Sunday, May 26, 2013

Stub Stories with "the Cute One"





Cool I was just about to post this write up when in researching some pictures to put with it I JUST found out Paul was touring this summer even coming back to Indiana in July. Sure wish my “editor” for my book here would give me an advance to go to this show, {#Wink} With things as bad as they are these days… I sure won't be going to this show {#Cry} Makes me sick to my stomach to even think about looking to see what ticket prices would be… Oh well I have my memories of better days… So!... 
First of all…. gonna do a little copy and paste from Wikipedia… couple of facts here I wasn't aware of when I went to the show, or had at least forgotten since then {#Rolleyes} >>The Paul McCartney World Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Paul McCartney during 1989 and 1990. It was McCartney's first major tour outing in ten years, since Wings UK Tour 1979, and his first appearances in North America in thirteen years, since the 1976 Wings Over America Tour. It was also his first tour under his name.
While the tour coincided with the release of his Flowers in the Dirt album, it was thematically more about his finally embracing his Beatles past, including for the first time, in any of his tours, a substantial number of Beatles songs in the set list.<<
There was a bit of a “mania” if-you-will about getting tickets so it doesn't surprise me that it hadn't been since the Wings over America tour that he been here. A triple album set that I spent hours pouring over the sleeves, posters and listening to and watching specials about that tour etc… I, of course, was a more a Wings fans since although slightly older than Mariel Hemmingway it was still applicable that I could relate more, for instance, to her line in Woody Allen’s Manhattan: something like, “The Beatles? Wasn't that Paul McCartney’s old back up band?”
In the 70’s “Band on The Run” “Helen Wheels” “Listen What the Man Said” etc.. were all over the AM dial, and of course the very first single I ever bought? Bond… baby, James Bond… lol “Live and Let Die” Oh yeah!… Yes, the Apple label became common place in my little 45 box with the little metallic flip latch against the hard cardboard case, a sound which I can hear in my head even now {#Biggrin}… So even though my older brothers never quite could forgive any of them for breaking up, that was pre-history to me. And while they were old enough to appreciate All Things Must Past, and the Plastic Ono Band etc… It was years later before I backtracked through all that and learned to appreciate it all in my college years with Lennon’s passing etc… but at the time? I stayed loyal to the Top 40 God Paul, even when he WAS writing his “Silly Long Songs” (I even had more Ringo in that collection what with “Oh My My” and such, but hey I was what... 12? {#Redface} {#Jump} So the fact I was able to see Ringo live four years later was fitting I guess… stay tune for that stub story{#Cheesygrin}
Anyway, when it was announced that Paul was coming to Indy, I knew I had to go. At the time I was in Big Brother Big Sister program with a great kid named Josh Wood. So I knew his mother Paula Wood worked at a place now bought by Macy’s called Ayres, which had a Ticketmaster deep in the bowels of the store. I wasn't sure what there policy of employees versus public getting into the store but I knew she had a better chance than I would. I don’t remember the details of how she did end up getting in line or how far back she was, but bless her heart, she got me two tickets. Pretty sure it sold out quickly; because even with her advantage they were average seats, but I didn't care I had TICKETS!{#Dance}


A sad fact as will become apparent in Stub Story after story is that on far too many occasions, this  was yet another example of taking someone to a concert that really had no interest in going. In fact, I don’t even think I was dating Judy Scott anymore.  I may have asked when we were dating, or it could have just been the fact we are still good friend, and are still to this day, that had something to do with her agreeing to go. But with the concert actually being on VALENTINE DAY! was nothing more than sad irony to me…{#Rolleyes}...{#Roflol} Her taste in music didn't run much past Madonna with even a certain disdain for 60’s music. I remember saying oh I like the Madonna song “True Blue” “Oh that’s the only one I DON’T like. I hate that old sounding stuff” “Yeah? Well let go see the most famous 1960’s music ever then huh?” {#Rolleyes} So yeah even though we weren't dating anymore and even though she probably didn't particularly care for the music etc… at least I wasn't dragging my sister to another concert.. {#Yes} So thanks for that Judy. I’m also positive she would have let keep the program that I just found out was handed out for free, and do remember having it for a while but I think is got water/beer stained either that night or later, and if I have still have it it’s buried deep in some box in the attic. {#Bounce}
But as for me? I couldn't have been more excited as we approached downtown Indy heading for that Market Square Arena where I had already seen so many great acts going back to one of Paul’s favorite Mr. Elvis Presley. And so here again I was feeling the ‘historic’ occasion of seeing a Beatle

..

{#Biggrin} Listening to Q95 radio station, I remember, the DJ talking about how great it was going to be to see Paul go crazy during “Hey Jude” Which was starting the chills down my spine… But not only was the suspense building for Beatles music I actually thought  Flowers in the Dirt was a GREAT CD! His collaboration with Elvis Costello was a great success. As many pointed out Elvis’s cynical, sarcastic wit and turn of phrases brought a certain bite back to some of McCartney’s music that was missing since John Lennon. So for instance, when he launched into “My Brave Face” it wasn't a signal to get a beer or run to the restroom. It was GREAT! Okay… maybe I did get a beer during “Put It There” {#Wink}
Linda McCartney got a bad rap on her skills as a singer/musician but it was fun to see her and Paul have a give and take on stage. And when the band held up their big hearts for the Valentine’s Day ‘celebration’ it was nice to share in that very famous “couple’s” special night together{#Heartkiss}   {#Wink}
Even though I was a huge Paul McCartney/Wings fan in that I am pretty sure I have every vinyl album  they put out … and would have been happy with a Wings encore & closing etc… but when he ended with the ultimate ending to any and every concert ever?{#Notworthy}
 “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry That Weight”,{#Bananajam} and “The End”? 
Well.. nobody can top that… ever… and I saw Paul McCartney close his show just that way...{#Dancingbanana}
And here’s some pretty extensive information on that particular tour including things like exactly who played what on which song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paul_McCartney_World_Tour

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Elevation Stub Story




Recently in another blog entry I was talking  about footage that existed of particular shows. Right after that I found someone had uploaded a bunch of pretty descent bootleg footage of this concert. What I would call footage of a very historic show: U2’s first American concert after the tragic events of September 11th 2001. (Be sure and click on the song titles to see the footage below)

Found several Bootleg audio and video recordings as this show was simulcast on the internet
with your choice of cameras and the like
I didn't hear about the show until like the day before, and a quick internet search found what I can only assume were tickets that were just put on sale. I am guessing that with the particular design of the huge walkway out into the audience many seats were put on sale at the last minute. $85.00(plus $10 or more in fees!?) was kind of steep I suppose for my meager existence, but they were amazing seats. As I remember we were about half way back with only a railing in front of us to the main floor. The main floor was standing room general admission area. And then a huge heart shaped walkway came out into the general admission area. So when Bono or Edge came down the walkway on the left side facing the stage, they couldn't have been more than 20 – 30 feet away. But more so than the great seats was what an amazing, deeply visceral and cathartic show this was. I’ll copy and paste a few posts I had when I first found this footage: (sorry for the political commentary if you’re offended… but hey it is Bono after all;-) 
>>Opening song of the first show of the 2nd American leg of the 2001 tour. I was there. At one time the world stood with America. At one time, the whole world shared our grief, at one time almost every nation was on our side, and before Bush shone a bright spotlight on the left versus right, and drove a wedge down the middle of this country turning this nation against itself and the world, concerts like this were possible. As U2 landed on our shores in 2001 for the first time after Sept 11th and welcomed a hurting nation with such a moving concert that healing actually seemed possible.... it was a Beautiful Day. Until…well you know… Bush and Bombs:-(


>>How much fun is this? Great song with great fun. Just watched a little more and you can see the railing we were up against. As I described earlier the our "seats" were up above the general admission standing on the floor section(s), so around 3:51 you can see the railing, and a little more to the left, again just off frame, you can see just how close we were to them… right in front of us, having so much fun:-) We were so close I felt like introducing my date, “Julianne, Bono and Edge, Bono and Edge, Julianne…” 
“Until the End of the World”

 >>Ah now here you a go!!!... The Bono they love to hate lol… real political statement intro… mentioning efforts of Notre Dame and such, calling for an end to poverty etc.. and then introducing the 1st responders (later having them come on stage)… ...
… oh yeah and my favorite U2 song to boot!;-D 


>>Here’s the song they later turned into very large tributes in later videos and such which I saw evidence of on YouTube, but here in South Bend was their first tribute to these heroes from just a short month previous. And of course how can you not get political when you know that some of these very guys walking on the stage probably got sick from the debris and yet Republicans (the party of "No") blocked their aid just because it was something Obama was fighting for… no wonder this country is gridlocked. 


>>No matter what… you hafta agree this is a great cover….I know, I know…. a bit of a U2 overload I suppose… but even if you haven’t seen any of my South Bend collection of U2’s attempt at healing a wounded nation back in 2001, I would at least suggest this one. What an amazingly moving rock and roll cover of an r&b song! I had chills then, it gives me chills now… Too bad a certain administration did not agree that “…War is not the answer…”;-) (Later research showed this was the debut of this song on the tour; not only for the Sept 11th victims, but the band had already been working on it for Bono's work with AIDS in Africa.) 


That last one sums up was a incredible healing show that was… at one point Bono marched around the stage with an Irish and an American flag unfurled together and there much celebration!  (I know I wont be able to ad the videos of such songs in "my book" Who know how long the videos can stay up on YouTube for that matter lol... but as long as I have the chance for a multi-media experience... why not?...{#Biggrin})
Garbage was the opening act, and unfortunately my “date/friend” made us run late and only caught part of their show but having seen them open up for the Smashing Pumpkins a few years earlier the tiny little Shirley Mason still put on one BIG mean tight show, wishing once again I could see them in a whole concert and not just an intro to another band.{#Cool}

Here's U2's set-list for the evening: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/u2/2001/joyce-center-south-bend-in-6bd6fee2.html

And here's Garbage's set-list http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/garbage/2001/joyce-center-south-bend-in-43d7eb8f.html

A little addendum as I just found this button that I bought this day. 

Chapter One: My first Concert


I've started working on a book using my concert stubs as reference point, I've begun a few of my stories in some other forums and "journal" entries on other sites, but I hoping this more "personal blog" here will be the definitive source for my book. My first concert was his last and I think it makes an interesting jumping off point for my “stories”. Maybe I’ll use my journal entries here as a way to keep my progress going. I may switch over to a chronological order eventually but for Facebook reasons I’m going to just throw up a few interesting ones that I have been ‘blogging’ about recently on Facebook… So first up… is …. Elvis.

I was only 16 and in drivers ed training in my hometown of Marion,IN at the time so I couldn't drive. But somehow I got my Mom talked into taking me. My older brother, over tens years older, expressed interest in going too, which if you do the math you’ll see that Mom was actually part of the that's just “hip-shakin’ devil music generation”, but with my interest in movies which had me watching every single escapist movie of Elvis’ through the weekend afternoons, carrying over to me buying his music and that I think actually made Mom appreciate what an incredible singer he was, so she agreed to take me. Our seats couldn't have been further back: only the wall behind us at Market Square Arena. And the seats went up much further on the sides than they did at the far end. So being at the very top on the sides furthest away from the stage, I’m pretty sure made it physically impossible to be further away from the stage… but it didn't matter…. his voice carried through that place like a cathedral; and with songs like “Bridge Over Trouble Water” it felt as much too. Thanks to YouTube, I recently found some bootleg footage that I never knew existed from that very show. I knew there was no 'professional' footage. They had recorded a full show a few weeks earlier but nothing from that last show. So it was very interesting to see that footage from the actual Indianapolis show. In the footage he actually looked pretty good. I know there are plenty of sweaty shots and angles that were extremely unflattering, and certainly the white blob I saw could have been overweight.. but we couldn't tell! And again, he sounded awesome. He introduced his Dad, his girlfriend, and said it was the end of his tour and he was heading to Graceland to rest after a long tour… a few short months later he was gone.

Here's the set list http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/elvis-presley/1977/market-square-arena-indianapolis-in-33d698cd.html

I just found this picture of a bootleg video, and it really reminds me how much I got hosed on the ticket stub. Mine got torn right down the middle and handed back the worst half...Just look at the other half of the ticket and the information shown... I mean you can tell my ticket was obviously the other half but still.... 50 -50 odds just aren't good enough for me and my luck :-( 

Just found this diary entry... I thought about blurring out my other entries  but at least the many years of film discussions make this gay Elvis entry not so bad lol....