This may have been my most odd concert going experience.
On the afternoon of May 12, 2000, I was working the Cheryl & Co. annual spring warehouse sale, which allowed folks to come by and purchase frozen product from the winter and spring that had not sold at deep discounts. This allowed the company to purge the old product and prep space for the upcoming holidays, and every employee was mandated to work it. If you weren’t working in a store, you stopped by and put in a few hours. Didn’t matter, even Cheryl herself was there, which wasn’t really a big deal to me since her office was just down the hall from my cubicle.
At some point during the early afternoon, I got a call: my friend Jason, his wife, and group of his co-workers were driving to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland for a special event hosted by Tommy Hilfiger. One of their co-workers was unable to attend, so they had an extra seat. I rushed to my boss LuAnn and told her about the offer, worried that I’d get in trouble for leaving the mandatory work day. She said something along the lines of “Are you kidding, get out of here!” And off I went, rushing home to change into something Rock Hall-appropriate, and I caught my ride to Cleveland.
If you’ve been, you know what the Rock Hall is like. Now imagine the whole thing turned into a giant buffet, with ice sculptures filled with shots of vodka and caviar, an entire uppp-floor converted into a dining hall (if I recall, the food was rather bland), and the entire thing empty except for the hundred or so event attendees, some bands and their crews. No crowds anywhere. Pretty cool.
Robin Thicke (son of Alan) and The Neville Brothers also played, but we pay much attention. Then Cheap Trick played. Not only was it the first time I had ever seen Cheap Trick, other than maybe two or three songs (most likely Surrender, Dream Police and I Want You To Want Me) I had never really listened to them. That changed after this concert. Besides being amazing musicians and performers, every song sounded familiar, even the ones I swore I had never heard before.
I’ve had a chance to catch Cheap Trick a few times since then, both live and televised, but the odd circumstances surrounding this show by far make it the most memorable.
Concert Review: Catherine Wheel & Tracy Bonham at The Intersection, Detroit, MI (7/3/00)
This was concert number one of a two-day Fourth of July Weekend trip to Detroit back in 2000, the second day being Sunny Day Real Estate and No Knife. Tracy Bonham was along not only as an opening act, but also to provide vocals on “Judy Staring At The Sun” from the Happy Days album, sung on record by Belly’s Tanya Donnelly.
This time around, Catherine Wheel were touring for Wishville, their only Columbia release and last before the band went on “hiatus” and lead singer Rob Dickinson’s solo career/auto design career. The set was full of tunes from their entire career, reaching back to early favorites off Ferment and Chrome, just the sort of thing you’d want as a long time fan.
One thing you would not want as a long time, the sort of long time fan that got to the venue early so they could get right up front at the stage, is a shiny-shirted, shaved head, fratboy d-bag and his posse of friends waiting until CW was starting to barrel through the audience, shove people around and force their way up front to scream the lyrics of a few songs and act like complete assholes. But you don’t always get what you want, or what basic common decency and courtesey would prescribe. I actually felt embarrassed for them, as the rowdy d-bag and crew and became more and more obnoxious, even band members were starring at them with contempt.
Luckily, d-bag and crew got bored during the slow songs and went wherever a posse of asshole goes (shots a the bar? coke in the bathroom?), and the show went on. Afterward, we were able to get into the post-show meet and greet that gave us a chance to talk to each member of the band while they signed cds, posters, etc. I remember having brief and awkward conversations with lead singer Rob Dickinson (about college radio, and getting chicken wings during their tour stop in Buffalo) and bassist Ben Ellis (we talked basses, he dismissed my appreciation for the Manic Street Preachers, suggest I check out The Stranglers).
This time around, Catherine Wheel were touring for Wishville, their only Columbia release and last before the band went on “hiatus” and lead singer Rob Dickinson’s solo career/auto design career. The set was full of tunes from their entire career, reaching back to early favorites off Ferment and Chrome, just the sort of thing you’d want as a long time fan.
One thing you would not want as a long time, the sort of long time fan that got to the venue early so they could get right up front at the stage, is a shiny-shirted, shaved head, fratboy d-bag and his posse of friends waiting until CW was starting to barrel through the audience, shove people around and force their way up front to scream the lyrics of a few songs and act like complete assholes. But you don’t always get what you want, or what basic common decency and courtesey would prescribe. I actually felt embarrassed for them, as the rowdy d-bag and crew and became more and more obnoxious, even band members were starring at them with contempt.
Luckily, d-bag and crew got bored during the slow songs and went wherever a posse of asshole goes (shots a the bar? coke in the bathroom?), and the show went on. Afterward, we were able to get into the post-show meet and greet that gave us a chance to talk to each member of the band while they signed cds, posters, etc. I remember having brief and awkward conversations with lead singer Rob Dickinson (about college radio, and getting chicken wings during their tour stop in Buffalo) and bassist Ben Ellis (we talked basses, he dismissed my appreciation for the Manic Street Preachers, suggest I check out The Stranglers).
Say Hello to Nina Rose
Welcome Nina Rose Minneci, 10:02 AM, Riverside Methodist Hospital. Mother and daughter are doing fine.
Concert Review: Motley Crue & Megadeth @ the Polaris Amphitheatre, Columbus, OH (9/2/00)
I’m not sure how I ended up at this show, because I wouldn’t have paid for at the time, so I’m guessing someone ended up with free tickets. If I recall, it was just myself and my friend Keith, we had close, but off to the side seats, which were not the best angle. Like I said, they were probably free, so you get what you pay for.
Motley Crue were touring their new (and mostly forgettable) album New Tattoo, which featured the late great Randy Castillo on drums, who had taken over for Tommy Lee after Mr. Lee went nutso. However, on the road former Hole drummer Samantha Maloney was behind the kit filling in for the ill Castillo. Maloney was fine, but the show only confirmed what everybody knew – Vince Neil couldn’t sing live anymore. Besides being unable to string together more than few lines at a time, the high range was gone, either lowered an octave or relying on the audience to fill-in. Plus, I think he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
Megadeth were fine, but since Dave Mustaine has gone all right-wing, it’s pretty much made them unlistenable to my ears.
Motley Crue were touring their new (and mostly forgettable) album New Tattoo, which featured the late great Randy Castillo on drums, who had taken over for Tommy Lee after Mr. Lee went nutso. However, on the road former Hole drummer Samantha Maloney was behind the kit filling in for the ill Castillo. Maloney was fine, but the show only confirmed what everybody knew – Vince Neil couldn’t sing live anymore. Besides being unable to string together more than few lines at a time, the high range was gone, either lowered an octave or relying on the audience to fill-in. Plus, I think he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
Megadeth were fine, but since Dave Mustaine has gone all right-wing, it’s pretty much made them unlistenable to my ears.
This Week In Music: 8/6-8/12
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
Redd Kross: Researching the Blues – masterful powerpop
Ministry: The Land of Rape & Honey – industrial metal
Poison: Flesh & Blood – unexpected growth
Mike + The Mechanics: The Living Years – mostly fluff
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Pin Points & Gin Joints – suprisingly upbeat
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – early gems
Medicine: Shot Forth Self Living – repetitive shoegaze
KIX: Cool Kids – expanded sound
Mercury Rev: Strange Attractor – lesser Rev
Parliament: Gloryhallastoopid – songs suffered
Monster Magnet: Mastermind – mighty metal
Mr. Big: Actual Size – lacking originality
Ours: Precious – familiar territory
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff – grungy goodness
Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime II – successful follow-up
Steelheart: Wait – mellow affair
Bloc Party: Four – excitingly diverse
The Posies: At Least at Last – serious undertaking
Jon Chinn and the 1803: The Tiniest Light (Sampler) – want more
Robert Pollard: Moses on a Snail – few clunkers
Stereolab: Peng! – lacks depth
XTC: Drums & Wires – brainy pop
Redd Kross: Researching the Blues – masterful powerpop
Ministry: The Land of Rape & Honey – industrial metal
Poison: Flesh & Blood – unexpected growth
Mike + The Mechanics: The Living Years – mostly fluff
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Pin Points & Gin Joints – suprisingly upbeat
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – early gems
Medicine: Shot Forth Self Living – repetitive shoegaze
KIX: Cool Kids – expanded sound
Mercury Rev: Strange Attractor – lesser Rev
Parliament: Gloryhallastoopid – songs suffered
Monster Magnet: Mastermind – mighty metal
Mr. Big: Actual Size – lacking originality
Ours: Precious – familiar territory
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff – grungy goodness
Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime II – successful follow-up
Steelheart: Wait – mellow affair
Bloc Party: Four – excitingly diverse
The Posies: At Least at Last – serious undertaking
Jon Chinn and the 1803: The Tiniest Light (Sampler) – want more
Robert Pollard: Moses on a Snail – few clunkers
Stereolab: Peng! – lacks depth
XTC: Drums & Wires – brainy pop
Reuben Tour of Columbus – Grandview Cafe
Even though I had been to the Grandview Cafe many times, it had been a few years. Okay, more like seven or eight. And I couldn’t recall ever eating a Reuben there, so a return was necessary.
Here’s the scorecard:
Cornbeef – thin cut, a decent amount
Sauerkraut – balanced amount
Swiss Cheese – properly melted
Thousand Island – overly generous, a bit messy
Rye Bread – Toasted, but the bottom piece was soggy thanks to the Thousand Island
Grandview Cafe scores 4 out of 5. I deducted half a point for the excessive Thousand Island, and another half a point for the soggy bread. I enjoyed it, and would order again.
Here’s the scorecard:
Cornbeef – thin cut, a decent amount
Sauerkraut – balanced amount
Swiss Cheese – properly melted
Thousand Island – overly generous, a bit messy
Rye Bread – Toasted, but the bottom piece was soggy thanks to the Thousand Island
Grandview Cafe scores 4 out of 5. I deducted half a point for the excessive Thousand Island, and another half a point for the soggy bread. I enjoyed it, and would order again.
This Week In Music: 7/30-8/5
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
Lita Ford: Lita – artistic best
Firehouse: Firehouse – strong debut
Cabaret Voltaire: The Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord – choppy electronics
Fountains of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers – pop hooks
Disastroid: Money & Guilt – Soundgarden-ish stoner
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – strange brilliance
Funkadelic: Let’s Take It to the Stage – peak Funk
Gaza Strippers: Laced Candy – hi-octane rock
Peter Gabriel: Us – occasional meandering
Jim Carroll: Praying Mantis – broken beat
The Get Up Kids: Something to Write Home About – melodic punk
Jetboy: Make Some More Noise – mostly misses
The Jeff Healey Band: Hell to Pay – ripping blues
Kingdom Come: Hands Of Time – excessive slowness
Lita Ford: Lita – artistic best
Firehouse: Firehouse – strong debut
Cabaret Voltaire: The Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord – choppy electronics
Fountains of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers – pop hooks
Disastroid: Money & Guilt – Soundgarden-ish stoner
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – strange brilliance
Funkadelic: Let’s Take It to the Stage – peak Funk
Gaza Strippers: Laced Candy – hi-octane rock
Peter Gabriel: Us – occasional meandering
Jim Carroll: Praying Mantis – broken beat
The Get Up Kids: Something to Write Home About – melodic punk
Jetboy: Make Some More Noise – mostly misses
The Jeff Healey Band: Hell to Pay – ripping blues
Kingdom Come: Hands Of Time – excessive slowness
July 2012 Movies
Movie watching for the month of July with patent-pending two-word reviews:
Man About Town – confused tone
The Thing (2011) – successful prequel
American Hardcore: The History of Punk Rock 1980 – 1986 – essential viewing
The Getaway (1998) – decent remake
The Ring – effectively creepy
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US) – brutal thriller
Take Shelter – slowly engaging
Haywire – stylized action
Jawbreaker – overly shallow
The I Inside – confusing thriller
The Dark Knight Rises – fitting conclusion
Margin Call – unsatisfying ending
Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies – disturbing insight
Contagion – effectively disturbing
The Big Year – quaintly entertaining
Man About Town – confused tone
The Thing (2011) – successful prequel
American Hardcore: The History of Punk Rock 1980 – 1986 – essential viewing
The Getaway (1998) – decent remake
The Ring – effectively creepy
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US) – brutal thriller
Take Shelter – slowly engaging
Haywire – stylized action
Jawbreaker – overly shallow
The I Inside – confusing thriller
The Dark Knight Rises – fitting conclusion
Margin Call – unsatisfying ending
Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies – disturbing insight
Contagion – effectively disturbing
The Big Year – quaintly entertaining
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