Heh.
Oh, and the big Who, concert we took in on Saturday was, musically, as terrific as any show of theirs I've ever attended (I don't think I've ever heard them do "I Can See For Miles" live before). Unfortunately, I didn't actually see the band, because this jerkoff...
...was in the seat in front of me and decided he needed to stand for the entire evening. When I asked him about this he informed me in no uncertain terms that a) my $150 ticket entitled me only to stare at his fat ass for the duration of the concert and b) if I didn't shut the fuck up he would kill me.
13 comments:
I really don't get the standing thing. I wanted to throw things at that guy. Fuck, he wasn't even looking at the stage half the time.
Re. the historical references scrolling on the video screen in the back of the stage, I was at that Murray the K show in 1967 and remember both The Who and Cream, although at the time I couldn't understand why Wilson Pickett was zooming through his set. I found out later that each act was only given eight minutes ---
Glad to hear it was a good show. I'm seeing them in September when they get to the Left Coast; seats are on the floor, so I'm not expecting to sit all night - at least that's how it was for the Quadrophenia show in 2013...
BG, I've read about those Murray the K shows; supposedly Clapton's reaction when told the set length was along the lines of "but we don't play ANYTHING less than about 15 minutes..." IIRC, those shows were Cream's debut in America, and MtK was not happy about them being In the show - cut into the time his wife had for her dance act or something.
Ah yes, Jackie the K --- and yes, those shows were Cream's debut. Also on the bill: Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Blues Project, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and other acts who appeared on certain nights. I can't remember who else I saw, since I was only really interested in The Who and "The" Cream (that's how they were billed).
Murray used to like to call himself the Fifth Beatle --- I don't think they agreed with him.
Of equal importance, what was the sound like at Forest Hills? And Joan Jett?
And it's one thing to spend $25.00 to see a band at a club and stand. You EXPECT to do so. But it sucks to be at a stadium and have to get up from song one. And still be a mile away.
Oy!
What kind of seats did you get for $150? Were you on the floor?
Crowds are full of a-holes. But if you can't beat 'em, the best thing to do is join 'em .... Or bring an electric cattle prod .... or fuckin' tase the jerks .... or slip some Soma in their drinks
Standing doesn't really bother me that much, especially for a rockin' show. What bugs me more are drunken douchebags who talk through the show and don't really listen, as if they're at a sporting event and every song's a touchdown. Tone-deaf sing-a-longers breathing down my neck also drive me crazy. And assholes who want to clap along that have no sense of rhythm. And don't ever spill your beer on me. That's the end. I will blind and castrate you.
I go to shows multiple times a week, so I'm hardened. For certain venues, I use a wheel chair. Of course, I don't need it, but at certain places, handicapped people get a pretty sweet spot.
Glad you enjoyed the Who. How was Joan?
I just watched a DVR of Ms. Jett's Hall of Fame performance last night. Pretty good for an aging rocker. I know they try to bridge a lot of stuff at these things, but Miley Cyrus inducting Joan, well, it didn't work for me. It certainly didn't help that, just before giving her "WANABEE rocker" induction speech, Miley joined Joan & the band on stage and sucked eggs big time on Crimson and Clover. Seriously, Joan had Tommy James and Kenny Laguna up there with her and it was pretty fuckin' great when Dave Grohl joined in. But then Miley hit the stage halfway through and started chiming in with horrendous vocals and ridiculously exaggerated stage-hogging and awkward rock star moves, it marred what could have been a very moving performance.
Too bad, because Joanie's opening set was damn fine until then. Miley tried real hard to prove she was cool during he speech. But, ... just put it this way, ... if Joan Jett was JFK, then Miley Cyrus wouldn't even reach the level of a John Tunney.
RE: Cream and the Murray the K Music In the Fifth Dimension Shows
Cream wasn't doing the extended jams yet as part of their set. They certainly didn't have any fifteen minute songs at that point. Everything was pretty faithful to the Fresh Cream LP. But yeah, if only allowed ten minutes, that's two or three songs tops. "I Feel Free" and "I'm So Glad" or "Spoonful." And the Who "My Generation" and "Happy Jack." The longer jams for Cream came during their first proper tour on the West Coast where it was encouraged and inspired.
Mitch Ryder headlined but he didn't have the Detroit Wheels for this gig. It was a ten-piece band with horns.
Smokey Robinson never showed. Apparently he was pissed that Mitch Ryder was top bill instead of him.
VR
Mark said...
Of equal importance, what was the sound like at Forest Hills? And Joan Jett?
The sound was spectacular, and so was Joan. The stadium is the perfect size, too.
The problems with it are, except for the floor and lower rear section, which had chairs, the rest of it is bleacher seating (it's an old tennis stadium, after all). That makes standing particularly precarious, and you get hit in the back a lot. There are also no public restrooms, so you are forced to go all the way down and use port-a-potties, which by the end of the evening are seriously disgusting.
They re-modeled the place and it has Porta-Potties? Pretty uncivilized. Oh well, there's always Depends:-).
VR
Steve: Here's something to help calm you down after Sunday's disappointment...
Marshall Crenshaw - "Monday Morning Rock"
Why didn't you call a security guard?
Yeah. You could have told the guard "These kids won't get off my lawn!"
God, I'd love to have a print of "Buddy Rich's Fuckin' Clams" hanging on my wall...I'm gonna have to go back and listen to those "Kapusta Kristmas" collections again–I haven't heard the Prophet Omega in WAY too long.
Giving credit where it is due:
http://songheads.com/?p=93
Murray departed from his solo act and vocal group presentation and made a valiant attempt to capitalize on the new sound and face of rock by booking self-contained electric bands. Nevertheless, the show billed as “Murray the K presents Music In The 5th Dimension” marked the end of an era.
The shows took place over 40 years ago in 1967 from Saturday March 25th to Sunday April 2nd at the RKO 58th Street Theatre in Manhattan. There were five shows a day starting at 10 in the morning and lasting till after midnight.
Mitch Ryder headlined.
Don Lehnoff: It actually wasn’t “Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.” At the insistence of his producer, Bob Crewe, Mitch was embarking on a solo career andweappeared as the Mitch Ryder Show. I was part of a 10 piece band hired to back Mitch up … 5 guys from Baltimore, 3 from the Chicago Loop who opened the Ryder shows, plus a trumpet from Florida andguitarfrom New York. The “Wheels” declined the opportunity to be augmented with horns, so they parted company.
Hedging on his bet, Murray booked two soul acts – Wilson Pickett and Smokey Robinson. Smokey, even though advertised, never appeared.
Don Lehnoff: Smokey Robinson was hired for the show as advertised, but at the first rehearsal I sat in the audience seats andwatchedRobinson, still wearing his trench coat, arguing on stage with Murray the K. At one point Smokey stormed off the stage andup the aisle to the exit, not to return. It was my understanding that he walked out on the show because Mitch Ryder was billed above him, but I can’t swear to that. In retrospect, that would be considered absurd billing … but this was the high point in Ryder’s career and he was being seriously hyped by the serious hype machine of Bob Crewe. We headlined everywhere we played, with the one exception of a concert in Chicago where another Creweproduct, The Four Seasons, was billed above Mitch.
Nobody cared that Smokey no-showed. The Blues Project with a very young Al Kooper and The Young Rascals appeared, and two very historical moments in rock went down when The Cream (yeah it was Cream, but they were billed as The Cream) andThe Who both made their American debut. Bothbandswere billed as “Direct from England.”
Your friend, Mr. Google
Anna: I had four of those Kapusta Kristmas LP's at one time. About a decade ago I transferred them to CD and sold them to a Japanese collector for $550. This was after he treated me to an amazing dinner at the Sycamore Inn out on Route 66. I also enjoyed a bunch of drinks on his tab while I "thought it over". His original offer was $400, ya see. But the way his eyes glazed over when he saw them, I knew I could get him to go higher.
After dinner, I had Yoshikazu drive me out to the Laguna Riviera Hotel. Sandy had rounded up an old beau of ours named Roger. She had phoned during dinner and insisted that I join them for a dirty weekend in Room 404.
There was a bit of a language barrier, and, for a while, Yoshikazu seemed to think he was going to be part of the festivities. I guess he assumed that each girl needed a guy. Obviously he had never met Roger.
When he dropped me off I told him to run along. He had a sad look on his face which was kinda pathetic and teddy bearish. I reached in my purse and gave him the number and address of an old friend of mine that used to run a brothel on Kauai. I told him to tell Miki that Vickie had sent him. I'm sure she fixed him up.
Asian guys have never done much for me sexually. In fact, I've never had the desire to be with one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a racist. But I think my vagina might be.
Anyway, much of the Kapusta stuff ended up on those Nick Bougas "Celebrities At Their Worst" CD's, which I now own.
VR
Post a Comment