Day Two

Thursday, March 16

Well, the night has arrived. Morrissey is taking the stage at the Austin Music Hall tonight. I couldn’t be more pumped. I actually never thought I would get a chance to see him. My plan is to leave straight from campus to head to the Music hall. I am going by bus tonight to avoid the high parking price. In the morning as I am driving to work, the DJ on the radio mentions that Perry Farrell is in Austin and just announced the line-up and date for the Lollapalooza festival August 4-6. Kanye West is a headline, how awesome. Perry Farrell is in town?? HMMMMM…. Anyway, there is a slight recap of the night before mentioned on the radio. It seemed the Flaming Lips did a surprise show at Fox and Hound on Guadalupe street. What!!!! DAMNIT!! They kicked everything off with a cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Oh, to be at that show! Oh well, the line was around the block for people trying to get in. Most just stood outside and listened. I really can’t be too upset, I did get to see the New Pornographers. So, at 6 pm I head out of work and to the bus stop. Bus is on time and I am at AMH for about 6:20. Naturally, the line is very long, but the venue holds 3,000 people. I shouldn’t have a problem getting in. The doors open late, closer to 7 pm. The security guard just said, “hey, that’s rock and roll.” Perfect answer. As I walk in the first band is just starting, the Zutons. Not a bad group. They were young and British and absolutely thrilled to be on the same bill with Morrissey. Hey, I would be too. They play about 30 minutes which is enough time to get a taste. At 8 pm, the place is barely half full. Wow, that is surprising. I thought this place would fill up in under an hour. Apparently, I was wrong. People are able to pay a $50 cover if they don’t have a wristband or badge. That is the price I expected. Two more groups come out, Corinne Bailey Rae and Richard Hawley. These are two other British singers who are apparently huge overseas. Since the BBC is sponsoring this showcase, all the bands are British. It is now after 9pm and the music hall is really starting to fill up. Morrissey is supposed to hit the stage at 9:30. I must say that the SX organizers are doing a great job of making sure bands start at their exact time. That is very good especially when there are 6 groups in one night. At 9:15, the announcer comes out and says Morrissey is about to hit the stage. The lights dim and the crowd goes insane! I can’t believe it, Morrissey is about to sing!!! Ok, so it takes ten minutes for him to make his way onto the stage, but who the hell cares. MORRISSEY!!! He comes out in his black suit and pink button down shirt. Damn, he looks good. Right now, I am cursing myself because I did not bring my camera. Well, the flash bulbs are going off at an incredible speed. For the beginning part of the show, it is mostly his solo stuff and new materials from his album being released next month. It was good and he sounded fantastic. His jacket comes off, oh yeah! Then he changes his shirt because he has sweated through the one he is wearing. Actually, he changes shirts 3 times! I guess he likes to stay clean and dry. Finally, a Smiths song, “Girlfriend in a Coma.” Now, that is what I’m talking about! Keep those coming. After that song, more material from his new album. He also mentions something about the US bombing Iraq that very day. Yep, those two days would coincide wouldn’t they. Most people in the room hate Bush, so he is in good company. Then, it starts, “How Soon Is Now?” I have died and gone to heaven. This song is all I really wanted to hear. I can go home and have had a great night. The place goes crazy and he notices too. He then continues more new and solo stuff. He finishes the set a little over an hour. He returns for an encore and sings, “Last night I had a dream that somebody loved me.” Sweet, one more song! Unfortunately, that is it. Just one song for the encore, no more! BOO!! So, he didn’t sing a whole lot of Smiths songs. I would have loved to hear “Panic,” or “Ask” or “Please, Please, Please . . .” but I didn’t. Now his solo stuff is very good and I really liked it. So, I am not at all complaining or upset I saw his show. I am still thrilled.

It is now a little after 10:30, the night is young. What to do? Well, I would really like to see Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at Eternal. We will see if that works. I start the walk down 6th to the club. As I get closer, I hear what I think in second line music coming from the street. Interesting, who is that. Sure enough it is some brass band playing on the corner of 6th and Neches. They have gathered quite a large crowd of people dancing along. Now, a bunch of white hipsters dancing to second line music is so funny!! They are playing, but I have no clue who they are. Some guy next to me is trying to tell me they are from Chicago. Ummm, no dude, I don’t think so. A lady comes around the crowd with a box to take donations. I ask her who the group is. She tells me they are the Hot 8 Brass Band from New Orleans who lost everything is the hurricane. I think they must be from the Ninth Ward then. I reach in to my pocket and stick money in the box. After a few songs, the cops shut them down. BOO!!! Give those kids a chance. Nope, they disband the group and tell them to stop playing. Oh well, now that gives me time to go to Eternal for the midnight show. I see quite a line outside. I still decide to give it a try. I ask the guy standing at the end of the line if this is where the line for Eternal is. He assumes so, and asks the guy in front of him. The guy in front of his says they are in line to see The Flaming Lips. WHAT???? Didn’t they play last night??? He says yeah, but they are up there right now. You are kidding me, right?? Nope! Well, I am staying in this line. I wonder if they really are up there. People get in line behind me and tell me yep, that was their second secret show. DAMN!!!! Always two steps behind. Well, at least it looks like I will get in to see the band I want. The line moves, and a security guard scans my wristband. I am now the next one to get in, so I wait. The bouncer inside says they can take one person. That’s me!!! I get ready to walk in, and the guard asks if I have a badge. NO, just a wristband. Oh sorry, he says, wristbands only. Excuse me, you just scanned my wristband and I have been waiting in line. He says sorry and asks me to leave the line. Well, I give him a dirty look and storm off. SOB!!! Maybe this wristband thing isn’t that worth it anymore. Where am I going now? The Dirty Dog bar has the Billboard magazine showcase with The Exit and People in Planes. Those bands sounded pretty good on the radio earlier, I’ll try that. I get in that long line. It is not really moving, but I do manage to talk to a guy who knows the band and tells me they are pretty good. Well, I will stay in line. I slowly work my way to the front. I get to the front of the line and the bouncer says they are at capacity and cannot allow anyone else in. Well, badge people do not like to hear that. They assume, no matter what, they can get in. The bouncers fight with a few people who want to get in, but can’t. When people do start to leave, he only lets badge people enter. The badges practically step on me to get in. Excuse you, I am waiting in line also. Nope, I am not complaining because I am almost there. Finally, after a little while, I get in. Cool, I work my way to the front while the crew is still setting up. People in Planes begin around 12:30. They are quite good. The lead singer has an amazing voice. Everytime they finish a song, they say “cheers,” They have a song called “When you talk too much, my head will explode.” Ever since I heard it, it has been stuck in my head. The band finishes around 1:15 and I decide it is time to head home. I plan on taking the bus back to my garage close to campus. I wait for the bus for 45 minutes. I am tired and cold and just want to go home. Nothing. So, I walk/run to my car on MLK and Trinity. I started on 6th and Brazos. It was a nice late night work out. I am never doing that again. I crawl into bed around 3 am.