Was talking with my dad the other day, who started seeing Jimmy back in the 1970s, and he happened to listen to the recent Chicago or Detroit show and told me that Jimmy is just phoning it in and sounds totally disinterested between songs. He's been touring for how long now? 36 years with the Coral Reefers.

Anyone else notice this or are they too caught up in being a Parrothead to be objective?

Maybe I'm biased, but I've seen JB five times and I think every show gets better and better. I didn't think anything could top Alpine Valley 2009 (I missed 2010) but this year's show in June came pretty darn close. It always seems like the band is having so much fun up there (provided the main man can stay on the stage).

My two cents,
Arvy in Green Bay

I agree with your dad on this one. I have noticed it too. I think the last time I saw him was when he "TRIED" to cover On The Road Again as an opener...... So damn disgusting I almost left during that. Same goes for when he tried covering Glory Days and that one Dave Matthews song.

I think Jimmy REALLY, I mean REALLY Needs to get back to his roots. Sorry CRB, yeah MOST of you are great, others well..... your just that. Jimmy you really need to go back to just you and your guitar to the stage.

_________________
Here's the deal I'm the best there is. Plain and simple. I wake up in the morning and I piss excellence.

I've been to at least one show every year since 2000 and I don't think much has changed. I haven't noticed him losing steam or mailing it in

_________________
Follow me on Twitter! @joshdmartin

So the only options are to agree with you or be blinded by fanhood? Every entertainer has shows that are better or worse than others. I saw him a couple years ago and you could tell he was sick but trying his best to get through the show without making it an issue. I listened to the Tampa show this year and you could hear him laughing and joking with the band between songs. He screwed up the end of filling station and you could hear him joking about it with the band.

He really feeds off the crowd, if there is a good vibe, you can see and hear it in his performance. Conversely, you can hear and see it when the crowd sucks too.

No I don't think he is losing steam but let's not forget the he is approaching 65 years of age. Jimmy caught a bug while in St Louis this year for that tour stop and it seems to have lingered with him a little while.

The most recent leg of the tour included shows in Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit during a very brutal heat wave. Temperatures at those three shows were near or above 100 degrees with oppressive humidity. You can't expect a 64 year old man to perform like he did 10, 20 or even 30 years ago in those conditions.

This shows this year have quite remarkable with Jimmy playing songs from his early albums including all of the tracks from the album Volcano. As a twenty year fan of Jimmy and his shows I knew the heat and humidity during the recent shows would make Jimmy take it easy on himself. Unlike earlier shows this year which have had multiple set list changes from show to show, the three shows I mentioned above had just 3 set list changes total.

The Chicago show had technical problems beyond Jimmy's control so it should not be used to critique Jimmy's overall tour this year.

Didn't we just have this thread...

_________________
A liver transplant for 46 Buffett shows? Fair trade...

I don't care if 'we just had this thread' or whatever. It's merely a comment my dad made and I was wondering if anyone was seeing or feeling that on this tour.

Based on what's been posted so far the general consensus is no, he's fine, he's still having a good time and into it.

Calm down bunky it was only an observation...

_________________
A liver transplant for 46 Buffett shows? Fair trade...

Ha ha. Well, yeah. It was worded at yours but it was more about what Chadd said I guess, which doesn't make sense.

Personally, I'm just glad we still have Jimmy getting up there and giving us a show so we can enjoy the music and fellowship and have a good time

_________________
Bless me father, yes I have sinned. Given the chance I'll probably do it again.

True dat!

^ This.