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We’d like to welcome our new Midwest correspondent Benji Feldheim to the team with his review of a recent Gene Ween Band show…

[All photos by Allison Taich]

Gene Ween tried something different.

Armed with only an acoustic guitar, a harmonica and himself, Aaron “Gene” Freeman led about 100 people in a drunken singalong during a private party Jan. 30 at Tonic Room in Chicago. About halfway through, he forgot the words. But it’s Gene Ween, so who cares? At least that’s what the audience thought.

“What’s the second verse?” Gene said through a smile when he stopped in the middle of Marble Tulip Juicy Tree.

Amidst hoots and hollers, a few people obliged him and shouted the next few words. He jumped right back into the bouncing rhythm of the song with a scream and was back on point.

The intimate, one-man-show is a new thing for Gener, as he playfully reminded the patient crowd of this a few times. Not only was Gene playing his songs without the full electric energy of the band Ween, but he was also missing his musical partner and soulmate, the axe-wielding Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo.

READ ON for more of Benji’s Gene Ween solo acoustic review…