Ladies and Gentlemen, Ween
Last Friday I made a trip to the dirty, dirty state of Oklahoma (I keed, I keed. Well, mostly) to see one of my favorite bands – Ween. Unfortunately Tulsa (or as I like to sometimes call it, Tusla) was the closest stop to Dallas on this tour, but I figured a 3 and a half hour drive was reasonable since I’ve been waiting 3 years to see Ween in concert again. I took half a day off from work so I could get there in plenty of time.
The doors to the venue were to open at 7 according to the ticket. I got there right around 7 and there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. I took a few pictures and then decided to get in line. After about 10 more minutes they finally started letting people in. I knew that Ween allows taping and cameras at their shows, so I brought my camera to the concert. When they took my ticket they didn’t even ask to look inside my camera bag. I could have smuggled a blunt in there! But I didn’t.
Unfortunately I was too far back in line to get a spot up against the fence right in front of the stage, but I staked out a spot about 3 rows back (had there been any “rows”, it was standing room only). I knew I was in for a long night of standing since Ween typically plays about 3 hour shows. I wanted a beer or two something fierce, but I decided not to partake since I didn’t have anyone to “save my spot”, and I really didn’t want to have to fight my way to and from the bathroom once the show started. I think I was the only sober person in that whole place. They had a great deal on beer (for a bar anyway) – you could get a six pack of Bud or Coors for $12. Yeah, only the cheap stuff but hell around here you would pay $4 for one. I met some nice people, one couple was originally from New Orleans and they were permanently displaced by Katrina and now live in Frisco, Texas (strangely enough only about 10 miles from where I live). It was just going to be too expensive for them to rebuild in New Orleans, but luckily they did OK with their insurance. Another couple was from Wichita, and this was their first Ween show. I only include this for comedy reasons, but the folks from Wichita thought that I looked like McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy. Like I said, I was the only sober person. The show started about an hour after I got to my spot.
The show was great, but it was slightly marred for me by a couple of factors. One was that starting from about the third song on, it was a battle to maintain my position in the crowd. Fucking weasels kept pushing their way past (or in some cases trying to push their way past) all night. There were a couple of tense moments when I objected to having some asshole try to worm his way into my spot. I didn’t get there an hour early to have some Johnny-come-lately get in front of me! The other bad thing was that I have been spoiled by the smoke-free environment of concerts in Dallas. I think I am on the fast track to emphysema after Friday night. There was a lot of smoking going on, both legal and otherwise. My voice was about an octave lower the next day, and I felt as if I had a smoked a whole pack, sans filter. An only slightly annoying factor that came into play late in the game was the hippy factor. Ever since Phish covered the Ween song “Roses Are Free”, there’s been a small hippy contingent to Ween fandom. A rather obnoxious exemplar of said crowd wormed his dirty, smelly way in front of me toward the end of the show. Oh well.
Ween played 2 new songs and a cover, so the majority of the evening was old favorites. I love how into it the crowds at these shows get, lots of people sing along to all the songs. Deaner was ripping it up as usual, and Gener was in fine voice. There was one encore, and when that was over we had just hit the 3 hour mark. There was no opening act. I love how these guys play for so long, but it makes other concerts seem too short.
I was going to put in some stuff about why I think Ween is worthwhile, but I think I’ll save that for a separate post. Here are just a few of the pictures I took. I took over 200 pictures!!! I wanted to make sure I got a least a few good ones.
And here's a cover of a Wings song that Ween played that I'm really digging. This recording isn't from Tulsa, but it is from the current tour:
Let Me Roll It
The doors to the venue were to open at 7 according to the ticket. I got there right around 7 and there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. I took a few pictures and then decided to get in line. After about 10 more minutes they finally started letting people in. I knew that Ween allows taping and cameras at their shows, so I brought my camera to the concert. When they took my ticket they didn’t even ask to look inside my camera bag. I could have smuggled a blunt in there! But I didn’t.
Unfortunately I was too far back in line to get a spot up against the fence right in front of the stage, but I staked out a spot about 3 rows back (had there been any “rows”, it was standing room only). I knew I was in for a long night of standing since Ween typically plays about 3 hour shows. I wanted a beer or two something fierce, but I decided not to partake since I didn’t have anyone to “save my spot”, and I really didn’t want to have to fight my way to and from the bathroom once the show started. I think I was the only sober person in that whole place. They had a great deal on beer (for a bar anyway) – you could get a six pack of Bud or Coors for $12. Yeah, only the cheap stuff but hell around here you would pay $4 for one. I met some nice people, one couple was originally from New Orleans and they were permanently displaced by Katrina and now live in Frisco, Texas (strangely enough only about 10 miles from where I live). It was just going to be too expensive for them to rebuild in New Orleans, but luckily they did OK with their insurance. Another couple was from Wichita, and this was their first Ween show. I only include this for comedy reasons, but the folks from Wichita thought that I looked like McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy. Like I said, I was the only sober person. The show started about an hour after I got to my spot.
The show was great, but it was slightly marred for me by a couple of factors. One was that starting from about the third song on, it was a battle to maintain my position in the crowd. Fucking weasels kept pushing their way past (or in some cases trying to push their way past) all night. There were a couple of tense moments when I objected to having some asshole try to worm his way into my spot. I didn’t get there an hour early to have some Johnny-come-lately get in front of me! The other bad thing was that I have been spoiled by the smoke-free environment of concerts in Dallas. I think I am on the fast track to emphysema after Friday night. There was a lot of smoking going on, both legal and otherwise. My voice was about an octave lower the next day, and I felt as if I had a smoked a whole pack, sans filter. An only slightly annoying factor that came into play late in the game was the hippy factor. Ever since Phish covered the Ween song “Roses Are Free”, there’s been a small hippy contingent to Ween fandom. A rather obnoxious exemplar of said crowd wormed his dirty, smelly way in front of me toward the end of the show. Oh well.
Ween played 2 new songs and a cover, so the majority of the evening was old favorites. I love how into it the crowds at these shows get, lots of people sing along to all the songs. Deaner was ripping it up as usual, and Gener was in fine voice. There was one encore, and when that was over we had just hit the 3 hour mark. There was no opening act. I love how these guys play for so long, but it makes other concerts seem too short.
I was going to put in some stuff about why I think Ween is worthwhile, but I think I’ll save that for a separate post. Here are just a few of the pictures I took. I took over 200 pictures!!! I wanted to make sure I got a least a few good ones.
And here's a cover of a Wings song that Ween played that I'm really digging. This recording isn't from Tulsa, but it is from the current tour:
Let Me Roll It
Any time I'm in another state I try to find this beer - it's one of my favorites. Due to a really stupid law in Texas this beer is not sold there. Something about the alcohol content being too high for the state's defintion of a "stout". Ironic that it can be bought in the land of 3.2 beer - Oklahoma. But only warm!
This is Cain's Ballroom. Originally it was known for having lots of famous country musicians play there, but it has become a mecca for all kinds of bands. Hell, the Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, The Talking Heads, and The Police have all played there!
View of downtown Tulsa from in front of Cain's
Gener pulls a play from the Tom Waits playbook ;) for "Stroker Ace"
He's going to give me emphysema, but damn does he look cool!
I love the look on Deaner's face here. The band is watching Gener do this weird faux-Nusret Fateh Ali Khan thing.
I think Deaner's hands were cramping up or something. He was moving his fingers around in this weird way!
You want me to sing what?!
Someone brought this hideous painting that they created and held it up right after the show started. Deaner grabbed it and put it up in front of the drum set.
The aftermath
Patrick Dempsey shows his approval
Labels: Concerts
posted by JC at 9:35 PM
5 Comments:
Let's not get too carried away here, it's a rare event! Well, except for last weekend.
oh what fun! thanks for all the concert shots. it was almost like i was there expect for the crowding and bo and aftermath on the floor!
I'm really curious about Ween now, never heard of them, but from what you wrote, I'd probably dig 'em.
Love the second to last photo! Yes!!!
*LMAO* Boy, you crack me up! I love the pic of you! hehe.
Yeah, that is one perk of being alone - I don't have to OK any roadtrips with anyone!
If you guys do decide to check out Ween, I would suggest starting with "The Mollusk" or "White Pepper" albums, those are probably their most accessible ones.
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