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Shea Stadium Site 2.13.09

Erica and I drove past Shea Stadium - what's left of it - the other night.  This past Friday morning I decided to drive out there to pay last respects and take some pictures.

 

Erica said that it looks like one last piece of cake.

Almost as shocking as how little of the old stadium is left, is how much work remains to be done on the new park.  

For instance, there is no walkway from the exit of the 7 train to the much-heralded "Jackie Robinson Rotunda", or Citi Field's main entrance.  Although a crew of workers were feverishly working on it (not shown).  And clearly the parking lot that is supposed to replace Shea will not be completed for months to come (which won't effect me, since I prefer the train). 

Despite my considerable mixed feelings about both the new ballpark and my team's dismal performance in the last two pennant races, I went in on a season ticket plan with four friends.

Our seats are in the top deck (equivalent to the mezzanine section at Shea), about 11 rows back from the rail, near first base.  I was surprised at how inexpensive the tickets were.  I am looking forward to both the new facility and the 2009 edition of the Mets with equal amounts  trepidation, giddy optimism, and outright dread.

One big tree, just watching over me

The local Boston music scene in the 1980s has to rate as one of the greatest ever.

Here's the video for one of my favorite releases from that era, Three Colors' "One Big Tree." Amazing song. I was so impressed with it that, after Three Colors and my own concurrent Boston band Circle Sky broke up at the end of the 80s I searched out this song's singer/writer Hub Moore and formed a band with him - The Great Outdoors.

But back to this video - it's brilliant, if your idea of a rock video is to 1) support a great record without detracting from it while simultaneously 2) creating a distinct, infective visual identity for the artist.

I love how guitarist Chris Harford's free-form dancing is instantly established as the dominant leitmotif (which itself ties into the album's iconic design) for the whole vid. When it's carried through to the live-stage shots, I think it's a small master-stroke in the art of...well, these things.  Hub has a McCartney-esque thing going here that was always been irresistible to me.

The song itself is a triumph of both production/arrangement, and songwriting. I have always loved the sparing, "less-is-more" interplay of strident dance-floor beat, beeping keys and Dana Colley's very cool sax parts (P.S. Dana went on to fame and fortune in Morphine). And the very idea of "One big tree...hanging over me" as the central hook in such a poppy/ska/wave hit is outrageously Zen if you think about it.

It was a huge hit in Boston in its day. Wither V-66?

And...scat singing! Enjoy.

Watch it!

Moyers, Greenwald, Rosen....Obama, media, narrative...great stuff.

Can you set aside 21 minutes and watch it?

Our house bear thang

http://www.engrish.com/

Party like it's 1999

Ummm...

Bob Dylan & His Band, United Palace Theater, 11.21.08

Friday night, I saw Bob Dylan in concert for the first time.

Photo by MuleBoy. Click to enlarge

Thanks to the quick thinking of my friend the MuleBoy who scored two tickets to this show, at this 3,000-seat theater in Washington Heights, upper Manhattan.

Bob played "Hammond" organ all night, except for a couple of songs where he played electric guitar (and I mean lead guitar, he was really shredding!), and a couple where he slunk around the stage in a half dance, playing hand-held blues harp.  He had a steel guitar set-up but never played it, sadly.

Photo by MuleBoy

He opened with "Gotta Serve Somebody" and "Times They Are A-Changin'" and it was spectacular.  Everybody got the nod to Obama in the latter.


Photo By Jestaplero's cell phone

The curtain call, after the encores. The encore set was "Like a Rolling Stone," "All Along the Watchtower," and "Blowing in the Wind" (in 3/4, doo-wop style).

Here's the set list, courtesy boblinks:

New York, New York
The United Palace
November 21, 2008

1. Gotta Serve Somebody
(Bob on harp center stage - no keyboard, Stu and Denny on stage for all songs)
2. The Times They Are A-Changin' (Bob on harp)
3. The Levee's Gonna Break (Donnie on electric mandolin)
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Bob on guitar)
5. Things Have Changed (Donnie on violin)
6. Desolation Row (Donnie on electric mandolin)
7. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Donnie on banjo)
8. Beyond The Horizon
9. 'Til I Fell In Love With You (Bob on harp center stage - no keyboard or guitar)
10. Make You Feel My Love (Bob on harp)
11. Honest With Me
12. Spirit On The Water
13. Highway 61 Revisited
14. Ain't Talkin' (Donnie on viola)
15. Thunder On The Mountain

(encore)
16. Like A Rolling Stone
17. All Along The Watchtower
18. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on guitar, Donnie on violin)

It was awesome.  One of the greatest concert experiences of my life.