Well, really, Live on the Levee in greater detail.
We got to the levee and parked in the parking garage, then we went off exploring. Of course, the first thing we noticed was that we could have parked on the levee as we had in our youth. Why does no one park on the levee anymore?
We discovered barges on the Misssippi carry nuclear waste from one barge parking lot to another. You know (Gary knows) it's nuclear waste because it's covered.
That just screams radioactive.
Then as we wandered we spotted a house that had washed ashore. If anyone is looking for a house there's one washed up under the Poplar Street bridge. There's some activity going on down there. I'm thinking it's home for a lot of homeless.
Wandered back to hear a little of the opening band (we'd already missed friend Kevin's band, because they went 5:30-6:30), got some truly horrible food at a kiosk with a strong smell of horse (we looked around for the horse, and it only just occurred to me they might have been serving it out of a horse trailer).
Gary had steered us into the area in front of the stage, not the comfy area where could sit on the arch steps. It makes no sense that Gary is a bigger fan of Guster than Leonard Cohen while I, eight years younger, just got orchestra seats to LC at the Fox (thanks to either .75 or Carter, I don't know which code I used). I played LC while we drove downtown and Gary complained bitterly ("So what if the words are great? I can't even make out what he's saying, he's so raspy."). Then he argued that Frank Sinatra was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame too and we never went to see him.Then I pushed him out the door and he's dead on the highway. Wait - no, you already know we were standing in the Mosh Pit.
The kids in the Pit were joking about moshing. They were huge Brian fans (the drummer who pees BLOOD because he drums with such commitment) and they had a sign that read "Let Brian Sing." (The RFT called out their sign in this article.)
I am ashamed to say this, and I should have been far more mature, and I will try never to behave so disrespectfully in public again, but I had to mimic the kid in front of us who was not only singing along but emoting along with the band. He was singing, he was selling it, and he was making eye contact and selling it to his friends. Clutching his heart and crooning to the girls he came with. On reflection I'm sure it was self-mockery, or AI-mockery. But at the time I had to turn to Gary and point to myself and to him with every "I" and "You" in "Amsterdam."
And finally, someone told the band to go to the City Museum on their day off and Ryan evidently loved it. When I was there it wasn't finished, evidently, it had the plane (warning: that would be the plane visitors are found having sex in) and the slide but not the Ferris Wheel or anything on the roof. At any rate, he was delighted enough with it that he made up a little song that then turned into the rap at the beginning of this video.
Gary was just blissful during all of it. Very worthwhile.
By "park on the levee", do you mean the slanty cobblestone leading into the river? I'm guessing no one parks there these days because all the top-heavy SUVs would tumble right over.
Remember when the train tracks used to go down the middle of Lenore K. Sullivan? I remember crossing them in the dark to get from the parking to the Arch grounds and back. I wonder why my parents had us out there so late. Hmmmm....
Posted by: Caroline | August 02, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Caroline - Yep, the cobblestones. And, I remember when it wasn't called Lenore K Sullivan, I think. And we saw the train running past the flood wall Friday night.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 02, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Because it's hard to drive on the cobblestones!
Posted by: #0.75 | August 03, 2009 at 08:50 AM
um, you left out what you ate, what you wore, and all sorts of detail.
i mean, i blocked out 25 minutes to read this and really, it took 5, 7 minutes tops.
false advertising!!!
glad Gary was blissful during the lot.
I have never heard of LC but, nice photos :)
Posted by: Mrs. Hall | August 03, 2009 at 03:46 PM
Just sitting back here awaiting your reaction to Mrs Hall's final statement.
Posted by: Big Dot | August 03, 2009 at 07:33 PM
.75 - Not for the Mini! Or the Fit. They both drive like skateboards.
Mrs. Hall - You must mean you've never heard of Guster. Everybody Knows (about Leonard Cohen). (LC fans just laughed at that.)
Big Dot - I let her off easy. I could have said "Do you remember the 'Hallelujah' song in 'Shrek?' He WROTE that.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 03, 2009 at 11:26 PM
I hope you never get in a wreck then because I don't think a skateboard is going to win.
Posted by: #0.75 | August 03, 2009 at 11:34 PM
I forgot to comment on the radioactive barges. Many barges contain grain. You know, the stuff normal people (who don't create bizarre diets every other month) eat. Grain elevators pay farmers based partially on the amout of foreign material and moisture in the load of grain. The elevator company will later be paid based on the same things. It's therefore in their best interest to keep the grain covered and dry during transport. Just a little something I learned on my last consulting gig...
But if it's more fun to pretend the corn is glowing and green, who am I to tell Gary differently?
Posted by: Caroline | August 04, 2009 at 09:25 AM
i give you full permission to mimic me at a Guster show, i will take it as a badge of honor
Posted by: Keri | August 04, 2009 at 04:12 PM
.75 - You are right. That's why they don't make my old car anymore, the CRX.
Caroline - Gary's only happy when its radioactive. I'm only happy when it rains.
Keri - You are very cool at shows. I've seen you.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 04, 2009 at 11:48 PM
...never heard of Leonard Cohen...
whoa.
That's worse than thinking that underpants should be called "pants". You wear them under pants.
Posted by: Tami | August 05, 2009 at 08:35 AM
Tami - it is more gender neutral to say girls wear panties, boys wear pants. Jumpers though, thats just messed up.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 05, 2009 at 05:58 PM