Ian, not to rub it in, but I think you would have loved the Lowell show. Beautiful night outdoors, two lawn areas where blankets and beach chairs ruled, kids under 12 free.....Karen and I had a nice picnic mix from home and Panera.
Neko played songs from the above two albums and Middle Cyclone. The new album is a bit too "electric/rocking" for my taste normally, but it was a little more mellow & "countrified" Saturday night. Great sound, VERY tight playing, and 3 songs in the encore including a nice duet with the guitarist of one of his songs.
In addition, her in-between-song banter is great. After the first song, she was talking about being in a building across the street, with no pants on, looking at the crowd (nothing "pervy" as she says). She saw a plate of cookie dough apparently, and said she was just up there "cookie-hawkin'." At other times she was talking about hiring some women in the crowd who were dancing, as the "Neko Case Dancers" complete with costumes and their own bus....
Lots of fun, lots of good music.
Oh, yeah, her outfit was funny: plain black shirt, and black pants with bones of the legs as graphics.