The Radiohead Concert Post that has Something for Everyone!
Ahhhhhh...
Let me repeat that... Ahhhhhh...
That's my satisfied Ahhhhh. My Ahhhhhh of contentment if you will. See, I'm sitting here listening to my Rhapsody-made play list (if yer a Rhap user or wanna try it out click on the playlist--you need to be using IE for it to work correctly) of last night's concert and reliving the awesomeness that occurred in Chula Vista's Cricket Amphitheater. If you're looking for a quit run-down of what was played here's the set-list:
01. 15 Step
02. Airbag
03. There There
04. All I Need
05. Nude
06. Talk Show Host
07. Where I End and You Begin
08. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
09. The Gloaming
10. Faust Arp
11. How To Disappear Completely
12. Reckoner
13. Optimistic
14. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
15. Pyramid Song
16. Climbing Up The Walls
17. Bodysnatchers
18. House of Cards
19. You And Whose Army?
20. Just
21. Paranoid Android
22. Street Spirit (fade out)
23. Videotape
24. Lucky
25. Everything In Its Right Place
(set-list ganked from 58hours.com - really cool site with lots of statistics on song plays and history etc)
Lucky
So, if you're a fan who's semi-casual but somewhat obssesed then you're probably looking over that set and going... Hmmm, er... ok... But um, hmmm... maybe? Yeah, that's sorta how I felt. It was an eclectic mix, heavy on the new (which is fine by me). What surprised me was the old stuff they did play wasn't really the normal selections of go-to stuff. I mean, not that I know really. This is my fourth show and I almost can't count the 2nd and 3rd shows as they were two nights in a row and made for one big, awesome show by the time they were completed.
I will say that time snapped and sizzled and evaporated like water on a hot skillet. The energy was intense and limitless. From the pit where
sluggobear and I stood (20 yards or less from the stage) it felt like we were in a small club. Just 200 or so of Thom and Company's friends hanging out for some quality music. The annoyance factor was really low. Only one conversation during Pyramid Song really distracted me. Honestly, the two annoyances happened before the show even got going (more on that shortly). Highlights for me easily were Paranoid Android, There There, You and Whose Army? (thom broke into laughter and had to restart the song twice), Faust Arp, and Videotape. Truly an exceptional experience.
Today a co-worker came by to ask how I enjoyed the show. I was barely able to tell her before she cut in and told me how awful she felt it was. Thing is, her opinion didn't have too much to do with rHead... 1) Horrible Sound (she was back on the lawn and towards the back of said lawn) 2) Couldn't see (she was sitting...er?) 3) Poor Song Selection (she doesn't like the new album at all....er?)
We met up with some of the other SD guys who were there for it as well. Chris and his b/f and Mike and Kevin. They all split in the middle of the 1st encore (I know, right? WTF?!?!?) Mikey and I stayed through the whole show and really, the traffic wasn't that bad. We even made friends with a nice mellow fan named Edgar who is going to send me a copy of the recording he was making that evening (and one of the rHead show [my first] that had been played at the venue years before).
So what were the annoyances? Well - here's where we go a little off topic and here also is where non-rHead fans will find some reading material...
1) Cigarette Guy: This guy takes out a cig (it's illegal to smoke in the venue) and holds it next to Mikey. Mikey asks the guy if he's gonna smoke it. The guy says yes. Mikey politely asks him not to and reminds him that it's not legal in the pit area to smoke. The guy sorta blows him off and lights up. Mikey splits. Mind you, at this point the air is dense with pot smoke but Mikey was also really polite about asking the guy. I turn to the guy and say "You know, he asked you nicely, you could have smoked it somewhere else". He says "Yeah but I'm..." and I cut him off and say "yeah, I know - you're addicted... you have to smoke..." and then the guy says "bygones be bygones?" and I'm like "whatever man"... It was lame. Even lamer was that he took two big drags and was putting the cig out when I even started talking to him. Fucking smokers.
2) Guy X: And here's where I need some audience participation. Because I know I'm not the only one this happens to. I'm gonna try to paraphrase the convo and how it went down as best I can. Mike and I had just gotten down into the pit and had found a great spot right in the middle. We're easing into waiting the last 15 or so before the concert starts when a guy comes up from behind me:
GuyX: Wow, it's Kingfuradouchebag!
Me: (turns to a guy who is familiar but who I can't place) Hey, how are you? (said warmly - I mean, people I know fuck with me so I didn't mind the joking slam hello).
GuyX: Said something or other and then asked So what are you doing here?
Me: Well, I'm here to see Radiohead play...
(Before I can say anything else he breaks in)
GuyX: You don't remember my name do you?
Me: No... I don't. I do remember running into you at BearEvent a year ago and you being...
GuyX: Cleanshaven and that made you all weirded out, yeah. And we went to see Polyphonic Spring with FriendX in LA, remember?
Me: Yeah - Sorry, I see you once a year or so. I can be realy shitty with names.
Mike: (at this point politely tries to get away from the subject) Hey, my name is Mike
GuyX: Yeah, I know - I met you before too. I emailed you and you never responded to me.
Mike: (attempts to say something in response)
GuyX: You guys in San Diego never respond. You all play the aloof card
Me: (attempts to response and make light of what is becoming an odd situation)
GuyX: (turns to me) And that guy you told me to meet when I was in PlaceX? Man, he sure turned out to be a fucking douchebag. What an asshole he was.
Me: Well, that guy is a friend of mine.
GuyX: I'm just joking around, but he is a total asshole.
Me: Ok, that's enough. I don't need this. Fuck off...
At this point Mike and I turned around and the guy went away. He didn't say anything else. Was kind of a shitty way to start the show and normally I'm pretty good with being tactful or joking around a situation but I felt like this guy had it out for me from the get go.
I mean, how do you react if someone doesn't remember your name? Because it happens to me now and again and when it does I just try and kindly remind the person how/when we met. I don't take offense to it. I do my best when it comes to names and people but damn. Cut me some slack. And how do you go about politely dealing with someone who clearly remembers you well when you can't quite place how you know them (or their name)?
I'd appreciate it if anyone has a different angle of looking at this situation that's constructive. Some back story, I did go to a concert with this guy. Well, actually - I went with a buddy and this guy came with us. We then ran across each other again in Dallas at a bear event. He had shaved his beard and I totally couldn't place him. He gave me a really hard time then too. Just kept jabbing at me. Thankfully it was in a store and I was with friends and I didn't have to put up with it for long. We had exchanged some emails and he seemed like a decent enough fellow. But last night - wow, I totally just did a Margaret Chow you-don't-have-to-be-nice-to-people-who-don't-deserve-it Fuck off...
I guess I can understand where his anger and frustration comes from. Or I can try to. I just think in the net-age with bear sites, events, random run-ins and introductions you can show some patience with people.
Thoughts? (on radiohead or annoying 1 and 2)
Let me repeat that... Ahhhhhh...
That's my satisfied Ahhhhh. My Ahhhhhh of contentment if you will. See, I'm sitting here listening to my Rhapsody-made play list (if yer a Rhap user or wanna try it out click on the playlist--you need to be using IE for it to work correctly) of last night's concert and reliving the awesomeness that occurred in Chula Vista's Cricket Amphitheater. If you're looking for a quit run-down of what was played here's the set-list:
01. 15 Step
02. Airbag
03. There There
04. All I Need
05. Nude
06. Talk Show Host
07. Where I End and You Begin
08. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
09. The Gloaming
10. Faust Arp
11. How To Disappear Completely
12. Reckoner
13. Optimistic
14. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
15. Pyramid Song
16. Climbing Up The Walls
17. Bodysnatchers
18. House of Cards
19. You And Whose Army?
20. Just
21. Paranoid Android
22. Street Spirit (fade out)
23. Videotape
24. Lucky
25. Everything In Its Right Place
(set-list ganked from 58hours.com - really cool site with lots of statistics on song plays and history etc)
Lucky
So, if you're a fan who's semi-casual but somewhat obssesed then you're probably looking over that set and going... Hmmm, er... ok... But um, hmmm... maybe? Yeah, that's sorta how I felt. It was an eclectic mix, heavy on the new (which is fine by me). What surprised me was the old stuff they did play wasn't really the normal selections of go-to stuff. I mean, not that I know really. This is my fourth show and I almost can't count the 2nd and 3rd shows as they were two nights in a row and made for one big, awesome show by the time they were completed.
I will say that time snapped and sizzled and evaporated like water on a hot skillet. The energy was intense and limitless. From the pit where
sluggobear and I stood (20 yards or less from the stage) it felt like we were in a small club. Just 200 or so of Thom and Company's friends hanging out for some quality music. The annoyance factor was really low. Only one conversation during Pyramid Song really distracted me. Honestly, the two annoyances happened before the show even got going (more on that shortly). Highlights for me easily were Paranoid Android, There There, You and Whose Army? (thom broke into laughter and had to restart the song twice), Faust Arp, and Videotape. Truly an exceptional experience.
Today a co-worker came by to ask how I enjoyed the show. I was barely able to tell her before she cut in and told me how awful she felt it was. Thing is, her opinion didn't have too much to do with rHead... 1) Horrible Sound (she was back on the lawn and towards the back of said lawn) 2) Couldn't see (she was sitting...er?) 3) Poor Song Selection (she doesn't like the new album at all....er?)
We met up with some of the other SD guys who were there for it as well. Chris and his b/f and Mike and Kevin. They all split in the middle of the 1st encore (I know, right? WTF?!?!?) Mikey and I stayed through the whole show and really, the traffic wasn't that bad. We even made friends with a nice mellow fan named Edgar who is going to send me a copy of the recording he was making that evening (and one of the rHead show [my first] that had been played at the venue years before).
So what were the annoyances? Well - here's where we go a little off topic and here also is where non-rHead fans will find some reading material...
1) Cigarette Guy: This guy takes out a cig (it's illegal to smoke in the venue) and holds it next to Mikey. Mikey asks the guy if he's gonna smoke it. The guy says yes. Mikey politely asks him not to and reminds him that it's not legal in the pit area to smoke. The guy sorta blows him off and lights up. Mikey splits. Mind you, at this point the air is dense with pot smoke but Mikey was also really polite about asking the guy. I turn to the guy and say "You know, he asked you nicely, you could have smoked it somewhere else". He says "Yeah but I'm..." and I cut him off and say "yeah, I know - you're addicted... you have to smoke..." and then the guy says "bygones be bygones?" and I'm like "whatever man"... It was lame. Even lamer was that he took two big drags and was putting the cig out when I even started talking to him. Fucking smokers.
2) Guy X: And here's where I need some audience participation. Because I know I'm not the only one this happens to. I'm gonna try to paraphrase the convo and how it went down as best I can. Mike and I had just gotten down into the pit and had found a great spot right in the middle. We're easing into waiting the last 15 or so before the concert starts when a guy comes up from behind me:
GuyX: Wow, it's Kingfuradouchebag!
Me: (turns to a guy who is familiar but who I can't place) Hey, how are you? (said warmly - I mean, people I know fuck with me so I didn't mind the joking slam hello).
GuyX: Said something or other and then asked So what are you doing here?
Me: Well, I'm here to see Radiohead play...
(Before I can say anything else he breaks in)
GuyX: You don't remember my name do you?
Me: No... I don't. I do remember running into you at BearEvent a year ago and you being...
GuyX: Cleanshaven and that made you all weirded out, yeah. And we went to see Polyphonic Spring with FriendX in LA, remember?
Me: Yeah - Sorry, I see you once a year or so. I can be realy shitty with names.
Mike: (at this point politely tries to get away from the subject) Hey, my name is Mike
GuyX: Yeah, I know - I met you before too. I emailed you and you never responded to me.
Mike: (attempts to say something in response)
GuyX: You guys in San Diego never respond. You all play the aloof card
Me: (attempts to response and make light of what is becoming an odd situation)
GuyX: (turns to me) And that guy you told me to meet when I was in PlaceX? Man, he sure turned out to be a fucking douchebag. What an asshole he was.
Me: Well, that guy is a friend of mine.
GuyX: I'm just joking around, but he is a total asshole.
Me: Ok, that's enough. I don't need this. Fuck off...
At this point Mike and I turned around and the guy went away. He didn't say anything else. Was kind of a shitty way to start the show and normally I'm pretty good with being tactful or joking around a situation but I felt like this guy had it out for me from the get go.
I mean, how do you react if someone doesn't remember your name? Because it happens to me now and again and when it does I just try and kindly remind the person how/when we met. I don't take offense to it. I do my best when it comes to names and people but damn. Cut me some slack. And how do you go about politely dealing with someone who clearly remembers you well when you can't quite place how you know them (or their name)?
I'd appreciate it if anyone has a different angle of looking at this situation that's constructive. Some back story, I did go to a concert with this guy. Well, actually - I went with a buddy and this guy came with us. We then ran across each other again in Dallas at a bear event. He had shaved his beard and I totally couldn't place him. He gave me a really hard time then too. Just kept jabbing at me. Thankfully it was in a store and I was with friends and I didn't have to put up with it for long. We had exchanged some emails and he seemed like a decent enough fellow. But last night - wow, I totally just did a Margaret Chow you-don't-have-to-be-nice-to-people-who-don't-deserve-it Fuck off...
I guess I can understand where his anger and frustration comes from. Or I can try to. I just think in the net-age with bear sites, events, random run-ins and introductions you can show some patience with people.
Thoughts? (on radiohead or annoying 1 and 2)