Big Big Show

By JoCo June 22, 2008

New York: I take back everything I ever said about you. Saturday night was the best show in recent memory, and while it certainly has something to do with the Kristen Shirts Ukulele Army, it is hard to ignore how amazing the crowd was. I haven’t played in NY for some time, so I was a little hopped up to begin with, and some kind of crazy rock juice feedback loop made me feel all crazy and rock juicy. Many thanks, I promise I won’t stay away as long this time.

Comments

Colton David says

Damn, wish I was there! Sounds like a hyped show.

invid says

It was my first show of yours, and it was an absolute blast. I'll definitely be back tyhe next time you play in the city.

BTW, I was one of the "Code Monkey Buy You Soda" WOW geeks, and I was weirdly excited that you actually read our stupid little postwr/note thing, for which I apologize.

Stefan Hayden says

thanks for a great show! Kristen Shirts was awesome. It was great having Paul and Storm there too. And with everyone siting I could see over everyone's heads from the back.

I'm so glad we got a true encore out of you!

Screeling says

It was my first live show by Mr. JoCo as well. It definitely ranks as the most fun show I've ever been to. I convinced a friend mine to go and he's now a big fan as well. Come back soon!

Invid the fact that he noticed yourmessage was awesome but the fact that you bought him a soda was even awesomer hehe.

rozwarren says

We came up from Philadelphia to see the NYC show because the recent Philly show was so awesome and the NYC show was even better! One of the best concerts I've ever been to. Ever.

Sean says

My wife (she had the stuffed purple "my monkey") and I absolutely LOVED the show! We braved the Lincoln Tunnel to see you guys live for the first time, and it somehow lived up to our unreasonably high expectations. We've been fortunate enough to meet some performers in the past, but you, Paul, and Storm take fan appreciation to a whole other level. From goofing around on stage with the crowd and each other, to having the Ukulele Army present, and making yourselves available for pictures and autographs after the show - we simply could not have asked for more......except Baby Got Back. Damned people yelling it out...

A "My Monkey" video starring our purple friend is in the works, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the photo of you, my wife, and the monkey may bookend it.

Looking forward to another show in NYC (or even better, Jersey) soon!

Erica Tesla says

We braved the metal birds to come see the show as part of a friend's birthday celebration, and we couldn't have been happier - the show was fantastic. Please, please come see us in Omaha sometime! The midwest could use a dose of your brand of music, humor, and geek-culture-insight.

snipe says

Thanks so much for the awesome show! We took some photos - you're welcome to use any of them if you see fit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/snipeyhead/sets/72157605764575085/

Last night was our first Coulton show, and we couldn't have had a better time! Next time you're playing in NYC, we'll be there!

Sean Dague says

My wife and I came in from Poughkeepsie for the show, and had a blast. I was thrilled that Curl managed to make an appearance during the 2nd encore. Can't wait until the next show!

Dan Slott says

It was an AWESOME show! I took my friend Val and now she's hooked. She's a popular blogger in the comic industry-- and now you've become her sole Monday entry:
http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot.com/2008/06/portals-still-alive-and-jonathan.html

Have to say, the uke army was darn impressive! But my favorite surprise was the spontaneous cover for "Wish You Were Here". What a hoot!

Hey, any chance you'll make your covers for "Sweet Caroline" and "Birdhouse in Your Soul" available for download?

Thanks for putting on such a great show! And PLEASE come back to NYC soon! C'mon... We're such a short hop!

Connor says

Ahhh. I wish I was old enough to drive. 3 1/2 hours away. I would have freakin been there.

Good to hear it was a good show. I can't stand a lot of the people in New York, but I guess JoCo fans are all cool.

Laura says

absolutely LOVED it. The venue was a little weird--I was sitting at a table with four people who were already friends, and was all alone--but you and Paul and Storm and the Uke-rs were phenomenal. And the surprise second encore wherein y'all were confused was the best part of all.

Jill D. says

See, I told you you need to play here more often. :)

That was a really incredible show.

Stefanie says

Yeah thanks for comming back home! I had a great time. Paul and Storm were Awsome. I also thought it was great that Shirts now has her own ban of uke Minions! The way it looked saturday night the next time you come back you may have to find a bigger place to play like keyspan park (Brooklyn cyclone) Come Back soon!!!

Roman V. says

@All you Wiki guys, you are all getting faster and faster.

Does anyone know if you can buy tickets at the door for the Cleveland show on the 11th?

john d'arc says

I'm so glad JoCo loves New York again. I called him out on it when I got to talk to him. By the way, it's so awesome that he and Paul and Storm and anyone else who was on the stage that night were willing to talk to the fans.

Also, loved the 2nd encore. I think we would have kept cheering anyway, and you guys just decided to come back anyway. We kept trying for a 3rd encore, FYI.

Will says

First JoCo show here too, fan-effin'-tastic. Way in the back in the upper deck, but it was still bad ass.

Nothing like getting rickroll'd at a show.

MitchO says

@Roman - It helped that two JoCopedia moderators were AT the show. We weren't even the ones who got the setlist up first, though. :)

I've said it in every forum/conversation I've could so far, but that was an AMAZING show. You really could feel the excitment in the audience. For those who don't know the story, yet another example of the awesomeness of Jonathan, Paul and Storm:

I had trumpeted all over the boards, sent an email to Scarface and mentioned on the initial thread that I would love to hear JoCo do "Rainbow Connection"; a song he did once way back near the start of the Little Gray Lecture Book series. It's one of my favorites, and the remaining recording of it isn't great, but it still sounds beautiful. I was front and center, so when the three huddled for the second encore, I was amongst the shouting lunatics with my request. JoCo actually pointed at me and nodded.

Well, as you all know, they didn't play it. =/ But here's the amazing part; after the show, while waiting for autographs and photos, both Paul and Jonathan actually stopped to apologize to ME for not playing it. ME. One fan. Like it really mattered. Paul explained that they had tried it in Boston once and it was, to quote "a complete disaster". Like they really even needed to explain; the show was unbelievable.

So once again, thank you Jonathan, thank you Paul and Storm. Thank you Scarface, who put up with my messages here and me visiting the merch table three times with the stolen setlist to get an autograph. Thank you Kristen and the Uke army for talking to us after and generally being amazing. Thanks to my fellow New York area fans, who seem to have hopefully convinced Jonathan to play here more often. Thanks to the Highline, Blunt the bouncer whom we had a blast talking to at the front of the line, all the sound and light guys who clearly did a fantastic job. What a show.

Next time I need to be more expansive "If you can't play Rainbow, then play I'm Your Moon instead!". Soon as I heard Crush, I knew I was doomed. And I didn't care. :)

MitchO says

@Snipe: LOL, I just looked at your photos, and in any shot you have the audience in, my neon green shirt stands out like .. well, like a neon green shirt. Front and center, right at JoCo's feet.

Josh Paled says

Thank you so much Jonathan.
The concert was awesome Saturday night, the second encore including "Welcome to the Machine" and final closing with "A Talk With George" will forever be burned into my soul as one of this lifetimes greatest memories, oh and the multiple rick roles though cliche were still hilarious, thanx fancy pants with your fancy little sound bit uber belt! Long Live JoCo!

Mark Gordon says

I for one will scream enthusiastically if "Rainbow Connection" is ever played again in Boston.

Eric says

I sure hope you don't stay away too long! I had the unfortunate displeasure of not being able to attend this concert (after months of waiting for it) and I'm itching to see you live.

Ryan says

Jonathan, *please* play the Highline, like, every other weekend... that place (and your show) rocked.

I got the HD versions of the five songs I shot uploaded to youtube:

Birdhouse in your soul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQuGkm440k
Flickr: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-APiIXMog_4
Ikea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgjva8hY_o0
Being RickRolled, then hearing "First of May" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJYhxdIlyeo
SkullCrusher Mountain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuyLQq1U_b8

Andrea says

Ukulele Army enlistees, with ukulele geek details:

http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7531&highlight=ukulele+army

So, so awesome!

Steph says

Undoubtedly one of the best concerts I have ever been to.

I found your music at a time when I had been unwillingly trapped into being a Code Monkey for my research group, and it continues to brighten my day. In fact, sometimes it's just about the only thing that gets me to 6pm. Thank you for your geek humor, and for an absolutely astoundingly good time Saturday. Getting Rick rolled was pretty hysterical, much love for the Ukulele army, the imperial march, Paul and Storm, the audience making you laugh in the middle of your songs, and most of all, Hooray for Babies! Thanks again. :D

Look at me still talking when there's science to do...

Kitty says

You made it just as wonderful for all of us!

The tickets to this concert were a three year anniversary present I gave my boyfriend (with a note reading 'You're taking ME, right?' X3) and he enjoyed it immensely. After getting almost-lost, and exhausted walking the city, it was so much more than we had hoped for, and we had pretty high expectations.

This was our first time seeing you live, but it will not be our last.
Thank you so much for a great show! I look forward to whatever comes in the future.

~*Kitty (and Jeff, vicariously)

Scarlett says

You were FANTASTIC!!! I mean, wow! I was in the balcony. Everyone at the bar was dancing and singing along with you. BEST. SHOW. EVER.

:) We were so awesome we got a second encore. Yay!

Luke M says

Anybody record this bad boy? There are some videos on YouTube, obviously, but they seem incomplete...

modernemama says

Great fun, review here and photos on flickr

Tino says

Amazing show, JoCo. Simply, amazing. I watched the whole thing upstairs on the second floor and rocked out the whole time. I also got to hang out with a certain pretty cool publicist and business analyst. We danced and had a wonderful time singing along to Sweet Caroline. Ended up singing myself hoarse. In addition, I was the lunatic who was screaming for Curl. ^_^

Thanks for one of the most fantastic shows I've seen in a looong time.

antipopular says

I was at this show! quite awesome, especially with the kristen shirts army

Dan says

Absolutely brilliant show. I was in the front row with a stuffed Companion Cube and got called on it by both Paul and Storm and JoCo (at seperate points) (I think being called a nerd by JoCo mid-concert constitutes some sort of geek "arrival" or something)

Definitely amongst the better of the NYC shows we've had - though I still demand a return to Union Hall at some point!

Jeff says

No friggin' way! TMBG's Birdhouse/JoCo - TOGETHER! This may be the best day there could ever be. (sings...) "Sweet mystery of life, I've found you."

Little Girl Lost says

Lol. Excellent :D!!! Lurved you!! I was the crazy one in the balcony who shouted out Baby Got Back...

Next time you come to NY, you gotta play that.

Justin Russell says

Wow, what a great show... and I wasn't even frickin' there. (yay for the youtubes.)

My request: a "studio" version - or a soundboard recording - or something - of the 10 (?) of you doing Creepy Doll. I was on the verge of bursting out laughing at my desk at work. That'll teach me to watch YouTube at work.

The next time you're in Boston (or north), I'm THERE.

Micha says

This was my first show of yours, and it was my favorite concert I've ever been to forever.

Your performance with Paul and Storm and Kristen Shirts and her Ukulele Army was outstanding. I absolutely LOVED Code Monkey. You should seriously consider recording some of your material with Kristen and Paul and Storm. Awesomeness at its best.

Me, my two brothers, and my dad's friend stuck around for a while after the show for about half an hour to wait for you guys. You signed our index cards (lol) and got a picture with us.

Also, while we were waiting after the show, the four of us thought that we saw John Hodgman walking out. I know the two of you are friends, so...hm...

Anyway, great show, looking forward to seeing you in concert again. Super fantastic.

EnvoyPV says

"Who's Jonathan Coulton?" my wife said to me. "No clue," I replied. After the Code Monkey song, I realized I'd at least heard you before, but we were there for Paul and Storm...from IOWA. Suffice to say, you have two new fans.

Oh, and BTW, I wasn't done with Portal, yet. Thanks for ruining the end for me. *grin*

rozwarren says

You really ought to release a JoCo Live In Concert CD. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. As great as watching (and re-watching) all this stuff on YouTube is, I'd love a real CD with good sound quality I could listen to (and re-listen to) on my IPOD. Why not?

Kamakazie says

This concert was easily the best show I have ever been to.

Bry says

Let me point Roz, and everyone else who wants a high-quality recording of a live show, at forum member fireworksordie's soundboard recording of the May 3, 2008, Chicago show.

If I get around to a writeup, it'll be (like everything else I do) in the forums, but I do want to say I had a wonderful, wonderful time in New York, and I'm glad I got to meet everyone I did.

QaptainQwerty says

Love it, JoCo! Too bad I left after the first encore, next time I'll stay all the way to the end for all the encores and perhaps some fan photos, too.

You wrote about Ikea, California, Flickr, etc... how about something about Brooklyn, too? Hope to bump into you in the NYC subway someday, ha!

Dan says

He *has* written a song about Brooklyn: Stroller Town

(Ever walked down 7th Ave in Park Slope on a nice day?)

Del Far says

So far this has been my favorite concert yet, never before have i been rickrolled or hear you do a cover of TMBG, which i've waited forever for. I put my photos up as well on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexerde/sets/72157605779720340/

Cindy Yeatts says

Missed the LA show due to flight cancellation (HAD TICKETS!!), was in Philadelphia and was SO PSYCHED to go to the NYC show, (HAD TICKETS!!), but got sick and could not go. We are talking, sick to the point of DEATH here people. I am so bummed. And then the bookstore event two days later with Hodgman and Strauss and Coulton.....I think I should just MOVE to NYC. Philadelphia is just sucking more and more. PLEASE COME TO PHILADELPHIA and make my like worth living.

QaptainQwerty says

Dan: While Stroller Town is a favorite of mine it is not outright about Brooklyn. For me the fun thing with JoCo's songs is the explicit references - Mountain Dew and Frito in Code Monkey; one-button mouse in Laptop Like You; the office lingo of Re: Your Brains. If a JoCo song mentions DUMBO, BAM, the Gowanus, or some unique neighborhood, now that's a Brooklyn song.

Lara says

Great show. While I enjoyed every song, the whole group rocked on "Creepy Doll". Please perform in NYC again soon as my sister in law wanted to go but had to stay home and watch her son.

Have you ever considered doing a German version of Re: Your Brains.

Lara
(WoW Guild Code Monkey buy u soda)

Jutze says

The concert rocked! I wrote a report in German over at http://www.vampster.com/artikel/show/?id=27922 - nothing new in there for the fans, but maybe it attracts some new people to the music of Mr. Coulton.

Katt says

We came all the way from Southern California, checking out colleges for our 17 year old and found out that JC was playing in NYC on her actual birthday! We got tickets and all had an amazing time! Thank you for playing You Ruined Everything, we love the song and the timing was perfect. And Paul and Storm, you won over four new fans, you guys rock!
PS. The food was really good too, I really liked the venue.