But I think I speak for everyone when I say.....folks, we don't need to see a pair of ugly people making out in public. Especially not right in front of me. And especially, especially...not to the music of REO Speedwagon & Styx.
Talk about "Time for me to Fly".
Ahem...so the wife and I went out last night to brand new Seminole Hard Rock arena to catch a double bill of Styx & REO Speedwagon, with the show being opened up by southern rock veterans the Outlaws. Hell, around 1980 or so, that would've have been one hellacious night of rock and or roll. We get to the building, and naturally we're running late (wife's fault) so we have to go to the food court in the casino and wolf down what was quite possibly the worst hotdog that I've ever eaten. Folks, stick to the restaurants in the casino. We make it to our seats about 7:25pm (showtime at 7:30) and are quickly amazed by the number of....well....OLD people that are showing up. No, I don't mean old like my buddy Greg (hehehehe), I mean people who currently are receiving benefits from Social Security & gets regular mailings from AARP. Kim figured that it must be a case of the casino giving out some perk tickets, because she couldn't fathom some 75 yr old woman showing up last night because they really liked "Come Sail Away". Anyway, lo & behold right at 7:30 the house lights go down, and the Outlaws start playing. Their opening song was "Ghost Riders in the Sky", which was really nice of them, because that's the only Outlaws song that I knew. Kim was trying to decide if she knew these guys are not, and I put it as clearly as I felt I could:
"Okay...you got your Lynard Skynard.....and lesser Skynard would be like....Molly Hatchett. Well, lesser Molly Hatchett would be the Outlaws. Their like Skynard twice removed."
So their set if over after 4 songs, mercifully....since most of the crowd had stopped listening....and we had an intermission. After around 20 minutes, REO Speedwagon takes the stage, with lead singer Kevin "Gray and loving it" Cronin singing all of their hits. Except....the first couple of songs....Kevin's voice wasn't going quite as far or high as it used too. And I'm thinking....
Oh crap...this poor bastard can't hit the notes anymore. This concert is going to suck.
Luckily though, about 3 or 4 songs into their hour long set....Kevin's voice kicked into another gear and he sounded really good the rest of the way. Only one problem. Much like the recent show that we took in at the Office Depot Center,
Cronin started yapping between songs. That guy sure loves to hear himself talk, I'll give him that. And what was worse....not only was he telling the same freakin stories, he was telling them almost WORD FOR WORD. Kim & I were looking at one another and laughing our asses off, because we were almost able to recite the stories as Kevin was telling them. Speedwagon impressively finishes their set, another intermission (this one a WAAAAAAAAY too long 45 minutes as they set up the next stage) and then Styx came on. This was one of Kim's birthday presents, and you know....she's all about lead singer Tommy Shaw.
I mean...what he has over me.....besides the talent and good looks....I'll never know!
Anywho...so Styx comes on for a slightly abbreviated set, since the intermission was so stinkin long. The unquestioned highlight of their show, at least to me, was their live cover of the old Beatles song "I Am the Walrus". I had never heard that song done live by ANYONE...and they friggin ripped the lid off the place by absolutely taking the song and making it their own. Now....think about that. Someone taking a BEATLES song...and making it their own. Very, very impressive to say the least.
One of the funniest moments (unintentionally of course) was during the encore. Styx comes out and launches into a fierce performance of their old arena rock standard "Renegade". The guy next to me, who's been pretty subdued and lowkey the whole night, suddenly starts working the air drums, just singing his ass off. He finally turns to me and says....no lie here.....
"Man, I can't believe their doing this song."
"Well, its not a huge surprise...from what I understand they always do this song on their encores."
"Really?"
"Yeah...that's what I hear."
"Wow...I can't believe it....especially, yaknow...because this is a Kansas song."
"This isn't a Kansas song. It's a Styx song."
"Really? Are you sure?"
How did that guy get a ticket?
The other item of note from the evening was the couple in front of us. Oh boy. Where do I begin? The guy was a full blooded Seminole Indian...complete with the really long hair and all. The real problem was his girlfriend. She looked like she entered a hatchet fight and came in last place. I mean she was dog ass ugly.
And during the concert, the guy would stand up and sing part of the song....and then lean down and just start making out with the girl. I mean, total "these two need to get a room" type of stuff. And the girl is just loving it (I'm sure), and watching with this huge smile on her face as her boyfriend would shriek out....
"PLAY LADY BLUE!! PLAY LADY BLUE!!"
The one song from their hit collection that Styx did not play?
Lady Blue. Too funny. Almost as funny//scary as watching ugly love. Talk about your Hi Infidelity. Yikes!
Later,
Jeff
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