April 28th, 2006 -
Matt Ventresca and Daniel Field
Appearance vs. Reality CD Release

Here it is, the big setlist from the CD Release Shindig!

I wanted to play a lot of new stuff from the new record, while sprinkling in some old favs - but it didn't really turn out that way. Sunrise/Sunset, So Long, Babe Ruth! and Lights Out were played from the A vs. R and I dusted off Sin Nomine, Ninety-Three and Sixty Second Love from Delusions.

I covered The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix (and I think I did a decent job...hopefully!) and I was joined by my brother Christian on Rise Again by the Mahones and the lovely and talented Jackie Brown on Cannonball by Damien Rice. I closed with Letter From Bilbao by the Lowest of the Low...I love that song.

In the opening set, The Fine Art of Self Defense rocked out as per usual (although the solo still needs some work...damn stubby fingers). Dan and I also played Dan's Won't Completely and I Only Sleep During Winter Storms, Stem by Hayden, Red by Treble Charger (always a favourite) and by popular demand, Until I Hear it From You by the Gin Blossoms.

The final set started out with a vengeance. Let it Ride by BTO started it off and then Dan and I settled in to Dan's Canada Day. Neil Young's My My, Hey Hey was played sans harmonica and Bleed a Little While Tonight by the Low was requested and I was pleased to oblige. During Dan's set, I accompanied him on a song called Romulus (a song I have still yet to hear or know who it's by...by that's immaterial).

Other Notes:
To say the first was a disaster may be bit of an overstatement, but with me being a perfectionist and all, let's just say I didn't feel good about it.
The mix was out of whack for most of it and Dan playing most of it with only five strings didn't help matters.
BUT, the audience was very kind and made it a lot easier to soldier on and get it together - and I think we did just that.

I was incredibly pleased with how my set went. Despite accidentally omitting a verse on the Hendrix tune, everything went very well. My guest performers were great and I don't think I was TERRIBLE!
The best moment of the night for me by far was when I sang the opening a capella sequence to Letter From Bilbao the place went dead quiet - that is the biggest complement an audience can pay and it was certainly the defining moment of the show for me.

Dan is the only person on this planet that can make a Pussycat Dolls song sound good - on a BANJO no less.

The crowd on this night was enthusiastic and seemed pretty into the whole thing! I have no idea whether it was the quality of the music or atmosphere or simply the copious amounts of alcohol consumed - but I'll side with the former and take the little ego boost.

Dan almost had Cannonball written into his set...that would have been awkward! If I would have known he could have joined me with a second guitar!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out and ESPECIALLY to those who took a CD. Your attendance and kind words give me the warm fuzzies, I hope you enjoy the new music.

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