Squidbits

Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever

I saw R.E.M. in concert last night (#remdc) with my brothers Rob, Greg, and Matt.  I purchased the tickets through the fan club and again was not disappointed - we were on the floor, stage left, about 8 rows back.  Incredible!!!  With so much amazing music out there, it is hard to pick a "favorite band", but I think R.E.M. may be mine.  Seeing them live has a lot to do with that.  The two times I have seen them it is obvious their 3 decade relationship is a good one - they have so much fun on stage singing their music.  The fun is contagious and you just can't hep but be infected with that joy.

This latest R.E.M. album is a return to old-school R.E.M.  A little political, a little humanitarian, and a lot of rockin' rhythms to get your soul aligned with the universe of happiness.

It is an awesome feeling to listen to your favorite band for 2 hours and want to hear every note of every song and to sing (or scream) every word at the top of your lungs.  Listening to songs written 25 years ago was like having a beer with and old friend after a long hiatus - you just pick up right where you left off.  The concert was a perfect mix of new and old (and some rarely heard old ones, too!).  They played my absolute most favorite R.E.M. song ever --- "Fall On Me".  Yes, my eyes did tear up when I was singing that one.

It just goes to show you how music can touch your soul.   So grab your favorite CD of your favorite band and play it on your stereo loudly and sing at the top of your lungs, remembering why you love it so much.  You'll get a little of the joy that I'm feeling now :-)

 

Set list:

1. Finest Worksong
2. Living Well Is the Best Revenge
3. Bad Day
4. What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
5. Drive
6. Ignoreland
7. Man-Sized Wreath
8. Little America
9. Hollow Man
10. Walk Unafraid.
11. Houston
12. Electrolite
13. (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
14. Pop Song 89
15. Horse to Water
16. The One I Love
17. Driver 8
18. Until The Day Is Done
19. Let Me In
20. These Days
21. Orange Crush
22. I'm Gonna DJ

23. Supernatural Superserious
24. Losing My Religion
25. Mr. Richards
26. Fall On Me
27. Man On The Moon

 

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I am fado

It was our second or third night in Lisbon - Lisboa - and we chose to patron an African restaurant listed in one of the guide books.  I was looking for something different - something that would give us a peek into the culinary history of Portugal with its so many colonies throughout the world in its past.

The restaurant was small - it held maybe 30 people, and that was with everyone cramped touching elbow to elbow.  Tonight, however, we were lucky.  The short and plump black African woman who ushered us in had a few friends at a table drinking with her, a guitar player, and now us.

We drank wine - a lot of wine and not expensive, either, especially in Europe.  It wasn't 30 year old French bourdeaux, but it went so well with the country and the ambience of the night.  Dinner was very African - meat, rice, and the obligatory piri sauce.

During our dinner the owner sang a few songs.  This is fado country, and after awhile I realized we were guests at a private party and sat back to just take it all in.  And finally, with the door locked for the night and just enough alcohol to push my emotions to the brink, she broke into a real fado song and I began to cry.  It was a silent, deep cry - one of those that you don't know why you're doing it, but you feel the sadness of the song and your heart is breaking along with the singer's.  This was the real Portugal, and I loved it.

There are times in your life you make a decision based on no real logic or reason.  Perhaps I was just searching the internet for all things Portuguese when we returned from our trip.  Whatever it was, I purchased out of the blue "Fado em Mim" - the debut CD of Mariza.  Little did I know then, but she may as well be the named heiress of Fado after Amalia Rodrigues.  Her music is breathtaking - mournful, giddy with happiness at times, but full of a passion that is so extordinary you have to wonder if you are hearing a god sing.

Last night Charlie and I saw Mariza in concert at Jones Hall.  I hung on every song, every lyric, every huge deep breath she took.  It was as if I myself was standing on the shoreline in Portugal looking West at the Atlantic wondering if I would ever see my sailor husband again....the sea salt drying my lips and the spray damping a black shawl over my head.  My fisherwoman's lamentful tears streaking down my cheek - I am fado.  How could I stay dry-eyed listening to this amazing fadista?

She ended the concert with my favorite song:  "Ó Gente da Minha Terra".

Image:  Fisherwoman in Nazare - photo taken February, 2006.

Remembering my favorite rock shows

I saw Rush in concert for the first time ever this past Tuesday night.  It was so hot - heat index of 108F - but I was so thrilled to be able to see Geddy Lee - bass guitar god - Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart in person.  I single out Lee because on my rolling 10-year goals list is to play bass guitar in a band, but Lifeson and Peart are amazing musicians as well.

So I got to thinking about what I would consider some of my most memborable rock shows life-to-date.  Here goes:

U2 - Elevation Tour - June, 2001 in Washington DC with my brothers Rob, Greg, and Mark.  We got "inside the heart" and upclose and personal with Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton (my favorite - bassist, of course), and Larry Mullen.  Hands down my favorite.

R.E.M. - Up Tour - August, 1999 in Red Rocks, Colorado, with my brother, Rob.  We were six rows from the stage and sang every word to every song at the top of our lungs.  The setting at Red Rocks was spectacular.

Mew - Frengers Tour - November, 2003 in Osaka, Japan, with Charlie.  We flew to Japan from KL specifically to see Mew in concert.  We figured we would get there around 8:15pm - thinking that the 7pm on the ticket meant when the doors open.  After dinner and a few drinks, we arrived at the show and I said "Yeah!  They're on!!".  Three songs later they said:  "THANK YOU OSAKA GOODNIGHT!"  I was stunned.  Speachless.  In tears.  That was the night I learned that the Japanese start everything on time.

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration Tour - 1986 in Houston (at Astroworld - Southern Star Ampitheater) with my friend, Colleen.  This was my first concert....EVER.  Rob had won tickets on the radio from 93Q and unfortunately got sick.  So, I got to take Colleen.  My mom took us to the radio station where we got on a bus with all of the other ticket winners.  To say these two high school freshmen from Kingwood were out of place would be an understatement (but I loved DM).  I will never forget:  I was wearing light blue jeans and a green and white striped shirt.  After arriving onto the scene, Colleen and I wisely chose to purchase concert t-shirts to put on over our very suburbia outfits to blend in with everyone else who was BLACK and/or had hair that looked like the head of the statue of liberty.

Fat Boy Slim - June, 2002, in Kuala Lumpur, with our friend Chris Cocozza.  Norman Cook rocked the Equestrian Center in KL after watching England beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup.

Tom Gillam - Dallas Tour - 2002 in Philadephia.  I heard Tom Gillam on KPFT and was an instant fan.  It just so happened that he was playing a small bar in Philly the same time I was there for a lacrosse convention.  I had emailed him prior to the show and met Tom (who is from New Jersey) and the band, who were thrilled to have their "friend from Texas" in PA to hear them play.  I met a lot of fun people and just had a memborable night listening to music, drinking lots of beer, and interacting with some guys from Philly and Jersey.

Mushroom Cloud - 2002.  OK, I didn't attend this show at the Last Concert Cafe, but I played and sang in it.  I love being in a band and want to do it again.  There are plenty of singers and guitar players out there, which is why I want to learn bass.

Consolation Prize - Finally, I always remember the bands I have seen with my friend, Cori Lambert:  Guy Forsyth, Reckless Kelly, Lyle Lovett, Franz Ferdinand, Ben Folds.

First image:  me and my bros at the U2 show in 2001

Second image:  The Edge

Third image:  me after missing the bulk of the Mew show in Osaka, 2003

Fourth image:  Mushroom Cloud at practice.  Harris Cander, Andy (Seargent) Pepper, Robb Isacs, and me.