Sinister: B&S @ Warfield April 30th

[peter malcolm]

It wasn't until we were actually in the car, said goodbye to the babysitter 
and backing out onto the road that I realized the tickets hadn't arrived. 
How is it possible that I could have anticipated this for so long, and 
gotten all excited about all day, but not noticed that the tix were in 
abeyance? So we had to get to the show in 2 hours, it's a Friday night, it's 
45 miles up US101 to San Francisco, we've got half a tank of gas (it's dark, 
and what are we wearing?). What can a person do in these circumstances 
except keep driving?

I had ordered those tickets in February on the first day they were 
available, and poxy Ticketmaster had 3 months to get them to me and failed. 
I think that says something don't you? Anyways our people (me) called their 
people and got promised a "lost ticket voucher". But it wasn't there. Rather 
than call back for a "lost lost-ticket-voucher voucher" we prevailed upon 
the kindly staff of the Warfield to call their magic connections and get us 
in! Which they did! The Warfield is a sumptuous old palace of a theater in 
one of San Francisco's tatty downtown districts, not far from many 
geographical features mentioned in "Piazza, NY Catcher" i.e the Tenderloin, 
statue of Willie Mays etc. I had never been there before. At the entrance I 
was patted down by a nice security lady but no WMD were found (as is so 
often the case).

So the show is about to start but it's the support act, a pleasant quartet 
comprising a leader-guitarister, female Cello and Viola continuo, and 
additional guitarism by a creature in a red cape who was introduced as "the 
creamy-soft brick". I think. The band or assemblage may have had a name; if 
so, it was not vouchsafed to me.

At such times one's mind grooves about the auditorium and busies itself with 
other things, viz., will they play my 3 favorite songs of the moment (Str. 
Bn. Jean, Dream #2, Marx'n'Engels), why does a big of skittles have to cost 
six bucks, and, I wonder if anyone here is older than me? Hmmm.. he is... 
that guy is... those two women are.. that geezer with the white hair... not 
many really. Is it my fault to have been born too late? What shall I do with 
this oldiness that has come into my posession? Is it a tragedy? Yes it is, 
no it isn't.

And then all at once just like that the band is on and playing a 
surfie-style song. And it was good and unbelievable and there was the very 
Stuart Murdoch of whom we have spoken, and the lovely Sarah, and the lovely 
everyone else and Bobby who looks just like me from 20 years ago. At the 
rear of the stage on the left was an area where up to four anonymous 
string-players did their part, on the right the asymetrically positioned 
drumkit, in the center on a riser a vast cave of keyboards to be played by a 
huge cast of characters up to 3 at a time. In front we have the central 
Stuarting area, with stevie tucked in just behind and to stage-right. 
Further right we get to Mick's mic with asoorted brass plumbing positioned 
within handy reach. Further out is the bass playing zone with no mic stand. 
The entire front of the riser from about the middle out across the drum kit 
was a row of guitars or guitar-like objects arrayed for easy selection. On 
the left is the Sarah zone with a chair and bits and pieces. Behind her is 
another pianoid keyboard with a seat and a mic.

The lighting had swirly patterns (one resembling "Creme Saver" hard candy") 
that twirled and panned around the stage, plus two big yellow square 
floodlights aimed at the audience for moments of extreme agitation.

Here is what I can remember of the set althought the order is probably 
quite, quite wrong.

(the aforementioned surfie number)
dog on wheels
beautiful
step into my office bub
dear cat wait
if she wants me
piazza
asleep on a sunbeam
i'm a cuckoo
you don't send me
wrapped up in books
scooby driver
I fought in a war
the model
wrong girl
seeing other people
wandering days are over
stay loose

the encore (i think) -
get me away i'm dying
sleep the clock around

Also in the middle the band took a wee break and Stevie at center stage 
bwgan soliciting requests (of a musical nature). Stuart was still bouncing 
around beside him and engaged in banter with nearby audience segments. It 
emerged that it was the birthday of some guy (or his disembodied voice 
anyway, I couldn't see) and his name was Nico. Nico! says stevie, and 
embarks upon "I'll be your Mirror" to reflect vott you ahh, in case choo 
donnt knoh - originally sung by the late Nico on the velvets's banana album 
as you well know.

Scooby Driver was lengthened, seemed like an extra verse. At the end of 
"Step into..." Stuart sang "...since after Carter" instead of "...Thatcher" 
but no-one really noticed the cunning substitution. Also another cute trick, 
in "You Don't Send Me" they sang "...there ain't nothin you can do to - 
(pause) - surprise me", the surprise being the little hiccupy syncopation at 
that point. Well I liked it.

You may notice that none of my 3 wishes showed up in the set :(. I didn't 
expect to get Marx&Engels but I thought Dirty Dream #2 was at least 
possible. Oh well. In the live setting the monster arrangements of the DCW 
songs go over very well especially the big set piece Stay Loose.

What a wonderful time we had. And the queues at the parking building by the 
Sony Metreon were quite short really. I wonder if there was a a party 
afterwards?

Love from
The Quantity.

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