I’ve always wanted to write something with a huge rock ‘n roll opening.
Like the piece the principle in Almost Famous was writing for Rolling Stone. I’m 20,000 feet over somewhere with someone cool and…I’m about to die.
The beginning of “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith is close, too. Rolling into town in a police car.
But I want it to be real life. Winnipeg Manifuckingtoba almost gave me the chance.
Continuing my Trail Of Tears world tour…here I am Winnipeg. You can use me, just don’t do me. I almost got my rock ‘n roll open. But it collapsed. Boo! Close.
Pulling up to my hotel and midnight….we are in the central downtown district.
The hotel is a mini mob scene. Lot of loitering and horseplay by a group of interesting characters.
Cabbie: “What is this?”
Me: (rapidly making sure my wallet is where I want it along with my passport). “Dunno. Hey man, I’m giving you an extra tip. I want my bag by the door and I’ll get out.”
Cabbie: “Okay!”
Whatever. I’m trying to figure out my path and am looking over the assembled crowd. Ahhhhh shit.
Tshirts all with the same theme…
REIGN IN BLOOD
ROB MOTHERFUCKING ZOMBIE
I get out of the cab early.
“You guys go to Slayer and Zombie tonight?”
“Fuck yea, man!”
There you go. I’m not that fucking old yet.
I’m mentally impressed with the merch sell through.
At check in I am apprised of the bar scene and that it is indeed…open mic night. At least I can blend. Except I got 360 hair and not a power mullet.
I need a drink. This sounds interesting. And my my personal safety needle isn’t pegged to RUN…yet. So, why not?
I set about getting anesthetized. And it is the fairly typical setup. Acoustic guitars. Covers. Totally fine. Perfectly natural, perfectly healthy. With a rocked out, juiced up crowd. Cruising on their Slayer and Rob Zombie high. God bless ‘em all.
Open mic! Open mic! Next up is a dude who the table behind me dubs the “hippie motherfucker”. Not sure I agree. He’s shaved his hair and doesn’t look that crunchy to me. But, I’m not going to go around debating. I’m more interested in calculating how much time ’til close and just how many drinks of a certain power I’m going to NEED.
Normally, this is a throw away night. Something to get through. And no, I’m not about to wax on about finding some talent worthy of star exposure. Jesus. But what I did see was interesting enough to me.
The “hippie motherfucker” got out his sheet music and started doing Iron Maiden covers. Acoustic. And he’d whistle the guitar solo while doing rhythm on the acoustic. Pretty cool. Inevitably, the requests started flowing fast and furious. “I can’t play it, but if you can…I’ll sing it.”
And there you go.
So, I’m treated to a cover of “I’ll Remember You” by Skid Row. Hippie motherfucker is singing lyrics that he’s scrolling from his phone, while a Slayer fan capably lays down the music. What used to be called “heavy metal” was always a guilty pleasure of mine and the fact that this genre is in such disarray is a complete disappointment. But here we are. In Winnipeg. And I’m getting a show. Onward to Slayer covers before the Slayer fan has to do both for a song. And it was really good.
It’s rare that I see performers anymore really engage a crowd. Typically we, as a crowd, are just there to cheer. And give some energy. But that’s all. Control belongs on stage. And that’s all good. But when I see it live where a performer wants to brings us all in….it really is different and the crowd can feel it. And you can tell they are closed. They are fans.
I’ve seen it with The Tallest Man On Earth. And James. Even Lady Gaga. When it is done well? It is powerful. And open mic night was awesome. I doubt I’m going to see hippie motherfucker on tour anytime soon. But what I do know….he took a crowd that was dubious at best and got them on his side. Isn’t that what any commercial (and anyone who gets paid is commerical) artist is trying to do? Attract the dubious? Get them on their side? Get new fans? Which is why I get that last The Kills show I went to. There usually is a larger purpose. Once a hard core fan base is captured and isn’t growing, experimenting is necessary. For many reasons.
Music has been commoditized. And all the music labels and genres don’t help. We’re all just people. And at a show? We’re all just trying to have fun together. With our own crew and the ones around us. Not just with the action on stage.
Too often that’s lost. And it gets boring.
I’m sure the artists in the music industry would somehow tell me this is everyone’s fault but their own. But. Is it? At the end of the day, the artist controls it. And I’m not seeing it. That ethos of I’m cooler than you is a hard road to walk in this age. Everything is too visible. And it grates.
Everything in life takes work. Spending a lifetime finding the easy way is asking to win the professional lottery. Some will. 99.9% won’t. It’s like that in every business I’ve ever been associated with. Maybe a little real inclusion over barriers would be helpful. Pushing past the comfort level. Just saying.
When an artists engages with a money motive first, the crowd can smell it. To be honest. I can almost now always see it before a note is played. Just rote concert/show going.
Thanks hippie motherfucker. Next time I see an artist rock the crowd like that for pay I’m going to put on my slick suit and pimp them hard to everyone I know.
No pics. ChrisT is rocking it elsewhere….
