So I've got my turntable set up in the computer room (which I'm sure my wife absolutely loves), and I decided to bust out some old records and give 'em a spin. One album that I haven't really listened to in awhile is spinning now - In Your Honor by the Foo Fighters. I thought was an OK album when it came out - nothing revolutionary, just the same old reliable standards by a band I had loved since day one. But giving the record a new listen tonight, I have gained a newfound appreciation for it.
The first thing I thought about when I put the record on was the fact that this came out the same week my daughter was born, which is a pretty momentous occasion in itself. I actually got a leaked copy of the album a few weeks earlier, and I was thinking about putting the acoustic side of this record on in the delivery room, to hopefully bring some peace and serenity into the situation. Alas, that never happened, as things had gotten crazier than we had ever planned. But I digress.........
So, I'm currently spinning the "rock" side of the album, and I completely forgot how many solid tunes there are on this album! The title track gets things off on an anthemic start, which leads into the rockin' "No Way Back", followed by radio hit "Best of You". Not too bad for side A, eh?
Side B starts off with "DOA", a song that should have been a huge hit in an alternate universe. Next up is "Hell" - 2 minutes of schorching guitar and drum wizardry. "The Last Song" finishes up side B - basically the bastard child of "Breakout" from their third album. I'm now making my way to side C, and I just wanted to say that I've been very happy to revisit this one after a long break. The rock side is way solid, and I can't wait to give the acoustic side a spin and discover some old favorites all over again.
Surly brewing is releasing Darkness this weekend, a Russian Imperial Stout. The first 700 people in the gates get to purchase up to 6 bottles. This beer is at the top of a lot of beer lists, and I'd really like to get my hands on some. I've heard that people are coming in from out of state to get a hold of this tasty beverage, and there have been rumblings of people actually camping out to secure a place in line. If I do make it to the brewery this weekend and can snag some bottles, I'll post a trip report here. Even if I can't get in, the day would not be a total loss, as they will be serving beer and some bands will be rocking out. Wish me luck readers!
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For those of you that haven't had contact with me over the past week or so, you probably did not know that I joined Weezer onstage at the Xcel on Friday, Rocktober 3rd, to take part in a Hootenanny. It was probably the most fulfilling musical moment of my life up to this point, and I'd like to briefly recall the events of the evening and present them to you (with the assistance of some graphics and moving pictures).
5:45 pm
I am standing at Gate 1 of the Xcel, not quite knowing what to expect as I walk through the doors. I meet up with a gal wearing a 93X shirt, who checks me in and gives me 2 tickets to the show. We mill around for a few minutes, and when the majority of the group has arrived, we meet up with a member of Weezer's tour staff, who takes us downstairs to the rehearsal room.
Everyone gathered in a large circle and began warming up. I was 1 of 10 guitarists, and they had a nice set of guitars lined up on the wall (all tuned to E flat). After a little riffing, the dude that brought us downstairs had us run through the various parts of the songs we were going to play, starting with "Beverly Hills", and then moving on to "Island in the Sun". We jelled pretty quickly, and I thought we sounded great after a few quick passes. Then we determined who would take the solos for the songs. The accordian player came up with a solo for "Island in the Sun", and the trombone player had a solo worked up for "Beverly Hills".
After running through both songs a few times, Brian Bell (guitar) of the band entered the room and ran through the songs with us a few times, which was a super cool experience. He helped us out with some of the weird nuances that show up in the songs, tried to come up with some interesting parts for some of the unusual instruments there, and was just an all around nice guy. He even showed me how to play the goofy diminished C chord in "Beverly Hills" (thanks man!). Here he is giving a quick run-through of "Beverly Hills".
After rehearsal with Brian, we made our way back up to the real world. It was about 7:00, the doors had opened to the arena, and the 1st opening band, Tokyo Police Club, had hit the stage. We were instructed to meet at section 120 at 10:00 to make our way back downstairs to get ready for the performance. I was on a mission to find my friends and some liquid courage.
7:10 pm
I made my way into McGovern's down the street, and located the missus and my sis and her husband. I was absolutely starving, but had no clue what I could eat. Part of me felt like vomiting from the anticipation. More people made their way into the bar - Jes & Jes, Jim & Eban, Rick, Jamie & Kristin, Mike & Liz, Jeff, Rudy & Skip. Several pitchers were ordered and consumed. A former co-worker showed up at the bar and had me sign his ticket stub. As I looked at the clock and saw the 8 o'clock hour approaching, I knew it was time to make it back over to the Xcel.
8:30 (?) pm
The gang strolled into the X and started ordering more brews. Corey made his appearnce, looking as good as ever. I told myself I'd have to be cut off, unless I wanted to stumble onstage and make a fool of myself. I did take a few more sips from random beers, to keep my vocal cords limbered up. Mike D told my wife that I was still drinking heavily, which riled up the missus, as I assured her I would be the sober cab home. So she stopped drinking and was not pleased with me. Thanks, Mike D!
9:15 pm
Michelle and I made our way to our seats at section 105, while the rest of the crew hung out and partied in a suite that was occupied by my sister's neighbor's company. Weezer hit the stage and began to kick it with a tasty groove. I had a difficult time concentrating on the show, as all I could think about was me being on that very stage in a short while. I kept looking at the clock, and at about 9:50, I told my gal that I had to bolt. Kisses were exchanged and she wished me great luck.
10:00 pm
I arrived at section 120, and most of the crew was there. You could cut the energy in the air with a knife. We made our way to the elevators and descended downward to the rehearsal room/backstage area. Everyone gathered their instruments, and we received a little pep talk from their manager. "There's only one thing I'm going to tell you - do not suck out there". OK, buddy. At this point, this was probably my highest level of nervousness.
10:25 pm
We make the walk backstage in the dark, with crew members lighting the way with flashlights. The adrenaline is kicking in as the guitarists are handed their guitars. Someone is barking orders to us about plugging in to a direct input when we're handed a guitar cable. "Sweet!", I said to the guy next to me. "We actually get to plug in!"
The band was onstage, tearing through a cover of Oasis' "What's the Story Morning Glory", and the crowd was eating it up. With the guitar strapped around me, I looked up at the ceiling, and a sudden calmness came upon me. I felt really flipping good. It was time to get this party started. I threw my shades on and made my way to the promised land.
We were led onstage and put into position. I thought I was going to have a front row spot, but had to move to the back to make sure there was clearance for the band members to roam around. Oh well - I made it onstage without fainting or freezing up. First mission accomplished. After Rivers had a few quick introductions with some of the Hootenanny members, we dove into our first number, "Island in the Sun". Brian played the 1st 2 bars, and then we kicked in.
Here's another clip of "Island" (I'm fairly visible in the middle with the black stocking cap):
We wrapped up this one by bringing it down real low and having the audience kick in with the "hip hips". One song under our belts, and we were all smiles. We then brought it all home by firing up "Beverly Hills" (sorry for the shaky video).
Just like that, it was over. I awkwardly tossed my pick into the crowd (another thing to cross off the list). A roadie was on the ground, unplugging us from the direct feed, and we made our way offstage while jamming to "Beverly Hills" unplugged. I handed my guitar off to another roadie backstage, and made my way through the curtain to see Rivers on the other side. I approached him, stuck out my hand and told him how much I appreciated the experience. He grabbed my hand and nodded his head, and I made my way down the tunnel backstage. A quick elevator ride followed, and I was back in reality. I made it to my seat for the last 2 songs of the night, riding on cloud nine.
Now, I could keep documenting this story until 5 am the next day, but I'm going to cut it off at this point. I'll end this post by sharing the 3 lessons I have learned from this experience:
After viewing the rehearsal video, I need to lose weight. Jeez, I am out of shape.
Music is such an important part of my life. As we all get older, it becomes extremely easy to lose the simple loves we've hung on to for years, and get sucked into the drudgery of a monotonous lifestyle. Music is one of those simple things that keeps me sane and functioning, and I'm so grateful to have it in my life.
As much as I've wanted to do it in the past, I really don't think I'm cut out to be a rock and roller. I saw a glimpse of the lifestyle backstage - every single moment of your day is mapped out for you when you're on tour. The creative aspect of the job is right up my alley. The structure? Not so much. Plus, I couldn't stand being away from my gals. If I can be a rock star husband/father for Michelle and Evie (and the occasional rock star at the local southwest metro bar), I'd chalk it up as a success in my book.
