From: "Anthony J. Rzepela" <rzepelaa@netaxs.com>
Subject: Walkin' Blind II (sights, sounds, Irving Plaza '96)
To: babel-list@postmodern.com (babel-list)
Date: Sun, 23 Jun 1996 20:39:30 -0400 (EDT)


More random hits.....

Irving Plaza: The troops were out full-force for the second show,
              assuring that everyone got into the place as quickly
              as possible after opening the doors. On night 1, the 
              line to get in was long enough to obstruct the entrance 
              to some kind
              of kidney dialysis unit around the corner. On night 2,
              drink-wristbands were distributed outside, and tickets
              were not torn with a stub returned: they were simply
              taken in toto from people entering the building. 
              (Speaking as someone who saves ticket stubs, 
              I was pretty disappointed.)
       
The stairs, stage left: The stairs at the right side (as you're looking
              at the stage) were all abuzz with activity. Quarters are 
              apparently pretty cramped at the IP stage, and Verlaine had 
              to exit by crossing over (cross over, boy) the whole stage,
              and the route poor Jay Dee had to travel was even more 
              comical.  I'm guessing there's no other access to the stage     
              area. A couple of "sweet young things" in particular were
              very noticeable during the second show, unable to
              stand still for more than a minute, up and down the
              stairs, up and down the stairs they went, and both were 
              wearing distractingly bright and bouncy party dresses.
              It was someone on the stairs who tapped Jackson on 
              the shoulder mid-show as he was sitting there, which is
              only notable for the fact that I now take back everything 
              I said about Jackson not looking like Patti. The 
              interruption apparently annoyed him, and, with his
              head cocked, attitude on his face, he was a total clone
              of Patti. Weird.

Family Affair: Jackson played along on a lot of numbers after 
              "Smoke on the Water" on the first night.  I don't know
              that he was plugged in, though :)  For "Land of 1,000
              Dances" (show 1) Kimberly provided acoustic accompaniment, 
              but she's so clean and scrubbed-looking, the whole
              thing threatened to look like a hootenany.  Kimberly 
              joined Patti on mandolin for "Farewell Reel" on the 2nd show 
              only, and their interaction provided one of the show's 
              sweetest moments. As 
              Patti approached a treacherous (for her) part of 
              the tune, she excitedly said to Kimberly, "Here's my
              trick.", and did some stuff by taking her pinky on then
              off the fretboard. This elicited a hearty laugh from 
              the younger Smith, which the whole house shared. It was 
              a brilliant end to two fantastic nights.

++Tony Rzepela (rzepelaa@netaxs.com)