This is one of those unannounced things..... and such a tiny space. Neil will be playing some songs in that small front room at Largo. Hhe says tonight so I'm assuming thats Thursday Feb 11th.

I know that half of the spaces are reserved for some of Neil's friends etc, so it would only mean about 2 dozen people being able to get in.

So slim chance but thought I would mention it and hope I don't cause some sort of stampede.

Maybe some of you will be lucky?

Gryph

Last night's show in Santa Barbara was fun. But this show was very special. Neil obviously wanted this to be an intimate show for friends, hence the secrecy. And, wow, talk about intimate. Largo's Little Room should be renamed Tiny Room because it's the size of a living room. In all, there were about 20 people there. The lights were dimmed low with just candle light from the tables for illumination.

Setlist:

Message to My Girl (on piano)
Last Day in June (on piano)
Gentle Hum (on piano)
Addicted*
Driving Me Mad*
Girl Make Your Own Mind Up*
Red Wine Bottle*
Turn and Run*
Into Temptation**
Fall At Your Feet**
Amsterdam**

* With Lisa Germano and Sebastian Steinberg
** With Mark Hart

Neil in great spirits throughout and taking a few requests along the way. Recounted a hilarious story about how his rental car has such a quiet engine that he had left running the entire time he was having dinner at a restaurant earlier in the evening. Neil didn't know he hadn't turned it off because the car has a push button and not a key ignition.

Neil was trying to tune his guitar -- a borrowed one -- by using the piano and wasn't sure if the piano was in tune. So someone came up to the stage with an iPhone and an app that helps you tune a guitar.

Then Neil discovered that the iPhone had Shazam, the app that identifies any song you play near it. So Neil wanted to test it out and tried a real golden oldie sung in old-timey style and asked the phone's owner if Shazam identified the tune. Nope. So Neil, undaunted, tried "Happy Birthday." "It says 'Happy Birthday by Neil Finn,' joked the phone owner. Then Neil said he had to take an ego trip and try Shazam once more. So he did the chorus of "Don't Dream It's Over" but the app still couldn't identify it!

During the evening, he dedicated songs to various friends as well as one to his father. Mark Hart joined Neil at the end for a couple of songs and they mulled which new song to play before settling on "Amsterdam," which sounded great!

My wife and I walked home -- we live 5 minutes away -- in awe that we'd seen Neil up close and personal like that.

quote:

will be playing some songs in that small front room at Largo. Hhe says tonight so I'm assuming thats Thursday Feb 11th.

Sigh. I have seen him there twice already, so I wouldn't, plus what *should* have taken 6 hours to drive from Santa Barbara, took me 9 because I got lost! Ah, the show was worth it though!

For anyone who does get into The Little Room, you are in for such a treat. The stage is only like 3 inches off the floor if that! AND no guys who are 7' tall in front of you because it's all seated

Oh, it was LAST night as I drove home lost

I think the lesson from this is that if ever you're in California, and you know Neil is there, you'd better just assume he's playing Largo!! Maybe one should just call up Largo and ask "when" not "if" he s playing LOL!

Yes, lesson learned. I should have just shown up last night. Knew he was staying in LA, so it was really a no-brainer.

Wow, I was so zoned out, I just now read the details of this show. I can't get over that story about Shazam. LOL. I used to have that app and it never worked for me either!

Well I did say it was TINY ROOM *GRIN* There were a couple of spaces left. Because this was rather spontaneous and just a chance for Neil to catch up with some mates (and the size of that room) they are the main reasons it wasn't mentioned. It was just a fluke email between Neil and myself that we thought it should be made public in some subtle way (pretty much on the Forum and the www.frenz.com/neilfinn/ site). No twitter no digests etc..and 11th hour.

Anyway glad a few people made it along.

Gryph

Stephen thanks for posting that review & setlist. You & your wife are very lucky indeed to have been part of something like that, I'm sure you'll never forget it!

Leaving his car running, that's a classic

Now if Neil enjoys playing in living rooms, I have a lovely one I could offer (well, I think it's lovely anyway )

I can't believe I missed this show. I would have been there in a heartbeat. I'm an idiot for not checking this forum often when I know Neil is in California. (I couldn't make the SB show.)

Rats!