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Troubles A Foot
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1025 Posts |
 Posted - 02/02/2025 : 07:51:51
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| I was saying to my friend after, it's insane that Frank has this set of songs and to just ignore it for decades. Imagine being that prolific and great a songwriter with so many "eras" in your pocket. If I had these songs I would play them all the time at all the shows. |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2808 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2025 : 08:35:58
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"There it is. Take it."
If you can, music fans
you must see this tour
Go to France if you have to
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <
3223 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2025 : 10:41:07
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That was the best FBF show I've seen since 1993
And maybe even better than seeing Pixies 1.0 in 1992
Only this guy can make you forget that the Pixies even exist
Great meeting everybody too and being all jammed up front
Thank you Charles for making this happen for us |
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Troubles A Foot
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1025 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2025 : 13:12:22
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| Sorry I didn't meet everybody. I didn't know about it because I was avoiding the forum due to setlist spoilers. But also me and my wife have a baby and couldn't really do anything else but go to the show and then go right back home. |
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Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *
1701 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2025 : 13:47:21
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Was good meeting everyone too. My first meet here after being on the forum since high school days.
Also really cool to get to see some Frank Black songs live again and with the TOTY band too. |
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Superabounder
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1049 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2025 : 21:50:52
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Yeah sorry we missed you Troubles. Likewise was great meeting you guys. Alex I have the pics of all of us. Maybe I can DM it to you via Reddit.
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything |
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Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *
1701 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 05:57:35
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| Yeah that'd be cool. I had to make a new reddit account so now my username there is abstractplain1 |
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Superabounder
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1049 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 06:33:54
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Well I’m having a hard time pulling up that username. I posted the pong video on there so maybe comment on it if you would like and then it should let me start a chat with you.
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything |
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Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *
1701 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 09:10:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Superabounder
Well I’m having a hard time pulling up that username. I posted the pong video on there so maybe comment on it if you would like and then it should let me start a chat with you.
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything
Cool. It's possible reddit is shadowbanning me cause they deleted my previous account for some stupid reason. If you had Instagram or something maybe that could work too. |
Edited by - Skatealex1 on 02/03/2025 09:25:41 |
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Superabounder
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1049 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 09:46:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Skatealex1
quote:
Originally posted by Superabounder
Well I’m having a hard time pulling up that username. I posted the pong video on there so maybe comment on it if you would like and then it should let me start a chat with you.
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything
Cool. It's possible reddit is shadowbanning me cause they deleted my previous account for some stupid reason. If you had Instagram or something maybe that could work too.
Done
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything |
Edited by - Superabounder on 02/03/2025 12:48:20 |
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Neptune
- FB Fan -
USA
99 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 15:11:37
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Was at Brooklyn Steel. Before the show, guy in front of me says to his friend, "You're seeing The Beatles play Revolver". Hyperbole? Maybe not!
What a show. Gotta say I can't believe they don't end with "Pie in the Sky". After seeing all of TOTY, ending on Ramona felt a little bit like a letdown (to me). Play 4 songs from the self-titled prior to Pong, then ride on out after Pie in the Sky on a wave of blown minds.
I did some prep work getting ready for this show, like reading the lyrics to make sure I wasn't missing anything. That process led to two revelations. First, I had never really paid any attention to "Fiddle Riddle", and now I think it's awesome. And second, despite having listened to "Bad, Wicked World" a million times (more hyperbole!), I didn't know who architect David Vincent was. I had a vague feeling that he was a bad guy ("People think he's a creep", "He hasn't got a friend"), and I wondered "what's Frank's beef with this architect". So I finally googled "architect David Vincent", found out the story, and that opened up how awesome that song is.
I've gotten in the habit of recording two 20-second video clips when I go to shows, then I edit them together and at the end of the year I have a reel from all the shows I was at. Knowing what was coming, I could plan out three "must-get" segments. Then at the show I got a little greedy/selfish and grabbed two more! Here's what I got:
Speedy Marie - the acrostic part
Fiddle Riddle - just the beginning, through "Oh yeah, on my face"
Superabound - the potlach verse through the end
Space IGDMG - pretty much the whole first half. I used to sing this song at bedtime to my kid when he was 2 years old, but as "Sleep is Gonna Do You Good", with a whole set of alternate lyrics
Bad, Wicked World - the last verse through the echoing "David Vincent"
I had a blast. When's the Bluefinger tour? |
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peter radiator
= Cult of Ray =
USA
665 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 15:22:25
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The Detroit show was pretty fucking jaw-dropping.
It would have been cool to meet anyone from these boards who was there, but I was first in line and made a beeline for center on the rail directly in front of Charles!
So, other than the person on either side of me, once I entered the venue, I didn't really have an opportunity to speak to anyone other than the very nice bartender.
Forgetting that they were all wearing in-ear monitors which block out almost all the ambient noise of the room, I hollered out to Charles at one point between songs how it was really great to see him smiling.
He of course could not hear me, but luckily I got a second chance to go into more detail with him after the show.
One of the best "little moments" that might have been lost on anyone more than a couple of rows back was watching the chuckling flash of recognition and acknowledgment Charles gave Lyle at the beginning of "Ole Mulholland" when Lyle NAILED the crazy guitar lick in the middle of the intro.
It was SO perfectly executed that Charles actually seemed a bit startled at how expertly he pulled it off.
He waved to Lyle to get his attention and then silently mouthed something like, "That's the best you've played that so far!" Lyle smiled broadly, and made a gesture as if to say, "I know, right!?"
Despite the flu wearing some of them down in a big way, it was wild to see BF completely embrace FB again. It was as though he had put on an old sports jacket that he found in the closet and had not worn in decades.
I think if he had not been under the weather, he would have been even more talkative in Detroit, but you could tell he was struggling just to make it through all that singing without stopping to rest (or just stopping).
But everything from his singing voice to his body language to the way he physically moved onstage was noticeably different from the past many years of BF / Pixies, if one was familiar enough to know what they were seeing.
To watch him silently, physically show reverence for (and deference to) Lyle and EDF and Nick and Rob was really touching. He clearly respects all those guys immensely, and was visibly not only proud to be able to revisit this material (with THEM specifically), but legitimately having a really good time playing and singing those songs.
It was infectious, and I hope that serious-about-being-silly vibe was evident all the way in the back of the surprisingly intimate room.
I try to make it a rule to never do the selfie thing with cats I dig, so while I always get a big kick out of seeing photographic evidence of everybody's encounters with Charles and his bands, I have none to share.
However, it was truly a treat to get to hang out privately with most of them (sans the obviously quite ill and weak EDF) for a good long while after the show in the basement of the venue.
They're just such genuinely nice and kind people, who seem to honestly appreciate the sincere affection we all have for the songs and recordings they created together.
Here's to the (EXTREMELY slight) possibility of more TOTY shows on down the road. I would go anywhere within my power to see these five guys play music onstage.
And, if I won the lottery tomorrow, one of the first things I would do is offer them a $100,000 budget to make another album of new material together, no strings attached...
--
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder |
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Troubles A Foot
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1025 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 20:13:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Neptune
What a show. Gotta say I can't believe they don't end with "Pie in the Sky". After seeing all of TOTY, ending on Ramona felt a little bit like a letdown (to me). Play 4 songs from the self-titled prior to Pong, then ride on out after Pie in the Sky on a wave of blown minds.
I also thought Ramona was a strange ending song! It just feels like "the night is just getting started" kind of song to me. I was still thrilled to hear it though. When he did Every Time I Go Around Here I was kind of hoping it would go right into Don't Ya Rile Em to end the night...of course, bringing everything full circle. |
Edited by - Troubles A Foot on 02/03/2025 20:13:33 |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2477 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2025 : 23:20:31
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quote:
Originally posted by peter radiator
The Detroit show was pretty fucking jaw-dropping.
It would have been cool to meet anyone from these boards who was there, but I was first in line and made a beeline for center on the rail directly in front of Charles!
So, other than the person on either side of me, once I entered the venue, I didn't really have an opportunity to speak to anyone other than the very nice bartender.
Forgetting that they were all wearing in-ear monitors which block out almost all the ambient noise of the room, I hollered out to Charles at one point between songs how it was really great to see him smiling.
He of course could not hear me, but luckily I got a second chance to go into more detail with him after the show.
One of the best "little moments" that might have been lost on anyone more than a couple of rows back was watching the chuckling flash of recognition and acknowledgment Charles gave Lyle at the beginning of "Ole Mulholland" when Lyle NAILED the crazy guitar lick in the middle of the intro.
It was SO perfectly executed that Charles actually seemed a bit startled at how expertly he pulled it off.
He waved to Lyle to get his attention and then silently mouthed something like, "That's the best you've played that so far!" Lyle smiled broadly, and made a gesture as if to say, "I know, right!?"
Despite the flu wearing some of them down in a big way, it was wild to see BF completely embrace FB again. It was as though he had put on an old sports jacket that he found in the closet and had not worn in decades.
I think if he had not been under the weather, he would have been even more talkative in Detroit, but you could tell he was struggling just to make it through all that singing without stopping to rest (or just stopping).
But everything from his singing voice to his body language to the way he physically moved onstage was noticeably different from the past many years of BF / Pixies, if one was familiar enough to know what they were seeing.
To watch him silently, physically show reverence for (and deference to) Lyle and EDF and Nick and Rob was really touching. He clearly respects all those guys immensely, and was visibly not only proud to be able to revisit this material (with THEM specifically), but legitimately having a really good time playing and singing those songs.
It was infectious, and I hope that serious-about-being-silly vibe was evident all the way in the back of the surprisingly intimate room.
I try to make it a rule to never do the selfie thing with cats I dig, so while I always get a big kick out of seeing photographic evidence of everybody's encounters with Charles and his bands, I have none to share.
However, it was truly a treat to get to hang out privately with most of them (sans the obviously quite ill and weak EDF) for a good long while after the show in the basement of the venue.
They're just such genuinely nice and kind people, who seem to honestly appreciate the sincere affection we all have for the songs and recordings they created together.
Here's to the (EXTREMELY slight) possibility of more TOTY shows on down the road. I would go anywhere within my power to see these five guys play music onstage.
And, if I won the lottery tomorrow, one of the first things I would do is offer them a $100,000 budget to make another album of new material together, no strings attached...
--
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder
That's great to hear. Still can't really believe we're getting this tour. Excited for the London show... |
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Neptune
- FB Fan -
USA
99 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 04:23:01
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| I missed Reid Paley, did anyone catch him? Did he do any Paley/Francis songs? |
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Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *
1701 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 05:40:03
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I may have missed 1-3 songs but I didn't recognize any Paley/Francis songs from what I heard.
I also agree about Frank- he seems to enjoy playing these songs. It's refreshing to see as a fan compared to the average Pixies show.
I thought he looked sick at NY too- but they powered through the songs regardless. I'd also kill to get some new recordings or more shows in the future. I get that Pixies seem like a strong band/employ a lot of people but as a fan- I couldn't ask for a better band situation here than Frank Black playing his solo work with the band. |
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Troubles A Foot
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1025 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 07:51:25
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I thought Reid Paley was pretty bad. Could not wait for his set to be over.
Frank did not look sick. Huh? I have never seen him have so much energy at a concert before. He was smiling, funny, talkative, and danced around the stage. |
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rivum
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
271 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 09:09:14
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did anyone notice microphones on either side of the stage at any of the shows?
they had some at the toronto show. is there a reason that they'd do that other than recording the show? |
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Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *
1701 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 09:56:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
I thought Reid Paley was pretty bad. Could not wait for his set to be over.
Frank did not look sick. Huh? I have never seen him have so much energy at a concert before. He was smiling, funny, talkative, and danced around the stage.
Maybe looking sick isn't the best way to put it but I noticed he looked almost like he was holding back coughing during some songs in the beginning of the set. He also seemed to be having lots of 'presumably' hot tea during the show- I'd guess maybe that helped with his flu recovery, going by what was reported before. |
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1057 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 10:14:55
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I'm honestly wondering if there might be any plans to record with this band. It's struck me that in Toronto he said something along the lines of "We are now going to do songs from the 1993 sessions [i.e., Frank Black], from the same era" and then corrected himself saying "not that the era is over" (correct me if I'm wrong rivum, or anyone who has listened to the bootleg). Admittedly it was most likely a reference to their current tour and ongoing friendship, but a man can hope. It might be significant that they are ending the tour in London, as Frank has been recording in London and Wales a lot recently, and the next Pixies tour begins in Europe in April...
Again, highly unlikely.
If this is the end of this iteration, hopefully we can all reconvene for Frank Black & The Catholics Dog in the Sand 2031 tour...
Edit: Realized I had forgot about the 2025 Bossanova/Trompe Le Monde Tour - a good time to be a FBF fan! |
Edited by - Brank_Flack on 02/04/2025 10:18:03 |
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <
3223 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 11:30:06
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I loved that they closed with Ramona. What a magical song. It's a very Frank thing to close with a non-closer, as well as to close with a closer. But that's a good thought that just doing FB album songs up front, and then closing with Pie would literally be perfect.
I thought it was so interesting that he referred to some review that said "I Could Stay Here Forever" was somehow Zappa inspired, and then FB says "Nothing against Zappa but I never listened to him."
As for Reid, yeah he's a different animal. Not my favorite, but honestly who on earth is worthy to open for TOTY? I feel bad enough for people who open for 2.0, but to open for FB TOTY has gotta be impossible.
Big thanks to Broken and Cult for hosting this website for all these years at their own expense so happily. It was a pleasure to meet you gents finally.
I can't imagine B/TLM tour will be able to outdo this tour, but like Brank averred, what a time to be a FBF fan indeed.
And if this crew recorded again???? |
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peter radiator
= Cult of Ray =
USA
665 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 12:04:57
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quote:
Originally posted by rivum
did anyone notice microphones on either side of the stage at any of the shows?
they had some at the toronto show. is there a reason that they'd do that other than recording the show?
There are two distinct reasons for mics of that sort and placement to be there.
1. To pick up ambient crowd noise which can then be mixed into multi-tracked live recordings of the music at the show, so that the finished recording doesn't sound too dry and sterile and not like an actual concert experience.
2. To pick up not only the ambience of the crowd and the room itself, but also the "slap-back" echo of the music from the PA speakers as it hits the back wall of the venue and then is reflected back to the musicians on stage.
If a band is using wedge monitors on the stage pointed up at their ears, then they can hear what their fellow bandmates are playing, regardless of how far away their instruments or amps are from any given musician, and at the same time, they can hear the crowd and the "boom" of the room.
Hearing the crowd and the "boom" is integral for performers getting their timing right, and "leaning into" their performance.
However, if the band is using IN-EAR monitors, as the TOTY band is, those earbuds are custom-molded to each of their own ear canals, and the purpose of that is to almost completely block out ANY other sounds besides what's being piped through their earbuds.
in a case like that, the musicians literally hear NOTHING but what is being sent to them from the soundboard. It's like they are in a sensory deprivation tank.
In order for them to feel "connected" to the audience, and to not be so isolated, the sound engineer blends a little bit of those microphones which are pointed back at the audience into each musician's in-ear monitors, so they can still hear a little bit of the applause, chatter and the echo of the room itself.
Otherwise, they would not, and it would likely have an adverse effect on their performance.
Generally speaking, the same mics can serve both of those purposes.
I am extremely hopeful that every show on this tour is being recorded, so that they can select the best take of each song and create an alternate live remake of TOTY (which FBF would then own the rights to completely and not have to share any of its proceeds with 4AD / Elektra)...
--
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder |
Edited by - peter radiator on 02/04/2025 12:05:17 |
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Troubles A Foot
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1025 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 13:27:15
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| Me and my friend were confused why Frank didn't sing in the normal octave for the end of Headache and instead choose to go way down. He said "Frank can't do that anymore" but that's not true. Maybe his throat was bothering him then? Did he go up at other shows? |
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1057 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2025 : 15:39:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
Me and my friend were confused why Frank didn't sing in the normal octave for the end of Headache and instead choose to go way down. He said "Frank can't do that anymore" but that's not true. Maybe his throat was bothering him then? Did he go up at other shows?
At Toronto he referred to the high section beforehand with trepidation because of the flu - he did go up, but then afterwards commented to the effect that he was relieved of having gotten through the highest notes on the record.
Re: Ramona, I really liked it, but another thing to consider with its closer placing is that I believe it's now (or at least used to be when I still had last.fm/spotify) by far his most popular solo song on streaming services thanks to being on the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack. |
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The Holiday Son
= Quote Accumulator =
France
2021 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2025 : 04:39:00
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Everything that was said here about these shows is true.
What a blast !
Frank and Lyle seemed to really enjoy playing (whereas Pixies shows are great but they seem like work to them).
Best show I've been since at last 20 years. By far.
Enjoy the last one tonight. Let's hope there will be many more... |
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <
3223 Posts |
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TarTar
* Dog in the Sand *
1968 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2025 : 21:31:50
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quote:
Originally posted by peter radiator
One of the best "little moments" that might have been lost on anyone more than a couple of rows back was watching the chuckling flash of recognition and acknowledgment Charles gave Lyle at the beginning of "Ole Mulholland" when Lyle NAILED the crazy guitar lick in the middle of the intro.
It was SO perfectly executed that Charles actually seemed a bit startled at how expertly he pulled it off.
He waved to Lyle to get his attention and then silently mouthed something like, "That's the best you've played that so far!" Lyle smiled broadly, and made a gesture as if to say, "I know, right!?"
Oh man, this makes me all the more upset about what happened right in the middle of the Detroit show. My wife and I were having a great time, singing along to all of the songs. Then, during "Two Reelers," a drunk creep who had been nearby us and bothering another woman (who finally told him to piss off) started talking to my wife, asking her if I had warned her how weird the music would be (since in his mind a woman couldn't possibly be familiar with this wild rock music, right?).
After he continued to try to talk to her while the band was performing, she very intentionally moved away from him and I got between them. He was then trying to apologize to me and explain himself ("I'm sorry, man, it's just that this music gets pretty weird, right?") but by this point he had totally disrupted the show for us and I was having none of it. I put my hand up in his face and wouldn't even look at him. He said, "Fair enough" rather defeated. He then moved in front of us and put up his middle finger over his shoulder. He eventually disappeared into the crowd.
I was still pretty distracted by the time they got to "Ole Mulholland." I didn't really regain my focus and ability to enjoy the show until "I Could Stay Here Forever." But my wife, despite being deeply frustrated by the sexist creep, had noticed the moment of recognition toward Lyle from Frank and later when listening to the album told me about it.
Damn it! Outstanding show otherwise! I hadn't been to Saint Andrew's Hall in well over 25 years.
My life is dirt but you seem to make it cleaner... reduce my felony to a misdemeanor |
Edited by - TarTar on 02/20/2025 21:44:19 |
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TarTar
* Dog in the Sand *
1968 Posts |
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Topic |
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TOTY 30th annniversary celebration.
