1997-10-14 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA - Neutral Milk Hotel (Live/Video)

A very special solo show by Jeff. Here’s some context: This is Jeff’s second show since recording Aeroplane. The first show played no new material, so this is the really first post-Aeroplane show. Probably the best performance of ‘Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone’ ever. Jeff stops in the middle of 'Two-Headed Boy' after skipping the second verse. He never returns to it contrary to saying he'll 'come back to that one'. This is the first appearance of 'Holland, 1945' and 'The King of Carrot Flowers Pt 1' - and the last for 'Acid'. ‘Acid’/’Swimming In Your Speakers*’ on video for the first and last time. Jeff also sings a lot of the horn parts in Scott's absence. 'Oh Comely' is still missing the Goldaline verse despite the album having been recorded by now, though the performance is incredibly similar to the album. The first time 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' was played in complete form.
Setlist:
[jeff introduces himself, plays new minimalist song] - 00:00
Two-Headed Boy (aborted) - 01:05
Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone - 02:44
The King of Carrot Flowers Pts 1, 2 & 3 - 06:13
A Baby For Pree/Glow Into You - 11:23
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - 14:37
I Will Bury You In Time - 18:30
Engine - 21:15
Holland, 1945 - 24:19
Naomi - 28:11
Acid - 34:16
Ruby Bulbs/Beautiful Baby*/Swimming In Your Speakers* - 37:05
Oh Comely - 42:10
*Conjectural titles.

[@guscambraia813]

jeff's ability to hold out a single note with his voice impresses me

[@SylviaSylvia]

for real!!

[@adonaiyah2196]

Hes like the greatest vocalists in the industry

[@user-yk5ql9gz9b]

@Jacob singing with asthma is like swimming with no legs

[@brigader4101]

my name jeff

[@poolbwoy6585]

mangum jeff

[@yrovander]

The trumpet parts are so amazing

[@zackeryr97]

Mordecai underrated comment

[@piccotwitch47]

“Deeedede die de deee”

[@Elizabeth-nn7mt]

@@piccotwitch47why did I hear this 😭😭😭

[@jordititor]

I watch till the end for this

[@avvvqvvv99]

"my name's jeff" so iconic

[@CortexZero]

Oh Comely is one of the greatest acoustic songs ever written.

[@morgangiosa7515]

This is absolutely amazing. I saw them 3 times on their 2013-2015 reunion tour, which was outstanding as well, but I would have loved to have been at this show in the 90s, before he was really well-known. I also feel that he put more raw energy into these early performances. The reunion shows may have even been tighter - less voice cracks, better trumpet playing, because they all seemed to have practiced more - but the price for being so honed was less energy - as if Jeff's wild youth was behind him and now he had more maturity and was more confident and comfortable in just playing the songs. It was amazing for what it is, and I do hope Jeff is doing well in life right now, but I wish I went far enough back with this band to have seen them in the 90s, too, to have both experiences with their music. Unfortunately, in 1997, I was a five year old kid and based in New England, so even if I understood what this music was back then (I didn't), they didn't play in the area much anyway. So, I am grateful for this archive. For what it's worth, I believe that Jeff is a total artistic genius. I'm sure he doesn't have that kind of confidence to label himself that way - but most, if not all, true geniuses don't. I don't even know if he has a high IQ, but I know creative genius when I see it - which is a different concept than conventional intelligence or "IQ-based genius", anyway - and he's a creative genius. My criteria for judging this: 1) He's talented and good at what he does, and 2) What he does is totally original and hasn't been done before by anyone else. Sure, he has influences (Syd Barrett, for example), and there are contemporaries of his who were doing something similar (the Mountain Goats, during their early years, for example), but the combination of how unique and different this is and how good it is makes him a genius in my book. One could say that it's just a few open chords and basic barre chords, and that's true, but chordally basic music can still be genius when the melodies and lyrics are this original. Obviously, being different in and of itself does not a genius make, because one could just bash on an out of tune guitar and say they're a genius in that case, but these are legitimate songs that are each really brilliant works of art that speak to the soul - at least in my opinion. I mean, my own original music is sometimes more cerebral than this (I use augmented and diminished chords sometimes, and other jazz chords that are more complex than the chords used here), but I only wish I had a gift for song like this man. He is simply a big inspiration to me as an artist and as a person, particularly in how he's battled mental illness (nervous breakdown, depression, anxiety - some things I've gone through as well) and still accomplished so much with his art.

[@sicktomystomach]

Morgan Giosa absolutely right.

[@dawnpriest3997]

Well said dude. I completely agree that he's a genius. I can only imagine the stuff he's written and kept to himself since ITAOTS. You know he's been playing guitar a ton because his playing has gotten much, much better. Aeroplane songs seem too simple for him now. I've been star struck before and wanting to meet and sometimes sleep with my idols, but I think Jeff is the only famous person I wish I could actually know. His music is so visceral and relatable and his word choices are insane. I've been writing a ton of poetry lately because of him. I'm learning 3 of his songs on guitar. He makes me want to do instead of just watch.

[@morgangiosa7515]

@@dawnpriest3997 I completely agree. I have always felt that being a creative genius is about having your own ideas more than technical chops, which is what I was really trying to express above, and Jeff is one of the most unique artists I’ve heard in that sense. I do agree that he’s gotten better at guitar, though, and even singing, and as much as I’d love to have seen him play club gigs in the 90s, I’m so grateful that his art has been a part of my life for the past decade or so. I agree that Jeff’s music is visceral and that’s part of what I’m drawn to. I could hear Yngwie Malmsteen or some other master guitarist shred through scales and make more technically complex guitar music, and it’s impressive, but it doesn’t evoke an emotional reaction from me like Mangum’s work does. I also completely agree that his art is an inspiration to actually make art myself - to do rather than just listen, as you said. Jeff is a large part of the reason I decided to sing, play guitar, paint and write music. I play a very different style of guitar than Jeff, and do very different visual art than he did, but I have covered his songs “Everything Is” and “Bucket” on stage before, and played a version of the title track from ITAOTS with a singer for a filmmaking project - all of which is somewhere on my KZbin channel. So, he’s absolutely a big influence of mine. My own original album which I released as Fake News Blues Band is nothing like Jeff from a stylistic or genre standpoint, but the spiritual influence of him over all of my work is definitely there.

[@kingamity1985]

We have like 4 angles of this show on KZbin now

[@rzeka]

Where?

[@Some_Techie]

This is the only video of it I can find. Where did u find these other videos?

[@kingamity1985]

@@Some_Techie wrong show

[@kingamity1985]

@@Some_Techie I thought this was the July 11th 1998 show

[@kingamity1985]

@@Some_Techie and don't bother asking how I managed to get that confused, it beats me

[@nathanielowensleigh7513]

“Engine” is my absolute favorite. It will be so evermore. I’ve got the 45 picturedisk, and guard it wholeheartedly (thanks Heather)

[@TheVividestPeak]

Wow he’s so respectful to the audience what a great performance as well!

[@TheVividestPeak]

So sweet

[@RussicaGuitar]

Oh, Comely is always good but it is very special here, intimate and explosive at the same time.

[@Naomi-ej2gr]

0:39 Epic

[@ghouby342]

my name jeff

[@saturatedneowax]

yooooooooooooo

[@adonaiyah2196]

The best

[@neros12346]

HE IS SO FUCKING CUTE LOOK AT HIS SMILE

[@neros12346]

8:58

[@Stoopjunk]

In the airplane over the sea sounds so much like the actual record version. I love you Jeff xx

[@pavlezeljic8991]

that Ruby Bulbs performance is amazing AAAAAAANGELS

[@NeutralMilkHotelArchive]

Setlist: [jeff introduces himself, plays new minimalist song] - 00:00 Two-Headed Boy (aborted) - 01:05 Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone - 02:44 The King of Carrot Flowers Pts 1, 2 & 3 - 06:13 A Baby For Pree/Glow Into You - 11:23 In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - 14:37 I Will Bury You In Time - 18:30 Engine - 21:15 Holland, 1945 - 24:19 Naomi - 28:11 Acid - 34:16 Ruby Bulbs/Beautiful Baby*/Swimming In Your Speakers* - 37:05 Oh Comely - 42:10

[@seth608]

i would abort a two headed boy too

[@tratata8199]

The string is aborted - 29:37

[@Vaeren222]

Acid is beautiful

[@harpoonspecter2]

the star slowly turning in and out of the darkness.

[@saturatedneowax]

why am i crying

[@saturatedneowax]

oh right

[@anteaterhaven]

this is my favorite jeff show of all time

[@jeraldjoyce2995]

how does he strum so fast, jesus

[@saturatedneowax]

hands bro

[@stephenw9625]

It's heartbreaking to see how happy Jeff was here...

[@BobV97]

Stephen W Why?

[@holdendeez69]

he's still happy man, he's not the super depressed fuck you'd think he would be

[@DaveAnchovies]

Wait for years to pass, you'll see

[@drewb3108]

He doesn’t really enjoy touring anymore which is a lil sad

[@awshnap]

@@drewb3108 he hasn’t done it since like 2013 so

[@germanscientist5761]

I love you Jesus Christ and God loves us unconditionally. God bless you all

[@jamesmaple]

god won't love me, i'm bi :-/

[@drewb3108]

@@jamesmaple god still loves you, it’s just the church that doesn’t. Always remember that

[@ChristopherTheBanana]

@@jamesmaple don't worry bro god's pan and a switch

[@dakotamcmillan]

he's so fucking cool and nice wow

[@mothhh2114]

MY NAMA JEFF

[@pixie_4059]

29:37 lmao 🤣

[@Vaeren222]

He's professional as fuck tho. I would have ran away in tears😂

[@kmin494]

Is it just me or is it Vic Chesnut shouting "Rip-off artist" and requesting "Gardenhead"?

[@qualiarose]

Oh blessed Mania! I wish I wasn't so down and out when they came to Berlin. I've never wanted to be so near a person that I only ever saw on a screen.

[@LemonWedgeinc]

Could’ve change your life man

[@jasonthefates7311]

SERMON on the MOUNT. Wish we could have talked shop. Sincerely w/ Love, -El

[@randyfromfacebookofficial]

Easily the best performance of Naomi. Despite the broken string. His vocals are spot on

[@InterdimensionalTortureCarpet]

Name Jeff

[@JustinTrousers.]

why did he stop playing two headed boy? i must be missing something cuz it sounded fine

[@pinpout1803]

Might have strummed the wrong chord, maybe? Put him off rhythm at least.

[@squeat675]

he mixed up the verses. totally throws off my rhythm when it happens but it happens to even the best

[@peterhaverland699]

he messed up one of the chords and then screwed up the verses

[@trentchilders5067]

It's crazy to me that Athens used to be cool.

[@LemonWedgeinc]

is it not anymore?

[@nathanielowensleigh7513]

Same. I knew without a doubt that if I hadn’t left in ‘96 that I would still be there, working 3rd at the golden pantry on prince & barbur… enjoying every monumental and meaningless minute of life

[@nathanielowensleigh7513]

@@LemonWedgeinc it’s just different. Always has been. Now with universal internet accessible scenes, the isolation and experience doesn’t really count as much. At the time, we were just a group of isolated kids trying to experience life fully without needing to buy into a commercial identity. The internet has commodified every tiny detail.

[@JuliaRoshambo]

666 likes rn

[@liamallen8968]

He Kinda looks like a young Joe Bonamassa

[@johnnyguitar7921]

whaat type of guitar is thaatt

[@xanderfett8423]

im pretty sure its a Gibson ES-125, its definitley an ES of some sort. hope that helps

[@johnnyguitar7921]

@@xanderfett8423 thanks!