St. Louis, May 23, 1999

Set List:

Slave
Pure Massacre
Abuse Me
Emotion Sickness
Israel's son
Ana's Song
Suicidal Dream
The Door
Freak
Anthem for the Year 2000

By AARON SEIDNER

My friends and I showed up at the Riverport Amphitheater at 12:00 where we waited in long lines to get in. We waited around and watched the other halfway decent bands like 2 skinny J's, Orgy, and Blink 182. The rain seemed like it had stopped and the sun kept peeking through the clouds. The venue was situated in a retarded way although I can't complain because that's how it always has been.

The stage was in front and directly in front of the stage was a small space where about 50 people could fit for a pit. (Mind you, there are around 10,000 to 20,000 people here, I cant remember exactly what they told us.) After the small pit the rows of chairs started...and they came back pretty far. After the chairs stopped, the lawn started and the lawn stretched back pretty far, and that's where most of the people were. I was on the lawn, and I knew silverchair were coming on at 6:45 and I had 10 minutes so I tried to get up close to the stage but with no avail. The security were checking tickets and if you didn't have a row seat you weren't allowed up there.

Back at my place on the lawn, they rolled out Ben's drumset. Of course, for this being my first silverchair show and me being a fan since Frogstomp came out. I was pretty excited. My friends had to calm me down. Daniel's Soldano amps went up and Chris' Ampeg amps went up. I was watering at the mouth. The guitar techs fiddled with the equipment and then 2 people from The Point came out and announced silverchair and everyone started screaming and applauding.

silverchair came out and of course Daniel was wearing his black pants with a black shirt and silver tie. Chris was wearing a black shirt with his orange pants, and Ben was wearing shorts and that was it.

The ripped right into Slave, banging all the way through the song and by far they had the best sound yet. Daniel has become a much better vocalist, not that he ever was bad, but he adds so much more to the songs live.

Without any warning, the notes to Pure Massacre, started and the crowd went nuts. My friend Jake and I, and the people we were standing around, all sang the song all the way through with Daniel. After the song Daniel said, "Thanks St. Louie! You're great. Thanks for being good and not throwing stuff. Okay, we're going to play now." And they ripped straight into Abuse Me which was also a fabulous sing along from the crowd. Daniel told everyone to "motherfucking jump!"

Daniel switched from his green Paul Reed Smith to his new Black Gibson and played Emotion Sickness. I've never heard a better version of this song. The keyboard's were great and everyone was into it. I loved it so much. He worked his voice in such a great way, I was captivated.

Israel's Son came next and everyone screamed when they heard the opening bass line. Chris was really getting into the songs today. Around this time I could start to see Daniel getting miffed because he couldn't work the crowd. It was a tough crowd...especially since some people were in seats and some in the lawn. It seemed no matter how hard they rocked no one would jump...but we sure did! Israel's Son came to a finish and I never wanted this concert to come to an end.

Daniel came to the microphone and said, "This is a new song, not the last one, but the one before, that was a new song too. But not the last once, hence I said the one before! Okay." Daniel started the soft chords of Ana's Song and Jake and I went wild, it seemed that everyone around us knew the words too. It was a great hit with the crowd and most people were singing along with them.

Suicidal Dream was next and many people in the crowd sang along. Even though up by the stage there wasn't much participation, Daniel, Chris and Ben rocked out and did a great performance of the song. We loved it. After that Daniel said, "Thanks St. Louie! Does any one believe in Jesus? OH COME ON! DOES ANY ONE BELIEVE IN JESUS? (crowd cheers) Does anyone believe in Satan? (crowd cheers) COME ON! Oh that's it! You guys are too quiet! I've tried but you aren't saying anything. We're just going to play now so you shut the fuck up and we will play. Shut the fuck up, you are too loud and we are going to play now. Just sit there like you are and rock out like you fucking should." I started to believe at this point that Daniel really was getting miffed because the crowd wouldn't play along...but we were...It was really fun.

They ripped straight into The Door and rocked the house. We were jumping all over the place. Without a word they ripped into Freak, and Daniel's miffness started to show some more as he sang, "Body and soul, suck my DICK!" But of course everyone loved it so the crowd screamed loudly. He enticed a crowd sing along by singing, "Body and Soul, I'm a freak" over and over. It worked out very well.

The opening sounds to Anthem For The Year 2000 rang across the P.A. and huge applause from the crowd showed their appreciation. The crowd traded "We Are The Youth" with Daniel several times before he started the verse. The whole crowd sang along and I loved every minute of it.

As soon as the song was over, without a word silverchair put down their instruments and walked offstage and Daniel spit on the side of the stage. It was great. It seemed this wasn't Daniel's kind of venue and they walked offstage without even saying thanks or good-bye! But I didn't care! It was an awesome show and they put their all into it! It was awesome!

I immediately ran around and waited to get their autograph, but I found out you had to win a pass from the Point in order to see silverchair and greet them. But I was lucky enough to find someone to go in and get someone's autograph from me. Although I was upset I couldn't go in, I felt I deserved to. But a nice silverchair fan got Ben's autograph on my ticket stub for me! I hope to have it scanned soon so you all can see it!

It was a great show and I can't wait to see silverchair at their own show soon!