Sturgill Simpson at Greek Theatre, April 24, 2025

Another Planet Entertainment presents WHO THE F**K IS JOHNNY BLUE SKIES? TOUR featuring Sturgill Simpson
William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre
2001 Gayley Rd., Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
7:00 PM, Thursday, April 24, 2025

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[7:01 PM] {lights down, performers out, LJ starts on guitar}

1. [7:01 PM] A Good Look»
2. [7:11 PM] L.A. Woman »
3. [7:14 PM] Black Dog tease »
4. [7:16 PM] A Good Look (reprise)
   [7:20 PM] {SG mumbles at us}
5. [7:20 PM] Pinball Blues »
6. [7:24 PM] Long White Line »
7. [7:28 PM] ? (New song, or instrumental coda to previous)
8. [7:30 PM] Sitting here without you
   [7:34 PM] {SG: TYVM; beautiful venue; this place is great; gonna shut up and play some music}
9. [7:36 PM] Water in a Well
10. [7:39 PM] Scooter Blues »
11. [7:46 PM] the Storm »
12. [7:53 PM] You Don't Miss Your Water > [7:57 PM] {tenor sax solo} > last verse >
    {SG takes off his guitar and leather jacket; yack AND nose blowing; guitar back on… Yacking a bit more}
13. [8:01 PM] Mint Tea »
14. [8:07 PM] Brace for Impact (Live a Little) »
15. [8:20 PM] All Around You > [8:23 PM] {tenor sax solo} > back
    [8:25 PM] {full stop; SG: TYVM}
16. [8:25 PM] Life of Sin »
17. [8:30 PM] Voices »
18. [8:35 PM] Midnight Rider > [8:40 PM] {LJ swaps to pedal steel guitar} »
19. [8:40 PM] Who Knows (Hendrix cover; jam tease) » more jam »
20. [8:43 PM] Jupiter's Faerie
21. [8:52 PM] Welcome to Earth (Pollywog) »
    {LJ swaps back to guitar}
22. [8:56 PM] Best Clockmaker on Mars > [8:58 PM] {tenor sax solo} > Bulls on Parade (RATM tease) = power jam? » {LJ swaps to pedal steel guitar} >
23. [9:05 PM] In Bloom
    [9:09 PM] {full stop; LJ swaps back to guitar}
24. [9:10 PM] Living the Dream
25. [9:13 PM] One for the Road … >
26. [9:22 PM] It Ain't All Flowers »
27. [9:32 PM] (Reggae jam) » Party All the Time
    [9:39 PM] {full stop}
28. [9:40 PM] Fastest Horse in Town
    [9:50 PM] {full stop; SG asks the crowd to decide: we can do two songs, or one long one…}
29. [9:51 PM] ? “Feel good now” (maybe Call to Arms? lyrics don't match my snippet at all, but I could be wrong!) »
30. [9:55 PM] Born on the Bayou tease »
31. [9:56 PM] Machine Gun jam (possibly multiple tune teases)
    [10:00 PM] {show ends (curfew!); no encore}

• Kevin Black: bass;
• Robbie Crowell: keyboards, tenor saxophone;
• Laur Joamets: guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel guitar;
• Miles Miller: drums;
• Sturgill Simpson: guitar, vox;

We head down to Berkeley a little after 5 PM, aiming to hit the entrance line just before 5:30 doors. Incoming traffic sets us back a little – the line is already going in by the time we join it, but the entry walk is smooth sailing until we hit the ticket scanners, who struggle a bit with verifying our credentials. Patience grasshopper!

We pass that obstacle and enter, hit the pit, and hear friends calling to us as we cross over to the lower steps. Perfect! We're a steo or two off center tonight, third step up. Couldn't ask for more given our paltry effort!

Sturgill hits the stage promptly at 7 PM, and the show drives inexorably forward for the next three hours. Oh sure, they vary the tempo and intensity a bit, but it's pretty much nonstop music for over two hours. Gotta love it when the band can drive like that! I was definitely hurting by the midpoint of the show, but I tried to ride the music and let my attention follow the groove instead of complaints from this broken-down old body. That strategy worked out pretty well, actually, and I'm really glad that we went out tonight. It was cold (54 F, tops!), but fun!!

Robert Morast posted a thorough review of the show in the SF Chronicle.

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

Whoa! This section is incomplete for now, sorry!

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2025 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2025 event list! ☸ On to the next event!