My day…was spectacular.
Hell was hell, but that’s to be expected. NJ was on the ball… says I sent him to the men’s room again. I can’t help it. It’s almost like a challenge some days; see what new twists I can put on old themes to get him to cry wolf. And then sit back and grin and wish like hell he was close enough to attack. I want to bite him, as Pretty would say.
Then tonight, I fell in love. With this guy and this guy and this guy and OH MY GOD the voice on this guy! Steve and Tim blew my mind. Talk about making the entire show. Oh, the show was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra . This is their second visit to the Hammer. Creep and I went last year as well. This year, we had floor seats – fifteenth row. Damn! Good seats!
I was a tad bit disappointed that their Christmas program was identical to last year’s performance. I was hoping for a fresh story, but no such luck. Having said that, the performance still gave me chills. It’s full of…hope. A reminder of what the season is really all about. Angels, and blessings, and family. The narration by Bryan Hicks is just amazing. The man – alone on a stage with just a spotlight and a bit of background piano - can hold twelve thousand people in the palm of his hand without even blinking an eye.
There’s something about the Christmas show; there’s this… feeling that they instill. Perhaps only in me, though, as the woman and man next to me got up twice for more beer, and then left half-way through the performance. Seriously?!
But… it’s peace, and hope, and joy… The lights are great, but the Christmas spirit is right there in their voices, their musicianship, and the narration. It’s flat-out Christmas.
The rock half of the show is high-energy. It’s awesome to watch, because even someone as musically-challenged as I am when it comes to guitars and electric violins can appreciate the talent that it takes to play these instruments the way they do. There’s one section in the show in which they leave the drummer on the stage by himself. He bangs the shit right out of those things, and goddamn if you aren’t sweating along with him by the time he’s done. The man moves so fast… I swear he must grow four extra arms when he’s back there playing that part. Definitely a highlight.
But most of all…. these guys are in their tenth year of doing these shows. This isn’t their first show this season, not even the first show this week. What amazes me is that they exude energy, happiness, and genuine joy at being on that stage. I realize that part of this performance is about the acting, but if they’re faking their enjoyment of their roles, then they’re damn good at it. The only other show I’ve ever seen that compares is watching Doc Walker onstage.
For the record, I’m listening to Tim Hockenberry’s songs on MySpace right now. I might need to invest in that CD. Wow.
… And to top it all off, as Creep and I walked outside, it was snowing. Spectacular, fat flakes falling from a dark sky, downtown in the Hammer. Twelve thousand satisfied, happy people on the sidewalks around us. The perfect ending to a wonderful evening.
