout the studio.
I've got to say that right from the beginning it was great. So much
tighter and more polished than the first album, but without taking the
GJ edge or musicality out of it. I've heard some studio efforts that
are really slick, but sometimes that glossiness tends to take out some
of the best parts of the music. This was definitely not one of those,
and the more I listened the rest of the weekend the more I was simply
blown away by the progression that this band has undergone.
Congratulations on all of your hard work, gentlemen – this one was
well worth it!

After listening to the studio discs, we crowded into the main
recording room for a live set. There had been a dry-erase board set
up for everyone to add their input and requests for tonight's set, and
that was full of some pretty creative suggestions. Brainwashed was
the opener, and it was awesome. Of course there was the intro that
jazzes it up, and a killer jam with Kevin on the sax. Then we got
some blues with Walking Dead, and a brief break for some technical
difficulties. Apparently there were some problems with the webcast,
but it sounds like everything got worked out so the whole world could
watch. Triscuit was a monster – all three movements of this one were
intense and rocking. Fame was just funky as all hell, and Jimmy
looked and sounded great in his suit whilst laying this one down. Who
Am I was quite a treat, a bit heavier in the jam than usual but it
really rocked out hard. Dear Prudence sounded sweet and built to a
great climax. Then we got the debut – It's Coming Up by Paul
McCartney. The studio engineer, John Heinen, sings in a Steely Dan
cover band and really sounded great on this one. It was a moment I
won't forget any time soon just watching everyone have fun together
after working so hard for so long to get everything sounding just right.

They took a little `encore break', and I forgot to note what time they
got started again with Electric Shoes. Oh, what an Electric Shoes it
was! Funky, dark, jazzy, rocking, and all of that was the same jam!
The boys said a bunch of thank you's to everyone who had helped make
tonight possible, and then decided that they just didn't want to stop
playing quite yet. So we got a dark Fairy Tale and a super funky Life
During Wartime next. There was a brief Break of Day tease, and then
Timmy tore Sweet Emotion a new one. This was a jam that didn't want
to quit, and I don't think anyone there wanted to see it end, either.
So it didn't end, but Jimmy dropped a bomb or two and it suddenly
became Ramble On. What a way to end a night! Five (plus) songs in
the encore, and one amazing night of music and friends. We didn't get
our live in-studio discs when leaving, but I'm sure those will come
back to us shortly. I think the extended encore may have been the
reason for the delay, but nobody was going to argue after a throwdown
like that.

Thanks again to everyone who helped to make this event possible, and
especially to the band that treats us to such amazing musical
adventures week after week!
