PDX–>JFK
January 25th, 2009
One of the things that’s hardest about this job (if you allow that I have any right to complain about it at all, which I don’t) is the traveling. Not the part where I go to great cities and meet interesting people and pretend to be a rockstar in front of an audience of superfans, that part I like. It’s the part after that, where I tape up boxes in a crappy hotel business center at 2:30 in the morning, crash for an hour and then lug my stuff to the airport. I’m lucky today, I got the free upgrade to the upper class, so there will be breakfast and room to sleep. Poor Paul and Storm drove from Portland to Seattle last night after the show to catch their flight this morning, which sounds even worse.
All this is to say that when there are crowds and shows like these last two, it goes a long way toward making up for the bad parts. Molly was awesome, Paul and Storm always make me laugh, and of course you guys in the audience continue to amaze me by showing up at all, let alone in massive numbers, ready to scream for brains. I’m pretty sure that if you account for everything, I’m still coming out way ahead. So thank you.
Also. a first class upgrade does not hurt. Have fun in coach, suckers!
At the risk of just continuing to be all swooning fanboy, I do have to say that “I’m Your Moon” does have one of my favorite JoCo lyrics of all time. It’s the combination of the funny and the poignant that gives these songs replay value for me.
“I’m Your Moon” is great, but I’m pretty sure AP meant to say “Always the Moon.”
“I’m Your Moon” wasn’t played at the Portland show. Whatever…. “Always the Moon” is great too.
First off, I would say you’re tired of hearing it but if you guys are all as regular guy as you seem to be you probably will not get tired of it but also never be comfortable with it, you guys all are kickass.
I was in a barbershop quartet in high school, so YEAH! I KNOW!
Yes, a member of the SPEBSQSA…oh why did I give it up?? *ahem*
Anyhow…legality of bootlegs…HAHAHAHAHA (by definition they’re not – otherwise they’re “live recordings”). The short answer is that it’s not much longer until it’s moot. Can’t stop the passing of information now, and music is just another type, just more lossless in emotion than most. Blame it on the internet…it we ever achieve something close to global consciousness it will be for that reason alone. I saw Britney Spears try and perform a cappella on SNL once…it was miserable. So no faking it anymore…people will have to perform and earn their pay We get to see them and give them money directly. /digression
Now what do we do about Ticketbastard? I know how it happens so I won’t ask how the stranglehold gets put on the distribution channels, but that’s going by the wayside as well…just like the distribution of the music itself.
Paul and Storm missed an arrr joke that I thought for sure they would get – you know, genetics…arrrrRNA. And ctrl-alt-del vs. Mac joke and nobody even brought up Linux/UNIX (ctrl-D!)…for shame.
I was the guy in the audience that responded he brought his kid when the irresponsible parent comments were laid. I actually have 4 now, this was #2 and she’s 14. All the kids are you tubing everything (try farting mario head – man I wish I could stop that nonsense) and Rock Band pimpin’ (Still Alive and Skullcrusher Mountain) means that all the chilluns (now 10, 12, 14, and 15) know a bunch of JC’s work. I randomly came across that the show was happening while looking for other stuff (I have wicked netmojo – cool stuff just finds me) and after mentioning it to the kids and confirming it was all-ages show, Ame (#2) said she wanted to go instead of getting a birthday present in April. Since my hours at work were cut back we really couldn’t afford to have everyone go outright and really it’s not for everyone’s taste in humor (it’s mine for sure – I’m an engineering technician for wireless product development teams) she got the special outing. I had to explain a few things (like a Chuck Mangione reference P&S used, and I had to use a Family Guy episode to back-reference the reference and I can’t believe she didn’t get the KoL since they all have accounts) but she was busting up too.
And I don’t think the First of May tune is tongue in cheek. I think it’s a fabulous idea and everyone should foster and encourage this. It’s certainly easier than trying to do it during the Polar Bear Plunge.
To that ahole behind me in the balcony that kept shouting buttsecks, I hate to give y’all attention because it just encourages you (it took all my resolve to not at the show even though I was RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU) but F*&*&# OFF.
I have rarely seen performers handle heckling and rap with the audience as smoothly and fluidly as you guys…you are awesome (real-time even)…lots of people that need love in the crew that night and you spread it around…
Oh, and Molly rocks. The kids say, so it must be true.
Stay kickass and I hope everyone comes back to town soon.
Russ: I took my 13-year-old, so personally I think that’s fine, depending on the kid. As long as you’re prepared to set straight any misunderstandings of the lyrics or banter (I don’t think JoCo _really_ made the 2-backed beast at the park with a lady who sells ice cream and a man with a tan shar-pei, although I could be wrong).
That said, we left the younger kids at home. I did not want my 4-year-old going around bellowing “outdoor f-cking starts today.” Also, she would have probably taken P&S’s “Better Version of You” a little too literally, given that my wife was pregnant at the time!
PS I also reminded kid that while it’s nice to make stuff look effortless, for 99.99999% (yeah! five nines!) of the population it takes a crapload of work and sacrifice to gain true kickassery.
I didn’t realize you’d hacked away at the oak for that long before it started really paying the bills…
Congratulations for escaping the box – most people do not understand that really, very few engineers are like Dilbert.
In fact, the further up the food chain you get, the more rockstar the people are like – hell, I’m pretty much a roadie slash guitar tech equivalent…lots of the big brains need handlers.
It is insane the amount of training, practice, and creative effort it takes to bring a concept out of your head or collective heads and into reality in a usable and sellable form…I know more engineers that are painters and blues musicians (or total gun nuts) than I do ones that are dry and lifeless.
Crap…digressed again. Started out with intent to let you know I’m trying to use you guys as a good role model and that if you really work at it and don’t give up you can probably escape the fates of ordinary…frightening. /darkening doorstep for real now
re. the traveling: you just need some roadies. and i am sure you could get any number of such willing and/or able assistants the same way you get people for your merch table.
JUST SAW YOU AND JOHN HODGMAN on Google Talks
You should do a post about how it’s finally online. I don’t know if you did a post about it.. I don’t regularly read this blog.. but I want to make a post.
You and Hodgman are hilarious. Anybody who goes to see you are getting their money’s worth
Isn’t it great? You guys are big time enough to go present at Google–someday.. someday I may be that cool.
I’m dying to see you live, JoCo. Please come to Texas sometime soon.
JoCo -
A few sites are saying the concert DVD, entitled “Best. Concert. Ever.” is coming out on 10 February 2009. Can you confirm or deny this?
I need to know in advance how much T-shirts cost if purchased at the show. I’ve got my tickets to the Ann Arbor one already, and I just want to have an idea of how much money to set aside for that night.
Jonathan… I… don’t know what to say……
Holy flashbacks, Roman. That’s awesome.
P.S. You should be on the forums.
Oh I know, I’ve been told to be in the forums before. I just, I don’t know, can’t find the time – between school (lots o’ credit hours), and programming projects, and my band, and all sorts of craziness.
That’s Hodgman next to Coulton, btw. I know!
Just tweeted the pic to Hodgman in case he has not seen it. Hilarious!
@Zach: 20 bucks
Cool, thanks, that’s about what I was expecting, but I wanted to be sure.
Also, is it okay if I were to bring my laptop and record the audio from the mixer (assuming the venue also says it’s ok)?
@Zach: Soundboard! YES!
“I am fine with people recording and distributing recordings of shows for non-commercial purposes. Just know that I don’t mind if you record my shows and pass them around without commercial gain.”
Those are the well-established Rules of Ethical Taping, for those not familiar with the practice. You can trade recordings, you can give them away, or you can accept just enough money to cover burning and postage (called a “B&P trade” — although a lot of that is now moot thanks to file sharing. If the artist asks that people not record, that’s that (I remember when Nickel Creek apologetically asked fans to stop taping because their record label didn’t like it). Sites like Dime a Dozen and Lossless Legs exist for no other purpose than to facilitate ethical trading. (Sharing the Groove, you are missed!)
Just a little context for those who may not be in the know about the context of Jonathan’s position on this. He’s right in line with pretty much every trade-friendly band.
Ok, I knew he was fine with cameras and such, I just wasn’t sure how far that stretched. Thanks for clearing that up for me Luke.
Yes, you should always check with the venue ahead of time though – sometimes they have their own policies about audio and video recording.
You may actually have to appeal to the artist if that’s possible — in San Francisco last month, the venue (which has a stated policy of “it’s OK with us if it’s OK with the performer”) claimed than Jonathan had requested no video and made everyone leave their cameras in their cars, but he had made no such request, according to Colleen. I’ve heard similar stories about other venues. I don’t know why they do that, but it happens.
JoCo: Right, I was planning on calling the Ark in advance and informing them that it’s cool with you as long as they’re cool with it.
Luke: That’s actually the second reason I asked on here, so that assuming he said he’d be fine with it (which as we both know he did) that I’d have proof when calling the Ark about it in the next few days to get their approval or not.
JoCo: Also, thanks. Really looking forward to seeing you, and having a recording of a concert that I was actually at is always pretty awesome (this will be my second, the only one I have currently is Radiohead’s Lollapalooza performance from last year). …assuming the folks at the Ark let me record it that is.
@ Zach
Paul & Storm are cool with it too AFAIK, so if you could get their set too, that would be awesome (I am presumptuously assuming you intend to upload this recording at some point) …
Luke: Aye, I was planning on uploading the show as well, and sure, assuming the venue says it’s fine for me to record, I’ll get Paul and Storm as well!
Hey, I just wanted to say that i saw you at the Whiffenpoof’s Centennial. (The concert was amazing in general, I was very heart-warmed during the “Whiffenpoof song” I thought you and Jon Hodgeman did an excellent job, and I look forward to seeing you perform again.
@Zach: I’ve taped at the Ark several times, and never been hassled. Assuming I can snag a ticket, I think I might break out the rig and “roll tape” — well, capture bits — for that show.
Hey JoCo,
I was gifted a ticket to your Seattle concert, with my fine family of JoCo fans. Thanks so much for your interesting music, harmonies, and story telling lyrics. My mind is now full of monkeys, zombies and robots.