The highlights of the last month have included seeing the Kids In the Hall perform live at the Paramount Theatre, going to the Showbox to see the Hives, and sitting second row at the Egyptian Theatre for the SIFF Film Forum presents John Waters...
I can't even began to tell you how incredible it was seeing the Kids in the Hall perform skits from third row center. I don't remember the last time I laughed so much! It was definitely worth $50. All my fave characters were included; even Chicken Lady! Yippee!
The Hives... I have listened to their music non-stop the last year. It was great to see the how the energy of their music translates live.
Friday nite was a blast. My friends & I headed over to the Egyptian to see John Waters discuss film, and present Female Trouble on the big screen. He did a Q&A with the audience, but for the life of me I could not figure out what to ask.
John Waters told this story about Edith Massey that was funny as hell. Edith Massey ran a thrift store in Baltimore. When she was bored she would rummage through the trash and pick out things like empty aspirin bottles and bottle caps and would wrap them up like little presents. Then she would put them in the bin with the 25 cent grab bags. Little kids would come into the thrift store after school to buy grab bags. When one of the kids would happen to select one with the items previously mentioned, she would tell them, "You can't be lucky every day." Aaahhh the little lessons you learn from life which make you a bigger, better person...
July 2, 2002:
So last Wednesday I was waiting for a bus down on 1st Ave after work & I see this chick walkin' down the steep ass hill in a slinky dress & heels with a guy in a tow, & a middle aged man in a suit walking behind them. I couldn't help but watch as she nearly fell when one of her shoes came off. As they began to get closer, I was like "No, that's not a chick that's a dude (looks like a lady)" But then I realized who it was : COURTNEY LOVE! As she passed by me she looked at me & said in a raspy smokers voice: "Shmmminahumminahrahrahrah" That's what is sounded like, anyways. Her male escort, gave me a smirky grin. I for the life of me could not decipher what the heck she was saying!
August 11. 2002
Yesterday at a yard sale I found a Split Enz concert video from the 1982 Time & Tide tour that I'd been looking for as long as I can remember. Later on that day at Easy Street records on Queen Anne one of the clerks gave me a Neil Finn tour poster I'd been trying to score for weeks. It's little things like that that make me realize that someone up there likes me. Awh, shmoopy!
March 8, 2003
My life is weird. Example: Last month when Neil Finn played the Showbox, I managed to slip him a Black Nite Crash demo. During the middle of the set, he had the sound tech come and get the demo from him and played it for the audience. Of course, I was jumping up and down with glee. Here's how it all went down:
Neil picks up the CD and asks the tech to come and get it and play a track from it. I said to Neil, "Hey Neil, that's my band!" He said, "This is your band?" I said "Yeah! Play track three!" So he says into the mic, "Play Track three." I said to him,"The song is called Skin." He says through the mic, "The song is called Skin." The song begins to play. Neil starts bopping his head to it. He says into the mic, "This isn't bad..... actually I like it so far." About a minute or so into the song, Neil starts playing along to it. Next thing ya know, the rest of the band joins in. Neil Finn is playing my bands song! Holy crap! I had no idea he would do something like that! I thought (maybe) he might give it a listen when he was bored on the tour bus or something. But, to play it for a sold out crowd at the Showbox? Anyways, back to the story. So, they stop playing. Neil looks over at me. I must've looked giddy as hell. I said to him "We're called Black Nite Crash." He says into the mic "And that was Black Nite Crash...ya know that sounds a bit like Johnny Cash." Then he starts playing a twanger version of Skin. Yee-haw!
The End.... or is it?
-Miss Dali
Since the age of twelve, I've had an unexplainable affinity for Neil Finn. When I was 13, I begged my parents into driving me 2 hours to Davis, Ca to see Crowded House on their first tour. While I was waiting in line (very early), I got to talk to the band. I was completely starstruck as Neil Finn stood before me, so much in fact that I could not say a word. Damn my 13yr old self!. Of course I had no problem talking to Paul Hester and Nick Seymour. But Neil left me speechless. How dorky is that?
Over 15yrs later, I'm still a devout fan. I dunno if it was complete luck or perhaps my witty charm but somehow I ended up in the studio with Neil Finn when he was here on July 9 for a live broadcast from the Mountain Music Lounge. He performed two songs from "One All" and also "Fall At Your Feet" which is one of my fave CH songs. Yippee!
I really kicked myself in the ass for not being able to speak to him or get his autograph that day back in 1987. Well, this time I got to do both! Neil is one of the most genuine people I've ever met in my life. That is one of the reasons I admire him. When I told him about meeting him briefly when I was 13, he was like "That must've been a while ago!" Ha!
The show at the Showbox later that evening was incredible. I always tell my friends, "If you're not a fan of Neil Finn, see him play live. Not only will you change your mind, but you'll slap yourself silly for not having discovered him till then."
If you have never seen Neil Finn perform live, I highly recommend checking out the 7 Worlds Collide or Sessions at West 54th DVD. And... if you have an opportunity to see him live, get a ticket already!
