Fruvous junque, Pisco fries, curling Murrmaids etc (sort of a Katonah review)
Srm9...@aol.com
I guess the beginning would be good.
Jennifer (a/k/a ladywench) arrived at my house Friday evening, having
met me two nights before and having talked with me for oh, maybe all
of about ten minutes. She parked Milady de Beast on the back lawn,
was scared by/scared my cat, regaled me with the details of truffle
confectionery and causing Murray to sugar-crash, and was quite a
sport in helping 10-year-old Andrew deliver food drive bags to the entire
street, all before Steve got home from work.
And that, I was to learn, was just a bare-bones preview.
By 7:30 we set off for the wilds of New York State, with Steve driving,
Andrew trying to play in the front seat, and Jen and I ensconced in the
back, talking. And i do mean *talking*. As in nonstop. 4 hours.
Probably the shortest conscious (well, relatively speaking) 4 hours of
my life.
When my little nuclear family had demanded to know who this Jennifer
person was, other than a Fruhead, I had explained that she made truffles,
wrote inventive and amusing religious treatises, and seemed rather, well,
shy. Hmmmm. As Meatloaf sez, two outta three ain't bad.
Steve, Andrew and I heard many many many many things on the way to
Poughkeepsie, all of them hilarious, involving mehndi, Fruvous, cars,
Fruvous, DuPont, Fruvous, old boyfriends, Fruvous, medieval re-enactments,
Fruvous, and then a few things about Fruvous. By the time we got to Steve's
mom's house, the voice I had begun losing on Thursday was reduced to
helpless squeaks, and I hadn't even talked that much -- just laughed.
Saturday morning was sunny, warm, and fairly calm. We talked, even
about nonFru things, such as the possible Scots origins of Canadian
curling. (Jen was much intrigued with our account of this unique blend of
housekeeping and horseshoes.) By noonish Jen and I were both bouncing
off the walls, agitating to get to Katonah. Steve, his brother Bruce, and I
already had our tix in hand, but she had overnighted for hers and was
itching to get her hands on it. We left the house around two o'clock, and by
three Jen and I had succeeded in making Bruce, a Frugin, a little wary.
(My assimilation tape had warmed him up a little, but he wasn't quite
convinced about this band he hadn't heard of except from us, and now he
was surrounded by these two jabbering blonds. Probably would scare
me too <g> )
At 3:10 we found ourselves in the "hamlet" of Katonah, and a few minutes
later saw a sign for the Harvey School, but the driveway led to what looked
like a skating rink. Hmmm, we thought. But the mileage was a little
off, so we kept driving, and eventually found a driveway that led up a hill,
around a curve, over a river and through some woods to grandmothers ....
no, to a dormitory, and little signs pointing the way to "coffee house".
We located said coffee house, parked around back, and walked into what
we thought was the concert venue only to find that it was the cafeteria.
The nice people there, who were setting up chairs for a chorus practice,
directed us to the proper door, and Jen found her ticket waiting for her.
We wandered into the auditorium to check out the stage, and another
nice man at the door asked us what was it about this band that inspired
such an outpouring of loyalty, and such willingness to travel great
distances to see them.
Jen gave one exuberant explanation, I another (it was like the "tastes
great/less filling" commercial, but more manic) and for the second time that
afternoon I saw fear in a novice's eyes. Somehow we managed to contain
ourselves, said something along the lines of "you'll see", and scampered
away to check out our preferred seats stage Murray. We asked if we could
put our coats there, but were gently ushered away by the volunteers (who
also gently declined our offer to help with the prep work.) It was now about
3:30.
Back at the ticket table I asked if I could buy Vance Gilbert tickets in
advance, and happily walked away with two. We hooked up again with
Steve and Bruce, found Mosh (who for some bizarre reason I persisted
in calling Chris all night) and decided to go into town for some food.
Found a coffee shop whose semi-permanent artist is Sloan Wainwright
(Loudon's sister) and amused the staff somewhat, but were disappointed
that they sold no eclairs. When a train came in at the station across the
street the coffee shop grew crowded, and we decided to head back to
the Harvey School, hoping the Frubus had arrived.
It wasn't there yet, and the 3 restless guys decided to go back into
town for some beer. Jen and I camped out on the back lawn, with a
strategic view of the back entrances to the auditorium, and again she
told stories of Frugigs, Frutrips and Fruheads while I giggled, my voice
deteriorating with each of her tales. (Umm, Chrissy, Michelle, Drea?
We *must* get together sometime! :) ) We got more funny looks from
two people walking by, one of whom said to the other "I think they're
Fruheads" (giggle) The guys came back, and Jen and I wandered out
front where we found Joni, June and Mike. We decided to go get the
guys and stand in line, and when we wandered around to get them the
Frubus was finally pulling in.
Out front again (we were putting on some serious walking mileage!) we
found Kimberly, Kris and Gordon guarding the door, and as we all chatted
Bruce started looking like he thought this might be fun. Lizzie showed up
with her dad, and Caroline with her converts from Smith, and we started
calling down the line, welcoming the newcomers. The volunteers were
going in and out, and we could see action on the stage, but couldn't hear
anything. As seven o'clock neared we got noisier, and the volunteers
were grinning warily at us as they passed, opened the door to tell
us it would be a little while longer, or watched us through the door.
Someone issued a challenge to all newcomers to sing a line of
Saucep'n in order to gain admission to the concert, and as they tried
gamely Jen took out her tin whistle and started playing. A chorus
ensued, after which she promptly replaced the C whistle with a G and
played as fast as she could. Much applause, and then a twenty-voice
rendition of Gulf War Song, followed by Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
We were quite giddy with antissssipation, and were absoloutely having
a ball.
Finally the doors opened, and we dashed in to grab our coveted seats,
then back out to get our Frumiles stamped, then in to chatter, then out
to buy bumper stickers from the much-amused Tobey, then in the chatter
some more, then out for refreshments (free apples! big ones!) Finally
we all sat in a row: Jen, Bruce, me, Steve, Mosh, the Smith girls. We
nattered about who would go for which setlist. We watched Cal tape
down all the stuff. I got a great closeup shot of Dave's banjo. We
commented on the biggest prop table we'd ever seen at a Fruvous
gig.
And then we saw the backdrop.
The Clearwater Coffeehouse is named for a ship, the Clearwater, which
is the working symbol of a pet project of Pete Seeger's. The
foundation's focus is cleaning up, and keeping clean, the Hudson river
valley, and so on the mural behind the stage was a picture of the
Clearwater, centered with a banjo-playing minstrel on one side, and a
mermaid on the other.
The mermaid was holding a broom.
And Jen observed, "look, that mermaid is curling."
And that was when we all knew it was going to be That Kind of Night.
The Lads. Oh, yes, we were there for the Lads. And they finally took
the stage at about 8:30, after the emcee of the evening did quite an
entertaining job of introducing the coffeehouse and announcing that
it had merch to sell, while blithely and unintentionally dissing the Lads'
own "junk". (At which Jen yelled, and I squeeked, "Not junk! Stuff!
Quality stuff!")
the first set (in some semblance of the correct order)
Message
Early Morning Rain -- ooooooooh!
BJ
Boss -- the Westchester audience of "rich people -- you *are* the bosses"
loved this, and Ji was superbly reluctant at the end. The song
isn't
one of my favorites, but this version really worked.
Spidey -- Mike was springing all over the place, leaped into audience
tried to toss his sweatshirt over Jason Reiser's equipment but
Jason snagged it.
Horseshoes
Saucep'n
Stuck in the '90's -- with Pataki ref.
Minnie (d'Amato ref; something "Giuliani's son/clean up the damn
Hudson"; Chelsea Clinton line)
Pisco (Jen taught the front row the Pisco Dance)
Tureen (started with reference to Luke Skywalker and Yoda, "everyone
ought to have a little Yoda"; Murr and Ji got silly with that one
:D)
Dancing Queen medley
During the 1st set Jian, in Boyfriend shirt, ragged on the emcee for
calling Fruvous merch "junk", then told us how the band had gotten
way lost trying to find the venue, finally had found the rink and felt
quite at home, but when Jian went inside to enquire about the "coffee
house" on the mistaken impression that everybody knew what such a
thing was, he was told "oh, you must mean the snack bar." They also
launched into "towels from home," as it was quite hot in the
auditorium.
Between sets, while Jen, Steve and I tried to figure out how to draw the
Lads' attention to the curling mermaid, the emcee came back and
explained that no, he didn't mean junk, he meant j-u-n-q-u-e, an entirely
better class of stuff. When the Lads came back onstage he bestowed
fluorescent pink Clearwater t-shirts on them. (Now they can all look like
homicidal flamingoes :) )
the second set: (again, approximate order)
Authors
River Valley
Michy
YWGTTM
I Will Hold On --- I love love love love love this song
Marion Fruvous -- Fruvous defined by Murray as the steel support structure
supporting the auditorium roof.
Regarding Part The First: Ji: "the legend -- which
every
Canadian schoolchild learns in grade three --
*third
grade*" (sneer)
Murrman, getting ready to recite: "Yes, I repeated
it
every day for two years. I can feel the welts
rising on
my ass....." Then, assuming literary declaiming
pose:
"Wait ... for ... this."
King/GE&H
Love Potion Medley
lots of people were up dancing by the end, even though the space between
rows was very narrow. As they were running late and the coffeehouse people
had to close up, the single encore was
Gulf War Song
which again held the entire audience enthralled and silent at the end.
I can't *believe* I heard this song twice in one week.
Once the lads were offstage we sat around in FruBliss for a few minutes.
Bruce's comment on his FruDeflowering was "I've had fun at concerts
before, but I've never been to one where I laughed through the whole thing!"
I think that means it was good for him too. :)
After overzealously putting away more of the folding chairs than the
coffeehouse people wanted put away we headed out to the lobby,
where all of the Lads were being really gregarious. I couldn't talk
to them much because I had absolutely *no* voice, but they seemed *so*
relaxed now that the tour's finally over. We hung out kibbitzing for a bit,
then took off with Mosh to find a foodery, but no such luck. So he took
off for points south, and we found a diner an hour later.
We were still totally charged up, and the waitress seemed utterly
amused by us. But the utter highlight of the meal was Jen's discovery
on the menu of a concoction of french fries, gravy, and shredded cheese.
(sound familiar??) Well, I had been off at the facility while she
ordered it, but as I returned the waitress placed it in front of her with the
comment (I thought) of "here's your Pisco fries." To which Bruce said
"I guess you'll have to dance for those." At which I lost the remainder of
my voice laughing, and Jen, discerning why, joined me in yet another
Pisco dance. (yeah, I'll have fries with that!)
Finally it came clear that the dish was in fact known, for reasons best
left unexplored, as Disco Fries. But i prefer to think of it as Haliburton
Poutine. And, craving that wonderful salty greasy goodness, I thought,
well, I can't order them at this point, 'cause I already have regular
fries, but I can at least order some gravy. (Yes, I happen to *like*
gravy with my fries :D)
Well, by the time we got home we were still completely punchy, but
also wiped out, and I obviously couldn't hold up my part of any conversation,
so we finally went off to bed. This morning, when Jen discovered that I
*still* had no voice, she suddenly discerned a disturbing pattern. She went
to a concert with Chrissy, and Chrissy lost her voice. She went to a concert
with Beth, and Beth lost her voice. She went to a concert with me.....
She is not the FruWench. She is the evil FruWitch.
Which can only mean that I am the Little Murrmaid. :)
-- Lori
FruWench
> Jen took out her tin whistle and started playing. A chorus
>ensued, after which she promptly replaced the C whistle with a G and
>played as fast as she could. Much applause, and then a twenty-voice
>rendition of Gulf War Song, followed by Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
I would like to point out that I was COMPLETLY oblivious to the fact that the
Lads green room was in the classroom immediatly next to the line!! With a few
meager panes of glass separating the poor boys from our tomfoolery and my . .
.uh . . .oh, nevermind. *ladywench burries her face in her hands and blushes*
And . . . uh . . . if any of the Lads read this (*gulp* yeah, I know) and heard
the really dumb challenge I made at the end of that . . . uh, I was drunk? I
was on medication? Drugs? It wasn't me? *sputter* eeeep.
*ladywench bolts from the NG and cautiously peeks in around the door*
FruSpace - We came, we saw, we slept on the floor . . .
"For we can still love the world, who find a famished kitten on the step and
know recesses for it from the fury of the street" - Hart Crane "Chaplinesque"
na...@my-dejanews.com
> Now where exactly do I begin?
> I guess the beginning would be good.
Oh dear lord Lori. What a great way to start a Monday. I hear ladywench
has already replied and I bet she's horrified *g* (We love you Jen sweetie)
> deteriorating with each of her tales. (Umm, Chrissy, Michelle, Drea?
> We *must* get together sometime! :) )
Are you _sure_ you want to do that? You just invited 2/3 of the Terrible Trio
to descend upon you. Add me and Jen and goodness knows what might happen.
> The mermaid was holding a broom.
> And Jen observed, "look, that mermaid is curling."
> And that was when we all knew it was going to be That Kind of Night.
Ok now I wish I had gone to Katonah. Financially impossible, yes, but I'm
still jealous!
> The Lads. Oh, yes, we were there for the Lads.
One does tend to forget that until the music starts. Glad the Pisco Dance
isn't quite dead yet. ;)
> Spidey -- Mike was springing all over the place, leaped into audience
> tried to toss his sweatshirt over Jason Reiser's equipment but
> Jason snagged it.
Jason's becoming quite adept at foiling Mike. Must come of being Target #1.
> better class of stuff. When the Lads came back onstage he bestowed
> fluorescent pink Clearwater t-shirts on them. (Now they can all look like
> homicidal flamingoes :) )
You're scaring me ;)
Fiona
--
"magasinage outre-frontieres"
-Mike Ford Nov 7
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na...@my-dejanews.com
> >ensued, after which she promptly replaced the C whistle with a G and
> >played as fast as she could. Much applause, and then a twenty-voice
> >rendition of Gulf War Song, followed by Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
>
> Lads green room was in the classroom immediatly next to the line!!
These things always happen to you Jen. And you're so cute when they do!
*g*(/me mutters something about grilled cheese sandwiches) So Lori. What was
this challenge? Or will I have to threaten LW with the pail on IRC to get the
story?
dr...@my-dejanews.com
> > deteriorating with each of her tales. (Umm, Chrissy, Michelle, Drea?
> > We *must* get together sometime! :) )
Lori...are you *sure* about this? Do you *really* want 2/3 of the Trouble
Trio there? Add Fiona and you're *really* in trouble *g* (Ask Amy and Mike
Wood what happens when the three of us get together!) Besides, nothing Jen
told you about me was true (well, ok, it *was* all true..but I *am* innocent,
really :P)
When the Lads came back onstage he bestowed
> > fluorescent pink Clearwater t-shirts on them. (Now they can all look like
> > homicidal flamingoes :) )
ROTFL!!! That's a frightening image *g* I *wish* I could've been there
*sigh*
Drea
"A hint? That's like opening your Christmas present early!" - Murray
(10/30/98)
Andrea Krause
>Between sets, while Jen, Steve and I tried to figure out how to draw the
>Lads' attention to the curling mermaid, the emcee came back and
>explained that no, he didn't mean junk, he meant j-u-n-q-u-e, an entirely
>better class of stuff. When the Lads came back onstage he bestowed
>fluorescent pink Clearwater t-shirts on them. (Now they can all look like
>homicidal flamingoes :) )
>
If I had known my favorite murderous bird had been there I would have
crawled out of my shell of shyness and introduced myself! :) (I was
in Budgiejersey with long brownish/red hair.)
Andrea K.
Kevin Davis & Beth Simms
>
> In her wonderful review, Lori wrote . . .
> >ensued, after which she promptly replaced the C whistle with a G and
> >played as fast as she could. Much applause, and then a twenty-voice
> >rendition of Gulf War Song, followed by Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
>
> meager panes of glass separating the poor boys from our tomfoolery and my . .
WRENN JUST GIGGLES
> .uh . . .oh, nevermind. *ladywench burries her face in her hands and blushes*
> And . . . uh . . . if any of the Lads read this (*gulp* yeah, I know) and heard
> the really dumb challenge I made at the end of that . . . uh, I was drunk? I
> was on medication? Drugs? It wasn't me? *sputter* eeeep.
- To my Knowledge - sure and true - since the lady and I are good
friends - she doesn't do drugs and almost never drinks.......
>
> *ladywench bolts from the NG and cautiously peeks in around the door*
>
_ I kinda wish that I had been there to see all this in purpose - not
just gotten a number of phone calls at work monday with a dithering
ladywench on the other end.....
but I had great tickets to see Joe Satriani.......... and I wasn't gonna
give them up. Hey - I've made 17 Fruvous concerts since May 15,
aren't I allowed to go and see other musicians?
- Beth (Wrenn)
-----------------------
I may not have the tunic, But I have the Heart of a Mouseketeer!
- Mickey Yorke