Mike Doughty

Who: Mike Doughty with Kelly Buchanan
When: May 17, 2005
Where: Neumo’s, Seattle, WA

My friend insisted that we get there when the doors opened at 8. I was not very interested in doing so, but obliged all the same, expecting to sit in total boredom for 2+ hours until Doughty came onstage around 10:30. We actually go there before eight, which made me all the more frustrated. Then, while standing in line (waiting for the doors to open!!), there was a bit of commotion, and out walked the man himself, Mike Doughty, guitar in hand.

He said he had come out to entertain the early birds with a little show before the show, and then proceeded to play four fantastic songs on the corner of 12th and Pike. He was accompanied by Chuck, who was carrying some recording equipment. Apparently there’s going to be an EP of the show or something. Anyway, by the time he asked the crowd to help him out with “Janine” there must’ve been about 100 people around, both random passers-by and the late-comers of the early crowd.

Of course when it was all over, I took quite a ribbing from my friend. “See! Told you we should come early!” You were right, and I was wrong. Sometimes the early bird does get the worm. We were further rewarded with front row “seats” at the tightly packed Neumo’s for a great show with just Mike and Handsome Dan to make “medium rock,” as Mike himself calls his music.

I had never seen Mike before, or Soul Coughing for that matter, but was familiar with his live shows thanks to the great Smofe + Smang, which I bought on a whim a couple of years ago. It was the first Soul Coughing/Doughty album I ever bought, though was familiar with the old stuff and loved my Napster version of Skittish. Even with that background knowledge, it was still a great joy seeing him in person. He was in true comedic form, and entertained the crowd as much with his banter as he did with his music.

The new songs from the just-released Haughty Melodic are actually pretty old, so both Mike and the audience had a familiarity with the material that helped it fit in perfectly with some old favorites like “Soft Serve” and the infrequently performed obscure cover of “Looks,” from Skittish. Mike Doughty writes some great pop songs, but in the end, it’s his personality and onstage friendliness that can help make this former cult-band frontman into a bonafide solo pop/rock star.

Pre-Show Setlist:
Tremendous Brunettes
Rising Sign
(a cover I don’t remember the name of goes here)
Janine

Setlist:
...out of order…
White Lexus
American Car
Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well
Busting Up a Starbucks
Unsingable Name
Madeline and Nine
Sunken-Eyed Girl
Grey Ghost
Soft Serve
True Dreams of Wichita
St. Louise Is Listening
The Gambler
27 Jennifers
Looks

Mike’s blog entry on the preshow on the street and some photographs of the crowd (including me) during the show inside.