15 March, 2008

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the First / Part Two - the early show

After a joyous soccer practice, I kept my word and let the girls split @ 5.15. Joyous and humbling. This day Coach had a deadline to make - 7.30 punto the Magnetic Fields show started. Eve though I have tix to all six shows, I hate being late (despite my deserved reputation, these long treks to the North Side are much much more easy that the 2h El trips from way back were. Although Lincoln Square parking can be kinda ruff, I was able to find a space, stash the soccer equipment in the boot, and go eat.

Doubleplus good the first : I had a coupon to use @ the Costellos near the Old Town School of Folk for a free side and drink, and I got something veggie that tasted great. Since I'm attempting to both fast and abstain this Lent on Fridays, I knew I had to wolf down my food so I wouldn't get terribly hungry during the show. This Friday was easy - I had a lite breakfast, and my ususal cheese pizza from the local to my school's Giordano's for lunch. Then Costellos - since I am carnivore maximus, any dish w/out meat is a suspect device. But lite on tomatoes and NO olives on whatever I had - hummus something or other - it tasted great.

Doubleplus good the second : Old acquaintance renewed. We used to go to the once a month danse party several years ago that eventually died out. There were three dj's - a kool couple, and one of the most kittenish of kittens who ever existed. Never talked to her that much, but crushed on her I did in my own hidden way. Well, all my frenz knew, and she could probably could guess @ it as well. She looked ace, she dressed ace, and she had ace tastes - most noticably she's alays play Magnetic Fields stuff in her sets. loved her presence in this world. So, saw her @ the Morrissey show in october (The 'When Morrissey addressed me from the stage 'show -oh, wait, I haven't written that up yet - check out my list) but was riding addled so ignored her. This being Lent, I was more than happy to walk over in costellos and say hello for a minute - as @ the Morrissey show, she was still hanging out w/ her Britboy. I confessed to her that I'd seen her @ that show, but "was too shy to say hello". A Lenten frame of mind can be very nice. You all like it, rite? I asked them when the show started/opening band ??, and they said - 7.30 punto !! This being 7.23, it was an easy out w/ a shout of "Have a good show/ Good Luck"*.

Got in, sat in the front seats (a row of tables in front of the first row - that's where i sat last time). The band were in their accustomed set up, w/ a guest singer. From my view, it was Stephin Merrit on uke to the right, Sam Davol on cello to his left, John Woo on the acoustic, Claudia Gonson on the grand piano, and finally the extra singer to the right. That's how they set up. No movement on stage - a lot like a folk show. @ the Old town school of Folk.

The band. Thee new singer sang only on 40% of the songs. I know I should know her name, but I'll have to get it later. Stephin - during clapping, he always holds his left ear - he's got a Pete Townsend type ear thing. Clapping?? He puts a finger in it and turns away from the crowd. Sucks. Claudia. I've always been attracted to her. Despite her always terrible wardrobe**, I loved her new haircut. Claudia is hot and a delight to watch her perform. I like her a lot and always enjoy her presence. The haircuts in this band. The silent Guitar player and Cello player (John and Sam sing only on one song, and it's two words - see below) have full sets of hair - especially Sam. How the hell does that mop stay up ?? It doesn't look like Morrissey's quiff from say '83, but the phenominal physics of keeping his hair up must include glue or something.

They started with a new song, "California girls" Not bad. Then they kicked into last Lp's "I don't believe you" one of y fave from that LP "I" . It totally got my head nodding, and I'd wished I'd saved getting my hair cut for two more weeks so I could have thrown it about while I rocked to it. Sounded great and it got me moving slitely in my seat. "Come back to San Francisco" a slite song, not that interesting.

Sm is famously a 'princess' on stage. All eyes look to him. Every time he makes any sort of move, the audience erupts w/ laughter. Any que from him and the whole band halts and looks to him for direction. It's part of the dynamic of the band and the audience, so I enjoy it. But sometimes 'the centrality of stephin' is a little silly:

Stephin scratchs his ear? Applause!!!!
Stephin looks sideways? Mad laughter!!!
Stephin mentions a faun? The audience fauns.

It can get silly, but in all honesty it's part of the show, and I've never seen a bad Magnetic show yet. This time there was a a lite that shown in his face. Digression for a minute about lites in faces etc. There were others. A part of the deal. Another part of the deal is the endless repartee on musical notes and scales between SM and Claudia. @ least five time a show they will discuss "c"'s or scales or what have you. Wasted on me, but it is an insight into their practices.

There were lots of songs I'm not familier with. Now, I'm a pretty big fan of the band - I have their LP's, I have now seen the band seven times- but I also have not gotten their new LP yet. So there are lots of traxx spread across the many bands and projects he is involved in that I do not know. There was a song about bitchy queens that was good, another about a gargoyle. There was a song about paris - no, not that most wonderous song about pais (Paris in the Spring), thqt got gobbs of clapping.

There was one of my favourite songs that was brand new to me - a song where Claudia linked to-gether a bunch of rnyming words, and between each links there was an fucked up sonics instrumntal break sounded akin to the "keroscence" intro. Real kool to experience.

There occured the intermission. Bathroom??

I wandered the crowd. As usual, I imagined everyone looked @ me like I was gonna jump them or assault them. My paranoia, or...... the fact I looked so ragged. I was gonna dress nicely for the show, but ended up wearing what I had for school - a Loyola U. t shirt, black jeans, and my Lotto shoes for soccer practice. Dressd own. Plus, it was the same outfit I conducted practice in, so I just bet I smelled.

The t-shirt was kinda tuff to wear. A nice t shirt to be sure - Fridays are "College days" for teachers to encourage the kids to go, and this was the first time I actually wore not the tie and jacket that makes me look so sharp (je pense), but a t shirt. I spend an endless amount of time extolling UNIVESTIY!!! to the kids - all the time, least once a class, many time many times a class. With the college expericnces I had, how could I not tell them?? To better take part in the culture of my school, I'll wear my t's on Friday - Gotta replace the rotten N.I.U. one, and get a NEIU and CSU o t's as well. Grew Mainly @ my first two universities MOST, but also the latter two were important. However, I wanted to dress abit for the show, and i'd left my intended shirt @ home. To-nite. However, since the band was uninspiringly dressed as well - SM wore a Yankee's hat this time around ( not the 'kool guy' cap he had on four years ago ) so I didn't feel so bad about being 'branded' @ the show. Again, I'll feel ore comfortably dressed to-nite - and showered.

And yes, I know - hey Hilts, what about you living yr life as an artist and all that***? I can only sing, with the word drawn out in joyous song: "/Co-la-raaaaadooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo............"

Not to-nite. I'll let the featured artists be the stars to-nite.

second part of the early show got lots of love form the people and from me. There are a lot of songs that I love and want them to play - but only get a few each show. Four years ago one of my fave songs was "Evil Twin", a slow winding song, but whatever it is that Blackie id's that i like -was it rythm or melody- it's got. I think. Loved it. I realize that i really like their last LP "I", and since it is their last LP, they are playing lots of songs from it. Good. "I" like that. I remember more piano in the part where it gets louder - loved it last time when it kicked in heavy, and wish it would get LOUDER this time around. I'm sur they'll play it again to-nite- let's see.

Theyn also played "Papa was A odeo", a song which I generally hate. Why do they bother to pay this song?? Boring. BUT - it got the biggest aplause of the first show. WHY?? And they played it again in the second show.

Funny, that. Check later for my appraisel of that take. Funny.

NO REQUESTS!! Some people yelled out for this or that, but the fields are a totally- well, mainly - scripted stage performers. The grandly haired celloist John Davos and Claudia the sexy pianist have sheet music in front of them - well, maybe they all do. My guess is that thier shows are as scripted as any of the the Rolling Stones or Beatles shows @ Comiskey Park were. Claudia had funny bits about Midwestern niceness - she said "we take no requests, whearas on the East Coast we practice stony silence". I know better than open up my mouth, though it's be a treat to hear "Paris in the Spring" or the F.B.H's vampire song again, or "Young and Insane" etc...

Did get to hear a track from that GREATEST of all Magnetcic Fields LP's , 'Holiday'**** = "Take Extasy with me". It took a long time for me to get into that song even after I'd flipped about the LP, but it sounded great in concert. The cello action was great - i've come to realize that I love when the band is all playing to-gether. It picked up during the fade ot - the guitartist full strumming, not picking as he usually does (85% of the time). Some quiet songs are great, but i like the ensembleness of it all. A new song (or @ least new to me) called "Zombie Boy" ditto's this feeling of mine - it had that nice full sound.

My favourite song of the set?? "Three way" An almost full instrumental, kick'n groove, punctuated by the three boys shouting "THREE WAY!!" @ a break as one would yell "Ole!!" to a wonderous soccer maneuvere seen, then the regroove, then "THREE WAY !!!" by the two girls, then the groove again............. Thing is, as I sit here, I bet they will pay that song @ least twice - and probably four more times this weekend I can't ficking wait.

OLE !!!

And who says the Fields adhere singly to a script? SM outed with "We'll play one more song" and played an ace version of "Book of Love".

And who says Hilts adhere singly to loudhardandfast songs? "Book of Love" is as quiet as it gets. John Woo'sslite guitar, the singing, and my favourite art - Claudia the sexy backup singer's almost inaudible harmonies. Sweet.

The whole first show was sweet.

...........................................
*=the grand Northern Irish version of "Good Bye". Use it this weekend.
**=and one knows the importance I attach to clothes on females.
***=and yes, I know it's from Joyce.
****= think, um.............."Sister" for its impact.

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