I also began messing around with various possible tile layouts to see what looks best. Unfortunately, I don’t think the easiest method (just leaving them all stacked in the corner of the room) is going to fly.
Monday, October 09, 2006
unexpected progress
Monday’s events at the balloon fiesta were rained out, so I took advantage of the down time and installed the cabinet in the bathroom wall. Granted, it isn’t a giant leap forward, but it does represent one less task to complete.
I also began messing around with various possible tile layouts to see what looks best. Unfortunately, I don’t think the easiest method (just leaving them all stacked in the corner of the room) is going to fly.
I also began messing around with various possible tile layouts to see what looks best. Unfortunately, I don’t think the easiest method (just leaving them all stacked in the corner of the room) is going to fly.
99 red balloons (plus 700 other colors)
After living in the Duke City for more than five years, I finally can say that I’ve attended the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Well, I guess I could have claimed that before, but now the statement would be true.
Although only two of the scheduled nine days of the event have passed, I already have a few observations to make. First, if you are planning on attending the event in the future, I highly recommend that you figure out a way to be paid for your time spent there. Otherwise, I’m not convinced that it is worth the effort and cost.
As for the effort, I’m talking about the traffic and wading through the seemingly endless sea of humanity. Imagine fighting through heavy traffic to get to a shopping mall on Krismas Eve, then having to choose from relatively tacky “fair-quality” goods for those on your shopping list. That isn’t to say that some of the merchandise isn’t downright expensive.
As for the expense, admission to the balloon park is $6.00 per day or event, and parking is $10.00 per car. As an alternative, fiesta goers have the option of taking advantage of the city’s park and ride program. However, at $10.50 per person, that route really only pays off if you are a family of two or less. Plus, given the lines of people I’ve seen waiting to get a ride back to their cars, you might as well just find a soothing station on your car stereo and settle in for the slow ride into the park in your own vehicle.
I arrive at around 4:00 am each morning to set up my camera and discuss with the other camera operators how we are going to shoot the event, or wait through the rain to see whether or not the morning’s launch is going to be cancelled (as was the case Sunday). I have a good hour after set-up before anything is going to happen, which leaves me free to wander about in search of food. The choices are as varied as one would expect to find at the state fair… pancakes on a stick, breakfast burritos, deep fried Twinkies, pizza, jumbo baked potatoes, turkey drumsticks, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, bloomin’ onions, roasted ears of corn, funnel cakes, pretzels, gyros, nachos, tacos, caramel apple chips, dippin’ dots, and of course, “Wisconsin fried cheese curds.”
Sunday morning I ended up wandering into the media tent where I gathered my breakfast of a cup of hot chocolate, a breakfast burrito, a donut and a Crown and Sierra Mist. Unfortunately, I must report that the only Coke product that I’ve seen in the entire park is the clock on the wall inside the Freelance West Video trailer.
Food isn’t the only thing for sale at the balloon fiesta. I suspect (and hope) that they have assembled what must be the single largest marketplace for balloon related merchandise on this side of the sun. If you want balloon-themed hats, pins, posters, videos, sunglasses, wind chimes, sun catchers, wood roses, books, photos, calendars, post cards, ceramics, scrapbook kits, candles, Russian nesting dolls, or even quilts, come on down to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! Heck, they even have strolling disposable Kodak camera vendors that also carry extra smart media cards and batteries for the digital crowd.
Color me cautious, but balloons and pins seems a most curious combo!
I’m not sure if I am going to be able to get any decent photographs of balloons launching or setting up for the evening glows since I am scheduled to shoot video during pretty much every event. Besides, there are TONS of those types of photos available online- just a Google away.
I find it interesting when I return to the balloon park in the late afternoon for an evening event and discover that the balloon field has been taken over by a throng of amateur kite enthusiasts. They don’t seem to mind the wind that threatens each and every hot air and gas balloon event.
I directed my first video production Saturday night. It was a two-hour concert by “Get Back,” a Beetles tribute band that included the original cast of “Beatlemania.” I basically sat inside a large video/audio truck and called for various shots from the camera operators, then punched them up on the giant video screen- every so often mixing in a kool special effect. It was very fun. I will also be directing during the Marty Stuart concert Thursday afternoon, and a few of the balloon events.
Although only two of the scheduled nine days of the event have passed, I already have a few observations to make. First, if you are planning on attending the event in the future, I highly recommend that you figure out a way to be paid for your time spent there. Otherwise, I’m not convinced that it is worth the effort and cost.
As for the effort, I’m talking about the traffic and wading through the seemingly endless sea of humanity. Imagine fighting through heavy traffic to get to a shopping mall on Krismas Eve, then having to choose from relatively tacky “fair-quality” goods for those on your shopping list. That isn’t to say that some of the merchandise isn’t downright expensive.
As for the expense, admission to the balloon park is $6.00 per day or event, and parking is $10.00 per car. As an alternative, fiesta goers have the option of taking advantage of the city’s park and ride program. However, at $10.50 per person, that route really only pays off if you are a family of two or less. Plus, given the lines of people I’ve seen waiting to get a ride back to their cars, you might as well just find a soothing station on your car stereo and settle in for the slow ride into the park in your own vehicle.
I arrive at around 4:00 am each morning to set up my camera and discuss with the other camera operators how we are going to shoot the event, or wait through the rain to see whether or not the morning’s launch is going to be cancelled (as was the case Sunday). I have a good hour after set-up before anything is going to happen, which leaves me free to wander about in search of food. The choices are as varied as one would expect to find at the state fair… pancakes on a stick, breakfast burritos, deep fried Twinkies, pizza, jumbo baked potatoes, turkey drumsticks, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, bloomin’ onions, roasted ears of corn, funnel cakes, pretzels, gyros, nachos, tacos, caramel apple chips, dippin’ dots, and of course, “Wisconsin fried cheese curds.”
Sunday morning I ended up wandering into the media tent where I gathered my breakfast of a cup of hot chocolate, a breakfast burrito, a donut and a Crown and Sierra Mist. Unfortunately, I must report that the only Coke product that I’ve seen in the entire park is the clock on the wall inside the Freelance West Video trailer.
Food isn’t the only thing for sale at the balloon fiesta. I suspect (and hope) that they have assembled what must be the single largest marketplace for balloon related merchandise on this side of the sun. If you want balloon-themed hats, pins, posters, videos, sunglasses, wind chimes, sun catchers, wood roses, books, photos, calendars, post cards, ceramics, scrapbook kits, candles, Russian nesting dolls, or even quilts, come on down to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! Heck, they even have strolling disposable Kodak camera vendors that also carry extra smart media cards and batteries for the digital crowd.
Color me cautious, but balloons and pins seems a most curious combo!
I’m not sure if I am going to be able to get any decent photographs of balloons launching or setting up for the evening glows since I am scheduled to shoot video during pretty much every event. Besides, there are TONS of those types of photos available online- just a Google away.
I find it interesting when I return to the balloon park in the late afternoon for an evening event and discover that the balloon field has been taken over by a throng of amateur kite enthusiasts. They don’t seem to mind the wind that threatens each and every hot air and gas balloon event.
I directed my first video production Saturday night. It was a two-hour concert by “Get Back,” a Beetles tribute band that included the original cast of “Beatlemania.” I basically sat inside a large video/audio truck and called for various shots from the camera operators, then punched them up on the giant video screen- every so often mixing in a kool special effect. It was very fun. I will also be directing during the Marty Stuart concert Thursday afternoon, and a few of the balloon events.
Friday, October 06, 2006
screwed
The working title for this post was "Lessons Learned," but I decided that this one was, well... sexier.
Having already cut my cementboard and laid it out in the room to make sure it would fit properly, I set out last night to install the 1/4-inch-thick panels one at a time. First I mixed up a supply of thin-set, re-explained the ground rules to both cats, popped a beer, cranked some Supertramp, and began applying the mortar to the floor. After carefully setting the first panel, I climbed on top to begin driving my Superiorbilt 1-1/4" backerboard screws. I initially set a screw by tapping the tip into the cementboard with a hammer, then driving it home with my 18-volt Black & Decker Firestorm drill/driver. Just as the flat screw head approached the surface of the cementboard... SNAP!... busted the tip off my driver bit. Not good!
Luckily, I had more bits that came with my RYBOI drill. Unfortunately, they didn't fare a heck of a lot better. I ended up breaking each of the eight driver bits I had, yet had failed to drive all the screws I needed to secure even the first panel. Of course by that time it was too late to make a run to Lowe's (but only because they still haven't issued me my own key). Unable to continue with that particular task, I took the remaining mortar outside and applied it to the surface of the adobe blocks that form one of my raised garden beds. Not exactly what it was made for, but at least it wasn't a complete waste, as it will help deter erosion.
Made a quick hardware run today and picked up the following: a six-pack of DeWalt double headed #2 bits, a six-pack of 1-inch Bosch titanium #2 screwdriving bits and a three-pack of 2-inch Bosch titanium #2 screwdriving bits that fit into the keyless chuck portion of my driver. I figured that if I couldn’t get the job done with all these, that I would finish up using a sledgehammer (even though that would require yet another trip to Lowe’s). As it turned out, I was able to drive all remaining screws (150+) using a single Bosch titanium bit. Afterwards, that bit looked nearly as good as the other two that are still in the package.
Lesson learned: Don't attempt projects similar to mine with crappy tools or materials. It will only lead to frustration and extra trips to the hardware store.
Another example of the same lesson was this plastic three-sided taping knife I bought (featuring a 4-inch, 6-inch, and 10-inch blades) for the dry walling portion of the project. This hunk of junk wasn't worth the time I wasted patting myself on the back for the money I had saved by not purchasing the recommended metal taping knives. I picked those up the day after I broke the cheap plastic one, and they made the job much easier.
At any rate, I have now have the entire floor covered with backerboard, and the seams have been taped and mortared (although I hadn't gotten that done when I took these photos). I don't anticipate actually beginning to set the tile until after the balloon festival wraps up on the 15th. I also recently picked up a pair of hard shell kneepads to ensure that I don't aggravate an old Nerf football injury.
I utilized a Vaughan double-edged (medium rip cut / extra fine cross cut) Bear Saw to remove a half-inch from the bottom of the doorframe and door to accommodate the cementboard, tile and layers of thin-set.
In other news, I have ordered the new tub hardware and have begun looking into options for the threshold transition and baseboard molding. I will definitely not be installing vinyl floor/wall liner similar to the crap that I ripped out. Instead, I am leaning towards a Victorian-style wood trim along the floor, although straight and simple may win out in the spirit of making it as easy as possible to keep clean.
Having already cut my cementboard and laid it out in the room to make sure it would fit properly, I set out last night to install the 1/4-inch-thick panels one at a time. First I mixed up a supply of thin-set, re-explained the ground rules to both cats, popped a beer, cranked some Supertramp, and began applying the mortar to the floor. After carefully setting the first panel, I climbed on top to begin driving my Superiorbilt 1-1/4" backerboard screws. I initially set a screw by tapping the tip into the cementboard with a hammer, then driving it home with my 18-volt Black & Decker Firestorm drill/driver. Just as the flat screw head approached the surface of the cementboard... SNAP!... busted the tip off my driver bit. Not good!
Luckily, I had more bits that came with my RYBOI drill. Unfortunately, they didn't fare a heck of a lot better. I ended up breaking each of the eight driver bits I had, yet had failed to drive all the screws I needed to secure even the first panel. Of course by that time it was too late to make a run to Lowe's (but only because they still haven't issued me my own key). Unable to continue with that particular task, I took the remaining mortar outside and applied it to the surface of the adobe blocks that form one of my raised garden beds. Not exactly what it was made for, but at least it wasn't a complete waste, as it will help deter erosion.
Made a quick hardware run today and picked up the following: a six-pack of DeWalt double headed #2 bits, a six-pack of 1-inch Bosch titanium #2 screwdriving bits and a three-pack of 2-inch Bosch titanium #2 screwdriving bits that fit into the keyless chuck portion of my driver. I figured that if I couldn’t get the job done with all these, that I would finish up using a sledgehammer (even though that would require yet another trip to Lowe’s). As it turned out, I was able to drive all remaining screws (150+) using a single Bosch titanium bit. Afterwards, that bit looked nearly as good as the other two that are still in the package.
Lesson learned: Don't attempt projects similar to mine with crappy tools or materials. It will only lead to frustration and extra trips to the hardware store.
Another example of the same lesson was this plastic three-sided taping knife I bought (featuring a 4-inch, 6-inch, and 10-inch blades) for the dry walling portion of the project. This hunk of junk wasn't worth the time I wasted patting myself on the back for the money I had saved by not purchasing the recommended metal taping knives. I picked those up the day after I broke the cheap plastic one, and they made the job much easier.
At any rate, I have now have the entire floor covered with backerboard, and the seams have been taped and mortared (although I hadn't gotten that done when I took these photos). I don't anticipate actually beginning to set the tile until after the balloon festival wraps up on the 15th. I also recently picked up a pair of hard shell kneepads to ensure that I don't aggravate an old Nerf football injury.
I utilized a Vaughan double-edged (medium rip cut / extra fine cross cut) Bear Saw to remove a half-inch from the bottom of the doorframe and door to accommodate the cementboard, tile and layers of thin-set.
In other news, I have ordered the new tub hardware and have begun looking into options for the threshold transition and baseboard molding. I will definitely not be installing vinyl floor/wall liner similar to the crap that I ripped out. Instead, I am leaning towards a Victorian-style wood trim along the floor, although straight and simple may win out in the spirit of making it as easy as possible to keep clean.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
nertzed
Just when I think I can’t put off tackling the floor much longer, new challenges and opportunities present themselves. Before I could layout the Hardibacker cement boards so I could make the cuts I would need for complete coverage, I thought I should remove the remaining bathtub plumbing fixtures (water supply lines and drain connection) to make measuring as simple and accurate as possible. Unable to get the drain to pop up through the floor resulted in another excursion into the crawlspace so I could unhook the drain where it connected with the pvc line.
A reader recently asked me if I have any help on this project. Well, I guess it all depends on your definition of help. If you consider the following photo as evidence of “help,” then yes, I have more than I need.
Actually, I am getting a bunch of help via emails and calls from readers who have tips or general encouragement to keep the work moving along.
Another potential issue is the copper pipe that serves as the cold water supply to the tub. After loosening the uppermost nut with my handy pipe wrench and removing the supply line, I noticed that the pipe appears to be busted. I mean, it isn’t an even edge at all, and I can’t imagine that that is how it is “supposed” to look. The hot water supply line on the other hand is quite smooth. (You can’t tell in the photo because I have it taped off to prevent debris from falling into the opening.) Man, I really don’t want to call in a plumber at this point, but I may end up having to do so.
At least I can now make my cuts in the cement board and get that installed. Oh, now I remember what else I wanted to mention. To lay tile near the door jamb, I assume the proper way to do it is to saw about a half-inch off the bottom of the jamb in order to lay the cement board and tile and thinset under it- rather than say, cutting tiles to fit around the bottom of the jamb. If I did that, I would be screwed in the future if I ever needed to remove the door. RIGHT?
A reader recently asked me if I have any help on this project. Well, I guess it all depends on your definition of help. If you consider the following photo as evidence of “help,” then yes, I have more than I need.
Actually, I am getting a bunch of help via emails and calls from readers who have tips or general encouragement to keep the work moving along.
Another potential issue is the copper pipe that serves as the cold water supply to the tub. After loosening the uppermost nut with my handy pipe wrench and removing the supply line, I noticed that the pipe appears to be busted. I mean, it isn’t an even edge at all, and I can’t imagine that that is how it is “supposed” to look. The hot water supply line on the other hand is quite smooth. (You can’t tell in the photo because I have it taped off to prevent debris from falling into the opening.) Man, I really don’t want to call in a plumber at this point, but I may end up having to do so.
At least I can now make my cuts in the cement board and get that installed. Oh, now I remember what else I wanted to mention. To lay tile near the door jamb, I assume the proper way to do it is to saw about a half-inch off the bottom of the jamb in order to lay the cement board and tile and thinset under it- rather than say, cutting tiles to fit around the bottom of the jamb. If I did that, I would be screwed in the future if I ever needed to remove the door. RIGHT?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
old is new once again
It is difficult to wrap my head around the notion that summer is gone and that the regular baseball season has ended. But I see the trees turning yellow and dropping their leaves, indicating it is time for us to bundle up and prepare for the singing of the plump lady.
Since the playoffs start today, I need to announce my post-season predictions. Bad news for Tigers and Padres fans… I’m picking your teams for the World Series- with Detroit winning in seven games.
I recently picked up a pack of the 2006 Topps “Allen & Ginter” baseball cards. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I opened it, other than I thought it was a neat idea to attempt to recreate some of the magic of the first real baseball cards that were available with tobacco products way back in 1887 (before many of you were born). These cards totally blew my mind!
Although there were only 10 baseball cards included in the 1887 set that also included six other sports, Topps has issued a set of 350 cards (318 ballplayers including reprints of the original 10 cards, 7 non-sport superstars and 25 historical figures including the likes of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne). In addition to the normal “base set,” Topps has also produced a variety of parallel sets including mini cards that mimic of the original cards that measured only 2.75 by 1.5 inches (pictured below).
Not only is the artwork inspiring, but the white backgrounds and non-glossy finishes are ideal for autograph collectors. These gorgeous cards are perfect for baseball fans that have an appreciation for history. Topps hit this one completely out of the park! Although I’ve only opened the single pack, I can already tell that this set is going to compete with my all-time favorite… the 1975 Topps set. I think it would have been an interesting experiment if Topps had slipped a single cigarette into every pack similar to when they used to include “bubble gum.” Of course, maybe that’s one reason I don’t work for Topps.
Oh, so speaking of baseball and history, I was recently honored by being named an associate producer of research for a documentary about the history of baseball in Albuquerque. The production is scheduled for airing on PBS in the summer of 2007-ideally the week of the minor league all-star game that is being held at Isotopes Park. Needless to say, I’m stoked to get to the library and history museum to make the dust fly while working on my contribution. I’m sure to be writing more about that as it happens.
Similarly, I just received confirmation that a number of my still photographs of Isotopes utility infielder Tony Schrager will appear in an independent documentary about minor league baseball. According to Tony Okun, the film’s producer/director, the target date for completion of that project is September 2008. I urge you to bookmark oh! show productions’ website and monitor it for news about the movie.
I won’t include any of those photos here, so you’ll have to watch the movie to see them. However, I can’t help including this photo I snapped of Tony signing autographs for little leaguers prior to an Isotopes game back in August. You can’t make out much of Schrager, but the expression on this kid’s face is fantastic!
Since the playoffs start today, I need to announce my post-season predictions. Bad news for Tigers and Padres fans… I’m picking your teams for the World Series- with Detroit winning in seven games.
I recently picked up a pack of the 2006 Topps “Allen & Ginter” baseball cards. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I opened it, other than I thought it was a neat idea to attempt to recreate some of the magic of the first real baseball cards that were available with tobacco products way back in 1887 (before many of you were born). These cards totally blew my mind!
Although there were only 10 baseball cards included in the 1887 set that also included six other sports, Topps has issued a set of 350 cards (318 ballplayers including reprints of the original 10 cards, 7 non-sport superstars and 25 historical figures including the likes of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne). In addition to the normal “base set,” Topps has also produced a variety of parallel sets including mini cards that mimic of the original cards that measured only 2.75 by 1.5 inches (pictured below).
Not only is the artwork inspiring, but the white backgrounds and non-glossy finishes are ideal for autograph collectors. These gorgeous cards are perfect for baseball fans that have an appreciation for history. Topps hit this one completely out of the park! Although I’ve only opened the single pack, I can already tell that this set is going to compete with my all-time favorite… the 1975 Topps set. I think it would have been an interesting experiment if Topps had slipped a single cigarette into every pack similar to when they used to include “bubble gum.” Of course, maybe that’s one reason I don’t work for Topps.
Oh, so speaking of baseball and history, I was recently honored by being named an associate producer of research for a documentary about the history of baseball in Albuquerque. The production is scheduled for airing on PBS in the summer of 2007-ideally the week of the minor league all-star game that is being held at Isotopes Park. Needless to say, I’m stoked to get to the library and history museum to make the dust fly while working on my contribution. I’m sure to be writing more about that as it happens.
Similarly, I just received confirmation that a number of my still photographs of Isotopes utility infielder Tony Schrager will appear in an independent documentary about minor league baseball. According to Tony Okun, the film’s producer/director, the target date for completion of that project is September 2008. I urge you to bookmark oh! show productions’ website and monitor it for news about the movie.
I won’t include any of those photos here, so you’ll have to watch the movie to see them. However, I can’t help including this photo I snapped of Tony signing autographs for little leaguers prior to an Isotopes game back in August. You can’t make out much of Schrager, but the expression on this kid’s face is fantastic!
Monday, October 02, 2006
renovation blues
After the primer dried, I applied two coats of “bistro white” American Tradition Signature paint to the ceiling. At the very least, the ceiling will be a millimeter closer to the floor in the event that I ever have to paint it again.
After the ceiling was good and dry, I taped off the margins and started on the walls. The color for the walls is “coventry blue.” Again, I went with the eggshell finish as it is supposed to help hide mistakes. I would say that the paint was very forgiving, and the screw-ups that it couldn’t cover can probably be hidden via some creative picture hanging.
For those of you concerned that both our living room and my office are also shades of blue, fear not- the plan is that they won’t remain anything close to blue (at some point in the future).
I also installed a new sconce on the wall above the invisible sink and vanity and hung a new chandelier. The trick to hanging a chandelier if you haven’t had the pleasure, is to dangle it nearby using a wire hanger while you connect the wires, disconnect them, reconnect them, then disconnect them and run the wires correctly and reconnect them… well, you get the idea. Using the hanger makes a two-person job into a single person task that allows one to curse as much as they please.
Comparing the new walls to the crappy weathered window resulted in the determination that I also needed to scrape, sand and repaint it as well. I’m definitely not interested in getting into the stripping of the window and this point, so it will remain one of the few painted windows in the original part of the house. I've got a good start on that. At least it will look nice when I'm done.
After the ceiling was good and dry, I taped off the margins and started on the walls. The color for the walls is “coventry blue.” Again, I went with the eggshell finish as it is supposed to help hide mistakes. I would say that the paint was very forgiving, and the screw-ups that it couldn’t cover can probably be hidden via some creative picture hanging.
For those of you concerned that both our living room and my office are also shades of blue, fear not- the plan is that they won’t remain anything close to blue (at some point in the future).
I also installed a new sconce on the wall above the invisible sink and vanity and hung a new chandelier. The trick to hanging a chandelier if you haven’t had the pleasure, is to dangle it nearby using a wire hanger while you connect the wires, disconnect them, reconnect them, then disconnect them and run the wires correctly and reconnect them… well, you get the idea. Using the hanger makes a two-person job into a single person task that allows one to curse as much as they please.
Comparing the new walls to the crappy weathered window resulted in the determination that I also needed to scrape, sand and repaint it as well. I’m definitely not interested in getting into the stripping of the window and this point, so it will remain one of the few painted windows in the original part of the house. I've got a good start on that. At least it will look nice when I'm done.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
in a white room with no curtains
Now that I have the walls covered with primer, the bathroom makes me think of the Cream song “White Room” – a smash single off their 1968 album Wheels of Fire. I’ve heard a ton of ideas what that song was “about,” ranging from drug use to the Vietnam Police Action. I prefer to believe Pete Brown’s explanation that it was simply about his new apartment.
Regardless of its origin, the tune is a shining example of a missed opportunity. Let me explain…
I recently compiled a mix cd for a buddy who is/was wrestling with the notion of pursuing his boyhood dream of becoming a train engineer. The theme of the cd was simply TRAINS. “White Room” would have blended nicely into one of several places on the cd, but as I explained to one of my college roommates (whom I sent a copy of the disc for editorial review) after he busted me for not including Rickie Lee Jones’ “Ghost Train,” there simply wasn’t enough room to include everything I wanted. Incidentally, I also failed to include “Night Train” or “Woody and Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking” – excellent Jones offerings from 1979 and 1981 respectively.
First, a word about the cover art, then I will include a list of the songs that made the cut. The main image is an iconic photo by O. Winston Link entitled “Hot Shot Eastbound.” In the original Link photo, the drive-in screen has a jet plane on it that serves as the exclamation point for an overall fun image. I replaced that portion of the image with a scene from the classic film Runaway Train to make it even more fun, if not completely obscure. If you’ve never seen Runaway Train, the film is capable of making you shiver on the hottest summer night, making it the perfect rental the next time your air conditioner (or evaporative cooler) isn’t doing the trick.
Okay, That’s Not My Harmonica includes the following:
Train Train – Blackfoot
Forever Changed – Lou Reed & John Cale
Mystery Train – Bob Welch
Orange Blossom Special – Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Driver 8 – REM
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry – Bob Dylan
Train in the Distance – Paul Simon
Waiting for a Train – Boz Scaggs
Peace Train – 10,000 Maniacs
King of the Road – Roger Miller
Midnight Flyer – The Eagles
Riding on a Railroad – James Taylor
Train of Love – Johnny Ca$h
Silverton Train – C.W. McCall
(Waiting for the) Ghost Train – Madness
Homeward Bound (live) – Paul Simon & George Harrison
Crazy Train (live) – Ozzy Osbourne
Electric Trains – Squeeze
Casey Jones – Warren Zevon & David Lindley
Foggy Mountain Breakdown - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Downtown Train – Tom Waits
Another Song About a Train – Terrapin Isle
Last Train to Clarksville – The Monkees
As far as I know, I am the first person to attempt a mix cd that contains both Boz Scaggs AND Earl Scruggs. I think it works.
Regardless of its origin, the tune is a shining example of a missed opportunity. Let me explain…
I recently compiled a mix cd for a buddy who is/was wrestling with the notion of pursuing his boyhood dream of becoming a train engineer. The theme of the cd was simply TRAINS. “White Room” would have blended nicely into one of several places on the cd, but as I explained to one of my college roommates (whom I sent a copy of the disc for editorial review) after he busted me for not including Rickie Lee Jones’ “Ghost Train,” there simply wasn’t enough room to include everything I wanted. Incidentally, I also failed to include “Night Train” or “Woody and Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking” – excellent Jones offerings from 1979 and 1981 respectively.
First, a word about the cover art, then I will include a list of the songs that made the cut. The main image is an iconic photo by O. Winston Link entitled “Hot Shot Eastbound.” In the original Link photo, the drive-in screen has a jet plane on it that serves as the exclamation point for an overall fun image. I replaced that portion of the image with a scene from the classic film Runaway Train to make it even more fun, if not completely obscure. If you’ve never seen Runaway Train, the film is capable of making you shiver on the hottest summer night, making it the perfect rental the next time your air conditioner (or evaporative cooler) isn’t doing the trick.
Okay, That’s Not My Harmonica includes the following:
Train Train – Blackfoot
Forever Changed – Lou Reed & John Cale
Mystery Train – Bob Welch
Orange Blossom Special – Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Driver 8 – REM
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry – Bob Dylan
Train in the Distance – Paul Simon
Waiting for a Train – Boz Scaggs
Peace Train – 10,000 Maniacs
King of the Road – Roger Miller
Midnight Flyer – The Eagles
Riding on a Railroad – James Taylor
Train of Love – Johnny Ca$h
Silverton Train – C.W. McCall
(Waiting for the) Ghost Train – Madness
Homeward Bound (live) – Paul Simon & George Harrison
Crazy Train (live) – Ozzy Osbourne
Electric Trains – Squeeze
Casey Jones – Warren Zevon & David Lindley
Foggy Mountain Breakdown - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Downtown Train – Tom Waits
Another Song About a Train – Terrapin Isle
Last Train to Clarksville – The Monkees
As far as I know, I am the first person to attempt a mix cd that contains both Boz Scaggs AND Earl Scruggs. I think it works.
Friday, September 29, 2006
joy in mudville
I finally finished applying joint compound to the drywall. I actually had completed the third coat the day before, but it had some severe cosmetic issues. I didn’t care for the way it looked at all, until I got busy with a sanding screen. Even though using the screen to knock down all the bumps and ridges made all the difference in the world, I also gave the walls a once over with a wet sponge. The sponge allowed me to really smooth out most areas. After stepping back and inspecting my work, I decided to go back and add more mud to the joints where my drywall met the existing wall at 8 feet above the floor. Although it added a full day to the project (mostly drying time), I decided it was the best approach. Otherwise, every time I sat on the throne in the future, I would have to look at the lousy job I had done.
A quick word to any reader who happens to write or edit “do it yourself” books or websites- the rest of you can skip down to the next paragraph. Please stop suggesting that using a wet sponge will prevent the creation of dust. Sure, it creates less dust than sandpaper or a sanding screen or a sand storm, and perhaps that dust is somewhat damp, but it still creates a mess that will have to be cleaned up pretty much immediately.
While waiting for the final sections of wet joint compound to dry so I could sand them, I decided to begin priming the ceiling. I used the remainder of the stain blocking primer I had left over from the bedroom painting as a first coat. I intend to use the same “new construction” primer that I apply to the drywall as a second coat for consistency. I’m not sure if I will have to add a third coat of primer to the ceiling since I am going from a mottled navy blue and smoker’s white to a plain, “bistro” white. I’m also going from a disgusting semi-gloss ceiling to an eggshell finish so I am prepared for some coverage issues.
Switching gears… tonight I killed the largest black widow I have ever seen. It was outside “hiding” under the faucet that controls the garden hose. I guess she was hunting for gardeners. Over all, I saw significantly fewer black widows this year (a couple dozen) than the previous year (when I was killing up to 15-20 per night). I attribute the lower density to the fact that the house and two garages next door hadn’t just been gutted, and also because I had filled in all the crevasses and voids in the adobe brick garden beds with wet adobe- thereby removing a vast majority of their potential habitat. On the other hand, perhaps they have simply improved their ability to remain undetected.
I’ve also been noticing a higher population of praying mantids. This time of year appears to be their mating season, and they tend to congregate near the floodlights on the side of the house and garage where they can eat moths as long as they want. So far, only one male mantid has ventured into the house- via the open bathroom window. When I asked if he had been reading my blog he quietly cocked his head to one side and stared at me as if I was crazy.
A quick word to any reader who happens to write or edit “do it yourself” books or websites- the rest of you can skip down to the next paragraph. Please stop suggesting that using a wet sponge will prevent the creation of dust. Sure, it creates less dust than sandpaper or a sanding screen or a sand storm, and perhaps that dust is somewhat damp, but it still creates a mess that will have to be cleaned up pretty much immediately.
While waiting for the final sections of wet joint compound to dry so I could sand them, I decided to begin priming the ceiling. I used the remainder of the stain blocking primer I had left over from the bedroom painting as a first coat. I intend to use the same “new construction” primer that I apply to the drywall as a second coat for consistency. I’m not sure if I will have to add a third coat of primer to the ceiling since I am going from a mottled navy blue and smoker’s white to a plain, “bistro” white. I’m also going from a disgusting semi-gloss ceiling to an eggshell finish so I am prepared for some coverage issues.
Switching gears… tonight I killed the largest black widow I have ever seen. It was outside “hiding” under the faucet that controls the garden hose. I guess she was hunting for gardeners. Over all, I saw significantly fewer black widows this year (a couple dozen) than the previous year (when I was killing up to 15-20 per night). I attribute the lower density to the fact that the house and two garages next door hadn’t just been gutted, and also because I had filled in all the crevasses and voids in the adobe brick garden beds with wet adobe- thereby removing a vast majority of their potential habitat. On the other hand, perhaps they have simply improved their ability to remain undetected.
I’ve also been noticing a higher population of praying mantids. This time of year appears to be their mating season, and they tend to congregate near the floodlights on the side of the house and garage where they can eat moths as long as they want. So far, only one male mantid has ventured into the house- via the open bathroom window. When I asked if he had been reading my blog he quietly cocked his head to one side and stared at me as if I was crazy.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
down in the dumps
So I’m sitting here in my group W office chair waiting for the second coat of joint compound to dry. I figure I have time to compose a progress report before I apply the third (and hopefully final) coat.
Obviously I got all the drywall up. I used regular ½-inch panels across the majority of the room, but installed special water-resistant (not to be confused with “water-proof”) “aquablocker” board in the areas adjacent to the where the tub and sink will live.
I recently made a quick trip to Home Depot for one last sheet of drywall I required to finish up. I needed to have it cut in half, so I rounded up a likely candidate– i.e., the nearest “orange vest” who had a utility knife dangling from his belt. Let me tell you, this clown seemed determined on putting the “Ass” back in Associate.
“We don’t cut drywall,” he proclaimed while standing on a low mound of drywall remnants.
“You don’t cut drywall?” I replied, “Okay, I’ll go to Lowe’s.”
And with those magic words, the kid sprung into action and scored the drywall panel so we could snap it more or less in half. I’m not sure if he was just a slacker, or if it is Home Depot’s policy to try to get customers to buy utility knives that they don’t really need. Nevertheless, I keep saying that I won’t go back there, yet I do because they are about 2.3 miles closer than Lowe’s.
Over the weekend, I hauled a truckload of bathroom debris to the local solid waste plant. That is a very interesting place, but I wouldn’t want to work there. The dump has large signs posted at the entry indicating that they don’t accept construction materials, but I don’t think my old drywall and tiles counted given that they technically were destruction materials. It is really fun to back the truck up to the edge of this concrete pit and toss things into a heap while a backhoe operator waits to shove it into different piles. I also took advantage of the opportunity to unload a number of large cardboard boxes that I had filled with nasty weeds from the garden and alley. To be sure, utilization of the dump is a bargain at only $3.60 per load.
As for the renovation, lighting has been selected and purchased. I have examined both the ceiling light and wall sconce, and am about 97 percent certain they will work fine.
I’ve also been refurbishing an old wooden medicine cabinet, converting it into a simple shelf unit that will be set into the north wall of the room. I believe I have a photo that illustrates where that will go.
If progress continues without setbacks, I should have the walls sanded and primed by the end of the Major League Baseball regular season.
Obviously I got all the drywall up. I used regular ½-inch panels across the majority of the room, but installed special water-resistant (not to be confused with “water-proof”) “aquablocker” board in the areas adjacent to the where the tub and sink will live.
I recently made a quick trip to Home Depot for one last sheet of drywall I required to finish up. I needed to have it cut in half, so I rounded up a likely candidate– i.e., the nearest “orange vest” who had a utility knife dangling from his belt. Let me tell you, this clown seemed determined on putting the “Ass” back in Associate.
“We don’t cut drywall,” he proclaimed while standing on a low mound of drywall remnants.
“You don’t cut drywall?” I replied, “Okay, I’ll go to Lowe’s.”
And with those magic words, the kid sprung into action and scored the drywall panel so we could snap it more or less in half. I’m not sure if he was just a slacker, or if it is Home Depot’s policy to try to get customers to buy utility knives that they don’t really need. Nevertheless, I keep saying that I won’t go back there, yet I do because they are about 2.3 miles closer than Lowe’s.
Over the weekend, I hauled a truckload of bathroom debris to the local solid waste plant. That is a very interesting place, but I wouldn’t want to work there. The dump has large signs posted at the entry indicating that they don’t accept construction materials, but I don’t think my old drywall and tiles counted given that they technically were destruction materials. It is really fun to back the truck up to the edge of this concrete pit and toss things into a heap while a backhoe operator waits to shove it into different piles. I also took advantage of the opportunity to unload a number of large cardboard boxes that I had filled with nasty weeds from the garden and alley. To be sure, utilization of the dump is a bargain at only $3.60 per load.
As for the renovation, lighting has been selected and purchased. I have examined both the ceiling light and wall sconce, and am about 97 percent certain they will work fine.
I’ve also been refurbishing an old wooden medicine cabinet, converting it into a simple shelf unit that will be set into the north wall of the room. I believe I have a photo that illustrates where that will go.
If progress continues without setbacks, I should have the walls sanded and primed by the end of the Major League Baseball regular season.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
news from the front
Day um… aw heck, I’ve lost track already. At any rate, I don’t think I’m going to set any records for my bathroom renovation project. I have about half of the drywall up now, and have roughed in some support for a shelf that I will be installing into the north wall.
My befuddlement as to why the porch light stops working when I flip the circuit breaker that controls the majority of the bathroom had me once again rooting around in the crawlspace under the western portion of the house. I imagine the web of cables would make sense to the spider that ran them, or perhaps even to a professional electrician- but not so much to me.
I found another interesting artifact in the dirt worth mentioning. It is nearly a page and a half of the Albuquerque Tribune dated September 22, 1944 (that makes it 62 years old tomorrow). It is pretty kool- especially the funny ads for everyday items. It contains part of an article about allied troops taking an important bridge, an obituary for a local boy killed in action in France, a 50th wedding anniversary announcement, and part of the Major League Baseball standings (which I found particularly interesting).
The paper fragment contains all kinds of intriguing information, but I decided that I would have to save it to read at a later date, as I needed to get back to work on the bathroom. I did replace the regular old outlet with a brand new GFCI receptacle in order to check off the first item from the electrical “to do” list.
Then I took a deep breath and pulled out the double light switches on the north wall that control the ceiling light, sconce light, fan and wall heater. What a tangled mess! It didn’t look like what I was expecting, so I took some time and consulted my reference books and a few electrical websites. Half a bag of candy corn later I had formulated my plan of attack.
Everything went well, and I actually had one piece of wire left over. Great Bill Schmidt’s ghost! Someone had taken a strip of bare copper wire and run it between both live terminals on one of the switches. After I figured out that they had done so in order to use it in the manner of a brand new switch that hadn’t had that little copper plate broken off, I felt relieved. Surely that isn’t the best way to have done it.
On a roll, I ripped out the old rough in can for the crap wall heater and had the replacement one installed, wired and operating in just over two hours. Not bad at all!
Now I have more drywall to hang, and it is time to select the lighting.
My befuddlement as to why the porch light stops working when I flip the circuit breaker that controls the majority of the bathroom had me once again rooting around in the crawlspace under the western portion of the house. I imagine the web of cables would make sense to the spider that ran them, or perhaps even to a professional electrician- but not so much to me.
I found another interesting artifact in the dirt worth mentioning. It is nearly a page and a half of the Albuquerque Tribune dated September 22, 1944 (that makes it 62 years old tomorrow). It is pretty kool- especially the funny ads for everyday items. It contains part of an article about allied troops taking an important bridge, an obituary for a local boy killed in action in France, a 50th wedding anniversary announcement, and part of the Major League Baseball standings (which I found particularly interesting).
The paper fragment contains all kinds of intriguing information, but I decided that I would have to save it to read at a later date, as I needed to get back to work on the bathroom. I did replace the regular old outlet with a brand new GFCI receptacle in order to check off the first item from the electrical “to do” list.
Then I took a deep breath and pulled out the double light switches on the north wall that control the ceiling light, sconce light, fan and wall heater. What a tangled mess! It didn’t look like what I was expecting, so I took some time and consulted my reference books and a few electrical websites. Half a bag of candy corn later I had formulated my plan of attack.
Everything went well, and I actually had one piece of wire left over. Great Bill Schmidt’s ghost! Someone had taken a strip of bare copper wire and run it between both live terminals on one of the switches. After I figured out that they had done so in order to use it in the manner of a brand new switch that hadn’t had that little copper plate broken off, I felt relieved. Surely that isn’t the best way to have done it.
On a roll, I ripped out the old rough in can for the crap wall heater and had the replacement one installed, wired and operating in just over two hours. Not bad at all!
Now I have more drywall to hang, and it is time to select the lighting.
Monday, September 18, 2006
electric SHOCK
No, this entry isn’t about the ongoing bathroom renovation, but rather the Lou Reed concert in Santa Fe on September 16th. The intimate, open-air John Crosby Theater at the Santa Fe Opera is a fantastic venue. A Lou Reed show can be a life-altering experience. You better believe it man, its true!
Several years ago, I made the mistake of listening to Lou’s "Magic & Loss" album while driving to my grandmother’s funeral. What seemed like a good idea at the time, actually backfired and resulted in me finding that cd practically unplayable. Hoping to change the personal attachment I have to the album, I decided to give it another try while driving from Albuquerque to the concert. Perhaps one of the best features of the Santa Fe Opera is that you are able to get to it via NM Route 599, the Santa Fe Relief Route, so you don’t have to deal with the tourist trap of a city itself.
Arriving at the theater some 40-45 minutes prior to the gates opening afforded the opportunity to listen to the sound check. Lou’s band started the tune What’s Good (interestingly, from the aforementioned “Magic & Loss” album) at least a dozen times as technicians worked on getting the sound just right. The sound check continued after the gates opened, and after obtaining a glass of wine, we wondered around the plaza area until discovering a small area where we could stand and see the stage simply by blocking the setting sun from our eyes with our hands.
While Lou recited some poetry between sips of Diet Coke, the band continued working on the beginning of What’s Good. Just prior to the band leaving the stage, Lou spoke into the microphone “How’s that sound Frank? Not too lifeless?” Soon after that, people were allowed access to their seats in the theater. We continued walking about on the plaza and looking at people. The majority of people wore black, and plenty of it. Still there was enough turquoise to remind you that you were no longer in the real world, and enough cowboy hats to suggest that you were either in the southwest, or at an extras casting call for a remake of Midnight Cowboy.
Once it was dark outside, the house lights were dimmed and the stage lights brightened. There would be no messing around with an opening act of any type. A roar from the crowd greeted Lou as he walked onto the stage with his band mates. Lou wore faded blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a light grey Unabomber-style hooded sweatshirt. He also was sporting a necklace with a red chile pepper pendant. (Um, did I mention that we were in the ninth row? And by the way, 50 bonus points to anyone who can explain why the opera doesn’t have a row “i.”)
Mike Rathke joined Lou on guitar. An energetic Fernando Saunders played bass and Rob Wasserman was on hand to play upright bass. Encased in a Plexiglas shell not unlike to the Popemobile, drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith served as the group’s beating heart, forcing the haunting sounds created by the four guitars to course through the veins of everyone in attendance. The combination helped prepare our brains to receive Reed’s lyrics which were dispensed as if by a pharmacist who suspects the recipients are being overmedicated, but also realizes that there is a 95 percent chance that they will survive the experience.
They opened with Dorita, the ghostly instrumental that is the first track on "Magic & Loss," transitioning seamlessly into What’s Good. Both were amazing! I guess I could say that about every song, so let’s just agree that you will assume that as you continue reading.
Lou’s delivery of my favorite line from the next song, The Proposition, “you won't see my parents honored on any stamp,” alone was worth the price of admission. As the band changed instruments following the third tune, Lou took a moment to chat with the audience. He said, “People ask me, “Have you ever played in an opera house before?” … Yeah, I’ve played in lots of bars. … (pause) … It’s good, but it’s not meant for electric.” They then proceeded to crack the adobe with an earth-shattering rendition of Egg Cream.
The lighting was minimal at best. The contrast between Lou’s metallic blue guitar and the red light that bathed the band during Ecstasy was sublime. It was incredible to watch how Lou directed the band and how well they responded. Fernando Saunders performed as if Ecstasy might very well be the last song he ever played.
Of course it wasn’t. Saunders was right there as the band shifted gears and turned onto the Dirty Boulevard. Leave it to Lou to make you feel great by forcing you to realize how lucky you are to not be a subject of one of his songs. Reed is forever tinkering with his tunes until he gets them just right. In this case, he delivered this modified portion of the third verse while shaking his head.
“You can believe it man its true
Somewhere a president’s laughing till he wets his pants
But this song is from 1989
And look at us today”
Not wanting to wet my own pants, I made a dash for the restroom instead of applauding at the end of Dirty Boulevard. I actually made it to an open urinal before I heard the muffled first notes of Waiting for My Man. While I relieved myself of a bladder full of grape juice, I realized that the restroom air-freshener was pot scented. As I washed my hands I observed that there were so many black leather jackets about that one could easily mistake the gathering for a Sweat Hogs reunion. I made it back to my seat well before Lou took the audience up three flights of stairs of a Brownstone for a taste.
Next, we were subjected to Lou’s interpretation of The Raven that I suspect would manage to scare the Poe out of old Edgar Allan himself. I regret that I am unable to string the right words together to describe the pure energy that cascaded over the edge of the stage and washed through the audience during that number. It made me realize that critics of Reed’s double album that includes The Raven are missing out on some of his best work by shunning the effort. Too bad for them!
Reed switched over to a candy apple red guitar for Coney Island Baby. The decision to play that song next was genius. It begins so mellow and builds to a point where you think something on stage is going to explode. It was near the end of Coney Island Baby when Lou had his first true one-on-one jam session with Rathke. Oh man, let me tell you this… Mike Rathke was playing his nuts off. It was so insane that I saw Lou smile. I swear!
I think it was a common feeling among the audience that each member of the band truly seemed to be excited to be performing with Reed. I don’t even think they were all that concerned about the audience. During several points in the evening, Lou would sort of well… get all caught up in the moment and begin screaming into the microphone. The veins in his neck appeared to be on the verge of bursting. Rathke, Saunders and Smith would exchange looks and laugh with each other, having more fun than the Harlem Globetrotters while running up the score against the hapless Washington Generals. Although considerably less animated, Wasserman also appeared to be having a great time.
After the standing ovation that followed Coney Island Baby, Lou returned to the microphone and said, “Thank you. We have to slow down now… Maybe for a month.” After another round of applause, he added, “But we won’t. Because we came here to play for YOU.” God I love Lou! Even though he said it in that classic tone that indicates that he knows that you know he is bullshitting you, you still want to believe that it is true. The joke is on everyone.
Next they performed Guardian Angel, another tune from "The Raven." It was great, but I had been hoping they would play Riptide, which they had performed in concert in New York 4 nights before.
Dreamin’ was next. Another selection from "Magic & Loss" that Lou dedicated to his friend Rita and his other friend Doc in which he mocks death by stating, “you were no saint, but you deserved better than that.” Seeing him perform such an amazingly personal and sad song definitely made me appreciate that album again to the point that it will be returned to the rotation.
The final song of the set was the ever-rockin’ Set the Twilight Reeling. This performance would get the audience up on their feet and dancing, and prevented them from sitting back down through the double encore that included Sweet Jane and Perfect Day. After playing for over two hours, Lou seemed nearly exhausted as he waved and exited the stage. Maybe that’s the price one pays when they invade.
Several years ago, I made the mistake of listening to Lou’s "Magic & Loss" album while driving to my grandmother’s funeral. What seemed like a good idea at the time, actually backfired and resulted in me finding that cd practically unplayable. Hoping to change the personal attachment I have to the album, I decided to give it another try while driving from Albuquerque to the concert. Perhaps one of the best features of the Santa Fe Opera is that you are able to get to it via NM Route 599, the Santa Fe Relief Route, so you don’t have to deal with the tourist trap of a city itself.
Arriving at the theater some 40-45 minutes prior to the gates opening afforded the opportunity to listen to the sound check. Lou’s band started the tune What’s Good (interestingly, from the aforementioned “Magic & Loss” album) at least a dozen times as technicians worked on getting the sound just right. The sound check continued after the gates opened, and after obtaining a glass of wine, we wondered around the plaza area until discovering a small area where we could stand and see the stage simply by blocking the setting sun from our eyes with our hands.
While Lou recited some poetry between sips of Diet Coke, the band continued working on the beginning of What’s Good. Just prior to the band leaving the stage, Lou spoke into the microphone “How’s that sound Frank? Not too lifeless?” Soon after that, people were allowed access to their seats in the theater. We continued walking about on the plaza and looking at people. The majority of people wore black, and plenty of it. Still there was enough turquoise to remind you that you were no longer in the real world, and enough cowboy hats to suggest that you were either in the southwest, or at an extras casting call for a remake of Midnight Cowboy.
Once it was dark outside, the house lights were dimmed and the stage lights brightened. There would be no messing around with an opening act of any type. A roar from the crowd greeted Lou as he walked onto the stage with his band mates. Lou wore faded blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a light grey Unabomber-style hooded sweatshirt. He also was sporting a necklace with a red chile pepper pendant. (Um, did I mention that we were in the ninth row? And by the way, 50 bonus points to anyone who can explain why the opera doesn’t have a row “i.”)
Mike Rathke joined Lou on guitar. An energetic Fernando Saunders played bass and Rob Wasserman was on hand to play upright bass. Encased in a Plexiglas shell not unlike to the Popemobile, drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith served as the group’s beating heart, forcing the haunting sounds created by the four guitars to course through the veins of everyone in attendance. The combination helped prepare our brains to receive Reed’s lyrics which were dispensed as if by a pharmacist who suspects the recipients are being overmedicated, but also realizes that there is a 95 percent chance that they will survive the experience.
They opened with Dorita, the ghostly instrumental that is the first track on "Magic & Loss," transitioning seamlessly into What’s Good. Both were amazing! I guess I could say that about every song, so let’s just agree that you will assume that as you continue reading.
Lou’s delivery of my favorite line from the next song, The Proposition, “you won't see my parents honored on any stamp,” alone was worth the price of admission. As the band changed instruments following the third tune, Lou took a moment to chat with the audience. He said, “People ask me, “Have you ever played in an opera house before?” … Yeah, I’ve played in lots of bars. … (pause) … It’s good, but it’s not meant for electric.” They then proceeded to crack the adobe with an earth-shattering rendition of Egg Cream.
The lighting was minimal at best. The contrast between Lou’s metallic blue guitar and the red light that bathed the band during Ecstasy was sublime. It was incredible to watch how Lou directed the band and how well they responded. Fernando Saunders performed as if Ecstasy might very well be the last song he ever played.
Of course it wasn’t. Saunders was right there as the band shifted gears and turned onto the Dirty Boulevard. Leave it to Lou to make you feel great by forcing you to realize how lucky you are to not be a subject of one of his songs. Reed is forever tinkering with his tunes until he gets them just right. In this case, he delivered this modified portion of the third verse while shaking his head.
“You can believe it man its true
Somewhere a president’s laughing till he wets his pants
But this song is from 1989
And look at us today”
Not wanting to wet my own pants, I made a dash for the restroom instead of applauding at the end of Dirty Boulevard. I actually made it to an open urinal before I heard the muffled first notes of Waiting for My Man. While I relieved myself of a bladder full of grape juice, I realized that the restroom air-freshener was pot scented. As I washed my hands I observed that there were so many black leather jackets about that one could easily mistake the gathering for a Sweat Hogs reunion. I made it back to my seat well before Lou took the audience up three flights of stairs of a Brownstone for a taste.
Next, we were subjected to Lou’s interpretation of The Raven that I suspect would manage to scare the Poe out of old Edgar Allan himself. I regret that I am unable to string the right words together to describe the pure energy that cascaded over the edge of the stage and washed through the audience during that number. It made me realize that critics of Reed’s double album that includes The Raven are missing out on some of his best work by shunning the effort. Too bad for them!
Reed switched over to a candy apple red guitar for Coney Island Baby. The decision to play that song next was genius. It begins so mellow and builds to a point where you think something on stage is going to explode. It was near the end of Coney Island Baby when Lou had his first true one-on-one jam session with Rathke. Oh man, let me tell you this… Mike Rathke was playing his nuts off. It was so insane that I saw Lou smile. I swear!
I think it was a common feeling among the audience that each member of the band truly seemed to be excited to be performing with Reed. I don’t even think they were all that concerned about the audience. During several points in the evening, Lou would sort of well… get all caught up in the moment and begin screaming into the microphone. The veins in his neck appeared to be on the verge of bursting. Rathke, Saunders and Smith would exchange looks and laugh with each other, having more fun than the Harlem Globetrotters while running up the score against the hapless Washington Generals. Although considerably less animated, Wasserman also appeared to be having a great time.
After the standing ovation that followed Coney Island Baby, Lou returned to the microphone and said, “Thank you. We have to slow down now… Maybe for a month.” After another round of applause, he added, “But we won’t. Because we came here to play for YOU.” God I love Lou! Even though he said it in that classic tone that indicates that he knows that you know he is bullshitting you, you still want to believe that it is true. The joke is on everyone.
Next they performed Guardian Angel, another tune from "The Raven." It was great, but I had been hoping they would play Riptide, which they had performed in concert in New York 4 nights before.
Dreamin’ was next. Another selection from "Magic & Loss" that Lou dedicated to his friend Rita and his other friend Doc in which he mocks death by stating, “you were no saint, but you deserved better than that.” Seeing him perform such an amazingly personal and sad song definitely made me appreciate that album again to the point that it will be returned to the rotation.
The final song of the set was the ever-rockin’ Set the Twilight Reeling. This performance would get the audience up on their feet and dancing, and prevented them from sitting back down through the double encore that included Sweet Jane and Perfect Day. After playing for over two hours, Lou seemed nearly exhausted as he waved and exited the stage. Maybe that’s the price one pays when they invade.
Friday, September 15, 2006
electric avenue
Here are some snapshots of the electrical outlet I mentioned that needs replaced with a GFCI receptacle. Although the outlet is located in the bathroom, it appears to be an “end-of-the-run” receptacle for the circuit that powers the adjacent bedroom to the east.
Another oddity about the way the house is wired is that when I flip the breaker for the bathroom circuit, it also kills the power to my wife’s office (located in the 1920s addition).
I also read somewhere that you should never cover electrical boxes with walls in case they have to be accessed for one reason or another. That leaves me scratching my head trying to decide what I should do with the junction box I uncovered in the wall above the quad electrical switch next to the door on the north wall.
Moving clockwise from the upper left, these switches control the ceiling light, bathroom fan, wall heater and wall sconce respectively.
I guess my options are to either move it up to the wall and cover it with a solid plate cover, or just bury it behind drywall again.
Another oddity about the way the house is wired is that when I flip the breaker for the bathroom circuit, it also kills the power to my wife’s office (located in the 1920s addition).
I also read somewhere that you should never cover electrical boxes with walls in case they have to be accessed for one reason or another. That leaves me scratching my head trying to decide what I should do with the junction box I uncovered in the wall above the quad electrical switch next to the door on the north wall.
Moving clockwise from the upper left, these switches control the ceiling light, bathroom fan, wall heater and wall sconce respectively.
I guess my options are to either move it up to the wall and cover it with a solid plate cover, or just bury it behind drywall again.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
the empty room
day five?
Not much new to report, and I’m busy designing a website for a client, so this entry is going to be short.
I got the claw foot tub out of the room today. It is currently located in the far reaches of the living room hidden under a sleeping bag. Kancun is utilizing the cover as a fort to rest up and launch surprise attacks on the unsuspecting shop.vac.
Now that the bathroom is finally empty, I was able to determine that the floor is indeed level. Sheets of ¼ inch Hardibacker cement backerboard have been purchased, although they won’t be installed until after I’ve completed the work on the walls.
While cleaning up the old electric space heater that was built into the lower portion of the west wall, I decided that it was junk, and probably not worth reinstalling. Will now look into alternatives for that while selecting lighting.
I also discovered that the single electrical outlet in the room was only “attached” to drywall. Since it is located next to the sink, I think it really should be replaced with one of those fancy GFCI dealies. I am fearful of messing with electricity, but I might as well start figuring it out now. I suppose I will also want to replace the light switches so they match the other changes.
Okay, I really need to get back to work on the website since the client wishes to launch it within the next couple of weeks.
Not much new to report, and I’m busy designing a website for a client, so this entry is going to be short.
I got the claw foot tub out of the room today. It is currently located in the far reaches of the living room hidden under a sleeping bag. Kancun is utilizing the cover as a fort to rest up and launch surprise attacks on the unsuspecting shop.vac.
Now that the bathroom is finally empty, I was able to determine that the floor is indeed level. Sheets of ¼ inch Hardibacker cement backerboard have been purchased, although they won’t be installed until after I’ve completed the work on the walls.
While cleaning up the old electric space heater that was built into the lower portion of the west wall, I decided that it was junk, and probably not worth reinstalling. Will now look into alternatives for that while selecting lighting.
I also discovered that the single electrical outlet in the room was only “attached” to drywall. Since it is located next to the sink, I think it really should be replaced with one of those fancy GFCI dealies. I am fearful of messing with electricity, but I might as well start figuring it out now. I suppose I will also want to replace the light switches so they match the other changes.
Okay, I really need to get back to work on the website since the client wishes to launch it within the next couple of weeks.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
the unbathroom
Since some of you crazies have been emailing for specifics about the flooring, here are a few detail photos.
The present “subfloor” is the original 1906 hardwood flooring. The house didn’t have true subflooring (nor did the house next door which was nearly identical in construction). There appears to be two layers of plywood/particle board over that. The lowest layer measures about ½” thick, and the upper layer is about 3/8” thick. Stuck to that is the sheet linoleum that gives the cats nightmares.
It is interesting how many different opinions have surfaced on how I should approach tiling the floor. They range from ripping it all up and starting from scratch, to tiling directly over it, and include various middle ground suggestions of securing backer board over the linoleum and going from there to leaving it as is and trying to enjoy the linoleum. Some have even suggested that this whole concept of blogging about my home improvement project is boring.
I did encounter an interesting surprise while removing the remainder of the drywall. Sorry, no mint condition historic circus posters to sell on eBay, but rather these two empty Like cola soda cans.
A little research on the internet suggests that Like cola was the diet version of 7Up, that appeared on the market in 1963. Although one would suspect it was no longer being manufactured once Sugar-Free 7Up began being distributed in 1970, these cans exhibit “stay-tabs” on the top, which weren’t introduced until 1975. Thus these relics appear to date back to the “Uncola” period of pre-9/11 Americana.
I suspect Michael Rock left the cans in the wall… perhaps as offerings to appease the wandering, thirtsy ghost of Isaac the Butcher. As I understand it, Rock was a sort of architectural historian who helped document the surrounding neighborhood in order to earn its well-deserved listing in the National Register of Historic Properties. According to archival records, Michael and his wife Dora purchased the property in 1975.
Photo of Michael Rock taken on the front stoop in January of 1980.
This photo illustrates the location of the missing door that used to connect the bathroom to the bedroom that now serves as my office.
The present “subfloor” is the original 1906 hardwood flooring. The house didn’t have true subflooring (nor did the house next door which was nearly identical in construction). There appears to be two layers of plywood/particle board over that. The lowest layer measures about ½” thick, and the upper layer is about 3/8” thick. Stuck to that is the sheet linoleum that gives the cats nightmares.
It is interesting how many different opinions have surfaced on how I should approach tiling the floor. They range from ripping it all up and starting from scratch, to tiling directly over it, and include various middle ground suggestions of securing backer board over the linoleum and going from there to leaving it as is and trying to enjoy the linoleum. Some have even suggested that this whole concept of blogging about my home improvement project is boring.
I did encounter an interesting surprise while removing the remainder of the drywall. Sorry, no mint condition historic circus posters to sell on eBay, but rather these two empty Like cola soda cans.
A little research on the internet suggests that Like cola was the diet version of 7Up, that appeared on the market in 1963. Although one would suspect it was no longer being manufactured once Sugar-Free 7Up began being distributed in 1970, these cans exhibit “stay-tabs” on the top, which weren’t introduced until 1975. Thus these relics appear to date back to the “Uncola” period of pre-9/11 Americana.
I suspect Michael Rock left the cans in the wall… perhaps as offerings to appease the wandering, thirtsy ghost of Isaac the Butcher. As I understand it, Rock was a sort of architectural historian who helped document the surrounding neighborhood in order to earn its well-deserved listing in the National Register of Historic Properties. According to archival records, Michael and his wife Dora purchased the property in 1975.
Photo of Michael Rock taken on the front stoop in January of 1980.
This photo illustrates the location of the missing door that used to connect the bathroom to the bedroom that now serves as my office.
Monday, September 11, 2006
another lathe in the wall
Amazing what you can do with a pipe wrench! The tub is finally unhooked and the tacky brass hardware has been removed and tossed into the yard. Funny how much larger the 6’ by 9’ room seems now even with the tub still in it. It is the only fixture still left in the bathroom. Now I have to figure out the best method of moving it to a good location for cleaning and painting.
After a considerable amount of effort, I was able to remove the remaining tiles and backing board from the lower wall behind the baseboard heating unit. What royal pain that was with the cramped work space and lack of leverage, but I couldn’t see any way of taking it apart (short of cutting the copper pipe which I wanted no part of). In fact, I now have all the walls stripped to 5 feet above the floor. I have removed the trim from the inside of the door and window, but likely will have to remove a bit more trim as I am planning on taking the walls off all the way to 8 feet tomorrow.
The replacement sink, vanity and toilet have all been purchased and transported home. While I take a break from the work to snap some documentary photographs, my assistant studies the area where the new sink eventually will be installed.
Also have picked up ceramic tile for the floor and a bunch of tools. Since no museums seem interested in my proposed donation of the linoleum due to the possible hazardous nature of the material, the plan now is to lay the tile directly onto the existing surface. I plan on doing that after I get the walls in place and painted. The new color scheme has been chosen, but no paint has been purchased.
I just realized that I’m probably going to have to shave the bottom off the door trim and quite probably, the door itself. So I’m either going to need a saw, or some very well trained termites. I suppose that as long as I'm creating a shopping list, I should also pick up a shop-vac.
I have yet to address any lighting issues. We better get back to work.
After a considerable amount of effort, I was able to remove the remaining tiles and backing board from the lower wall behind the baseboard heating unit. What royal pain that was with the cramped work space and lack of leverage, but I couldn’t see any way of taking it apart (short of cutting the copper pipe which I wanted no part of). In fact, I now have all the walls stripped to 5 feet above the floor. I have removed the trim from the inside of the door and window, but likely will have to remove a bit more trim as I am planning on taking the walls off all the way to 8 feet tomorrow.
The replacement sink, vanity and toilet have all been purchased and transported home. While I take a break from the work to snap some documentary photographs, my assistant studies the area where the new sink eventually will be installed.
Also have picked up ceramic tile for the floor and a bunch of tools. Since no museums seem interested in my proposed donation of the linoleum due to the possible hazardous nature of the material, the plan now is to lay the tile directly onto the existing surface. I plan on doing that after I get the walls in place and painted. The new color scheme has been chosen, but no paint has been purchased.
I just realized that I’m probably going to have to shave the bottom off the door trim and quite probably, the door itself. So I’m either going to need a saw, or some very well trained termites. I suppose that as long as I'm creating a shopping list, I should also pick up a shop-vac.
I have yet to address any lighting issues. We better get back to work.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
day two… what have I gotten myself into?
First surprise- the tiles didn’t pop neatly off the walls like I had hoped. Will have to remove the walls down to the studs and eventually hang new drywall. I wonder from the number of nails I’m finding as I remove the walls if the country didn’t experience a nail shortage in the early 80s when the plaster and lathe was removed from this portion of the house.
I’m planning on only removing the lowest 5 feet of wall, but can already see that I may have to change that approach and remove the lowest 8 feet to get a clean break between existing panels of drywall. Besides, I’m not sure how good I’m going to be at masking and plastering the gaps, so I may want any unseemly seams 8 feet high instead of near eye level.
I have turned off the water and located the circuit breaker to shut off power in the project room. Got the sink unhooked and the toilet removed completely. Can already tell that unhooking the claw foot bathtub is going to be a cast iron bastard. Another issue that I hadn’t thought about was the existing baseboard heat. The unit appears to have both dry wall and tile behind it, and I don’t see any obvious way to disassemble it. Maybe it will make more sense once I get the tub moved out of the way. Quite possibly it will make less.
I have removed all artwork from the project area with exception of a ceramic skeleton man who expressed an interest in being allowed to hang around as long as possible as the tunes are rather delightful. You may wonder what I consider a good choice of music to demolish walls to. I highly recommend the Cars.
Seriously! I recently reacquainted myself with their first album “The Cars” during a road trip to Arizona. I had forgotten just how good that record is from Good Times Roll right though to All Mixed Up- each song amazingly better than the one before. I dare you to listen to Moving in Stereo without thinking about the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. So after letting that run through several times, I switched over to another classic- “Candy-O.” Wow! I can’t even pick a favorite…. Let’s Go, It’s All I Can Do, Double Life, Candy-O, Lust for Kicks, Dangerous Type. They all rock! Even the Cars 1981 offering, “Shake it Up,” belongs in any jukebox or home cd collection.
I need a friggin’ pipe wrench and a larger trash container, and the State Fair has opened which means the ponies are running. (Note: I will bet on any horse named “Corn Dog.”)
I’m planning on only removing the lowest 5 feet of wall, but can already see that I may have to change that approach and remove the lowest 8 feet to get a clean break between existing panels of drywall. Besides, I’m not sure how good I’m going to be at masking and plastering the gaps, so I may want any unseemly seams 8 feet high instead of near eye level.
I have turned off the water and located the circuit breaker to shut off power in the project room. Got the sink unhooked and the toilet removed completely. Can already tell that unhooking the claw foot bathtub is going to be a cast iron bastard. Another issue that I hadn’t thought about was the existing baseboard heat. The unit appears to have both dry wall and tile behind it, and I don’t see any obvious way to disassemble it. Maybe it will make more sense once I get the tub moved out of the way. Quite possibly it will make less.
I have removed all artwork from the project area with exception of a ceramic skeleton man who expressed an interest in being allowed to hang around as long as possible as the tunes are rather delightful. You may wonder what I consider a good choice of music to demolish walls to. I highly recommend the Cars.
Seriously! I recently reacquainted myself with their first album “The Cars” during a road trip to Arizona. I had forgotten just how good that record is from Good Times Roll right though to All Mixed Up- each song amazingly better than the one before. I dare you to listen to Moving in Stereo without thinking about the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. So after letting that run through several times, I switched over to another classic- “Candy-O.” Wow! I can’t even pick a favorite…. Let’s Go, It’s All I Can Do, Double Life, Candy-O, Lust for Kicks, Dangerous Type. They all rock! Even the Cars 1981 offering, “Shake it Up,” belongs in any jukebox or home cd collection.
I need a friggin’ pipe wrench and a larger trash container, and the State Fair has opened which means the ponies are running. (Note: I will bet on any horse named “Corn Dog.”)
Friday, September 08, 2006
renovations
One of my chores now that baseball has ended (locally), is to remodel the bathroom in the original portion of our house. Not that it is in bad condition, but we just feel that it isn’t dated enough for a structure that was built in 1906.
The plan is to untile the walls, remove the linoleum from the floor and donate it to a museum, tile the floor, repaint the bathtub in keeping with the new color scheme, replace the “fixtures,” and deal with whatever surprises pop up.
And so it begins….
Day One – Got a good start on the project by taking all the “before” photographs. As illustrated in these photos, I’m going to have plenty of help on this project.
I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Or is that merely the reflection of my camera’s flash? Either way, it’s clearly time to grab a beer and plan the next phase.
The plan is to untile the walls, remove the linoleum from the floor and donate it to a museum, tile the floor, repaint the bathtub in keeping with the new color scheme, replace the “fixtures,” and deal with whatever surprises pop up.
And so it begins….
Day One – Got a good start on the project by taking all the “before” photographs. As illustrated in these photos, I’m going to have plenty of help on this project.
I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Or is that merely the reflection of my camera’s flash? Either way, it’s clearly time to grab a beer and plan the next phase.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
new sensations
When it rains in New Mexico, it pours. No, I’m not talking about the weather, but rather the concert scene.
Following directly on the heels of the previously blogged DEVO concert, I find in my hands a pair of tickets to see Lou Reed perform at the Santa Fe Opera on the 16th. While there are very few things that could convince me to make the drive to Santa Fe, one of them is definitely Lou.
Although I wouldn’t presume to guess what Lou might decide to perform that evening, I am intrigued by recent mumblings that insist he is going to be performing his Berlin album live for the very first time in New York this December. Perhaps we’ll be treated to a preview of that! You never know what you’ll get with Lou though… perhaps a reading of the graphic version of Paul Auster’s City of Glass.
If I were given an opportunity to request one song, it would be Crazy Feeling, my favorite tune on Coney Island Baby. I would be tempted to request Street Hassle, but suspect the majority of the audience would want to beat me up afterwards. Of course, a request for Lou to perform Skynard’s Freebird would also be very funny (to me).
At any rate, you can bet your shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather that I will have plenty to write about following the concert.
Following directly on the heels of the previously blogged DEVO concert, I find in my hands a pair of tickets to see Lou Reed perform at the Santa Fe Opera on the 16th. While there are very few things that could convince me to make the drive to Santa Fe, one of them is definitely Lou.
Although I wouldn’t presume to guess what Lou might decide to perform that evening, I am intrigued by recent mumblings that insist he is going to be performing his Berlin album live for the very first time in New York this December. Perhaps we’ll be treated to a preview of that! You never know what you’ll get with Lou though… perhaps a reading of the graphic version of Paul Auster’s City of Glass.
If I were given an opportunity to request one song, it would be Crazy Feeling, my favorite tune on Coney Island Baby. I would be tempted to request Street Hassle, but suspect the majority of the audience would want to beat me up afterwards. Of course, a request for Lou to perform Skynard’s Freebird would also be very funny (to me).
At any rate, you can bet your shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather that I will have plenty to write about following the concert.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
practically joking
There’s really never a dull moment at the ballpark. For instance, here’s a photo I snapped of Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder Matt Cepicky ambushing catcher Nick Trzesniak with a jolt of ice water during batting practice Tuesday afternoon. Trzesniak would end up going 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI during the game later that evening in which the Isotopes defeated the Nashville Sounds by a score of 7 to 2.
I enjoy the spirit Cepicky adds to the team chemistry. One of his game day routines is to bop around the Isotopes dugout immediately prior to the singing of the National Anthem placing smelling salts under the nose of anyone who fails to see him approaching… players, coaches, trainers, event staff, and yes, even camera operators. Matt always adds intriguing explanations for his actions- my favorite being, “This’ll help ya stay focused.”
I recently asked Matt what his plans for the off-season included. He replied that he would be undergoing knee surgery and rehab. No doubt Trzesniak will be spending his winter thinking of ways to get even with Cepicky for the water assault.
Friday, August 25, 2006
space junk 101
Did you feel the ground shaking along the Rio Grande Valley around 9:00 o’clock Thursday evening and wonder if the sky was falling, or perhaps that the region was experiencing an earthquake? If so, you weren’t alone. You needn’t waste time looking for answers at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program website as they offer no data or plausible explanation. Instead, continue reading right where you are to find out what happened.
Hundreds of people of all ages were present at the epicenter of the seismic event, standing, jumping and dancing in front of the stage in the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center as the 30-year-old punk-wave band DEVO performed live for the first time ever in the Duke City.
The memorable evening was opened with a short set by When in Rome, a band best know for their 1988 hit The Promise that was recently reborn when it was featured at the end of the film Napoleon Dynamite.
Following a brief intermission, the Psychedelic Furs marched onto the stage, opening with Love My Way. Richard Butler served as the grand marshal for the Furs hit parade that included Heartbreak Beat. Any student of 80s music would have assumed that the band would have performed Pretty in Pink before it was all said and done. Fear not… they closed their set with that number.
The remainder of the evening was pure DEVO from the lemon yellow drum set and the band’s tear-away chemical-protection suits to their cherry red plastic flower pot hats. Interestingly, when a band maintains a stage presence as gripping as DEVO’s, lighting technicians and smoke-machine operators can take a breather and enjoy the show along with everyone else. They simply aren’t needed.
A handful of obvious DEVOtees appeared to have been waiting a lifetime to see this particular concert. It seemed as if everyone lost control as the band unleashed a torrent of hit songs, including back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back performances of Girl U Want, Whip It, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Uncontrollable Urge, Mongoloid, Blockhead and Jocko Homo. Undoubtedly, the regional power grid was strained as DEVO guitars, synthesizers and amplifiers greedily sucked electricity that was converted into waves of de-evolutionary messages that were sent crashing over the crowd with the force of a subliminal tsunami.
DEVO returned to the stage moments after attempting to close with a smashing rendition of Gates of Steel, and went on to rock the house with an energetic encore set that included Freedom of Choice, Wiggly World, Gut Feeling and Johnny B. Goode. For the finale, lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh donned a giant foam cowboy hat and a ridiculous Rollie Fingers mustache and bounced handfuls of nuclear green-colored super balls off the stage into the transfixed crowd. In short, it was an amazing show!
If you ever have an opportunity to see DEVO perform, even if it is another 30 years from now- jump on those tickets!
Later Spuds.
Hundreds of people of all ages were present at the epicenter of the seismic event, standing, jumping and dancing in front of the stage in the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center as the 30-year-old punk-wave band DEVO performed live for the first time ever in the Duke City.
The memorable evening was opened with a short set by When in Rome, a band best know for their 1988 hit The Promise that was recently reborn when it was featured at the end of the film Napoleon Dynamite.
Following a brief intermission, the Psychedelic Furs marched onto the stage, opening with Love My Way. Richard Butler served as the grand marshal for the Furs hit parade that included Heartbreak Beat. Any student of 80s music would have assumed that the band would have performed Pretty in Pink before it was all said and done. Fear not… they closed their set with that number.
The remainder of the evening was pure DEVO from the lemon yellow drum set and the band’s tear-away chemical-protection suits to their cherry red plastic flower pot hats. Interestingly, when a band maintains a stage presence as gripping as DEVO’s, lighting technicians and smoke-machine operators can take a breather and enjoy the show along with everyone else. They simply aren’t needed.
A handful of obvious DEVOtees appeared to have been waiting a lifetime to see this particular concert. It seemed as if everyone lost control as the band unleashed a torrent of hit songs, including back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back performances of Girl U Want, Whip It, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Uncontrollable Urge, Mongoloid, Blockhead and Jocko Homo. Undoubtedly, the regional power grid was strained as DEVO guitars, synthesizers and amplifiers greedily sucked electricity that was converted into waves of de-evolutionary messages that were sent crashing over the crowd with the force of a subliminal tsunami.
DEVO returned to the stage moments after attempting to close with a smashing rendition of Gates of Steel, and went on to rock the house with an energetic encore set that included Freedom of Choice, Wiggly World, Gut Feeling and Johnny B. Goode. For the finale, lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh donned a giant foam cowboy hat and a ridiculous Rollie Fingers mustache and bounced handfuls of nuclear green-colored super balls off the stage into the transfixed crowd. In short, it was an amazing show!
If you ever have an opportunity to see DEVO perform, even if it is another 30 years from now- jump on those tickets!
Later Spuds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
