In this Public Place

[jack_babalon]

Won tickets on the radio to the Wire show at the Variety Playhouse tonight. Wire, as I've written here before, have long been one of my favorite bands ever since a shipmate lent me the IBTABA cassette(old much?) in exchange for my copy of the Sister's Vision Thing . Wire is usually best known for thier early punk years with 12XU off their '77 Pink Flag being their most well known track (in my circles at least). I on the other hand enjoy their New Order mid-80's period with A Bell Is A Cup and Ideal Copy being the real stand outs for me. I guess if I had to narrow what it was that sold me I would have to say it was their unique combination of catchy synth-pop riffs and brooding sound textures backdropped against lyrics that read like the answers in a Dadaist game of Ad-Libs -

"Gold street spy fleet scandal food poor treat
Fire run club gun rule mob burn some
Bomb time pop crime stock frame steady climb
Fresh name donor game fair meat all the same"



As you can well imagine I'm pretty much stoked about this!

This is also the second time in so many months that I've won tickets to a free-show, having won a pair of tickets to My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult earlier in the Summer. On my big list of bands I would love to see before I die I'm down to: Nick Cave, Psychic TV, Tom Waits (who I missed this July) and Leonard Cohen. Also it is my hope to one day see one of those animatronic bear jamboree bands you see at Chunky Cheese performing the greatest hits of Boyd Rice and Einsturzende Neubauten.

Meanwhile life moves on - the Folks are almost settled in to their new Terminus digs, they seem to have taken a shine to my neighborhood, Candler Park and Cabbage Town. They picked the right time of the year to show up - the leaves are starting to turn all rustic and ochre, the wind tide sweeps over the narrow streets rustling the canopy of trees, the faint October sunlight lingering through the window or skies as gray as old photographs. We're in "Jacket Weather" now and at twilight when I go bike riding, the gold light off the sunsets casts this shadow of me with my opened hoodie flowing behind me so it looks like a cape fluttering in the wind. It's stupid I know but for some reason seeing this always makes me happy.

I recently caught Dad's Garage production of Cannibal the Musical - written by Trey Parker of Sout Park fame. Now I'll tell you straight up front outside of the occasional Sondheim (Assassins) or even the stray Rocky Horror viewing I really don't care much for live musicals. In fact I can't stand them. I can tolerate album movies fine - The Wall, Quadraphrenia, True Stories and HELP! come to mind (while dating me horribly I'm sure). But musicals - ehhhhh.

Luckily I don't think Trey Parker likes them very much either and the result is one of the funniest productions I've seen all year (counting movies, tv and... *brrr*... theatre). I honestly went into the show expecting to be politely bored and ended up watching what I can only call a very adult live action cartoon. If you're a fan of 'The Musical' don't worry - the cast hits all the right notes without ever taking itself too seriously and I was reminded of the South Park the Movie opening song - Mountain Town.

I highly recommend the show to those in the Metro ATL area (which has an extended run I'm told until November 1st FYI) or fans of South Park in general. Much props to my buddy Steve (Steven) for the comp tix.

Anyway a quick dinner with Vee before the show and then I'm going to rendevous with Teddy Bear for the show (this is his first time hearing them... so wish him luck). Hope all is well out there on this beautiful Sunday early evening.

Comments

[weishaupt.livejournal.com]

Also it is my hope to one day see one of those animatronic bear jamboree bands you see at Chunky Cheese performing the greatest hits of Boyd Rice and Einsturzende Neubauten (which would probably be the worst time in my life to have an acid flash-back).

We all hope to. Deep inside it is the most fervent wish of every soul on this planet.

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

Well if I ever win the lottery you know what I'll do with my million$!

[mindcontrol23.livejournal.com]

I just saw Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds a couple weeks ago in Chicago. I was completely worth the drive up from Kansas City. Totally amazing show. He might be older but can still pull of the cocky rock star thing very well. I am hoping some day to catch Diamanda Galas and Psychic TV to fulfill my check list.

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

I bet that was a great show - did they do any Grinder Man songs or just focus on stuff off Dig!Lazarus!Dig!? Diamanda Galas would be nice, so would Dead Can Dance while I'm wishing. I heard PTV might tour sometime in 2009, I know with the loss of Gen's wife/companion tourings a bit shaky but still I can live in hope.

[mindcontrol23.livejournal.com]

I am not really familiar with the Grinder Man album so I can't say. He did play a sort of greatest hits of From Her to Eternity all the way up to Dig!Lazarus!Dig!. About the only thing I would have liked to have heard was either Scum or The Carny. But that is just being nit picky.

I guess I could have seen PTV a few years ago in Chicago. But it was the weekend before Laibach which seemed a surer bet.

[therealmacgyver.livejournal.com]

Shpadoinkle!

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

I see you're a fan already:)

[ltmurnau.livejournal.com]

A Bell is a Cup and Ideal Copy are my favourites too.
You're having good concert luck!
My lucky year was 2004, when I saw Einsturzende Neubauten, Kraftwerk and Laibach all in the space of less than twelve months.
Doubt I will ever catch Diamanda Galas, but that would about complete my list.

[jackbabalon23.livejournal.com]

Definetly my favorite 'Wire' incarnation. What's odd is playing Wire for folks who've never heard them before and hearing them all go - "Wait... is this the same band?". I think this is how they've survived so long though (periodic break ups aside) is their ability to reinvent themselves musically while retaining a certain a distinctive sound that always drifts just out of touch of being defined by any one given genre.

Wow... none of those guys toured here in Atlanta during 2004 (that I'm aware of leastways). I bet Laibach was a lot of fun.