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Reviews From 10-24-2003
Submitted to Guster.net by Ned

10-24-2003
Aragaon Ballroom, Chicago, IL


I am among the many who did not know Guster until seeing them on the bill with John Mayer last year. I had three of my four kids with me that night and we bought Goldfly (at the suggestion of someone in the crowd who obviously knew the band). We've since acquired the other records and finally got to see them again this past Friday night as a headliner and it was great. Even while listening to these guys rock and roll through their slghtly odd, always endearing story-songs, I watched the crowd, too. I have rarely seen a crowd so into everything about the band, yet without being stoned out of their minds. All ages and all genders were just thrilled to be part of what I understand was one of the biggest audiences ever gathered to listen exclusively to Guster. (Kathleen Edwards did a nice opening set, but this was a Guster crowd.) And the band earns that dedication. They are sincere, genuine, honest, funny -- and they sure can play! We also loved the light show, especially seeing Brian's oversized shadow banging away on his many drums on the vast ballroom ceiling. Song highlights for me included Happier, Homecoming King, and the terrific cover of Talking Heads' Nothing But Flowers. But there was not a weak performance in the set. What great writing. Note to rockin' parents: My eleven-year-old, who knows all the words to all the songs, was attending his first indoor rock concert and loved it.

Submitted to Guster.net by Tums

10-24-2003
Aragon, Chicago, IL


Great show. First time I heard Rainy Day live, ever, and the first time I heard So Long in a long time. BNL ran across stage in their underware. The boys played an amazingly tight sounding set + encore. Pasty's lights were awesome, but blinding at times because of how high the stage was, but spectacular none the less. "Aragon where the magic happens"