Musical Highlight 2006 Top Ten #3

The New Cars and Blondie

Nokia Theater, May 2006
I THOUGHT I only knew one song by the Cars with Ric Ocasek The egoist in me takes note of all songs with “Candy” in the title. Candy-O fit that bill, and that’s how I remembered the Cars.
How wrong I was! Almost every song they played that night, I was totally familiar with.
It was the same when I watched Blondie open the show. I didn’t realize how many songs of theirs got the radio play. It was like old home week. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this music.
The New Cars weren’t the same Cars that recorded Candy-O. Ric Ocasek chose not to tour and Todd Rundgren was in his place. Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes were original Cars, but prized sideman Kasim Sulton was on bass.
I’d interacted with Kasim earlier in the backstage hallways. He knew my name, and how I related the Cars to Candy-O.
So, when that song came up in their onstage set, he stood right in front of me and acknowledged me during the first few bars. At the end, he flicked his pick at me, and even though I was in the front row, it disappeared and I couldn’t locate it on the floor. I was sorry because I have a small collection of picks, and this one had all those good Candy-O bass vibes all over it.
After Candy-O, I ran backstage for a minute to see if I was needed anywhere. After all, I’m on the clock. I wasn’t needed so I returned to the spot where I’d been in front of the stage.
To my amazement, as I looked down, the pick Kasem had thrown at me was at my feet! I picked it up, it has Kasim Sulton written on it, and I added it to my collection as one of my favorites.
Anyway, I was so tired that night after work because of this concert. Normally, during the performances, I have a lot of down time, because the people I’m assisting are busy onstage. So normally, I sit around with my feet up. I've been there already for twelve hours. Not tonight.
Tonight, I was in front of that stage hopping up and down doing my hippie dancing to just about every song The New Cars did. Even during “I Don’t Want to Work,” that Rundgren had made famous, I was dancing around and singing along; “I Want to Play on the Drums all Day!” So by the end of the concert, I was bushed but still had 3-4 more hours to work.
This concert was SO MUCH FUN!! I was sorry to hear that revenue-wise, the tour wasn’t considered successful. Those who missed this performance, plainly missed out. I wouldn’t have thought it, if I hadn’t been there myself. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of good music played by talented musicians.

SINGLE AND ALONE AT XMAS

To all those who think being alone during the holidays is a fate worse than death, let me tell you something. I'm single and alone. My holiday season has been full of joy.
No children whose visions of sugar plums must I keep alive, no significant other for me to find the exact- right- perfect gift, no family obligations filling up weekends or days off. In other words, very little stress, just a lot more socializing.
Children, presents, and significant others can be fun, too. But I’m looking only for the positives, since the myth is that not having those things equals misery this time of year.
That’s simply not true, and may just be a well-kept secret so as not to upset all the family traditions. Not exactly conspiracy-theory status, but perhaps a conservative intention nonetheless.

Nuts.
This year, I also innocently started what might become a tradition. I gave everyone the same Xmas present.
What I gave to a ‘bar buddy," I gave to my parents. It was a homemade gift, which I spent many hours on many days after work preparing.
There was something simple and fun about giving the same gift to everyone. I made a cute little one-size-fits-all card, and didn’t label the presents, which made me free to give to whomever and whenever I wanted. I felt like a sincere Santa.
An unexpected positive from the same-thing-to-everyone gift giving, was that I felt love for each and every one. Instead of spending more on my relatives to show them how much more they mean to me than the neighbors, the simple sweet-and-crunchy nuts said it more eloquently than any diamond or cashmere sweater could.
I appreciate one and all who are in my life, for whatever it is that you personally bring. All parts contribute to my life, and each is special in it’s own way.
By giving the same thing to one and all, I felt the true spirit of giving. It’s not based on a dollar amount. It’s not based on the latest toy or gadget. It’s based on the fact that there are good people in my life who make it so much more live-able, and they don’t need a fancy gift from me to know that.
Who knew a simple nut would show me such things?

Observations on my way to work this morning–
Aside from the garbage man and a few others in trucks, most of the commuters this morning were women. Already known is the disparity of pay between men’s and women’s jobs, but more obvious today was the disparity in bargaining. Seems like most of the guys got to stay home for a holiday after-day, while the wimmen-folk headed off to work.
When are we going to get our act together?