“I want someone who will be monogamous, and nice to his mother. And I want someone who likes musicals, but who knows to just shut his mouth when I’m watching Lost. And I want someone who thinks really being into cars is lame, and strip clubs are gross. I want someone who will actually empty the dishwasher instead of just taking out forks as needed, like I do. I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms like a damn Disney prince. And I want him to genuinely like me, even when I’m old. And that’s what I want.”
Over the weekend I saw a U2 tribute band in Baltimore. A friend of mine suggested it, and the last time I saw a U2 tribute band, it was fantastic. So, sure, why not, I thought.
This was…interesting. Let’s start with the look. While “Bono” looked a great deal like Bono, the rest of the members didn’t measure up. “The Edge” looked more like Puffy Edge, “Adam Clayton” looked like Elton John (as pointed out by my friend in the middle of the show, which caused me to giggle for the rest of the night), and “Larry Mullen Jr” – he actually did the best job impersonating, and stayed behind the drums with his head down, so it was hard to see what he looked like.
The show itself: Well, the guys are definitely talented. They can play their instruments very well (“The Edge” in particular), and have obviously been at this a long time. The problem: They’re not U2. Of course. But, see here’s the thing about u2, and Bono in particular: Bono is the only one who can be Bono and get away with it. And the only the band can get away with being the band. Anyone who has seen U2 live knows what I am talking about. In the heat of performing, Bono sometimes gets swept up and does these little moves that are totally lame, but he pulls them off. Because he’s motherfuckin’ Bono. Anyone else? Not so much.
The other problem I had is the fact that they kept on going in and out of character. The show started off with everyone in character. A few songs went by, and they broke the fourth wall. “Bono” spoke in his non-Bono voice, “The Edge” started taking over as leader of the pack, and they started asking for requests. All that is fine and good, but I was expecting to basically see a recreation of U2’s current tour. So, they kind of went back and forth between “tribute” band and “cover” band. Pick a side, gents. We’re at war.
Now, my standards are very high. As most of you know, U2 is my favorite band ever. Times 1,000. I’ve loved them since I was 12. I have a U2 tattoo. Seeing them live is my version of a spiritual experience.
The other disadvantage is my only other experience at a U2 tribute band was phenomenal. Different band, for starters. The show was outside in a much smaller venue, making it more intimate. It was my first year in Illinois, and U2 was in the middle of their Elevation Tour (which, for the record, was amazing, and probably my best concert experience ever). The band remained in character for the entire show, and all us college kids went nuts for them. Of course, nostalgia sometimes paints things in a different light, so maybe they were terrible and I remember it differently. I did end up getting (cover your eyes, family) completely drunk. So, my memory *could* be skewed. What I recall most about that show, though, is the band captured not only the spirit of U2, but also, their energy level. You could all four men loved their job.
All in all, it was a good in Baltimore. No, they were not U2 — no one is — but it was a great people-watching experience, and I did get to hear some tunes I hadn’t in a long time.
A funny anecdote from the evening: My friend and I were taking a water break and watching the band on monitors over at the bar, when they played “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own.” I turned to my friend and told him that song breaks my heart, because Bono wrote it about his father shortly after his father passed away. The first time I saw him sing it, he broke down a bit after, and told a lovely story about his father and Edge’s father. The tribute band finished the song, and “Bono” said, “That’s a lovely song, written for Mr. Bobby Hewson.” I said, “See? Bobby Hewson, that’s Bono’s dad.” And my friend goes, “You mean, his name isn’t Mr. Bono?” Me being in the crazy walking encyclopedia of U2 knowledge state that I sometimes fall into, said, “No. Bono isn’t his real name. It’s Paul. Hewson is his last name. Bono is just a nickna-…oh, you’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
Yeah, I can get a little obsessed. You really don’t want to unleash my inner U2 fan. It trumps the other crazy Gilmore/Buffy/Frasier fangirl in me.
And, for the record, neither group ever did anything that even compares to this. It is, in my humble opinion, the best performance Bono has ever given. (Again – Idol contestants: Watch and learn.)
In my last post, I mentioned one of the reasons I started craving Gilmore was from listening to a mix I made a few years back. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve listened to it at least once a day. It’s pretty darn good, if I do say so myself, so I thought I’d share it with you all.
When I first put the mix together, I had an explanation for every song. Now that it’s been a few years, I don’t remember my exact reasoning for all of them. (Or, in some cases I do, but my reasons are way too dorky, even for this blog.) Explanations will be given when appropriate. The theme is music inspired by Lorelai Gilmore, so sometimes, I just think – were she real, she’d dig the song.
Happy Easter weekend, everyone. I hope you all had a good time, and enjoyed the gorgeous weather. (If you live on the East Coast, anyway – I’m not sure what the weather was like elsewhere.)
I got the weekend to myself, and had a perfectly luxurious time. I ran a few errands, cleaned up stuff on my computer, did some reading, and reaquainted myself with some old friends from Stars Hollow.
Now, those of you who know me know of my former major obsession love of the Gilmores. And you also know of my disenchantment, anger, broken heart, and temporary break-up with Gilmore during its final season. I eventually caved and finished out the season, but since the show ended, I’ve only watched a handful of episodes.
Until this weekend.
I don’t know if it was the nice weather, the resurgence of Lauren Graham on my TV again, the fact I had a weekend to myself, or my rediscovery of this* coupled with my rediscovery of a Lorelai mix I made three years ago, but I found myself jonesing for some Gilmore all week long.
You know how you have those friends who you used to be really close to and now, for one reason or another, you don’t get to see them very often? Maybe you live in different cities, maybe one of you got married, maybe you’re in grad school and have no time for a social life, but you’re just not as close as you once were. Every once in awhile though, you get to see each other, and your bond is so close that it feels like you were never apart? That’s how this was. (Yes, I am aware that I am talking about a TV show, thanks.)
For me, Gilmore has always been a comfort. (Except when it wasn’t, but we don’t like to talk about that time.) It’s the TV-equivalent of pot roast and chocolate pie. And even though it’s been years, and things have changed, and I have changed, when I put in my season 2 DVD and started watching, it was as though I never stopped. I was back in my apartment in Chicago, watching my illegally-burnt copy of A Film By Kirk, pausing it to go get my roommate, because Sean Gunn dancing was something he had to see.
I decided to watch episodes I often skip over. I’ve seen Rory’s First Kiss and Last Week Fights, This Week Tights too many times to remember, but what about those hidden gems in seasons 2 and 3? I always gloss over seasons 2 and 3, in favor of season 4 (the ultimate season) and season 5 (because Luke and Lorelai are FINALLY together). So this weekend, I rediscovered hidden gems like Lost and Found, where Luke looks for a new apartment, and Dear Emily and Richard, which is both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. I watched Paris melt down on C-Span in The Big One and Emily battle it out with the original Lorelai in That’ll Do, Pig. These are episodes no one really thinks about, because they are episodes that don’t advance the plot much. Not a lot happens in these episodes, and yet everything happens.
So that’s how I spent my weekend. Should I have gone outside more? Perhaps. But I’m happy with my decision. I got reacquainted with an old friend, and remembered what made me love the show in the first place. I rediscovered the awesomeness of high school Rory, Lauren Graham’s amazing hair and beautiful eyes, and that Luke, was, on many occasions, a very funny man.
Now. The only problem with this is that…as many of you know…I had a…*slight* problem with Gilmore. As in, you know, some might say, a wee bit of an addiction. So my goal this week is to not spend it with my head halfway in Stars Hollow. I need to be in the real world. I think I can do it. I know I can do it. Because, even though I remember the girl who spent her nights locked in her tiny room in Chicago, watching those bootlegged DVDs, I am not that girl anymore. Really. I swear. I can stop any time I want to. Gilmore doesn’t control me, I control when and where Gilmore watching takes place. Seriously. Wait, stop. Don’t take the DVDs away from me. I can handle it! Where are you going? Stop!
Video of the Day: Enjoy some highlights from season 3. (Really, I forgot how much I love this season. If you have the DVDs, go back and watch. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.)
(*We’re never supposed to talk about it, but the Gilmore fandom produced a MASSIVE amount of fanfiction. Right around the height of it, I got my first post-college job – a job that required me to to absolutely nothing, and thus had a lot of free time on my hands between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. So, I got pretty familiar with the stuff – at least, stuff written from 2004 to 2006. A lot of it was crap, but that story is really, really good. So, if you have several hours to kill, check it out.)
Every time I hear the song This Night by Billy Joel*, I think to myself, “This would make an excellent wedding song.” I picture a couple dancing (maybe me, maybe not), enjoying the intimate moment on the dance floor, celebrating their first night as a married couple. It’s perfect.
Or is it?
Because the song could also just be about having sex. I mean, think about it: “Tomorrow is such a long time away, this night we are together.”
It could also be the anthem for a stalker. “This night, you’re mine. It’s only you and I.” Taken in that context, it’s kinda creepy.
I’d like to think that Billy Joel wrote the song with good intentions, and he probably did. But still…could I have been fooled all these years? Could This Night be akin to The Police’s Every Breath You Take?
Retrowatching 