The Phoenix Show
PabloX
it took so long to get these thoughts on paper (or whatever). I spent
some time thinking about just what happened.
First, I had been waiting for 24 years to see this show. I became a
DanFan when Aja was released; the word Romantic can mean many things;
I was the impractical romantic, and my favorites were Peg and Black
Cow, and especially Deacon Blues. Call me Acolyte Blues. Later on,
the Gaucho and the back catalog became my staples.
I joined the Peace Corps in the late eighties; the Steely Dan music
kept me just sane enough to get back home 3 years later. I spent the
90's trying to get to the show, but never quite making it.
So, without putting too fine a point on it, this music was basically
the soundtrack of my adult life. Which is OK.
The show was at the Dodge Theater on a rainy early fall evening. Don
thanked everyone for coming out in the rain. Phoenix is in a 5-year
drought, so everyone should have thanked the band for brining the
rain! Actually, rain in the desert is magical to those of us who live
here, so it was perfect. The show was sold out.
The set list is elusive to me, due to a number of $8.50 beers. Some
highlights:
First was Cubano Chant, then Aja. I never really liked Aja as a song,
but it served a good purpose here: to demonstrate that Keith Carlock
will not be able to pound his drum kit through the floor of the stage.
This guy is "A list" and you will be seeing him again and again.
Good for us.
For those two songs the sound was sort of muddy and real loud.
Listening on head phones at home is different from the real, live
thing. But I got way into it on the 3rd song, Time Out of Mind. Don
sings "I got a light in my eyes!" At this point I had my first
perfect moment: he's talking about being there on stage, and he's got
a smile on his face! I have a smile on my face and my eyes are as
wide as platters.
Then comes Caves of Altimira and Godwhacker, Black Cow, Peg and it
seems like the show has a story arc, maybe biographical, as we move
through these guys lives. Daddy Don't Live in that New York City no
more…I understand.
The second set included Janie Runaway and Hey Nineteen, and my second
perfect moment: Haitian Divorce with Walt at the mic, and the red,
green and gold stage. "Bon Machete, as far a she can tell."
There are those that berate the "reunion tour", but this wasn't like
watching David Lee Roth at an Indian casino. Those that wish to pay
attention know that Everything Must Go is new music that hits exactly
the same (slightly frayed) nerve that the album Aja did during my
teenage years. I'm sorry I got old. I almost got myself killed a
whole bunch of times, but I'm still here. And I love this music. So
I had my 3rd perfect moment on Lunch with Gina. Hello Grammy!
We probably won't see another Grammy for this album, if for no other
reason than the radio doesn't play this music, as far as I can tell.
That's what makes the grande finale so great: FM! How ironic does it
get? Pretty damn ironic if you hang out with Don and Walt for a
while.
A couple of items, appropriate of nothing:
The light show was interesting and vivid. The stage had some video
screens that showed several different fractal images, e.g. clouds,
fire, a drop of water. Fractals are simply repeating patterns of
endless complexity. Sort of like the music being played that night.
Fractals are cool.
I thought I saw Pete Fogel outside the theater. I imagined he would
be taller. I was hoping to see Cornelius Bumpus, since my buddy and I
had seen him at the Doobie Brothers Farewell Tour in 1981. Mr. Bumpus
is as cool as a fractal.
Finally, I work downtown, so the next morning I went a little out of
my way and drove by the theater. How sad is a theater in morning
light, the day after you saw the show you had been waiting for your
entire adult life?
John Misrahi
>green and gold stage. "Bon Machete, as far a she can tell."
just to pick a nit, I think it's "Bon Marche" , not "Bon Machete"
john
Jmssystems
A. Cippico
Andy
"Jmssystems" <jmssy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031007225340...@mb-m02.aol.com...
John Misrahi
"...she takes the taxi to the big hotel / bon marche/ as far as she can
tell"
as in, a good deal for the taxi or the hotel or both
john
A. Cippico wrote in message <3f83f2bd$0$250$cc9e...@news.dial.pipex.com>...
DrJ
PabloX wrote:
>
> I joined the Peace Corps in the late eighties; the Steely Dan music
> kept me just sane enough to get back home 3 years later.
Like being on a desert island and you brought the Dan along... good
citizen!
I appreciate your exuberant review.
>
>
> The light show was interesting and vivid. The stage had some video
> screens that showed several different fractal images, e.g. clouds,
> fire, a drop of water. Fractals are simply repeating patterns of
> endless complexity. Sort of like the music being played that night.
>
>
Thanks for mentioning this Pablo. My show at Pine Knob was a mulitmedia
experience. I found the graphics beautiful, riveting, humorous, clever,
brilliant, and, during FM I privately awarded the creator of the video
a B.S.F.A. [well, my son has friend in film school so I felt a certain
sense of authority by association... maybe it was a reach].
A limited visit to The Web Site did not find any note of credit - I have
not had time since to dig further but I posted my own exuberance here
with hopes that someone might respond with more info regarding the
mastermind behind the graphics. I mentioned several specific things
[like the clock with the hands running backwards, a cropped Empire State
Bldg, the antique radio (not an oxymoron no more!) etc, and especially
the amazing, complex "and now the nomination for best short subject film"
piece during FM.
Can anyone provide info? I'd like to send a case of honey mustard.
warmly,
David
Don ßailey
Thanks.
db
ExpandingMan
I don't too much about french, but my understanding (and from the
context of the song) is that Bon=good and Marche=going. In other
words, everything was going well, "as far as he could tell".
I noticed that Walter pronounces French words more "properly" than
Don. He rolls that faggy french 'r' in Marche...like 'mearrrr-shay'.
Now, let's talk about one of my favorite dan-isms: 'semi-mojo'
This phrase has been incorporated in my daily conversations many
times!
ikr
"marché" (i.e. with an e-accute at the end) is the French word for market.
The French verb for walk is "se promener". Walk as a noun is "promenade".
The French verb "marcher" means to go in the sense of vehicles, e.g. l'auto
ne marche pas - the car's knackered (won't go).
Bon Marché is a chain of cheap clothes shops in London (UK).
Hope this helps.
Jmssystems
and "Marche" means "Walked"...but, together, they mean "Inexpensive".
Paul Westcott
> Well, according to FreeTranslation.com, "Bon" is the french word for "Good";
> and "Marche" means "Walked"...but, together, they mean "Inexpensive".
Précisément.
Paul Westcott
John Misrahi
That's because you were missing the é
The accent is important, it changes the meaning and it changes the sound
.... 'marche' ...sounds kind of like 'marsh', while 'marché' is more like
'marsh-eyy'....
the computer program won't know the different without the accent..
john
Warren Bloom
>> Well, according to FreeTranslation.com, "Bon" is the french word for
>> "Good"; and "Marche" means "Walked"...but, together, they mean
>> "Inexpensive".
>
> That's because you were missing the é
>
> The accent is important, it changes the meaning and it changes the sound
> .... 'marche' ...sounds kind of like 'marsh', while 'marché' is more like
> 'marsh-eyy'....
>
> the computer program won't know the different without the accent..
Who cares, it was "bon marché" as far as _she_ could tell...
*ducking*
-- wb
John Misrahi
Warren Bloom wrote in message <3F84E7D9...@NOalteregressSPAM.com>...
Right, it's a great song. I really though Walter did a fine job of it this
summer..
john
iMark
> yeah, I figured that was the meaning
>
> "...she takes the taxi to the big hotel / bon marche/ as far as she can
> tell"
>
> as in, a good deal for the taxi or the hotel or both
>
> john
>
> A. Cippico wrote in message <3f83f2bd$0$250$cc9e...@news.dial.pipex.com>...
> >Nitpicking even further, it actually means 'cheap' or 'good value'.
> >Andy
> >
That's because there's a substantial difference in French between
'marche' and 'marché'. Unfortunately diacritical signs in French and
German (to name a couple of languages) are often ignored by native
speakers of English.
Indeed 'bon marché' means cheap.
iMark