[BlubabyDC]

Did anybody go to the Ram's Head last night? I missed the show due to travel, and I'm curious about the turn-out, etc.

PSYCHED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT!

[pbev]

I had to make the drive to the Ram’s Head Tavern myself; my wife is at night school, my friends are too busy or they just don’t get it. I’m not expecting an Art Deco jazz club, with murals on the walls, assigned seating, waiters in ties, and a “no standing allowed” rule, but my table is in a great spot near the sound board, so I settled in for the show. There’s about 200 of us in the club, and as the opening act (Jimmy Haha) gets going with “The Bomb” I see a guy walk by with a baseball hat pulled low…wait a minute, I’m sure that’s Michael Gurley walking out to the bus. Anyway Jimmy finishes a nice set, and I catch a glimpse of the band coming in the back door. They look around, and I think it must be odd always entering from the back all the time unnoticed, and then being the focus of attention for a couple of hours.

Then they come out on stage, Phil first, followed by Joie and Michael. A quick bit of tuning up, a sound check, and they are almost ready. I catch Joie taking a drink from a beer bottle, and he looks at Phil, who with a nod lets Joie know he’s thirsty. They tip the bottles to each other in a little toast before starting to play. Then they dive into Dim. Sometimes expectations are hard to meet, but I am immediately reminded of how talented these guys really are. They were having some technical issues so after Playboy, as the guys are waiting for repairs, they start to tell some stories. Having been to only one dada concert before, this is new to me. We hear about the genesis of Paper Scissors Rock, (practicing in West Hollywood when someone opens the door w/o knocking), but only a few bars of the tune. Joie wonders if that song is out there. Answer: yes. Then Feet to the Sun, and “a song that is not a sofa commercial,” Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. Apparently that was appropriated for a commercial by someone. Don’t know how the sofa version was, but this live version was simply superb. Seems that Joie read the paper and heard about someone naming their kid Gogo, and that was next, followed by She Came From Heaven. American Highway Flower with that little Eleanor Rigby riff that makes me think of Stanley Jordan. The new song It’s All Mine makes me very anxious for the new album. Mary Sunshine Rain, Moon, and then Posters, with a little Gene Krupa influence at the start. DizzKneeLand wraps up the main set. Their encore was tight, with Bob the Drummer, Baby Really Loves Me and to close, their first jam ever, Dorina. Then the lights come on and it’s over.

As a jaded 40 year old I’m just a little embarrassed to say that I waited for the guys to come out after the show so I could get an autograph. Phil comes out first, signs and chats (his influences? Ringo Starr and Buddy Rich). Joie is also out signing (super useless trivia; his pic in El Subliminoso was taken in his backyard) followed by Michael, who also takes a few minutes to chat & sign before heading to the bus. Earlier on stage, Phil says “they stop the bus, and I get off”, and now I know what that means; I heard Joie say they had scheduled 14 shows in 16 days. I don’t really need another reason, but their taking a few minutes to scribble on a CD cover in the middle of stretch like that makes me respect them even more. Thanks guys.

So ends another dada concert, and like the guy yelled from the crowd they could well be “the best band ever.”

[BlubabyDC]

Thanks pbev! That was a great little review. Glad you waited for them afterwards. I always feel a little silly waiting to speak to bandmembers, too, but by now (with dada) I almost feel bad if I don't. I just think they need it as much as we do. I'd rather be screaming to the world how phenomenal they are, but I'll go straight to the source and hope they keep on keepin' on because of those of us who do that.

Right on, I am psyched for tonight. Hope there are plenty of those CDs to gobble up at the show!

[nancy in va beach]

i really enjoyed your review. i put it up there with jeff c's. right now with limited transportation (isabel put a tree on my good vehicle) i am living vicariously thru these posts.
i have a question: how many readers went straight to the el sub cd to see joie's backyard? i did.
and now i'm wondering if the pink flamingos were his, too.

[Edited on 10-10-03 by nancy in va beach]