Errors-To: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Reply-To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Sender: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Precedence: bulk From: owner-tmbg-digest@tmbg.org To: tmbg-digest@tmbg.org Subject: tmbg-list Digest #3-327 tmbg-list Digest, Volume 3, Number 327 Monday, 24 November 1997 Today's Topics: TMBG: Johns' Parents TMBG: Toronto Concert + List TMBG: Toronto Boots? TMBG: The Toronto report Administrivia: If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing send mail to tmbg-digest-request@tmbg.org for instructions on how to be automatically removed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. --------------------------------------------------------------------- tmbg-list is digested with Digest 3.3d (John Relph ). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Happyfroot@aol.com Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 10:46:36 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <971123104636_178414482@mrin54.mail.aol.com> Subject: TMBG: Johns' Parents << I wonder if they feel compelled, or otherwise obligated to stop in on their parents when they have a gig so close to home. >> To paraphrase the Johns: "Our parents have been at everyone of these Boston shows. I was never comfortable about swearing in front of my parents...you never feel comfortable swearing around your parents until your in front of a couple thousand people....where the f*ck have you guys been? Actually, our parents couldn't make it today." So, well, whether or not they visit their parents, their parents at least try to visit them...which could be one of the reasons they do quite a few Boston area shows... Jason "My band has a gig in Worcester" Glastetter ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 14:36:05 -0500 From: Naoki Sato Message-Id: <199711231936.AA28779@PASCAL.MATH.YALE.EDU> Subject: TMBG: Toronto Concert + List I was at the early TMBG concert last night at Lee's Palace, and it was a total blast. It's actually the first time I've seen Them live (They don't get around to Toronto nearly as much as I'd like; last time was about '92 or '91), so I don't have the frame of reference that so many have shown, but I thought They were in top playing form, accompanied by Dan and Hal. Linnell looked a bit tired, but that may be his usual look, and certainly didn't show it - he and Flansburgh were definitely showing a lot of energy. I also noticed the effects were very good and very well synchronized. Lincoln was not bad - the crowd seemed appreciative, especially of their cover of "Stepping Stone." Anyway, I won't go into all the details (most of which you'd have to be at a concert for), but I will say there was the canon for "James K. Polk" (they claimed it was shredded US cash, but it just turned out to be confetti), a fast forward version of "Shoehorn with Teeth," a small cover of "The Sign" in the middle of "Particle Man" (very funny, with Linnell on the accordion too), and a part which needs some explanation: Apparently, they've been trying to do interpretations of the movies in the "Planet of the Apes" series, and tonight it was "Battle of the Apes," with Dan and Hal as the people, and the Johns as the apes. So, depending on who was playing, the crowd would chant "People" or "Apes" (and alterating in French). Kinda strange if you ask me, and it ended with John F. saying "I think we f*cked up. You guys are great." I was a bit disappointed that they only played one new song, but "Dr. Worm" was really good - I think it's one of my favourite songs now. I did jot down the set list, and I happily pass it along: S-E-X-X-Y Istanbul, not Constantinople James K. Polk How Can I Sing Like a Girl Birdhouse in your Soul Shoehorn with Teeth (with some guy on the glockenspiel) Shoehorn with Teeth (Fast Forward version) Dr. Worm Don't Let's Start Battle of the Apes Letterbox She's Actual Size Particle Man + The Sign XTC vs. Adam Ant Exquisite Dead Guy Spy Spiralling Shape Meet James Ensor Ana Ng Twisting Pet Name (in the dark!) Spider The Guitar No One Knows My Plan Dig My Grave Encore: Lie Still, Little Bottle (with John F. stomping a pad with a big stick) New York City 'Till My Head Falls Off All around, a great concert, and I think I will try to catch them in NY. "No quote, radio" Naoki Sato ** Department of Mathematics, Yale University E-mail: sato@math.yale.edu URL: http://www.math.yale.edu/users/sato/ ------------------------------ Message-Id: Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 15:32:44 -0500 From: antoneta.argiloff@utoronto.ca (Antoneta Argiloff) Subject: TMBG: Toronto Boots? Did anyone who went to the Toronto shows at Lee's Palace boot either the early or late show (or both) ? If you did and want to trade (or just be really nice :) please e-mail me privately. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 20:21:08 -0500 (EST) From: 99 and 44/100% MIKe! Subject: TMBG: The Toronto report Message-ID: Last night TMBG performed two separate sets at Lee's Palace in the city of Toronto, Canada. For all of you Americans, Canada is the gigantic country hovering ominously just above you. In any case, this was the first dedicated TMBG show in this city since November 1994, though they did swing past a year ago to open for some crappy band I won't name in our huge dome thingy. As it happens, my pal Mrklaw (Alex, but I shall refer to him throughout as Mrklaw) designs the excellent Mono Puff web page (www.monopuff.org) and as a result of this he is known to Hornblow, so though we purchased tickets to both shows as a pre-emptive measure way back when, we discovered when the doors were opened that we were on the guest list (he and 1 other person, that person being me). So we sold our tickets to bystanders outside and that was that. By this time our whole crew was represented, numbering 9 I believe, but this number dropped to 8 as the friend of one of my friends was turned away for having no proper ID. However, since this poor fool means nothing to me, it was no problem at all to turn my back on him and enter the rock establishment. Lee's Palace is rather small and half of it is taken up by the bar, so no matter where you are, you're not that far from the stage. During this first set, I was fairly close to the front to the right near Linnell. Much has been said of Lincoln on this list, and they were pretty good actually and the crowd seemed to like them. I thoroughly enjoyed their performance. Mrklaw pointed out that we had seen the bass guitarist performing with the excellent Candy Butchers in times past. We found out from him that the full length album that the Candy Butchers recorded shortly before the label collapsed will never be released. Sadness all around. The set list for the first show has already been posted to this list, so I won't repeat it. I grabbed a copy of it off the sound guy, thwarting other people's vain efforts to get one off the stage after they had all already been handed out. It's true that the only new song performed during the first set was Dr. Worm, and it's pretty neat, with a very long, cool instrumental section in the middle. I was also quite pleased to hear Letterbox, as well as the "I saw the sign" tangent in Particle Man. Also of note was the Battle for the Planet of the Apes piece, which as posted here previously was an audience participation piece. It was apparently being recorded as the previous night in Rochester, they forgot to roll tape. Shoehorn With Teeth was performed with Dan Hickey on glockenspiel, and he was about to return to the drum set after the song but Flans then launched into a "CD-skip" version of the song which mimics what the songs sounds like if you hit the fast forward button on the CD player. The confetti cannon launched its load perfectly during James K. Polk and though it was mainly filled with confetti, it was in fact capped with shredded American money. Turning around to see the room filled with glittering confetti pieces snowing down upon us was a beautiful sight. Meet James Ensor was performed very very slowly, what is referred to on the set list as a "dub" version. The conga line was formed at Flans' request during NOKMP, and for Lie Still Little Bottle, we were treated to the Stick. We even got the puppet heads for Exquisite Dead Guy. The Spy improv was lively and lengthy, and they also performed a similar improv to conclude The Guitar. I was pleased that the Stick, the cannon and the puppet heads were present for though I have seen them all numerous times in my travels, I am sure that most of the crowd was comprised of Torontonians who had not yet had the opportunity to see these things which are part of TMBG concert lore but unknown to Canadian fans. In conclusion, the energy level of the band was very high, and the lengthy onstage banter between John and John was the funniest I've ever seen in one of their shows. Afterwards, Hal Cragin appeared and both Mrklaw and myself got him to sign our Mono Puff "Hal Cragin Years" CDs. I also spoke to Dan Hickey who was quite friendly as well as being a kick ass drummer. They booted us out only to let us back in four minutes later, and we planted ourselves right at the front, against the comfy padded barrier. I specifically chose the very front, which is not something I do at American shows for in my experience there are always crowd surfers kicking people in the head. This is a problem that has forced me to move back numerous times to the point where I just stay back from the beginning. I didn't see this happen when I saw them in Toronto in 1992 nor did it happen during this first set, so I felt pretty safe in my decision. One thing I didn't count on was the late crowd not only being bigger but a little more rowdy. However, though there was one guy who tried to crowd surf a few times, I don't regret staying at the front. My hearing might regret it, for even now I've got a dull ringing and a general sense of hearing loss. John and John wear earplugs on stage, and I suspect I'll wear them as well in the future. The second set had some overlaps with the first, but featured the new song Finished With Lies as well as Older and a revamped version of On The Drag. The puppet heads made another appearance, as well as the Stick and the cannon, and Dr. Worm. We did the Apes battle again, which Flans mentioned was being recorded for the live album (which I of course doubt). The Spy improv was quite fun, verging on the very odd when Linnell broke into renditions of not only Billy Idol's Eyes Without A Face, but his other classic Flesh For Fantasy. The encore careened into absurdity with a performance of the 60's song Georgy Girl (it was on the set list and Flans brought out a lyric sheet) and then the omission of Istanbul in favour of an impromptu version of Purple Toupee which they performed at the behest of someone in the crowd who took a quiet moment to shout out his request. I did not manage to obtain a set list from this show but the inestimable and onmipresent Mike Wood did, so it shall appear in scanned form on the TMBG page I maintain with Mrklaw in the near future along with the list from the first set, and other material gathered that night, such as the guitar pick, apparently one of Flans', which Mr. Wood obtained and subsequently gave to me. Some of our crew managed to obtain Flans and Linnell autographs, but I did not. However, in spite of that, I had a grand time, flanked as I was by Mr. Wood, Mrklaw, erstwhile punk bouncer Andrew Chapman (sorry it didn't all go smooth for you, but you still looked happy) and some other people who shall remain nameless. It was a towering night of rock, over three hours of TMBG in concert in full colour. You can't beat that at any price. Whatever I've forgotten to tell you about the shows will remain untold, for I've forgotten it, and can't tell it. A great night. Great. MIKe *TMBG Info Club ID No: 18902* THE COOLEST PLACE TO BE - Mr Flippy's Red Light Funtime Party Hour --->http://www.yucc.yorku.ca/~flippy<--- AND: Check out the webzine JournalX at www.journalx.com *-----------------------------* Manos The Hands Of Fate was filmed on location in a vacant lot. ------------------------------ End of tmbg-list Digest #3-327 ******************************