12/11 Merc Show! (Long)
The Crow
Ok here's some stories for all of you:)
Before the show we're all standing outside and TMBG are
inside(considerably warmer and drier than we were no doubt!)doing
soundcheck. All of a sudden Amanda yells out "The Bells are Ringing!"
I thought she was just joking at first because I couldn't hear what
they were playing but sure enough it was The Bells are Ringing
complete with vibraphone accompaniment courtesy of Ms. Diana Harold.
So at this point my girlfriend decides she has to use the bathroom,
goes inside and listens to the last half of the song. We were all
extremely psyched because as far as I know(correct me If I am wrong)
they've never done the Bells live before. This had made my week:) So,
the show starts after an OK, but forgettable performance by the Gravel
Pit. The entire first set goes by with no Bells...Soon the setlists
for the second set are brought out and there is Bells on the setlist
following Finished With Lies, the slow Ensor, and Spiralling Shape,
all with Diana Harold on vibraphone. Spiralling Shape is
ending....getting ready for the Bells... and then Diana walks to the
side of the stage...Rick(the coolest roadie alive) says to Flans,"What
about the Bells are Ringing?" and Flans says,"No Bells, that's next
week."....DAMN! I had a feeling they would wuss out, but at least we
get to hear it next week(hopefully!) Ok enough with that...
After the show(which ended about 1am)everyone cleared out pretty
quick but since my girlfriend and I missed the next train until 3:16
we stuck around for a bit and talked with Rick. At one point I was
sitting off to the side and Iggy(TMBG's tour manager) plops Linnell's
keyboard right down on the table in front of us so we got to take some
nice shots of it. One of the little white bottoms to a confetti popper
was stuck in between the keys:P Anyway I must be boring everyone to
death at this point so I'll end here...and I'll see everyone next
week!
Lawrence P Solomon
Excerpts from netnews.alt.music.tmbg: 12-Dec-97 12/11 Merc Show! (Long)
by The Cr...@mindspring.com
> about the Bells are Ringing?" and Flans says,"No Bells, that's next
> week."....DAMN! I had a feeling they would wuss out, but at least we
someone had *better* bootleg next week's show, then. that's the only
one from Factory Showroom that there's no live version of on tape
anywhere....
GoodOmenz
one more to go... sorta sad in a way. and i shouldnt be allowed to write this,
i only got 4 hours sleep. yay houseguests
*if They dont do Bells next week im never going to see tmbg live again. or at
least, not for a loooong time. its become like, a matter of faith. and i
still dont see how they can resist breaking into the old school why does the
sun shine while theyre at it...
*Evolution of a TMBG Classic: Ana Ng
1. DAS- in full beeptronic stereo, different lyrics ("Make a hole with a
pistol at point blank range...") I dont want everything...
2. Album- the one we all know and love
3. live version one- tape machine, as per the album (brought back for Then:
shows)
4. live version two- instrumental bridge
5. live version three- "small girl afterall" bridge
6. live version four- giberish bridge (usually followed by flans singing high)
7. the "world goes by like the human hair" years
8. live version five- bossa nova, best shown on the feb vin scelca show which
is one of the prettiest things i've heard ("We wrote this fast in the 80's.
Since then, the 80's were killed by the 90's in a horrible flaming plane wreck
and we slowed it down")
9. Circa 12/11/97- ALTERNATIVE ROCK VERSION!! featuring john linnell singing
like Cher (or maybe the guy from Hootie?) you just had to hear it, "we're
never gonna do THAT again!" whatever, it was awesome!! or perhaps the final
nail in the coffin
(rumors say theres a full studio version recorded with an extra verse, i
dunno...)
thats all i can remember, gravel pit were decent! next week- bells or death.
my moxy fruvous friend (hi joe if you read this!) ran into john linnell in a
coffee shop near by and tried the "innocent fan boy" approach. the standard
"hi there, autograph, thankyou, go away" treatment followed. next time i see
mr L im gonna say something like "hey!!! you... your in that band... smashing
pumpkins! you play guitar right?" and tho my confetti popper vision was
realized maybe we'll try one more time. just for the sentiment
and everyone, come see brian dewan tomorrow. at CBs Gallery 8:00, it'll be
cool. last time he played there the candles exploded
~liz
"he wont even talk to me now but thats ok cuz im sick of that guy i need to
rest awhiiiiiile...." -tmbg
The Crow
Don't worry, I can think of three (possibly four) people that will
almost definitely be taping the show next week...and I'm sure there
are other people I don't know about...if the show doesn't get taped i
would be really surprised(...and confused...and heartbroken...and
and...)
HallOfEyes
PLEASE if ANYONE has extra tickets to next weeks show, I NEED them. 4 to be
precise. Ive spent 2 months trying to figure out how i can see tmbg, and when
im finally able to the show is sold out. I probably wont get to see them for
god knows how long. Not if they keep playing in the Mercury Lounge, which i now
associate with depression, pain and frustration.
Anyway, if anyone has extra tickets, or doesnt need to see them, please reply
back to me.
this is the worst day of my life,
Jordan
"Lets face it: I'm one sexy bitch"- David Foley
"Its's 'A Krusty Kinda Kristmas!' brought to you by: I.L.G.-selling your body's
chemicals after you die; and by Li'l Sweetheart Cupcakes, a subsidiary of
I.L.G." -Tv announcer
"DOOKIE!!!!"
HallOfEyes
Hi. My sister went there and they told her next Thursdays show is sold out, but
my mom just called and the guy said theyve got 30 tickets left. So.....i guess
disregard my last post...i think....
Emble
A note to the front-row people at last Thursday's show - I'm real sorry I left
without saying goodbye - it was inconsiderate. My back pain had just started
up again for the first time in months and I was in no state to enjoy a concert,
even a TMBG one. I was getting to be in too much sicatic pain to remain
standing, and I was getting to be far too irritable and neurotic FROM the pain
to enjoy being in a crowd: and unless they do a super-cool variant version of,
say, "Ana Ng" or something (DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN) what's the point of being at a
concert if you can't enjoy being in a crowd? Cute band remarks are just no fun
unless you're enjoying them as a member of a group. I told myself when I left
at half-time that I'd just go rest in a cafe somewhere until I was ready to go
back in . . . but there were no empty cafe seats on Houston street and pretty
soon i found myself on 6th avenue (I got caught in that brief neighborhood
blackout they had - I figured it would have gotten you guys too but I'm glad it
didn't).
Anyway, I'm sorry if I was bad company, and I'm sorry that I cut out without
saying goodnight.
To the guy who made that offer with the CD pre-show, PLEASE E-MAIL ME! PLEASE
PLEASE PLEASE! I WILL trade sex for music!!!!!! . . . Or I'll promise NOT to
trade sex for music, if that seems more enticing (I imagine it might).
Hopefully i'll be in better shape for next Thursday.
Taking out out all the things he forgot to talk about when he took a bite out
of his spine, this is your only friend
Emble