I Drove an Hour and All I Got Was the Fixx
Stiffy Biceptz is still a bit annoyed this morning. Last night I drove an hour from my house down to Jenkinson's in Point Pleasant to see the Psychedelic Furs. If you've never seen them live, let me tell you that it is a great experience. Thirty years on Richard Butler and company still sound great. They haven't lost any of the magic that made them so loved way back a long time ago. And Richard's voice is just so signature. The Furs have improved with age and having the opportunity to see them in a small club is just something I won't miss--except for last night...
The show was really a triple bill supported by the Alarm and the Fixx. Now I've never really been an Alarm fan for whatever reason, and the Fixx were always just there. So in classic Stiffy club style, I planned to go a bit late and hopefully miss the first two bands and walk in just as the Furs took the stage. Back in my Green Parrot days I was faultless at getting there just in time to miss the opening act, moving straight to the front of the stage and see the band I came to see. The whole idea of opening bands just doesn't work for me.
So I left home around 8, got gas and cruised down route 195 to Point Pleasant. On the way I found out that the fireworks postponed on the fourth were going to be that night, which meant that parking might be troublesome. Sure enough, the place was an absolute zoo. I parked on New York Ave, and hiked all the way back down the boardwalk. It felt great to have my boots on, heading out to a show. Just as I arrived at the club the fireworks started and everyone was squealing. I walked in and as I got to the back where the club is, I thought I heard a familiar sound...
For some reason there was no one at the entrance to take my ticket so I just strolled in to discover the Furs where on stage already! What's going on?? It turned out they had decided to change the lineup and that I had just missed them. They played two more songs and were done. Now I was really pissed. Not only had I missed the one band I wanted to see, but no one even wanted my damn ticket!
At this point I wasn't sure whether I wanted to stay. But after a few minutes of huffing a puffing I figured I might as well see the Fixx if for no other reason that to get my money's worth. By now they had decided to start looking at tickets again and when I casually strolled out and tried to get back in again, a bunch of bouncers swarmed around me like I was trying to smuggle in uranium or something. So I had to go back in the correct entrance and get my hand stamped. I mentioned to the dim bulb who took my ticket how I had just walked in 20 minutes ago without so much as a dirty look and she thanked me very seriously for telling her. The borders are once again secured general! Give me a break.
The Fixx came on twenty minutes later and I managed to wedge myself up near the stage. Turns out they were very good and I was glad I had stayed to see them. I might even pick up a CD of theirs.
After the show the jabbering semi-witless DJ played a bizarre hodgepodge of new wave-alterna hits and the thin crowd actually danced for the better part of an hour. At one point a few of us old timers started bouncing into each other a bit but completely under control. A big meathead bouncer came over and told us to stop moshing. A request by me for some Dramarama or Wonderstuff was met with a look of shock and horror. As I walked away I caustically remarked "I guess that's just too cool to play, huh?" And he pretty much said yes. After building up a bit of a groove, he then proceeded to alienate everyone off the dance floor with remarkable speed. A rare talent indeed. Sweaty and happy, I walked down an empty boardwalk to my car and cruised home with the windows open enjoying the cool moist summer air, singing along to Genie In a Bottle blasting from the radio. Turned out to be a fun night even without the Furs. Happy memories of many similar late night returns from the Parrot or the Pony came flooding back. Was this 1989? 1991? Ahhhhh...
In two weeks the Smithereens will be there, why not come join me?
The show was really a triple bill supported by the Alarm and the Fixx. Now I've never really been an Alarm fan for whatever reason, and the Fixx were always just there. So in classic Stiffy club style, I planned to go a bit late and hopefully miss the first two bands and walk in just as the Furs took the stage. Back in my Green Parrot days I was faultless at getting there just in time to miss the opening act, moving straight to the front of the stage and see the band I came to see. The whole idea of opening bands just doesn't work for me.
So I left home around 8, got gas and cruised down route 195 to Point Pleasant. On the way I found out that the fireworks postponed on the fourth were going to be that night, which meant that parking might be troublesome. Sure enough, the place was an absolute zoo. I parked on New York Ave, and hiked all the way back down the boardwalk. It felt great to have my boots on, heading out to a show. Just as I arrived at the club the fireworks started and everyone was squealing. I walked in and as I got to the back where the club is, I thought I heard a familiar sound...
For some reason there was no one at the entrance to take my ticket so I just strolled in to discover the Furs where on stage already! What's going on?? It turned out they had decided to change the lineup and that I had just missed them. They played two more songs and were done. Now I was really pissed. Not only had I missed the one band I wanted to see, but no one even wanted my damn ticket!
At this point I wasn't sure whether I wanted to stay. But after a few minutes of huffing a puffing I figured I might as well see the Fixx if for no other reason that to get my money's worth. By now they had decided to start looking at tickets again and when I casually strolled out and tried to get back in again, a bunch of bouncers swarmed around me like I was trying to smuggle in uranium or something. So I had to go back in the correct entrance and get my hand stamped. I mentioned to the dim bulb who took my ticket how I had just walked in 20 minutes ago without so much as a dirty look and she thanked me very seriously for telling her. The borders are once again secured general! Give me a break.
The Fixx came on twenty minutes later and I managed to wedge myself up near the stage. Turns out they were very good and I was glad I had stayed to see them. I might even pick up a CD of theirs.
After the show the jabbering semi-witless DJ played a bizarre hodgepodge of new wave-alterna hits and the thin crowd actually danced for the better part of an hour. At one point a few of us old timers started bouncing into each other a bit but completely under control. A big meathead bouncer came over and told us to stop moshing. A request by me for some Dramarama or Wonderstuff was met with a look of shock and horror. As I walked away I caustically remarked "I guess that's just too cool to play, huh?" And he pretty much said yes. After building up a bit of a groove, he then proceeded to alienate everyone off the dance floor with remarkable speed. A rare talent indeed. Sweaty and happy, I walked down an empty boardwalk to my car and cruised home with the windows open enjoying the cool moist summer air, singing along to Genie In a Bottle blasting from the radio. Turned out to be a fun night even without the Furs. Happy memories of many similar late night returns from the Parrot or the Pony came flooding back. Was this 1989? 1991? Ahhhhh...
In two weeks the Smithereens will be there, why not come join me?
posted 7/10/2007 09:03:00 AM
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