31 January 2008
Thursday, 7:30 pm
It was about a 5 hour train ride. I have to tell ya, out the window - things looked pretty bleak.
Looking out my St Charles hotel window - things still looked pretty bleak.
Ameristar...So close yet so far...
I didn't have time to check out what there was to do in St. Charles MO in January. I didn't see a lot of people out and about on Main Street. Come to think of it - I didn't see anybody out and about. Not even a light on.
Inside the Ameristar Casino lookin' at the Bottleneck Blues Bar...
The club is very small. Just the way I like it.
Of course it was sold out. I had a great "general admission" seats in tier #1. However--- the stage was not raised very much...so, short me, still had to struggle to see over the big heads in front of me.
"...solid surf-rock instrumental ear candy, they launched into “Vacation.” Of course mainstays “We Got The Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed,” as well as the slightly less memorable, but no less infectious tunes “This Town,” “How Much More,” and “The Whole World Lost Its Head,” were exhibited in full force.I could not of said it better. But here are some of my pictures....
Their popular cover of the Capitols’ “Cool Jerk,” featured onstage dancing by the ubiquitous Beatle Bob and a less recognizable (but move-for-move, every bit as animated) female dancer who seemed to actually know all of the lyrics. The entire band even joined together with fervor to perform the Belinda Carlisle solo hit “Mad About You,” rounding out the highlights among a night rife with nothing but. “Head Over Heels” and a brilliantly-arranged and rendered punk treatment of the Shangri-Las’s “Remember (Walking In The Sand)” closed out the encore. Covers and Carlisle solo cuts aside, If there existed a machine designed to accomplish nothing but the churning out of pure and perfect pop songs, surely at least every other creation it spawned would be a Go-Go's tune.Songs alone, and even great ones, however, do not an excellent rock band or an interesting show make. The distinct personalities of each Go-Go would be enough on their own to pick up any slack left by the songsmithery, and furthermore put trite titles such as “the cute one” or “the quiet one” to shame. Carlisle’s nonstop dancing, frequent audience encouragement and out-loud “band moments” (“Hey, can we do ‘Cool Jerk’ again? That was fun!” [Valentine begins playing the bass line] “Nah, I changed my mind”) no doubt endeared her to all to whom she was not previously endeared. Wiedlin’s (self-admitted) cartoonish voice, constant audience interaction, bubbling energy, and humorous observations on the otherwise mundane (“What room are we in? What room are you in?” she responded to a particularly loud attendee, with an over-obvious wink, at one point) contributed to her qualifications as a face for the band every bit as charismatic as Carlisle.
Valentine’s get-it-done but let’s-have-fun demeanor (and insane bass licks to boot) would have anyone wondering who the band’s real leader is backstage. Schock’s habitual forays to the front of the stage from behind her comparatively mammoth drum kit -- and her solicitation of the audience for a vote on whether or not she should be allowed to visit the restroom before the encore started; the audience voted “yes,” and unanimously so -- gave her an up as the group’s jocund firebrand. Caffey, while initially the seemingly reserved straight-shooter, or maybe even the proverbial “man behind the curtain” (swapping vocal, keyboard, and guitar duties with ease, and appearing to provide a no-nonsense anchor of sorts for the band), eventually showed her true colors with some light-hearted physical mimicry.
While somewhat geographically remote, especially given the inclement nature of last night’s weather, the show made evident that band and constituency alike were there for the same reason: to have an awesome time. Hopefully the next Go-Go's visit to St. Louis (or “St. Louis” as the case may be) will bestow better climatic and other circumstances under which to get you a new favorite band and five new rockstar crushes."
Now I gotta go pee... thank you thankyou...thankyou...I promise I'll be right back....
- The stage was very small - not enough room for Gina to have her drums raised.
- The low stage (elevated maybe 2 feet from the audiance) made it hard to see over the heads of people in front.
- Security was very lax...I could take all the pictures I wanted
- They serve beers in buckets around here
HIGH NOTE - Great show. Pure fun. Great crowd. Perfect.
SIDE NOTE: Check it out here...Cool interview...with Jane for the RiverFront Times.com .
B-Sides catches up with Richard Marx
Seriously folks- lyrics don't get cooler than this.
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Okay - cool jerk, cool places -- cool- cool- cool, But it really is cold, cold COLD!
