October 16 2024: Local H Whatever Happened To P.J. Soles? 20th Annv Show

October 16, 2024
Local H
20th Anniversary of Whatever Happened To P.J. Soles?
Metro – Chicago, IL

Wow. WoW. WOW.

What. A. Night.

When they say, “You had to be there.” Well, you HAD to be there.

To me, album play anniversary shows are awesome. This time, I only had one chance to see the P.J. Soles celebration. It just so happened to be the final date of the “tour that almost wasn’t.” I also decided to take very few photos/video and just stay in the moment.

Acoustic set to start the night, 8:01pm to 8:35pm
I never expected an acoustic set to start the show, but loved all the song choices! All songs by Scott solo, except for Sunday Best which Ryan come out to play on part way through the song. Extra stand out song for me was Nothing Special since it was so different from the original. (all songs originally listed from setlist.fm. Song order adjusted 10/20/2024 based on audio recording.)

*The One With ‘Kid’
*Eddie Vedder
*Fine and Good
*Hands on the Bible
*Nothing Special
*Sunday Best
*All The Kids Are Right
*Joey (Concrete Blonde cover, partial)

 

15 minute set break
I noticed two back to back Ramones songs played over the PA. I wondered and looked it up. Sure enough, the songs continued playing in order… we were being treated to the Rock ‘n’ Roll High School movie soundtrack. SWEET! (It started with the title song and played thru to the Live Medley before the main P.J. Soles set started for the night.)

20th anniversary of Whatever Happened To P.J. Soles? approx. 8:50 to 10:15pm
The album was played slightly out of order but it was OH SO GOOD! For certain songs, additional musicians were brought on stage to round out the sound. I don’t remember everyone’s names but Ronnie DiCola played a partial drum kit, Vibraslap (?), etc, that was set up to Ryan’s right. (Ronnie also played drums at various Local H shows in the past when Ryan wasn’t available.)

Fun side note, I was dying to see two drummers play on stage at the same time during a Local H show again and I pretty much got it!

Others musicians included: Justin Bell on keys, Tom Szidon on bass, Eric Oblander on harmonica and Norm Burns on guitar. All of these extra guys made for a SUPER COOL and different show to see and hear live!

It was fun seeing everyone (Gabe, Mike Grogan, Lauren O’Neil from Q101 and others) come out on stage for gang vocals during Everyone Alive (“everyone, everyone”) and Metro staff singing backing vocals during another song.

The crowd closest to me was INTO this show. Especially the guy to my right. Watching his and the excitement of others, song after song, def put a bigger smile, than the one I already had, on my face. There was also plenty of moshing going on.

 

There were NO bad songs played that night, but the extra stand out song for me was Money On The Dresser…which included harmonica and dual drumming; Ryan switched with Ronnie! IT WAS SO FREAKIN GOOD even if it was short! And of course, my fave from the album, That’s What They All Say!

Halfway through the P.J. set, I felt like I was in a dream. Like, what I was witnessing was too good to be true. As if I wasn’t actually standing in the Metro watching this with my own two eyes. I didn’t want the night to end!

*Where Are They Now?
*Everyone Alive
*California Songs
*Heaven on the Way Down
*P.J. Soles
*How’s the Weather Down There?
*Money on the Dresser
*Heavy Metal Bakesale
*Dick Jones
*Buffalo Trace
*Hey, Rita with partial I’ve Got A Feeling (The Beatles cover)
*Mellowed
*That’s What They All Say
*Halcyon Days (Where Were You Then?)

Encore approx 10:18pm to 11:05pm
I love a nice long Local H encore and man did we get one! I didn’t track the songs that night so I’m trusting setlist.fm is correct. If so, we basically got 10 songs! It started with a Ramones cover (Bonus!) and then we got maybe one of the best sounding Misanthrope I recall hearing in a while! HOT DAMN!

I’m pretty sure it was when someone yelled out for Deep Cut or just a deep cut, not sure, and Scott gave us DEEP CUT. SO GOOD.

Extra stand out track during the encore has to go to White Belt Boys, from 12 Angry Months, which I don’t think ANYONE expected to hear that night. In fact, I only decided to video because it was the encore and all the additional musicians walked out on stage. I took a gamble and boy am I glad to have the video. Watch it below.

 

*I Just Want To Have Something To Do (Ramones cover)
*The Misanthrope
*Acquiesce (Oasis cover, partial)
*Deep Cut
*Bound for the Floor with Toxic by Britney Spears
*White Belt Boys
*Tomorrow Never Knows / Fuck Yeah, That Wide / Feel Good Hit of the Summer / Tomorrow Never Knows (Beatles cover, Local H, Queens of the Stone Age snippet)
*Manifest Density, Part 1 and 2 with partial The Killing Moon outro (Echo & the Bunnymen cover)

THANKS!
*Shout out to the Cold Manor crew for letting me crash their spot in line. Hey, I spotted the Cookie Lady first and never left. Always great to talk with others, especially this time about LIFERS: A Local H Movie movie. (*Group photo by Alieta)

*Thanks to Theresa for the awesome P.J. Soles inspired cookie and the bracelets I chose at random (Dick Jones and California Songs).

*Thanks to Lauren O’Neil for posting a FB Live from the show on the Q101 page. I received a text during the show from a friend that saw me in the background.

*Another shout out to Vickie and Aaron from MI…I think we had the best spot that night!

*Bonus shout out to John O for getting this awesome rail shot!

*Early thanks to Dewey for putting the audio up as soon as he is able so I, and everyone else, can relive it all over again (and for the help with the additional musician’s names)!

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO LOCAL H and everyone else associated with making the night something special! It was def one I will remember for a long time to come.

 

 

*Metro Show specific poster and the Special P.J. Soles Local H Halloween shirt revealed on show night at merch*