Jonathan Richman Crocodile 06/13/2018 7 PM
posted April 28, 2018 9:25 AM RSS | iCal | +googleCal
Wed June 13 at 7:00 PM, Crocodile
2200 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA, USA (Map & Directions)
Musical performance
A fan since the first Modern Lovers lp came out, I have seen him 6 times since 1990 something.
Each time Best.Live.Performance.Evar, imho.
(Well, save for when Johnny Guitar Watson opened middle bill for the Gap Band at the Paramount in 1979.) My policy: 1. Go an hour early so as to secure a standing spot front stage. (Show starts at 8.PM, btw.) Stick around up to 1/2 hour after last encore when he comes out to schmooze with whoever is still around. (Usually 20 minutes.) Come help hog the frontline. And maybe stare down any idiots shouting "Play I'm A Little Dinosaur !" every minute. (Not really a problem but I am paranoid: This happened to me when I saw Lou Reed for the first and only time. Two inane young women in the row behind me shouted "Lou! Lou-u-u-u !" alternating with "Play Walk On The Wild Side !" every 10 seconds from start to no encore. (Made me re-consider my position on gun ownership for 2 hours, it did.)
Each time Best.Live.Performance.Evar, imho.
(Well, save for when Johnny Guitar Watson opened middle bill for the Gap Band at the Paramount in 1979.) My policy: 1. Go an hour early so as to secure a standing spot front stage. (Show starts at 8.PM, btw.) Stick around up to 1/2 hour after last encore when he comes out to schmooze with whoever is still around. (Usually 20 minutes.) Come help hog the frontline. And maybe stare down any idiots shouting "Play I'm A Little Dinosaur !" every minute. (Not really a problem but I am paranoid: This happened to me when I saw Lou Reed for the first and only time. Two inane young women in the row behind me shouted "Lou! Lou-u-u-u !" alternating with "Play Walk On The Wild Side !" every 10 seconds from start to no encore. (Made me re-consider my position on gun ownership for 2 hours, it did.)
Well, for what is worth, it was wonderful as usual and I found a taker for my ticket in my friend Vera, who went in not a fan and came out converted.
Well, duh, says I.
Went at 7 to grab the right front stage with Vera and our friend Diane. Had to wait until 8 for the Crocodile ballroom to open and then to 9 for the show to start as he would not start until everyone in line outside -- it was sold out, naturally -- got inside.
Played for two hours with maybe only four songs that were not new to me.
Ended with a recitation of a poem in translation by a classical Persian poetess -- Rābi'a Balkhī ? -- and then refused to do an encore, instead, came out to say her poem was where it ended. To a roar of approval.
And with that, the Crocodile kicked everyone out, so no meet and greet thereafter.
But no nevermind for me: upon an impulse, I put three CDs in a gift bag -- two doo wop collections and Good Night, My Love by Jesse Belvin -- and was wondering how to pass it to Jonathan when he and his drummer Tommy McCook walked in the front door five feet in front of me.
And -- gush -- he brightened up and said "I know you !" Seventh heaven for me as I said "Here this is for you..." and handed him the gift bag to a murmered thank you as they turned and walked into the ballroom.
And later got a "Thanks for the CDs," when he walked out and started. I was so touched, mission accomplished and so on...
In the top five of concerts ever attended by me. Will do again, too.
posted by y2karl at 8:28 AM on June 14, 2018
Well, duh, says I.
Went at 7 to grab the right front stage with Vera and our friend Diane. Had to wait until 8 for the Crocodile ballroom to open and then to 9 for the show to start as he would not start until everyone in line outside -- it was sold out, naturally -- got inside.
Played for two hours with maybe only four songs that were not new to me.
Ended with a recitation of a poem in translation by a classical Persian poetess -- Rābi'a Balkhī ? -- and then refused to do an encore, instead, came out to say her poem was where it ended. To a roar of approval.
And with that, the Crocodile kicked everyone out, so no meet and greet thereafter.
But no nevermind for me: upon an impulse, I put three CDs in a gift bag -- two doo wop collections and Good Night, My Love by Jesse Belvin -- and was wondering how to pass it to Jonathan when he and his drummer Tommy McCook walked in the front door five feet in front of me.
And -- gush -- he brightened up and said "I know you !" Seventh heaven for me as I said "Here this is for you..." and handed him the gift bag to a murmered thank you as they turned and walked into the ballroom.
And later got a "Thanks for the CDs," when he walked out and started. I was so touched, mission accomplished and so on...
In the top five of concerts ever attended by me. Will do again, too.
posted by y2karl at 8:28 AM on June 14, 2018
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posted by y2karl at 9:16 AM on June 12, 2018