Springsteen 10, Richmond Coliseum 0

23 08 2008

Monday night, August 16, 2008.   I am in the parking lot with friends having beer, while I’m chugging water, and sweating despite my breezy sundress. I was eagerly anticipating my first Springsteen show since the Rising and so excited to be going, although my companions were bummed not to get into the front pit.  When Ashby’s husband pulled out the Jim Beam, I was a happy but hotter girl. 

I have such mixed feelings about the Boss—the early 4 records were so pivotal in my teen years when I felt so acutely lonely and lost and there was this sound calling to me…..then those first few shows I saw showed me how rock can create a community that seems transformed, at least in that place in that night, and that we aren’t all so alone. 

But I shared this love of the early E Street sound with several loved ones who have come and gone from my life, and Springsteen seemed ruined for me—-too complicated by past nights, past feelings, and the misery of loss.   Back to that early loneliness, but now, in some ways, it was worse.  Also, the music changed, and he stayed a classic–but of a time.  I didn’t relate to the later albums the same way even though I appreciated the craftsmanship.   But the big reason that I thought I was done with Bruce is that I couldn’t revel innocently the way I did before, and often I’d try to listen to an old CD only to collapse in tears.  That’s not usually why I put on a record. 

But my bestest friend Chris had never seen Bruce live, and I was up for going to a show with my best friend, especially after he tried for so long to get tickets and surprised me with them!  And once that decision to go to the show was made, I let some of the past go and relax without any relationship-related pressures or sorrows.

The group we were with was betting on the first song, and my guess was right: Tenth Avenue Freeze-out, a classic opener.   It turned out that the boss has some old deep ties to Richmond, and we were in for a rockin treat rather than a gloom fest or preacherman evening.  This was  the least commentary I’ve ever heard from Bruce–he kept his comments to focusing on the songs, even disparaging some that are admittedly, throwaways!  

He mixed in just a few songs from Magic with others from the River, Darkness, Rising, the Wild and the Innocent, and even his first record.   Highlights for me were Prove It All Night, Spirit in the Night, and even
Stand on It to which I apparently danced like a maniac. 

Sadly, the Richmond Coliseum must be the WORST ACOUSTIC VENUE on the East Coast.  I would give it less than zero for sound quality.  You could barely hear the iconic start to Cadillac Ranch or Backstreets but I was so glad to hear the latter, even though that song has been very bitterweet for me with all kinds of sadness about my first love.  it was a great version too, so check it out:

After a few others, he rolled into She’s the One and there I was, like a fool, with tears rollling down my face.  But this time, they were happy tears and I was relieved to feel the weight of things lifting off me, and instead, feeling those old transcendant vibes…. 

The band seemed tight, and moving around on the floor gave a little audio relief but not much.   I think they played Badlands just before the Encore, for which they took a tiny break, not at all like encores of old with the fake leaving and returning and leaving and returning.  Badlands always reminded me of my beloved dad who was from South Dakota and viewed his life as one of escape, similar to the story in the song.  

The band was on the stage for most of nearly 3 hours by my rough calculations, and I was shocked and laughed when they rolled into Bruce’s worst song (argue with me if you want, but he admitted it!), Crush on You.   But they treated it like a pure party song and it was BIG fun.   A few last high notes for me were a great, old style version of Born to Run, followed by the most iconic song of my teen years, when I was longing to be rescued, Rosalita.   Like on several other nights, I thought to myself that I could die right then and there without regret.  But then they, topped off with a wistful ode to the one who got away, Bobby Jean, and it was the best version of that song I’ve heard since the beginning of the River tour.    I personally could have done without Dancing in the Dark but at least no girls were pulled up on stage.  The night was capped by an awesome version of Twist and Shout with a local guy whose name I didn’t catch.

The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd and the band, despite the terrible audio quality, was transformative.  Thank you my friend for rescuing Bruce for me.  Of course, he did his part too, as this band usually does.





Wow

17 08 2008

What else can be said about these studs?





Virgin Mobile Festival 2008

10 08 2008

Baltimore strikes fear into my heart. 

It took a lot to get me over many bad memories of the “Charm City” but I drove up alone yesterday, parking in a very safe suburban metro station and taking the train over to Pimlico to watch a whole buncha bands and relax with my best friend.  Our plans to meet up using cell phone or text messages had two flaws:  the bright sun made seeing texts nearly impossible, meaning I had to keep seeking a piece of shade to read the messages, and it was so LOUD, especially near the dance tent, that calls couldn’t be heard otherwise!

Then there’s the drive.  The drive up there is among my most hated routes.  I have many happy old memories of visiting friends Pam and Vaughan many years ago when they each lived in Northern Virginia, but that drive was always a killer.  Worse is taking several loops/beltways around the cities that always feel like they’re making the drive curvy, long, and horrible.  By the time I got going, there was lots of traffic in Manassas and then again on 495 from D.C. to Baltimore.  So it took 4.5 rather than 3.3 hours to get there…..but it was worth it to see 10 very different bands.

I arrived as Lupe Fiasco was firing it up on the main stage.   They were young, loud, and fun but I only knew 2 of their songs.  Does that mean I’m OLD?

   After securing a pretty darn good Mojito, the daylight phase’s highlight was Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.  I counted myself lucky for having seen them a few months ago at Satellite Ballroom, and once again, they put on a stunning powerhouse show.  Sharon Jones IS a star and this band SHOULD be making the big bucks.  Sadly, I don’t think they are, being stuck in the middle of the day for a summer festival show instead of near the end like they should be!

Next we took in most of Bloc Party’s set, which I enjoyed—I love this band, and had never seen them live.  Again, they’d probably benefit from more dark and a longer set, but it’s fun to swivel from one genre to another so often.

We were blessed with a gorgeous, warm but not hot, totally clear day.   Rodrigo y Gabriela were good but not that interesting.  The Offspring, arguably the first “big” band to hit the stage, proved how unoriginal they are.  Essentially they’ve made a career out of ripping off every anthem rocker and making them sound a tiny bit more post punk.  Blech~!  They get my vote for worst act of the day.

By the time Citizen Cope came on, I  needed a piece of shade and another Mojito so we sat in a grassy area and watched that band on stage 2 from afar, which was just right.  I had their first album and I don’t know if they ever made others, but they played most of the songs from that first record and nothing else that I could tell!   It was relaxing to sit in the grass and fun to watch the entwined kids truly asleep for a chunk of that show. 

Next up was a hoot—it was supposed to be Chuck Berry with the Silver Beats, but CB was a no show and the Silver Beats, essentially a Tokyo Beatles cover band, were a trip.  It was big fun.  They were really happy to be there and it showed!

Then came the evening highlight for me–my second Wilco show in a year.  The first was so transcendant that I knew this couldn’t match it, and it was indeed different but still fun.  I was mesmerized by Tweedy’s green striped jacket and the “chalkboards” hung at interesting angles behind the band.  

They played only a tiny subset of my favorites and the crowd pleasers and it was interesting to see how different the set list could be from the other show I saw–they have a large catalog from which to choose.  Wilco got way too short a set, but kept me in a great relaxed groovy mood. 

For something totally different, we walked over to see Foo Fighters and it’s really shocking how energetic and LOUD they are.  That guy has to be 40 by now but he didn’t show it.   Earplugs were needed!  I’m glad to have seen them in this format because I probably would not go JUST to see a band like that.  Lots of girls on guys’ shoulders and twenty somethings totally into it.  Crowd watching was big fun.

The last act was Jack Johnson, and I’d imagined he’d be a snooze.  Fortunately, there’s more to him than one would imagine, but I’m waiting to be convinced, maybe on a second concert, that he’s a national treasure as a friend of a friend asserts.  We watched about 8 very mellow songs before hitting the end of the Foos before leaving for the metro.   And it turned out that those “chalkboards” from Wilco’s set were used in Johnson’s set for ubercool partial photos of roads, flowers, water, etc……

I got so tired driving home I had to stop for some greasy fries and a coke, but that revived me a bit.

Overall—Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings rule, and Wilco, although better showcased in a long set, continued to impress.  It was a good damn day and I’m glad I braved the wilds of Baltimore! 





Sonic stunner

1 08 2008

May 11, Mother’s Day, I saw a show I will never forget.  Despite a late Spring cold snap and torrential rain, I saw the show that will forever set an audio standard for me.   These videos nearly capture some of the feeling…

These are the kinds of songs that make ME think this is the biggest band in the world and has been for a while.  However, my friends have pointed out that my views are not representative of the world, really, given that Hannah Montana and Coldplay outsell Radiohead. 

One of the most memorable nights of my life.  Being about as cold and wet as I could tolerate while still enjoying the hell out of myself, girls in the bathroom taking off their jeans to wring them out, happy to have brought food and drink for the car to sit in for 2 hours after the show while they tried to get all the fans out on the one remaining unflooded road….





Back home entertainment

27 07 2008

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Modest Mouse, Space Chimps, Carmen at Ash Lawn, dinner at the Local with the girls…..which of these bits of entertainment does NOT fit with the others?????

Late June, the day after returning from Puerto Rico, I apparently hadn’t had enough driving and drove over to Richmond to see Jason Isbell for the 3rd time in a year.  Here’s a link to Down in a Hole (I think of it as Trouble, but ain’t they all????)  …..I can’t see well enough, but I might be in this video, having been pretty close up……

Modest Mouse played the Cville Pavillion and the show was AWESOME.  I like this shed because the setting is perfect, right at the end of the downtown mall, and it’s just the right size.  It was HOT and I had to pin my hair up right away, because the opener was the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and they played a great mix of traditional Dixieland standards and some surprises, like their cover of What’s going on?   When MM hit the stage, it was hard to believe that Johnny Marr of the Smiths is 44 years old—he looks 17 and skinny with tight jeans that most teens couldn’t fit into….but there he was, alive and smoking up on the stage.  The band played nearly everything I love EXCEPT Ocean Breathes Salty…..and brought back the New Orleans boys for some all hands on the stage LOUD numbers…..

Ok, moving forward….Carmen, a tragic story, an opera with music everyone recognizes even if they don’t know the source…..played out on the hottest night of the year at Ash Lawn Highland.   Heather and Brad and Leah and Rob and I met there, and I brought along 2 dates— my 12 year old and his buddy.   Does that equal a 24 year old?  No, but they were really good sports.   We each brought food and drinks and were well into a third bottle of wine before the show started.  Jamie and Andy begged me to leave at “halftime”–er…intermission, boys.   I complied, not wanting to kill any chance they will grow to love opera later.  Anyway, I know how it ends…..

Andy smiling and Jamie looking away at the Opera.

And the next day…. Space Chimps.

    I kid you not.  While Jamie and Andy went to Andy’s for Pool and Wii time, I took Tristan to this movie.  Sadly, it’s pitched for a 6-8 year old level, and I was bored out of my mind.  But my son seemed pleased, probably more with our solo time than anything.

Lastly, I went on Thursday with the girls including our beloved recovering Posy to the semi-new Belmont place, The Local, for dinner, and drinks.  They know what they are doing with both.  Ample vegetarian options but lots of beef, lamb, and pork for those who go in for such indulgences are well complemented with a fully stocked bar (yes even 3 of the B’s in the bourbon selection, and for MUCH cheaper per pour than at Oxo….) and good wine list.  I will definitely go back.  Best of all, Po is healing up and looking amazing.

             





Travelin’ fool

27 07 2008

Mid May and it’s St Louis for a 2 day training I dreaded.  Bad flights as usual but mostly good company.  Got to hang with some Mint and TKC friends and it went much better than we imagined it would. 

Early June and it’s supposed to be a 2 day training in Reno that would take essentially 4 days, so I cancelled, but ended up holding a ticket I now need to use for something else.  And getting no fee of course! 

Mid June and it’s school ending, always requiring extra attention, and kids going off to the beach without me, and me going off to Switzerland without them, to present a couple of talks, and to see Interlaken for the first time.

  The town from above and the glacier-fed Aare River that flows through town.

I had a day in Zurich enjoying the EUFA fans, a half day in Luzern, enjoying the covered bridges, and about 5 days in Interlaken, including side trips to the Lauderbrunnen Valley (heaven on earth) and up the mountain to Murren etc.   I think I used every kind of transport available in Switzerland except a car, unless a taxi counts.   Let’s see, a taxi, a train, a gondola, a funicular, a bicycle…..

In Interlaken, got to reunite with my adored Mintie friends and some new friends there for the very first international MI conference NOT for trainers only. 

  

After the conference, Chris and I biked one day to the next town and saw the other lake from the top of a monastery—-how cool to ride a bike from one town to another!   The next day, I took an intercity express train and flew back out of Zurich with flight delays, and could have had some trouble at the Zurich airport had I not HAPPENED to check my ipod case before going through security!!!!!!   I would have like to stay longer with Chris and other friends, but I had yet another long trip…..

I got back to Richmond around 10 pm on July 13.   On July 14, the boys and I were up early to make a flight at 5:24 A.M. to Puerto Rico, which we missed.  By 6 minutes.   We didn’t miss it, but our bags would have, and they wouldn’t let us board.  We had to return home, then depart from Richmond several hours later, then go to Philly for a delay (but the boys bought cool polarized shades) then on to San Juan after midnight for a 2 hour sweaty wait at the airport for posters that never arrived.  I took that as a sign that I was meant to hang at the pool, beach, fort, and rainforest rather than the conference, but alas, the posters arrived later to the hotel.  And I DID enjoy getting caught up with a bunch of friends and colleagues that I don’t work next door to anymore….

As usual, the CPDD conference was at the Caribe Hilton but it’s not up to snuff anymore.  This was my fifth trip to P.R. and I think I’m done —–far too humid and not as exotic as other places—but I so enjoyed seeing the boys soak in the history.  Tristan amazed some of my girlfriends by telling tales of the exploration for the fountain of youth and the exploits of the early Spanish settlers.   My favorite moments were dinner at Aquaviva and swimming in the waterfall at the very bottom of the rainforest with the boys, Karen, Pete, Carolyn, and Octavia.

 

Not done yet.  Then I still had to go to Atlanta for a 2 day CDC meeting that was a bit draining but the time in the ATL was well worth it for reconnecting.  

Then I returned to a day training here locally, then left AGAIN this time for Ft. Worth for a few days at my brother’s.   

My bro Chris with Erica and James in hot Azle Texas!

Sadly, I had to cut off my hanging out early for a few days training in Dallas for the CDC.  Mary and Linda reviewing training materials in Dallas…

So essentially, from about May 12-July 10, I’ve been crazed with travel….and now, I NEED A VACATION!!!!!

 Tired girl needing some sleep!





Shine a Light baby

25 04 2008

Wow, Mick and Keith over 60 in IMAX detail.  It could have been scary, but it’s shocking how great this band still is.  My favorite moments were when Buddy Guy stole the show, but I was very surprised how much I liked the Christina Aguilera number and how I didn’t think Jack White added what I would have expected, given how much I like White Stripes.  I was glad that nobody got motion sick at this IMAX experience and that it was in Richmond this time!





A taste of home

22 04 2008

In mid April I returned home for the first time in four years without the reason being a funeral or a hurricane’s wake.   I was grateful to be going to spend time with my family and a no longer long-lost friend of my heart.  I went with a heavy heart, probably due to too many trips for achingly sad purposes.   But I was also relaxed, with no real expectations and just looking forward to connecting again with my loved ones. 

I spent a few days in New Orleans with Colleen and Mel, and I had shrimp, oysters, etc. at every meal!  They are in the midst of renovating their house, which is on a street my family lived on before I was school-aged.  They have chosen cool bold colors and it’s going to look fantastic once done.   On the second day, Colleen and I surprised my Auntie Vera at her job and she took us to lunch and we all caught up.  It was atypically comfortable, not too steamy, and fun to surprise her!

Friday night I borrowed Mel’s screaming yellow convertible MR2 and drove up to Baton Rouge via my old route but this time top down!!!!!   They had just opened the Bonnet Carre spillway for the first time in many years and there were all kinds of the typical crazies out, essentially tailgating at the spillway.  I was headed to my old college town to see Pam and her family for a few short hours.   I was so excited to meet the beautiful and precocious Maya, to see Megan again, and especially to see Jason, now all grown up and a successful businessman.  Friday night was ladies’ night out, and Pam introduced me to the revitalized downtown, with new funky restaurants and of course bars everywhere with superb music blaring into the street.  After dinner at a newish downtown seafood place right on the river, we walked around and I was amazed at the transformation, including new plazas and a new LSU art museum!  We hung at M for the longest time listening to a band called (I think) Theodore Funkstable, but maybe I imagined that!  Other than one altercation with someone who apparently stalked us, it was a great evening.   The next day, Pam and Maya and I wandered all over LSU on Saturday, ate at George’s for lunch, and then to a street festival on the river with folks dancing Zydeco–the highlight was Feufollet, playing traditional Lafayette Cajun music.  We all danced! 

I had to head out to catch my super early flight out of New Orleans.  Colleen brought me to the airport and I was sad to leave and sad that my trip was such a whirlwind.  Next time, I’m spending more time and catching up with more friends and going to more of my old hangouts!





Covering my ears but having fun anyway

18 04 2008

I forgot my ear plugs, or forgot to use them.  It was a bad mistake on April 16th.   Chris and I went to Toad’s Place on the canal walk to see Okkerville River and New Pornographers

I wasn’t the only one injured–Neko Case was on a stool the whole time, and later, we saw her helped off on crutches.  Apparently after that night she had to abandon the tour.  That was a shame, because even with her on a stool, the band got better and noisier as the night went on.   I didn’t know Okkerville River before tonight but I was very impressed but forgot to buy their CD before leaving.  It was hot and sweaty as usual on the concrete floor!   

The next day, we had our quarterly Virginia MINT meeting at one of my old Richmond haunts, in the ATTC offices, in mid-April.   Denise gave us a taste of MIA Step, enough for me to know it’s not going to help in the hunt for explanations of why MI works, but also enough to see some value in using pieces of it with supervisors.  For lunch we all walked to the big back patio of Sine, and enjoyed company and conversation of good old friends who’ve worked together for a long time in varied ways.





Perspective

7 04 2008

This weekend I got to see an old girlfriend for the first time in probably 6 years.  We were very close for a short period but then time and distance and family got in the way and resulted in a lapse in our friendship—the fading away to once yearly Christmas cards.

It’s amazing and wonderful to get together with someone who knew you very well —before—and find that you still have the same instant intimacy and love for each other.  The conversation is so easy, and so supportive of each others’ challenges.

So in talking with my girlfriend about family and work life and various challenges we’ve had, I pulled out some photos to show her of the boys as they are now.  Her first reaction was Wow, they are so DIFFERENT from each other!  And they have been from birth!  Tristan, my passionate, sometimes angry, sometimes expressively loving younger son, is also practical–he wants his hair short so it will dry quickly after his bath and he won’t have to waste playtime on things like brushing hair.  Jamie, my aloof, self-contained, confident leader of a first child, is less practical–sporting his messy rockstar hairdo and more fussy about his clothes—”Mom I can’t wear THAT” meaning never again even if the item is brand new…..they are so different, and growing like crazy.   Mary was down here to start college shopping for her eldest—and I got to hear stories of what it’s like with 2 girls, and to tell some of mine about having 2 boisterous ones at home. 

It was also lovely to talk about work, and parenting, and love, and our aging parents, and share our different perspectives.   True friends model and share and help us grow in unexpected ways, sometimes by a simple statement that conveys their deep understanding of you, and also challenges you in a surprising way.  I feel lucky to have shared some wine and an evening with a friend I won’t let slip away again…..

Here are those photos–see what you think.