Notes From The Padded Cell 01.22.07: A Year of Concerts 2006 - Part One

Posted by Jesse Coy on 01.22.2007

So there were five words that my wife dreaded this year, and they were, “guess who’s coming to town.”

"In a padded cell they might put me,
but I ain't no common flunky.
So listen to the words of the committed,
your committed MUSIC JUNKIE."

So there were five words that my wife dreaded this year, and they were, "guess who's coming to town." That meant we were going to yet another great concert. And she can't claim all innocence, because she wanted to see a fair number of the shows, too. Twelve concerts, and twelve months to the year… what a tasty match! Besides, my dear wife forgets Seattle, '99, where we saw just as many concerts. For me, '93 ties, and as for '95, that was nineteen concerts as an Entertainment Writer in Philadelphia.

For this junkie's first 411 column, here are some fun concert notes direct from my daily journal. I hope everyone saw their fair share of great shows in 2006, and feel free to email and tell me about any of them.

Looking into the new year of 2007, what do I see? A Ludichrist reunion show in New York City? Ronnie James Dio to tour with Black Sabba… uh, they gotta call themselves Heaven and Hell, but still… as we prepare for our Tucson to Boston move, my wife may have to get used to those same words, "guess who's coming to town," for 2007.

MARCH 6th- REVEREND HORTON HEAT



I just pissed on a bank, but a tree tried to poke me in the eye. That, my friend, will be the prelude to a double concert entry, and also, as it happens, I've figured a way around punching holes out of what I write on this unusable printer paper (unusable for printing). Punch the holes in advance (ya dip!). Uh, the opening band was late. Another twenty or twenty-five minutes, maybe? Would be good for me. Anyway, I went from rock (which I moved) beside the strip mall's lit sign, to a tree stump … well, not as much light, though I should be able to see them when they get here. (Later)… I'll begin by recounting the songs, and am happy to say that the Reverend (Horton Heat, that is) started things off properly.

He began with "Big Sky," which slurs into "Baddest of the Bad," which are favorites without a doubt. Glancing at the album right now, I also know that he performed "Jezebel," "I Can't Surf," and "Cruising for a Bruising." I know that from the album before that, he did "Martini Time" (title track, and we really should've ordered a martini for that) and "Rocket of Love" as the second, last encore, where midway through, he introduced the band, and the bassist (big, old standup bass… Jimbo, by name, and there was a "Jimbo" song) introduced him (the Reverend). Funny, with Reverend Horton Heat mimicking what the bassist was saying, or yawning, indicating his watch. Third track on Liquor in the Front, "One Time for Me"… yes, they did it. I'll chime in with a few more as I hear and recognize them. "Five-O Ford," for sure. They might've done… yeah, I think they did "Rockin' Dog."

They didn't do one song I kind of really wanted to hear, "Liquor, Beer, and Wine" (they asked the audience to call out requests, and I tried several times). I'm back. It's many days later. We saw our second show at City Limits the next night, but I'm still on this one. Basically, Lisa needed a ride for the show, so I asked Shirleen if she could drop me off there, so I could wait and catch up on my journal. It was actually nice being outside and writing, alleviating some of my year-around cabin fever. Luckily, they got back in time, and we got in minutes before the band started playing. It would've sucked if we got there late, considering what they started out with, as I've already written. So for a few songs, we were way in the back, but had a better view there than anywhere else in the back. Then, I scouted. Went right up to the front near the stage, just off to the side.

It was a very close view, and we also had some cool outside air coming in from the door. A couple more songs, too… I do have "Cowboy Love" on Martini Time (yes, they did it before Brokeback Mountain). They also did a marijuana song. Had a couple drinks there. There was one bizarre moment when Lisa was talking, and Reverend Horton Heat was talking, and I wanted to hear what both of them were saying, but my attention was between the cracks, and I couldn't understand either of them. From the way the band was smiling and having a really good time, I told Shirleen that they were the anti-Violent Femmes. The Reverend did have some good between song banter. All in all, a very fun show.

MARCH 6th- TOASTERS



So now, the Toasters. I wished that Shirleen felt better, or would've had a better time, because in part, I was more excited to have her see a ska show. She liked Reverend Horton Heat more. Oh well, I danced and moved and had a good time. You really (or I can't) can't help it with ska music. For most of the show, we were at the bar, though right up by the fencing separating those under and over 21. A lot smaller of a crowd… maybe two hundred people? I've always had a hard time judging those numbers. They didn't play two favorites, "East Side Beat" (I think someone even called for it, but the singer was like, "we're not doing that one") and "New York Fever." That's okay, though, because I saw them twice before, and saw them do those songs then. They did do "Two Tone Army" and "Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down," two new classics. The trombone player did really impress Shirleen. Okay, on to other tunes, and I should've done this earlier, not six days later. For sure, they did "Pool Shark," "Weekend in LA," "Shocker," and "Talk Is Cheap."

I'm pretty sure they did "Decisions at Midnight," but then nothing off the next album. Maybe "Too Hip to Be Cool." "Dub 56," for sure. People really like "I Wasn't Gonna Call You," which they played, but that's not a favorite of mine, although I do like the Heidelberg mention. They played "Underground Town," and then off this last album, which I got at the show, "Sitting on Top of the World," "Enemy of the System," and I think, "Pirate Radio." Lastly, "Running Through the World," maybe "Run, Rudy, Run," and, for sure, just like on the live CD, they closed with "Matt Davis." Does that seem like an hour-long show, or a little more? For the last couple songs, the encore, I went out on the regular main floor. She'd gone into the restroom, right before the two-song encore started. Like I wrote, I had fun in general. We got there at about nine o'clock, and had an hour to kill. Went to the supermarket for some booze. I had a bit to drink on the way down, too.

Back in the car, we drank some of that wine, and listened to the Toasters tape. Had a drink at the bar. She was kind of too focused, in my opinion, on who was being phony at dancing, or something like that. I was just there to have a good time. Who cares about other people?

APRIL 6th- BILLY JOEL



It was quite cool to see Billy Joel. Who knows how often he'll tour. I guess a year or so ago, he was supposed to come to Phoenix, but he cancelled. And of course, there was that one hilarious line. "Thank you for coming. No, really, because I need the money. You wouldn't believe how expensive my car insurance is" (referring to his car crash).

Shirleen really needed the show. I brought my Best of Billy Joel tapes, one and a bit more (well, nearly two), because I'm quite sick of the order of the songs, and even some of the songs, on the official Greatest Hits release.

I'd printed out directions that I brought along from the net of the venue. It was pretty much in a downtown section of Phoenix. We got pointed in the right direction by asking for directions from a car at a red light. There was some parking for $30, but we found parking for half that price. Dinner? Jerky from the mini-mart, and soy chips I brought into the venue. It was an easy and convenient entrance, and we got there about ten minutes before he started, with enough time to use the restroom and get beer. Prices have gone up. $7 for a cup of beer. Ah, and there was the slow cashier lady. Seating wise, we had end seats, me behind her, and now, let me talk about the older couple next to her, and go into the song list in the next entry. Basically, four songs into the set, I got excited by this writing idea I had of what I'd work on during the Ireland trip.

So I did say a lot of that to her, into her ear on the other side, not where those dumb shits next to us were. The guy leaned over and told me to be quiet. Okay, here's the deal… I instantly went into pissed off mode, telling him to flip off. I didn't hear the one threat he made of telling the ushers to look at our tickets, which is too bad, because I would've laughed and said, "go ahead." This isn't a movie, it's a concert, and excuse me if I talk through half a song to my wife, on the other side of you, dipshit.

So for two songs, I was peeved, and was almost trying to say stuff loudly, whatever comments came to mind, just to say something. But then two thoughts occurred to me. First, maybe I was being a bit loud. I know how I hate people talking loudly on cell phones, right? This wasn't quite the same. Still, maybe I'd been hasty snapping like I did. Secondly, my thought process went like this… am I going to let this altercation wreck my enjoyment of the show? No.

Now, later on, I did a thing or two that I hoped annoyed the flip wit, like yelling really loudly and obnoxiously at the end of some of the songs, or belting out the lyrics to that religious song that Billy Joel let his Phoenix roadie sing (to Shirleen's horror)… "Highway to Hell." The best, though, which made me feel great, which they likely didn't even see, because it was happening behind them, was this drunken, beer belly guy, maybe even worse white trash, who seemed to be obsessed, as though his happiness hinged upon it, with everyone standing for the show. He was told off by several uptight concert-goers, and what can you do when you have assigned seats? So I did what came most natural to me. I stood. Shirleen had actually stood to dance for a song or two.

But I stood for the entire ending. And several times, I high-fived that fellow, because in essence, he was a harmless drunk guy, just having a good time, pissing off the uptight elements (like our friends sitting beside us). Fuck them. Take that stick out of your ass. I stood, dancing in place, and had a good time. And I'd cup my hands to funnel my loud end cheers so it'd be right in that prick's ear (excuse me, sir… but is this the appropriate concert conduct). He never turned back again.

Okay, enough. Time to list songs. He started the whole thing off (Billy, I'm talking about here) with "Angry Young Man," on my Best of, but not the Greatest Hits release. He played all that Shirleen wanted to hear… her three favorites, "Piano Man" (end encore, of course, virtually unaccompanied), "Allentown," and "Goodnight Saigon." I was quite pleased that he played "River of Dreams" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." Oh, both of us were happy about "Italian Restaurant." He got the audience to play the mocking role in "Still Rock and Roll to Me." On "Great Wall of China," he said, "it wasn't a hit, but I like it anyway."

Okay, now in order of these tapes, we have "The Entertainer," "Big Shot," "My Life," "You May Be Right," "Don't Ask Me Why," "Everybody Loves You" (ha, she'd just heard that one for the first time on the ride up, and he played it), "Only the Good Die Young," and "Keeping the Faith." Maybe "Movin' Out." He didn't do "Goodbye to Hollywood," which I would've liked. No "Captain Jack," either. A few other non-Greatest Hits that he did included "Miami 2017" (maybe the song where I was committing such a talking offense), "Vienna" (not a favorite), "Zanzibar" (likewise), and oh, also one Greatest Hits, as in "New York State of Mind."

MAY 27th- MINISTRY/ REVOLTING COCKS



I almost forgot about the Ministry and Revolting Cocks concert. First off, the tickets I bought, the code was for the show in Park City, Utah. Well, they were nice enough to let us in, and soon after, the band started.

So I know the only Revolting Cocks original is good, old Alain. Still, though, it was cool to see them play "Beers, Steers and Queers," and also my favorite song, and her second favorite song, "TV Mind." They also did "Physical." The two guitarists and the bassist chick wore cowboy hats and metal cowboy attire. There was a black singer, and then another British-sounding singer with a Hitler-like mustache. Towards the end of the set, he exchanged his stiff suit for a dress. They played "Do You Think I'm Sexy" as an ending song. I think those are the only four old RevCo tunes they did (too bad), although the new stuff sounded decent. I wish RevCo played longer.

Alain then moved front and center with Ministry, and basically, this fourth time I saw the band… well, we both agreed that that's enough. I was counting the songs on my fingers, because if so many went by and they didn't play anything I recognized, I told her we could go. I would've stayed, but I knew she wanted to split. We ended up sticking around through most of the expected encore of "Stigmata." The other three songs were "So What," "NWO," and "Just Another Fix." They had a screen behind them, and for "Just Another Fix," William Burroughs made a video appearance.

The rest was new stuff, maybe seven tracks off his newest album, which unfortunately just seemed like a tired tirade against George Bush. Basically, just like the Beastie Boys' last album, again I say, the audience is intelligent enough to make their own decisions. Don't beat them over the head with a political message. Be subtle and creative about it. Towards the end, I think a fair amount of people cleared out.