Live Rock, People!
I went to see Gang of Four the other night.
I don’t think we’re past Covid but we are certainly in the ‘fuck it’ period of the pandemic. The pause between surges. The respite of denial that enables us to reconnect, even temporarily. We’ll see.
People talk about how they will have to get reacclimated to crowds or being in an audience. After being in the mix for months, I can say with confidence, it will come right back to you. It’s what people do. People like and need to be around other people. A gathering of humans can be a beautiful thing. It can also be the worst thing ever. It was a good thing the other night.
I am not the biggest Gang of Four fan but I do love that sound they make. When the frontman Jon King came out I was a little concerned. He looked like an old man. Then I realized that we all do. When he started singing and doing that frontman thing, he was lit up. All those movements he did when he was a young man jangling those old bones were landing. He sounded great. The band sounded great. That guitar sound is aggressive and dirty. I loved it.
We left before the encore and before all the people and walked down Sunset and grabbed a couple slices.
I tracked down the Keef beanies. All of you heard my obsession with the hats Keith Richards has been wearing and my need to track them down. I did a bunch of my own searching before I talked to him. Bought a few. When they arrived, they clearly weren’t the right ones. I needed the exact ones or I wouldn’t be as cool as Keith, obviously. So, I asked him directly and kept pushing. I pestered his reps. One of whom got back to me basically saying here is the brand now shut up already.
I went to the site of the brand. It was Elder Statesmen. It’s based here in LA but I still ordered online because I didn’t realize at that moment it was here. Of course they were expensive. They are hand knit cashmere hats. Pricey. I was in too deep not to get one and had to buy two. I got the exact blue one he has, I believe. They didn’t have the yellow one but they had the style so I got one that was a different color anyway. Now I have them. I might not ever wear them but I have them. Mission accomplished. It was the same reason I bought my first guitar. Keef had a Tele, I needed a Tele. Now I have the hats and the Tele and I’m still not as cool as Keef.
That’s how hero worship works. You think it’s the hat for a minute.
Today I talk to Jeff Foxworthy about standup comedy. I worked one of my first paid weeks as a comic with Jeff back in the eighties. It was good to catch up. On Thursday I talk to Sam Jay about me thinking she didn’t want to talk to me and other things. Great talks!
Enjoy.
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron
