So let's get started by stating the fact that I was completely torn in Rockford, Illinois of all fucking cities. Jimmie's Chicken Shack was playing the block 5 party (an outdoors white-trash fest downtown on State Street) at the exact same time as Rx Bandits at the Pit. What are the odds of this happening in Rockford, Illinois? I was kinda pissed, but based on the fact that i've seen Rx 7 times and JCS once, i had to go see JCS (plus Rx played a much better set at the metro just days before).
Anyways, regardless of two of my favorite bands playing in my hometown at the same time, Jimmie's Chicken Shack tore shit up. Playing to a crowd of over-aged, white-trash, drunkards who apparently knew all the words to their songs, Jimmy HaHa felt obliged to yell "beer" to the audience somewhere around 1000 times. Opening the set, they rocked an old-school funk song, School Bus, from Pushing The Salmonella Envelope. Great way to get the crowd moving.
The concert continued with all the good songs from Pushing and Bring Your Own Stereo, including Do Right (the hit single you might remember from 1999), and also a new song, Ghettoverit. You can find an acoustic version of it somewhere online, but the new version is more of a pop-punk radio-friendly type humorous song. It's good stuff with lyrics like "You can sizuck a dizack and blow."
Throughout the whole set, JCS inserted a bunch of hip-hop beats, rhymes, and life which was fun as hell. A lot of jamming as well, especially during Another Day.
Overall, this was a great show that I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined to go on in Rockford. Nonetheless, it was a lot of fun, and JCS seemed to be having a good time to. Though Jimi HaHa is the only original member (the bassist has been in the band a good while, though, and kicks ass as well) the band is alive and kicking. Here's to their new album.
Setlist (in order and comprehensive):
School Bus
Face It
Dropping Anchor
Spiraling
Pure
Another Day/Paralell Reality
Ghettoverit
Spiderweb
Lazy Boy Dash
When You Die, Youre Dead
Milk
Lets Get Flat
Do Right/Smoke Two Joints/One Love/No Woman, No Cry/One Love/High