Anyway, we went around back to wait for them to come in, and somebody pointed out a guy, saying he was from the Assembly Line People Program (off the “You’re-just-buying-this-because-I’m-Graham-from-Blur” Record label). Damon came in his own car, and when people called out his name, he made a silly face for us. He was wearing some sort of navy blue collared shirt; it might have been a Fred Perry, jeans, and those hideous yellow glasses he wore on Letterman. As a whole, he emitted a certain charm, and was doing his best to be friendly, even though he was being mobbed.
We waited around a bit longer, and soon came another van. Out stepped Alex in one of the most ridiculous looking hats of the century. It was made of knee brace material. He was very friendly, muttered a “Hullo,” over his shoulder, but got yanked in by the tour managers (who are evil men, as you’ll see later).
Dave came out next, very calm and cool. He was on a cell phone, and he looked oh so businessman like. He smiled, but didn’t stop.
Last came Graham with some tour person. He was wearing a Mets tee shirt an carpenter jeans. He looked positively miserable, and was rubbing his head, covering his ears, all that before the dogs even mobbed him. He looked like he might cry by the time he reached the door. All he did was scowl, and I felt kind of bad for him, but I decided he was moody and I was gonna love Alex for the day.
My Alex fetish didn’t last long, and I found myself searching for Graham fans. I snagged a poster while in line, then I found the front and stuck an arm in. The girl next to me passed out before anyone even came onstage, which was rather frightening.
We waited for a very long time and they brought out Remy Zero. Lots of people didn’t mind them, I liked them pretty well. They had a hit on the radio, that I’ve heard a few times, so that made it all the more enjoyable. After about five songs, Remy Zero announced it would be their last song, then we’d get Blur. Everyone cheered, and I felt bad. (I made it a point to shake the drummer’s hand after the show, but couldn’t chat because his tour man was pulling him along too.)
We waited nearly an hour for Blur, and they finally came out. Alex bowed. During Tender, I got a big smile from Damon, and a bit of a sneer from Graham (but I’m not sure if it was at me or the obnoxious woman next to me). The show was absolutely wonderful. The highlight (although I can hardly remember which song it was from), was the lights on Graham’s back, and him, a dark fuzzy against the light background, hunched over his guitar, manipulating it and looking like some sort of god.
The entire time, I had to remind myself: you’re at a blur concert! pay attention! I was getting so caught up in the music...
Damon talked a bit, after tender he babbled something about buying the CD. Someone threw up a Universal flyer and his eyes just about bugged out of his head. He smiled, but shook his head. Bastard. Dave was right on...he always is. Graham screwed up during Tender and looked worried, but nobody seemed to notice. He looked relieved when he realized this.
Bugman was cool, Damon was bouncing and happy and all that, and I felt smooshed. I managed to get shoved into 1 1/2 row. It pissed me off. Graham turned around during the solos, so nobody could see what he was doing. How Van Halen of him.
Damon didn't say much before Coffee and TV, they sort of just launched into it. I was surprised that screaming during Tender for "Oh my Baby" was louder than during Coffee and TV. Everybody was singing to it, though, and there was a nice bounce to the crowd. Graham, unfortunately, did not look even slightly happier while singing this song.
Damon didn’t jump around so much, but during Swamp Song, invoked some sort of Jarvis-like spirit and shook it. Pretty amusing, actually. Then for a while after that, the “Jarvis Spirit” came back, and he’s do some pelvic thing. Specifically at the line FEEEEEVAAAAA. Damon's grown a sex appeal, I might say. No....like seriously. During the Jarvis posession, he was (in forrest gump accent) swingin his hips and thrustin his pelvis and abusing the amps. Oh...and during Swamp Song when he went FEEEEEVAAAAA he started shaking and thrusting simultaneously. I can't recall perfectly, but I think it was Swamp Song, and he walked up to this amp, and he did the FEEEEEVAAAAA thrust to it, that sexy thang smiled at me during Tender. (feels guilty) Am I betraying G? Oh no! Well, at one point, G did it too, as a joke and then he laughed and dimpled. Graham did the FEEEEEVAAAAA...lol....I've just named a new dance move. He did it for Dave right before Trimm Trabb. He shhhhhhhhhhhook it, as if to say "This is my fav song, like Damon loves FEEEEEVAAAAA, I love this!" He did it goofily, but it came across sexy, especially with those dimples. Okay, enough.
1992, which is my fav song off the album was a lovely relief. Everything was calm, and pretty sounding for about 5 minutes. It was heaven. The sound was excellent and we were almost swaying...
Damon was whiny during BLUREMI. That’s all I percieved, because I was being mosh mosh moshed to death.
Battle came out LOVELY. Graham sounded so sweet and it was just lovely. The best was the little stop, where it was just G and D singing...in harmony...sigh.
During Mellow Song, Damon was whining about getting quiet to concentrate, because he’s new at it and he wants to do well. Graham went over to Alex and they had a small chat, and Alex laughed. Damon was still complaining about getting the room quiet so he could concentrate on picking. The woman next to me shouted for everyone to shut up. It hurt my ear. Afterwards, he pulled out a melodica. Now THAT was bizarre.
Freestyle was lovely. Damon gave the same speech as his did at Glasto 1998. It was kind of annoying. The song totally made up for it, though. It's a great song, isn't it? Damon played guitar on this one too...
Trimm Trabb was yum. Graham seemed decently all right. He even did the FEEEEEVAAAAA and laughed! He switched guitars in the middle too. It was rad.
During No Distance, Graham looked like he might cry. He wasn't mean everyone! He was sad! I just wanted to hand him a teddy bear and a security blanket, tuck him in and give him a kiss on the forehead, and tell him "Everything will be all right." Alas, no such luck. Afterwards, he ran off stage. He was not a happy camper, and neither was Damon.
The encore was cool, though we waited WAY too long for it. Beetlebum sounded great, and as previously stated, I got a grin from Graham by yelling out the fret numbers for the chords.
In popscene, everyone, and I mean everyone, (everyone sang Beetlebum, more sang this) was singing. Graham did some CRAZY acrobatics, and he looked great....played on the floor a minute.
In TNOW, Damon did his signature “dive” and when he realized his *new* beads had been ripped, the picnic ended. Everyone knew this song as well.
I was on Graham’s side, but basically Alex did his usual, the head nod, and made eye contact with members of the audience, including me. A few times. The most memorable, during Song 2. Damon simply held the mic out to the audience for the first verse/chorus, and then came in halfway through the first chorus. During the second verse, Damon wandered towards Alex and I notcied he was singing along. I let out a screech and pointed and I got a smile and a nod back. Not that I’m sure it was for me. I can dream though, right?
I think my whole Bond(age) girl getup might’ve scared Graham a tad. I had a “noose” on my left wrist. Also, a big “hello there” to Smoggy. He was right in front of me, and he really didn’t think I would make it (er, maybe cuz you let a crowd surfer kick me in the head?) and kept looking at me and gesturing to say “wanna come out?” I shook my head every time. He smiled a bit. I know he was just thinking “What a stubborn little bitch.” I got him to give me water (and might I say, the way they distribute water is *totally* unsanitary) I threw a camera at him too.
Afterwards, I left the venue and went outside. I waited in the “general” waiting area, until I saw the “ALPP” (which I don’t think it was, but I never caught their real names...they were from Philidelphia though) waiting near another exit, next to vans. Of course! They’d taken vans, not a limousine! So I had a lovely little chat with the “ALPP.” Finally, the doors opened and the dudes poured ice water out at us. Ick.
An hour later the doors opened again, and out stepped Damon Albarn. Yay Damon! Then Alex James, who gave a kindly smile, and of all 14 people there, walked up to me. “Hello again,” he said, the again, of course, inferring that he’d said hello before! YAY! He *was* smiling at me! So he took my pen and reached for the book, when bastard the tour man blocked him and moved in between us.
“Move it along Alex,” he said. Nooooooo!
So “ALPP” boy is like “Alex! Can we take a picture?”
“Better make it quick,” he said. So boy’s GF was trying to take the pic, and the tour man hit her in the head! The nerve!
Then Dave smiled again and walks by, and finally, Graham came out, giving off this total “I’m gonna cry or bite you if you come one step closer,” vibe. He cowered away from me a tad more. By this time, the mob had realized their error and was flying towards the vans. I dove into the front seat for a papparazzi shot of Dave, before getting pushed and pulled out.
I finally retreated. I was tired, and I had half a roll of film to pray for. All in all, the gig was amazing. And that’s the truth. And that’s all I have to say about that.
