From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V11 #134 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Tuesday, May 23 2006 Volume 11 : Number 134 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: Points East Pub! (Part III) ["Cory Stickel" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 14:40:13 -0400 From: "Cory Stickel" Subject: Alloy: Points East Pub! (Part III) Last post about the night. I can't believe it took me all weekend just to write one concert review!... About ten or fifteen minutes after the concert was over, a woman came around and asked everyone if they had wristbands. Those of us who did met Lunesse outside where were escorted upstairs to the second level of the building. There were a couple of angry girls who stood at the bottom of the stairs yelling at Lunesse about how it wasn't fair that only ten people got to meet Thomas, and one insisted that she should get to go because she bought a t-shirt just like the rest of us. Lunesse told her that the rest of us got to go because we got a purple stamp, and when the girl yelled, "Well, *I* didn't! Why did THEY get it?!" she didn't seem to want to take that stamps were completely random for an answer. But Lunesse let her pass her t-shirt up to my boyfriend at the front of line for Thomas to sign since she couldn't come upstairs. Thomas was waiting for everyone in a cozy lounge-type room, and he told us not to be shy and to just file on inside. He then personally met everyone with a smile, a "Hello," and a handshake. He said that since there weren't many of us, he had time to personalize autographs for us. Thomas complimented the woman next to him, telling her that she had a nice pith (sp?) helmet and that "It's a much nicer pith helmet than I've ever had." She grinned and told him that it went the Doc Martins and silk pyjamas she had on. "It was pyjama day at my daughter's school today, and she got up and sang the entire song for everyone, and when her teachers asked me what kind of mother I was, I said 'a damn good one, thank you.'" She then got her "Astronauts & Heretics" CD cover signed for her daughter and had her picture taken with Thomas, complete with him holding her leg up to get the silk pyjamas in the shot. :) Thomas said hello to me, and I told him just how wonderful the night was because I've just rediscovered his music over the summer and wasn't able to make it to the Detroit show like I had hoped. He asked where I was from, and I told him that I'm originally from the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. He smiled and said, "Oh, ok. ...Where's that?" "About four hours west of Detroit." He was really surprised that Bill and I had travelled that far just to see his concert. I told Thomas the other great thing was that this was the first concert that Bill has ever been to, and we got up and meet Thomas. I also told him that I'm one of the many Europas on the Alloy list. As Thomas signed my "Golden Age of Wireless" CD cover, I said, "People were yelling for 'Field Work' and 'Wind Power,' I was the one in the back going '(Howard the Duck!)'" Thomas laughed and said, "Well, that one would have been a stretch." (I was just glad that I didn't say something COMPLETELY stupid like how "Blinded by Science" is the ringtone on my phone.) He personalized my tour poster for me, and then got his picture taken with me. Bill decided to forego getting his picture taken (he didn't even know what he should say besides that the show was great), but he got the t-shirt personalized for the angry girl downstairs. We had to leave right after that, since Bill needed to go to work first thing in the morning, so I don't know how the rest of the Meet and Greet went. I hope that it went well for everyone who was there. If Thomas is reading this, there were great discussions in the car on the way home, mostly starting with analysis on the lyrics for "Budapest by Blimp" which somehow turned to talks on world history, politics, and various forms of government. Miscellaneous thoughts on the evening: There was surprisingly little cigarette smoke for a bar venue, but that's always good for someone sporting a small bump in the tummy. :) The crowd there to see Thomas was actually very good once you blocked out the two guys constantly yelling out requests (especially for songs that had just been played). There was one guy, probably about six foot two, who kept standing right in front of me so I couldn't see, but I was able to sit on top of the table a couple of times, and eventually move to the other side of the room once the opening band's followers filed out. Speaking of the opening band, they were really my only gripe about the entire night. Now, as a frequent audience member, and as a performer, I understand that shows are not always going to start on time, but Thursday night was absolutely rediculous! Nearest anybody that I talked to could tell, there was absolutely no reason for The Good Luck Joes to take the stage almost an hour and a half late. To me, it indicated that they had no respect for the audience or the performer that they were opening for (Bill also said that inbetween songs, they were making inappropriate jokes about Thomas and his work, mainly concerning "Blinded by Science." I personally didn't hear any of these remarks, but then again, I stopped paying attention to the band three songs into their set.). Like I said: if there was a legitiment reason for starting at around nine thirty instead of eight, that's one thing, but if there wasn't, that certainly explains why Thomas did NOT look happy when Bill and I saw him crossing the street after his sound check a few hours earlier! Aside from the few bumps with the opening band, it was a REALLY great night, and I can't wait for the fall concerts and new material that Thomas hinted at! Cory (aka. Europa) "When I played poker last night with a pack of Tarot cards, I got a full house and four people died." ~Steven Wright - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upgrade for free to Windows Live Mail beta and you could win a Safari trip. Learn More. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 12:37:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Melissa Jordan Subject: Re: Alloy: Points East Pub! (Part III) Cory Stickel wrote:There were a couple of angry girls who stood at the bottom of the stairs yelling at Lunesse about how it wasn't fair that only ten people got to meet Thomas, and one insisted that she should get to go because she bought a t-shirt just like the rest of us. Lunesse told her that the rest of us got to go because we got a purple stamp, and when the girl yelled, "Well, *I* didn't! Why did THEY get it?!" she didn't seem to want to take that stamps were completely random for an answer. But Lunesse let her pass her t-shirt up to my boyfriend at the front of line for Thomas to sign since she couldn't come upstairs. Jeez, louise! Lunesse is a woman of infinite patience, I tell you. Some folks seem to think that a ticket to a gig includes a guaranteed audience with the performer. Yes, it's a pretty neat thing if it happens, but it ain't a certainty. Glad you had a good time! - - Merujo http://merujo.blogspot.com - --------------------------------- Feel free to call! Free PC-to-PC calls. Low rates on PC-to-Phone. Get Yahoo! Messenger with Voice ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 19:51:32 -0500 From: "Kara R. Laidlaw" Subject: Alloy: Drat! Caught in the spam-filter again?! Dearest Robin [Hazen, now--consulted previous e-mail so I could get your name right! :^)], please rescue my poor post! If I don't see it, then I don't imagine anyone else does either... It would seem that the limit is 8 kb. Mine must have been 8-point-something. Cory, you're not the only verbose poster around here!! ;^) Love and misplaced posts, Kara, or Karoline_452...or four-five-two? or maybe 4-5-2??! Must consult lyrics...yeah, yeah, I know it's "Caroline", but hey. ;^) It's All About the Music. :^) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 20:03:30 -0500 From: "Kara R. Laidlaw" Subject: Alloy: Okay, I consulted the CD booklet, and... :^) Yup, it's "Caroline four-five-two". One can't parody those lyrics--the part that I would have parodied has already been done! "Oh to paint her eyes so RED and her lips so BLUE", hee hee hee! :^) If Thomas hadn't written it that way, I would've. ;^) Love and fruit juice everywhere, {pass the paper towels, wouldja?!?} Kara "Oh to paint her eyes so red, and her lips so blue...carve her legend on the bow...Caroline four-five-two" :^) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 19:07:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Melissa Jordan Subject: Re: Alloy: Drat! Caught in the spam-filter again?! You could just pull it up in your sent box, copy, paste, shorten it and resend. "Kara R. Laidlaw" wrote: Dearest Robin [Hazen, now--consulted previous e-mail so I could get your name right! :^)], please rescue my poor post! If I don't see it, then I don't imagine anyone else does either... It would seem that the limit is 8 kb. Mine must have been 8-point-something. Cory, you're not the only verbose poster around here!! ;^) Love and misplaced posts, Kara, or Karoline_452...or four-five-two? or maybe 4-5-2??! Must consult lyrics...yeah, yeah, I know it's "Caroline", but hey. ;^) It's All About the Music. :^) - --------------------------------- How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low PC-to-Phone call rates. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 19:33:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Melissa Jordan Subject: Alloy: George Clinton to Headline NY Exotic Erotic Ball Well, Crackers, now I think you have to figure out how to get yourself to NYC to see this! Here I was, just a few days ago, joking that TMDR should do MTCBWY at the Exotic Erotic Ball, but "only if George Clinton and the guy in the diaper showed up." Well, hell! A little Hot Sauce anyone? I just discovered via Google that George Clinton has just signed to perform at the Exotic Erotic Ball, too. Damn! Is it possible that the talented Mr. Dolby and the funkadelic Mr. Clinton might have an opportunity to jam together?!?! Who knows?!? But wouldn't that be a total riot? BTW, I can't get the articles to load to link for you here - apparently, the info is hot off the presses, and it's showing up only as a tantalizing snippet on pay news clipping services. I'm sure it will be up on the ExoticEroticBall.com website soon enough. Cheers, Melissa http://merujo.blogspot.com - --------------------------------- Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 20:15:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Melissa Jordan Subject: Alloy: It's already the 23rd on the other side of this flat earth, so... Happy Birthday, Robin! Many happy returns of the day and lots of hugs and kisses to you!! I hope you have a lovely day, Ms. Hazen. XOXOX Melissa http://merujo.blogspot.com - --------------------------------- New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 03:40:03 -0000 (GMT) From: "Paul Baily" Subject: Re: Alloy: It's already the 23rd on the other side of this flat earth, so... Indeed! Happy Birthday to the lovely Robin Hazen! Hope you have a beautiful day. Paul. xxx ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 01:05:25 -0400 From: "Cory Stickel" Subject: Re: Alloy: Autographs >Jeez, louise!...I tell you. Some folks seem to think that a ticket to a gig includes a guaranteed audience with the performer. Yes, it's a pretty neat thing if it happens, but it ain't a certainty.< Exactly, Merujo. I have to admit that when the Meet and Greet plan was first unveiled, I thought, "Well, THIS is a bum deal!" But after thinking about it, I realized that it was actually the best way to guarantee that at least a few lucky people would get their long sought-after autograph. I've spent my fair share of time in "crushes," and I can tell you from experience that you don't always get your Playbill/CD cover/poster/t-shirt signed. I stood at the front of the line at four crushes after "Dance of the Vampires" just to have my Playbill signed by Michael Crawford, and I was passed over every single time. I've also stood in line for forty-five minutes (much to the irritation of my parents) guaranteed to get Cathy Rigby's autograph and one minute of conversation with her, while I watched other people get pissed about the wait and leave. Yes, a purple stamp lotto at the merchandise table for just a handful of lucky fans can seem like a bum deal and a "jip" to the masses, but it's also the most fair if you step back and take a look at the other possibilities (as my examples described above). And besides: it wasn't like those who didn't win couldn't buy an item that was already signed. :) It may not have come fresh from the tip of Thomas's sharpie marker, but isn't that a lot better, and a lot less frustrating, than standing out on the street at twelve-thirty in the morning bitching to the lucky ones and making a complete fool of yourself? Hmm. I seem to be a bit strongly opinionated tonight. I better get myself my glass of milk and head to bed. Cory (aka. Europa) "When I played poker last night with a pack of Tarot cards, I got a full house and four people died." ~Steven Wright - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get MSN Messenger with FREE Video Conversation - the next best thing to being there! ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V11 #134 ****************************