Ween “Even if You Don’t" Live in Chicago (video)

Ween managed to massively disappoint me and several of my friends last year (the first such disappointment since 12 Golden Country Greats) by cancelling the remainder of their fall tour (including a stop in Bloomington), due to a crucial band member (read: Gene) falling ill. A Ween concert, for the uninitiated, is a 3-plus-hour non-stop tour de force of fist-pumping rock drawn from all corners of their extensive catalog. They promised to return, and we believe them.

It’s starting to happen, preceded by the stopgap release of Shinola, Vol. 1, a less-than-stellar collection of re-recorded b-sides and live staples. They’ve spread a scattered series of gigs across the country, but no Bloomington…yet.

In the meantime, here’s a live version of White Pepper’s “Even if You Don’t” (.mov) from their amazingly well-produced DVD, Ween-Live in Chicago. Ween concerts are, much like those of Guided by Voices (RIP), the aural equalizer of their recorded output, bridging gaps in production quality with a crack group of touring musicians, especially the drummer.

Buy the DVD here. You won’t be disappointed.

Here are my favorite Ween records (live and comps excluded), for those interested in purchase:

1. Chocolate and Cheese (1994)
2. God Ween Satan (1990)
3. The Mollusk (1997)
4. White Pepper (2000)
5. Pure Guava (1992)
6. Quebec (2003)
7. Pod (1995)
8. 12 Golden Country Greats (1996)

Filed under: live video  Ween