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November 17th, 2008
12:31 pm - B-52s in Marin
After years of steadily going to see bands, I am out of the habit. I don’t, however, feel like that’s the reason that every show I go to see these days seems odd in some way. I think the shows I go to these days are just odd.
My brother gave me a very nice birthday present of a ticket to go see the B-52s. The show was at the auditorium at the Marin County Civic Center. As we walked to the event I realized that the last time I had been there was about 1982 or 1983 when Robin Williams did some benefit there for the public schools. Mr. Williams went to my high school (a long time before I did) and did an encore of nothing but imitations of some of Redwood’s most memorable teachers. No matter how many “Jumanji”s and “Patch Adams”s, I will always have a soft spot for him in my heart for this.
Anyways, why was this show weird? Let me list the reasons.
1. The B-52s are a drunk party/dance band and the auditorium had no dance floor- just seats up to the front row.
2. I didn’t see anyone there between the age of 13-35. People brought kids, but otherwise it was an old event. I was on the young side.
3. I have never been to a show with so many blonde people. I’ve spent a lot of time at punk shows so I am used to a white crowd, just not a blonde ones.
4. I don’t know how to describe the way most people were dressed, but I’ve never been to a show with so many Dockers. That doesn’t really do it justice though. I think I’m just not up on Marin casual attire anymore and a lot of the folks seemed to know all the words. Some folks were representing in tight animal prints too though, no worries.
5. There was only one band and the show started promptly at 8 PM. Over by 9:30.
6. People would stand up and dance in their seats. That’s not weird. But then after each song was over they’d sit down. Hey, I’d been working at 6:30 that morning receiving cheese so it was actually ok with me. Just saying.
7. It was 2008 and we were going to see the B-52s
Still it was a lot of fun even if Kate’s voice is kinda shot. They played my two favorite songs: “Private Idaho” and “Give Me Back My Man”. I’d never seen the b-52s before so it was all good. The most interesting thing was observing with my brother that – while many of these songs sounded incredibly weird in 1979 – the songs just don’t sound very odd these days. Thirty years will do that, I guess.
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Comments:
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/1367961/478458) | | From: | ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) gordonzola |
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| Date: | November 17th, 2008 08:33 pm (UTC) |
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| | Rock Lobster | (Link) |
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| | From: | gordonzola |
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| Date: | November 17th, 2008 08:33 pm (UTC) |
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| | give me back my man | (Link) |
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![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/78901459/338736) | | | Re: give me back my man | (Link) |
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god damn i love this track and i had never seen the video before, so thank you! best! (i also really, really want that frock that cindy is wearing.)
| | From: | gordonzola |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 02:53 am (UTC) |
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| | Re: give me back my man | (Link) |
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Yeah, that song really is my favorite. I just found the vid so I had to share!
| | From: | gordonzola |
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| Date: | November 17th, 2008 08:34 pm (UTC) |
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| | My own private Idaho | (Link) |
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I had a very similar experience with a Prince concert a couple of years ago. Old. He invited everyone out to an after-party at Paisley Park but we had to get home because we had a babysitter.
Old.
(they charged admission at the Paisley Park gig although it was not announced with the invitation on the big screen, so we would have been SOL anyways even if we had made the hour-long drive out there.)
I mean it's obvious. The reason shows are "weird" is because shows like I used to go to aren't geared to 40 year olds.
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/44101713/9981696) | | From: | artnoose |
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| Date: | November 17th, 2008 09:12 pm (UTC) |
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I saw the B-52s in San Diego in hmmm 1992 maybe? It was kind of fun but a little like hearing a best-of CD. Also the Violent Femmes opened for them and that was a bit different, energy-wise. They were pretty much just playing one song after the other and then the B-52s were jumping around all over the place.
I saw the Violent Femmes a bunch of times back when the 1st two albums came out. I don't think I could bear seeing those teen-angst songs played by people my own age now! It really depends on the genre I think.
Fred Schneider turned 57 this year. I think it's great they're still performing.
I LOVE MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO!!!!!
Just sayin'. I went out dancing this Sat & they were projecting old music videos on the wall. One of them was for Planet Claire. I had to stop dancing and just watch in awe.
Related but not: I'm going to see The English Beat on Dec 4th.
Be sure to yell for "Stand Down Margaret"!
I opened for The Beat last year (aka Dave Wakeling & players to be named later). They play Stand Down Margaret as a slow raggae tune. They were halfway through it before I recognized it. It was pretty awesome.
It is great. I love that they are doing it on their own terms too. In bed by 10! That is not sarcastic.
"Quiche Lorraine" still sounds pretty odd. But yeah, I know exactly what you mean . . .
that one must just push over into "bad". ;)
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/46830940/10178053) | | From: | nevafeva |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 12:30 am (UTC) |
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Oddly enough, I've been on a B-52's kick as of late. "Hero Worship", "Give Me Back My Man", "My Own Private Idaho", and "Rock Lobster" are my favorites...
ooooh, Hero Worship -- another fave! but unfortunately not played.
| | From: | nevafeva |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 04:32 am (UTC) |
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That's too bad.
"Hero Worship...he deserves it and I PRESERVE IT!" Best song lyric ever.
They became a Dockers band with "Love Shack" and "Roam." Permanent national wedding band, etc.
Glad you got to hear some good songs though.
True, but I actually do like that album. heh.
totally! It's great music.
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/84702292/1993732) | | From: | loolica |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 02:47 am (UTC) |
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I would totally bring Isobel to a B-52s gig. But we wouldn't wear dockers! I'd tease our hair up big, I'd let her wear lipstick. They're not coming to our neck of the woods, however.
The under 10s and their parents looked like they were having the most fun.
| | From: | loolica |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 04:08 am (UTC) |
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"Dance This Mess Around" is her favourite song, ever. We even went on a Limburger finding expedition, but backed out when it turned out the cheese shop would only sell us 250 g packages all triple wrapped in cling wrap. We just wanted enough for a taste.
| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: | November 18th, 2008 05:10 am (UTC) |
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but... were there drag queens?
It may sound odd but... the first live music I saw when I moved to New Orleans in 1992 (with my redneck boyfriend whom I should have left in the town of my undergraduate state school which shall remain nameless) was - the B-52s at the UNO Lakefront Arena with the Violent Femmes opening.
His NRA card wielding, Ducks Unlimited feathered friend slaying, bourbon drinking redneck ass was stunned into silence by drag queens bigger than linebackers from his high school (and he wasn't small at 6'2" and 220). He thought the femmes were "gay" because of their name... he had no idea what he was in for and I enjoyed every minute of that concert. Especially the part where the giant beehived drag queens flirted with him and goosed him and he got so angry and red in the face but couldn't do a darned thing about it. :)
no drag queens. very sad.
I saw them in 1990 at an outdoor venue in Boston. I can't imagine no dancing space at a B-52's show.
I'm in yer city and I'm gonna go to yer work and taste yer cheezes.
ugh. I am going home sick today. I alerted the other cheese folks to look for you and be nice. Nice crusty punk with face tattoos? Is that a close enough description?
I have no face tattoos. :( But I do have a firething on my chest. |
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