| GBS at the 9:30 Club Washington, DC March 2, 2002 |
| 9:30 Club, Washington, DC March 2, 2002 USA 5 Canada 2 – We won tonight! After the wonderful Philly show, Jane and Nancy retired to Nancy’s place and Sunflower came to my house to sleep. Fozzie actually allowed her to get some sleep! Sunflower had been bemoaning the sad fact that Cedar Rapids, Iowa has seen neither hide nor hair of “The Shipping News” yet. So we left earlier than usual to catch the movie before dinner. Everyone enjoyed it. The house was packed. And the people who sat next to me were Newfoundlanders! They stayed for all the credits too. I think the hotel room we stayed in was a couple of doors down from the last time we were there! Had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Georgetown. Great food! And Nancy introduced us to Chinese beer. Got to the venue in time to be 2 rows back. I stood stage Sean wearing my OKP T-shirt and my “flaming Bob” socks. Yes, I also had pants on! This was the evening of dodging drunks. The foreshadowing came earlier in the evening’s music when the guys from Carbon Leaf were joking about GBS and drinking. The lead singer, Barry, had come out on stage with a bottle of beer and couldn’t get it open. He was looking for a bottle opener and said, “Hey, we could give it to Great Big Sea! They’ll open it! You know the guys from Great Big Sea…” And then he put the bottle opener up to his eye socket as if to open it there! As Carbon Leaf left the stage, before GBS came on, a bunch of nasty, loud, drunk unruly people pushed their way to the front stage Sean/Bob. When they were told that there was no room up there for them – (and there wasn’t –it was the most crowded show I have ever been to), they acted like they didn’t care and elbowed and pushed those of us who had been there all evening out of their way. I might as well get this all out now before I do the actual review itself. I lasted three songs and then I was feeling unsafe where I was. I am not steady on my feet and felt like I was rapidly going to end up on the floor and get trampled. These kids were nasty – jumping on feet and jostling anyone near them, pushing through the crowd and pulling their friends up to push us out of the way. They were Canadian and felt that this entitled them to certain privileges. I was about 3 rows back from the stage. There was a guy on crutches in front and even he was being jostled. My daughter, Karen, and Nancy stood behind and to the right of the guy so he would not get pushed. Karen kept asking the drunken Canadians to back off there was a guy on crutches there. The reply from the Canadians was “Why should we worry about him? He’s just a dumb American like you.” At some point Alan did try to get the shoving to stop. I didn’t see any of that because I ended up all the way against the wall, stage Darrell, so I could stand upright. As the evening went on, Sunflower also left the crowd in front of the stage battle weary and overcome by the heat, it had gotten so bad. I understand that the b’ys are Canadian but that does not give their countrymen the right or privilege to call me or my friends names in my own country when I have not done anything to anyone except be there earlier than they were. I think I may not go to the 9:30 Club to see GBS again. This was the second year a similar thing has happened. I don’t need to feel unsafe and angry at my favorite group’s show. Now that I have vented, I can do a proper review. So there was Jane, Sunflower, Nancy, me, Karen, vot ona, Jessica & parents, Rebecca, Kelly and a bunch of nice Carbon Leaf fans. The b’ys looked great. Darrell has wonderful new glasses, rectangular and black, and was wearing a red shirt and light blue jeans. Darrell looks better the older he gets! Alan had a nice dark blue skateboard shirt and dark cargo pants. It looked like the same one Bob had on for the SONC Photo shoots. Sean had a very nice green button down shirt and dark cargo pants, and Bob was back to blackin a button down shirt and black pants. Ordinary Day Process Man When I’m Up – Alan yellls “Live from the Nation’s Capital, sold out to the doors!” Sean: “We’re surprised you all came out! Thought you’d be more sensitive about hockey. (audience boos) Well, a round of applause for both American teams who tried really hard.” SONC – After this, Alan gave the sermon on the mount. Honest to goodness, he talked on and on and on and on! I thought I was at church! A very small part of what he said was; “Saturday Night Live in the Nation’s Capital. Make it a memorable Saturday night. You know we only have seventy-five or eighty March 2nds in our lives. You have the opportunity of a lifetime to look back at this March 2nd in the movie reel of your life and make it the most memorable one! Right here, right now.” Goin’ Up – Now you had to see from the whole lecture above that this was the next song! Clearest Indication – Sean: “It’s so hot in here! I think I’m melting because I tried the tattoos. Be careful which side you lick! I am totally fried!” Paddy Murphy – Sean was really very up for this song. It was a real treat to be there for this version. Sean made it so much fun that after the song, Alan said, “Thanks a lot! Way to go, Sean!” Gideon Brown – intro’d as “a song from one of the coolest places on earth, one of the four corners of the Flat Earth.” A public service announcement here: GBS is going for broke on this tour – drums, light show, fog for Towson and Philly. We are used to just the b’ys, Danny and Tony down here. No fog machines, lights, backdrops or any extras. This tour is different. Now we get to meet Kris AND Jay the light guy. Nice effects, Jay, especially the bubbles on the backdrop effect. It seems as if the GBS team isgoing for broke and the sellout crowds are responding. Own True Way – intro’d as a “song about being proud of what you do and doing what you know is true for you.” Alan forgot what song they were playing or how to start it because he stood there a while looking confused. Both Sean and Darrell prompted him and he kept laughing. Darrell talked to him for a while. At the Philly show, a similar thing happened and Darrell asked Alan “Are you alright?” I wonder if it was on the setlist tonight because we had told Bob last night that it was one of our favorite songs on the new album. Maybe hearing that from 5 fans at once helped to get it on the list. After the song Sean decided to take a poll. “I think it’s going well so far. Let’s take a poll. How about we suck? (no audience reaction). Okay – how about we are only mediocre? (no reaction) How about we are the best band in the world? (huge cheer) Well, U2 is backstage then. Bono is here to liberate Newfoundland.” Old Black Rum – Alan once again was looking like he forgot either the words or the chords. Darrell helped him out again. General Taylor – dedicated to Sean’s brother Kevin and his fiance – a knockout version of General Taylor, if I ever heard one. Complete with all the extra flourishes. He used every vocal trick up his sleeve. We got a “pint for Sean McCann and a bloody big barrel for the Great Big Sea band,” Stumblin’ In – Alan said they spent the day with Sean’s brother and he took them “to this great place called Adam’s Morgan, or was that Madam’s Organ? And we picked up some wine at a place with a great name – 'Best Cellar!' We got a bottle of wine for Tony who is celebrating his 32nd birthday." Then we got a treat as well as Tony – They sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in 4 part harmony. And Alan says, “So for the next 24 hours, there will be no restraint in the celebration whatsoever as we celebrate one of our own’s birthday.” Consequence Free – Alan intro’d Danny Thomas and Jay Murphy the light guy. “A round of applause for all the crew who work harder than we do.” Scolding Wife – “This next song we are not responsible for. It is an old one. This song curses the institution of marriage.” (As Alan is talking, Sean is miming cursing behind him.) and Alan goes on talking about how the guy probably wished he were single (Sean stands with his back to the audience and throws his arms around himself so it appears he is making out with someone.) And Bob was in great voice! I think this song will be an audience favorite in short order. Boston And St. John’s - dedicated it to the “Fairest one of al,l begging her patience once again.” After that, a note was passed up to Alan who read it and then announced “Would the owner of a yellow Civic please move your car? (a pause) It’s not blocking anything – it’s just really ugly!” Mari Mac – Sean started out singing it like a lounge singer and he sa ng it progressively faster till we got the “normal” version. Sean is also starting a trend – he broke a string for the second night in a row. Lukey – What fun!!!!! It was so hot in the venue. All the b’ys were sweating up a storm. Sean should have been super sweaty because he was so lively tonight. Darrell has also been especially lively and cheery. And he goes back and talks to Kris every once in a while. Must be lonely for Kris back there. During the portion of Lukey where Sean uses the shakers, he put his tipper in his mouth and had it sticking out. LOL! He also went over at some point and wiped his sweaty forehead on Alan’s shoulder and laid his head on Alan’s shoulder. Encore1 Widow in the WIndow – not received well by the DC crowd. One of the people in front of me complained that it was “too Radioheadish.” I guess that will make sense to some of you. I don’t know Radiohead. Personally, I like it. Sean sings it so nicely and Alan gives deference to him by sitting in the back while he sings it. I love both Alan’s bouzouki part and especially Bob’s fiddle part. What bow control with that little “skip” thing! Alan had some trouble with the bouzouki though, he kept banging on it. Run Runaway – I love this song! It was a rousing version, well done by all with changes in the whistle parts from the CD version. Sean plays much more than I remember and it sounds great! It was a delight to hear all the little extras Sean put into this performance this evening. Encore 2 Excursion - Go Darrell! Now, how do we get Jakey's Gin back into the lineup? Feller - Each night I hear this, it gets better. Encore 3 Rant and Roar Afterwards we drove Carol and Dana back to American University. And I have to say an official thanks to Jane for being my navigator through the very confusing streets of Washington, DC. Couldn’t have done it without her! So despite the rotten audience members, the show was wonderful. I love to see Sean performing before relatives. He is extra perky! |
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