Pandora's X-Box
The Cowboy Junkies show went well. After parking two hours before showtime and grabbing dinner at Little Five Pizza, we wandered down to the Variety Playhouse for the show. My co-workers and IT Protector Edwin was there with a friend, and we sat down next to him. General admission is a wonderful thing if you can stay on schedule.
Teddy Thompson was the opening act. I'd never heard of him before, but the couple to our right had seen him a few doors away not too long ago. Bev describes him as a cross between Chris Isaak's voice and Hugh Grant's sense of humor and accent, but playing old country/folk music. I thought I heard a tiny bit of John Denver too, but that only lasted a song or two. His new album comes out at the end of July, and he said it will contain strings in the background as well, and generally be 'weird'. He was good. Better than nearly all of Tori's opening acts prior to Howie Day.
The Junkies came on around 9:30, opening with a song off their new album 'At The End Of Paths Taken' (New album? I never heard anything about a new album until I bought it in the lobby before the show!) called 'Mountain'. I enjoyed it in spite of being slightly repetitive. Other songs from the new album included 'Still Lost', 'Spiral Down', and 'My Little Basquiat'. About a third of the way through the show, it was Story Time, and Margo talked about the bus trip to Atlanta, and experiences with her four-year-old son (She reproduced? Nobody tells me anything anymore!). For the last fifteen years or so, the tour bus has had a Nintendo machine in the back for the 'male lounge', but voices carry through the bus (Arrrgh! Damn! Darn it!) when they're playing games. Over the years, the game machine gets upgraded, and now it's an "X-Box or whatever they call those . . . things", in Margo's words. And now her son has discovered the video games, and is playing them. And saying/exclaiming the same things whenever something doesn't go quite right. "He's . . . a boy." Somehow, this story segued into a song off the new album that's supposed to be about hope, but Margo couldn't figure out what the story she'd just told had to do with hope.
There were mistakes in the show. Lots of electronic buzzing from Michael's station prior to the start of many songs as guitars were switched in and out. Volume levels were occasionally too high from the drums and Alan Anton's bass, and Michael had to send cues across the stage to them while the soundboard guy tried to balance things out on his end. And it just wouldn't be a Junkies show anymore without Margo forgetting the words to a song she hasn't performed in years. 200 More Miles was a bit rough as one of the first encores.
"Misguided Angel", "Sweet Jane", "Hunted", and "Anniversary Song" were not played. Those are usually staples of Atlanta shows, for whatever reason. But "Cause Cheap Is How I Feel" surfaced, mainly because once again, the sound of beer bottles tipping over and rolling down the aisle was very prevalent throughout the show. And of course, the Atlanta show closed with "Murder, Tonight, In The Trailer Park", because outdated stereotypes must be kept up, after all.
Their next stop is Charlotte, and if I were unemployed, I'd probably follow them right up I-85 to see them again.
Today, Bev and I will be visiting the Botanical Gardens. They've got some sort of "larger than life" insect sculptures scattered throughout the grounds, and Edwin tells us it's not to be missed. "Hot Fuzz" may also be on the agenda. And then bracing for another week of working my @$$ off at the office.
P.S. If it applies to you, happy Mothers Day. If it doesn't apply, have a good one anyway.