Richmond Review

Posted by Kowloon

Richmond was like a ghost town. Because it was Sunday, everything was closed. EVERYTHING! But even so, as I walked around, I noticed half the shops were gutted. Some were being renovated, some were just relics. I saw one soda shop with elixirs still in the window and the original fixtures (I think it had been kept on purpose like that for a while, but then, like so many other shops, just abandoned). There was a cool huge "Drink Coca-Cola in Bottles" sign on a building, and a stone tower attached to a crumbling warehouse shaped like a milk bottle (the Richmond Dairy Co.).

Everybody I met was SO nice and helpful. I had arrived early so I could see the sights (unaware that the streets would be empty), so I had alot of time to kill. I asked people what I could do. I ended up walking 2 1/2 miles to a McDonald's for cheap eats (and something to do).

I was overdressed for the concert because I had seen the picture of the interior on the net and read its history, and it looked real swank. When I got there, though nice, it wasn't as luxurious as I thought it would be (I was thinking chandeliers). It did have little lights set into the ceiling to look like stars, though. I really liked that.

Janet Martin and the Mystics opened. Janet was really pretty in a black suit (silk I think), pail violet tank top, silver hoop earings, and a white strap with a rose on it for her guitar. The Mystics looked like they had rolled out of bed and thrown on some clothes to run around to the corner store. They were good, I like a song called Travel On, and they did that song that goes "I've got a big chain, around my neck, [something or other], like a trainwreck" (Lucinda Williams?).

When Chris and Silvertone came out, everyone was sitting politely in their seats, and enjoying themselves, but I wanted to dance. I couldn't sit still. Finally Chris said to come to the stage and get the party started. So I hopped out of my seat, and to the stage. I was right up against it on the Roly and Brett side. It was wonderful! It was the usual stories and songs. Chris did mention that he had been out walking, and from what he'd seen, they were the ONLY show in town. (He wasn't kidding, I was looking for tumbleweeds out there.) I have to say that being so close was great because you can see little expressions and hear things that you would miss from farther back. And it feels almost like you are up there ON the stage.

When the concert was over, I went and got Chris' autograph, he was gracious as ever. Somebody asked Chris where he got the mirrored suit and he said "Sears... 'Dads N' Lads'", that just makes me laugh. I walked outside because I needed a taxi to the Greyhound, but then looking at the abandoned street, I figured I was better off seeing if there was a phone inside, and waiting there. I called the Taxi, and as I went out into the lobby, I ran into Kenney, who was nice, and I got his autograph.

I got into the taxi and got into a conversation trying to explain who Chris Isaak was. I was showing the driver Chris' CD covers at stop lights and running off lists of things he might know Chris from. That was a bust; so I started to talk about Chris' influences. It turns out that the driver loved Dean Martin and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, so I kept saying "Well, you'd like Chris Isaak, then!", and "You know, these days lyrics are often hard to understand if they're WORTH understanding. So Chris Isaak is really refreshing!" (I kept saying the full name, so it would stick in his head.) I think I managed to convince him to buy a CD. He said he'd pick one up the coming week, because it looked like I had good taste. As I got out of the cab, he said, "You sure are pretty, Ma'am. You come back to Richmond, real soon..." "Okay," I said. (Not likely.) And skipped off into the bus station, where I sat on the dirty floor for an hour and a half and watched someone get noisily arrested.

All in all, a great time!

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