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Home of the Unofficial Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts Fan Site
Fans' TOFOG Experiences
All of your personal experiences during the TOFOG gigs are eagerly awaiting for their postings here at TOFOGSWORLD! Even if you didn't go to a show, but have a story to share, let us know your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to email me! The people have spoken and we need your stories to fill this page. Cheers! TOFOGSWORLD
Lisa Johnson's story
TOFOG at the Viper Room, Los Angeles January 1999
Russell and TOFOG It all started one balmy evening in Hollywood, January 1999. We had met at Duke's Coffee Shop for coffee and plotting. Our posse was ready to go. To seek out the stars at the Viper Room. To rub elbows, (and bums, it was so crowded), with the elite. Or, rather, the immortals, the Greek Pantheon, of America - those oh-so-perfect Hollywood stars. You see, thanks to Kathryn, we were all on The List, that hallowed, revered List that would grant us access to near heaven. To them. The Stars. And to him, Russell. We were, admittedly, a motley crew. One hard-driven executive cum mom. An advertising copywriter/aspiring screenwriter. An Asian American woman and her brother. And one tall, sinewy actress. These were just a few of our rag-tag group that were bursting at the seams of their hot, little evening numbers they had donned to catch eyes and, of course, free drinks from the admiring on-lookers. This was our fantasy. We left Duke's and headed for some pre-Viper imbibing. Chardonnays. Heinnies. All the proper liquids to give us the savoir faire we needed to sashay in and float around seamlessly, naturally amongst the royalty. Hope they didn't notice our non-Prada shoes, our butts that didn't look like 12-year-old boys, and our less-than-blindingly white teeth. So after we were sufficiently sated, we headed to The Viper. We got there around 9 p.m., almost embarrassingly early we thought. The portly doorman could've been Puff Daddy's daddy, and was a bit stern. And after eyeing the list carefully to validate us (and our lives, we felt) we were granted access. So inside we streamed. Until all of a sudden, his arm came across us like a train track arm. Out of a taxi stepped Selma Hayak with her tall, mussy-headed Semitic-looking, and very sexy, date. We all vaguely recognized him as some actor-type, but couldn't name him. Didn't matter. He had her's. So much for our fears about arriving unfashionably early. After the waters had returned to normal, you know, stopped parting, inside we triumphantly marched. The room was enchanting. It was basically a small, roundish room a la 1940's smoky nightclub. As we entered - I think we walked up some stairs - the bar was on the left and behind it were tastefully backlit glass shelves displaying their bevy of booze. Around the sides of the room were semi-circle booths with discreet dinner cards that read "Reserved." We thought about sitting down, but then we thought that perhaps the tables were wired to shock any unworthy plebian who might mistakenly sit down. No slumming asses in those booths. We proceeded to order drinks from the scantily clad models, the nascent sprites who sprung up, it felt like, almost every 10 minutes to refresh our drinks. We were getting smashed. It started getting more crowded. Lots of animated voices uttering "hello darlings" and air-kisses abounded. This place was going to rock. Then the lights went down, and the red velvet curtains on the small stage in the corner slowly, clumsily opened. And there they were. The Utopian Babies. Russell's front band for the evening. The lead singer, Dave, who was a dead-ringer for Bono, crooned out some lovely songs. The band had a lot of energy, and the crowd seemed to pay attention. This was in contrast to the stand-up comedian who followed. This guy was an Aussie's Aussie with the accent and clothing to boot. Some of his Australian references were lost on the audience. He pulled out one of those long bamboo hollow poles and yelled through it at a deafening tone. This drew a less than enthusiastic response from the crowd. But when he pulled out some string (or was it gum?) , put it in his mouth, and then pulled it back out through his nose, well, it was asta la vista baby for him. I'm sure there was a surge at the bar. As I said, the drinks keep coming, almost magically, plus there was no place to sit, so the room started to tilt. Kind of like the Titanic. And from the looks of the place and the people there, I could've been on the set of the Titanic, or any other movie set, they looked so glam. Suddenly, Lola, the tall, sinewy actress, came up and with some riveting news: Russell Crowe was IN THE HOUSE. WHERE WAS HE? WHERE? This is probably how I sounded because the room was noisy, but finally, after craning my neck, and some surreptitious pointing by Lola with her elbow, we spotted him. This rush came over me. I could talk to him. Actually, I had to talk to him. I felt I must. I had an obligation. My "mum" was the eldest member of his email fan club. So I looked over my shoulder again, just to make sure he was still here, and over I went. He was in the dark, but as soon as I spoke to him, his blue eyes lit up the darkness. Here's the exchange: "Are you Russell?" (Surprised) "Uh, yes." "Well, my mother is the oldest member of your fan club, and I just had to come over and shake your hand".... Fill in other nervous chatter here. "So... what's YOUR name?" I uttered my name, and was so taken aback, and rattled that I just sort of ran off. Stumbled off, actually. Talking to one of the most beautiful men on the planet can have bodily ramifications. Eruptions in the soul. And other parts. Soon, the word was abuzz and circulating in and around our group. But the telling of the meeting was aborted by what we had all been waiting for: The show. Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts. THEY were finally in the house. On the stage. This time, the curtains had opened with a definite yank. The show began with Russell talking to everyone in his glorious, caramel-sounding Aussie voice. He was wearing a TFOG shirt, jeans, and had no shoes on. I was so close to the stage that I could've just reached out and pinched one of his toes. And though the wine was talking, and acting at this point, discretion held me back. Russell would stop between songs. Offer up observations about life, the crowd, the music. He had, what seemed like, a beer surgically attached to his hand. His eyes darted around the room, and he'd frequently wink. I looked around to get a feel for the place now that it was in full swing. As he sang, you could see his azure eyes reflecting all that was behind them. Raw emotion at it's best. He melted the room with everything from a love song straight from the heart to a righteously badass rap. These songs were not just pablum made up by some smart Hollywood shaman. No, these songs, unlike Coca-Cola, were the real thing. He was the real thing. You could feel his soul leaping out and dancing around the room. Frankly, you could almost see his soul through his eyes - the soul of a true musician who dared to show us who he was. I happened to glance up, and to my left was Danny DeVito donning large, square 70's sunglasses. He was sitting, of course, in a booth on the end. To my right, if I stood on my tiptoes, I could see Kim Basinger. Oh, I should've mentioned that earlier, I was standing right next to Selma Hayak and her date. She was very small. I think she came up to my boobs. The Grunts really heated up the place. Women were thrashing about, dancing, singing, yelling at Russell. It was great. They did several encores, and honestly, I don't remember which one. This was two years ago, mind, you. But they were brilliant, nevertheless. So the show came to an end. The lights came up and of course, we all squinted our eyes the way we did when our parents turned on the lights in the morning to wake us up when we were kids. Lots of people started to leave, but many people sort of milled around. There was rumored to be people, stars perhaps, from "Mystery, Alaska," there. This perked us up. We scanned the crowd for more immortals, but alas, there were none. There was this side door that people seemed to be leaving by, so we followed suit. We also thought we had seen Russell exit this way. So out we ran. We got separated, and there was some talk that Russell actually was on the streets. We quickly reassembled, searched and searched, but came up empty. Then we thought we heard someone say he went back in The Viper to a private party. Well now the wine was not only talking, it was walking. Running, really. Doing a jig at some points. So we ran back around to the place where we had entered. No luck. Huge, huge line. But remember, we thought, we were on The List. So we approached Puff. Somehow, over the evening, he had gotten bigger and meaner than we had realized. We soon found out that the earlier list was history. There was no getting past him. So we resorted to something that made perfect sense to us: guerilla tactics. We would simply wait until he wasn't looking and sneak in. The crowd was becoming restless - not us - but the line by the door. Lots of cigarette smoking malcontents in designer clothes, mostly black, and clunky, 70's shoes. Their faces tried to conceal their anxiety about Getting In. Then, somehow, there was a commotion in the street which diverted Puff's attention, so we seized the moment. However, I got scared and didn't budge. Lola, however, took off running like a gazelle. Was I jealous. The next thing I saw was Lola being carried out by her collar by Puff, and being verbally assaulted by him. He was not a happy boy. Anyway, next, we proceeded go to the nearby hotel, the name of which escapes me, as I've stayed there gazillions of times for work. We thought there might be an after-party here. So we climbed the stairwells - I think about 16 - until I almost collapsed. We decided to give up. Go home. Get some rest. I got a taxi, I don't remember how (and this is not a result of time passing. The wine was in full force), but I did manage to get to my hotel in Santa Monica. I woke up the next morning with a gleeful smile on my face. And a vow not to wash my hand, the hand, you know that had touched Russell, ever again. Because it might wash away the immortal dust that had no doubt entered my soul. And why would life be worth living any other way?
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JJ and Mel
Our Meeting with Russell Crowe at the BFCA lunchecon!!!!
First let me explain alittle something here about my feelings on Hollywood before I get into the meeting with Russell. I live here in the Los Angeles area, and for someone like me that lives in a town that has celebs running a muck, it doesn't grab my attention the way that it would with many star stricken people. Don't get me wrong. I have had in the past a thing for Scott Bakula, Kevin Spacey, and David Duchovny and I have had the pleasure of meeting them more than once. They are wonderful human beings and love their fans respectfully. But Russell has captured my heart and made me believe that there is something more than what Hollywood presents to the public. The epitome of what is Hollywood cannot be found in Russell. This would be the only reason why I would change scheduling in my day to try and meet someone that admire so dearly. I praise G-D for making sure that he always lives in OZ, to keep himself grounded.
My friend Mel called me on Saturday letting me know that she was going to be one of the many fans supporting Russell down at the GG. She asked me if I was going to show up and I told her that I don't, nor have I ever had the desire to go to an event like that because I just can't stand the facade that Hollywood is. But I still love to see Russell. She told me that night that she was indecisive about going to the BFCA luncheon to wait outside for Russell since he won for best actor. Well I told her that I would go to that only if she goes. So we decided to do it.
I picked her up at about 11:10 am from her hotel which was about 5 minutes away from the Beverly Hills Hotel. We drove about a block up passing it and parked. I carried with me a poster holder with the Proof and The Insider posters for him to sign as well as two 8x10 shots of him. Mel had been carrying around with her on every Russell related trip the cover for Gaslight in case she would ever meet the man. As we were walking down the street I stopped myself and blurted out frantically "What the hell am I doing here?!" She snapped back in a loving tone (if there ever was one! LOL) and said "Ohhh C'MON!" So we continued into the parking lot of the hotel. Now I have been here all of my life in L.A., though I had never been to this hotel. Right up the street was the house of my long time love of my life George Michael (and I swear if I hear any s*%t from you people about him, I will hunt you and your family down and haunt you for the rest of your lives!).
It was a strange feeling walking towards the entrance. We noticed about 30 press photographers and a handful of cameramen including one for E!. There were many formally dressed security guards pacing back and forth watching people. Funnily enough there were only a handful of fans there for the winners. Unfortunately we were told that we couldn't stand at the curb side as we were not allowed to take pictures or ask for autographs if we were not part of the press. Bummer.... But they did state that we could go stay in the lobby of the hotel!!!!! So we scooted our tushies inside and sat down right at the front where the invited guests entered the Crystal Ballroom for the luncheon.
Let's see... We saw Ridley Scott and his date from the GG, Sting and his wife, the directors of Crouching Tiger/ Hidden Dragon, the screenwriter of Traffic as well as the director of the same movie, and a few other stars. Then Mel and I started to worry a tad, because the press were packing up to leave. I'd say it was about 12:30pm and there were about 10 cameramen and photopgrahers that stayed. Finally Russell shows!!!!! It was friggen about time buster! We had to pee so bad!!!! LOL We were still sitting when he came in after his interviews and press shots. He walked in and looked radiant. Who ever says he looks fat is absolutely delirious! He is in top form. OHHHH Lord! That hair! Those eyes. The MOUTH!!!!! He was wearing a handsome light gray suit with a blue shirt. No tie and the top few buttons were undone. He knows how to play us ladies!!!! Mel and I gasped when he walked in. We behaved and didn't call out his name. We knew that it would be best to get him after the awards because the press people bolted out of there almost right after he went inside the ballroom. As he came inside the lobby he was grinning and looking right and left and then he walked away from us. Wheww! We survived that and that was only a few seconds!
We decided to get something to eat at the hotel's diner. But first Mel and I raced to the ladies room and came out knowing that we had to wait another couple of hours until he would come back out. Hey I figured since the man is so fidgety that he can't stay put in one area. I was hoping that he would want to come out for a cig but he was a no show. I told Mel that I didn't want to carry the posters and pictures until the show was over and that I left my purse back in my car. So we headed back out through the main entrance and back up the street where my car was parked. Ohhh this was just too much. Something blinding caught my eye towards the left of me and I practically dropped to the ground. I never thought that I would see another one of my idols and have the opportunity to meet him. I turned to Mel as I grabbed her arm and said "Ohhhhhhhh MY G-DDDDD!!! It's ELTON JOHN!!!!" I mentally freaked out. I asked her to take a picture of me since I didn't bring my camera (gave that one a rest from the abuse in Israel). As he walked closer to the curb from the hotel cottage, I asked him ever so politely, "Mr John, may I have a picture with you?" Boy from all the times that I have seen him on tv and the two times that I have seen him in concert, I'd never thought that he would ever look so pissy. Mel told me though that he looked like that right as he exited from his cottage. Mel pointed the camera at us, but it wouldn't cooperate since it was facing the sun. Uggg!!!! She finally did and I turned to Elton to thank him, he was smiling, and he patted me on the shoulder. I think that he said something like you're welcome and bye. I was so thrilled to have met him. He is just an amazing songwriter. Mel told me he was smiling the whole time, so that sour puss look on his face disappeared when he knew that we were just there as fans and nothing more. Good on ya, Elton!
Okay back to Rusty!!!! We came back to the front entrance of the hotel and there was a couch to sit down and wait. Slowly people from the luncheon began exiting. This was roughly 230pm and of course Rusty doesn't come out until everyone else leaves. He was with three other guys by the time he comes towards us. I think one of them is his assitant and the others are his security men.Yeah like he needs them!!!! We said "hello Russell" and he looked at us with all smiles and said "hey what are you guys doing here?" "We're here to see you." He came over to us and we were no more than a foot apart from him. He was just breathtaking. Gorgeous is not a strong enough word to describe the quality of manliness that this person exudes. He is just brilliant. He is perfect. The voice was sincere and sensuous. He seemed so rightfully happy. He first shook Mel's hand and she said it so nice to meet him. Now I can kick myself for not going back to my car to get my posters. But then again I am not much of an autograph seeker as I used to be. And well, there IS always a next time! I believe that Mel told him her name and he asked how to spell it and she let him know how to write it. Then he looked at me and gave a sort of expression like do you have anything for me to sign? I shook my head and said no I don't have anything. I did however shake his had and said that it was a pleasure to meet him. His hand is so strong and yet so tender when he held it. He couldnt' stay long since he was being escorted out back to his suburban. I wish that I could have said more. I say this over and over again ( I know Mel is sick of hearing it by now!), I came there with absolutely NO expectations and with that in mind I met Russell and I met Sir Elton John!!!!! It was a fun experience for me and I know that Mel will never be the same again. Thanks Mel for encouraging me to go. Without that added push I would have turned around and drove back home.
Thanks for reading everyone!!!! No Expectations = UNEXPECTED SURPRISES!
JJ aka Jellybean
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8-11-2000
An interesting choice for the name of a band, but hell, it's from Australia, it's front man is Russell Crowe (and if you know anything about him, besides the fact that he was fantastic in Gladiator this summer- not to mention the other films he has been great in - it's that he has that wonderful Australian irrevent sense of humour), it has the wickedest guitar player in the Reverend Billy Dean Cochran, an amazing drummer by the name of Dave Kelly, fantastic bass man Garth Adams, and two new additions, Dave Wilkins and Stewart Kirwan who seamlessly fit in, it was uncanny, it is almost as if they were born to play in TOFOG - hell, they probably were. I was privileged to see this most recent incarnation of the band at Stubbs on August 11 (surely one of the hottest days of the year, but hell, the act on stage was hotter than the weather) and all I can say is -TOUR MORE - and come to Canada. Having been fortunate enough to have heard TOFOG through various Aussie visitors to Toronto (courtesy of being a member of the TRANZAC - Toronto Australia New Zealand Club) and having been a fan of Russell's since I first saw PROOF when it was screened in Toronto, when the opportunity came to see the band live in Austin, Texas, I jumped at the chance. As has been said before in all the other reviews posted on the Internet, the lineups were long, but I found that all the fans waiting were fantastic. I won't go into what was sung, who sang it, I just want to give you my impression of the evening. Once inside the venue, I was able to find a good vantage point, but being short of stature, had to crane a little to actually see the band once they got on stage. And boy, was it fantastic. I have yet to see a live act like these guys and I have been going to concerts for about 20 years now. About 200% of electrical energy was emanating off that stage, there was not one single moment where you couldn't feel the electricity being directed at us in the audience from Russell and his gang on the stage. It was fantastic. You can see reviews elsewhere about the songs sung, and the reaction of the audience - but my favourite tidbit is related to the fact that I am Canadian, and Russell recognized the Canadian concert cry, trilling, at the concert on the 11th. Okay, I admit it, it was me (and all us other Canadians). At one point in the evening, near the end, when Russell could hear a little better some of the noise and buzz from the audience, he suddenly cried out "My God, they're trilling - they let the Canadians in.!" I nearly fell down from laughing so hard, as I had been teaching all the Texans around me how to do it as well. All I can say is, I have yet to see a band make going to a concert such a fantastic event, where the energy factor alone from the stage lifts everybody up to a higher level and just makes it so bloody fun to be there and be a part of it.
~Anne R.
Toronto Canada
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8/18/00
Just when I thought I absolutely couldn't wait another minute, the Australian comic came on (and that meant, more than anything else, that the Grunts wouldn't be far behind!). I personally thought he was really funny! I know the balloon through the nose thing is gross, but I was really laughing (but then, I have a pretty twisted sense of humor!). After the comic, the crowd started gearing up, knowing the Grunts were coming soon, while a few minutes of recorded music played, including a dynamite Tom Waits song that uses Waltzing Matilda as the chorus. It happens to be a particular favorite of mine, so I loved hearing it! (For anybody trying to locate it, it's called Tom Traubert's Blues and it's on the Small Change album.) And then, finally - finally - finally!!
RUSSELL AND THE GRUNTS HIT THE STAGE!!!!!
I realized during the first 10 seconds that all the discomforts of the day -- the heat, the crowd, the lack of sleep - and all the effort to get there just didn't mean a damn! It was just f*&%ing amazing!!! I loved every second of it! I sang along with all the songs, laughed at all Russell's jokes, danced, and just enjoyed the hell out of it all! I'm just an old Flower Child rock `n roller, and I've been going to rock concerts for more than 30 years, practically ever since modern rock concerts started. I've seen a lot of the legends through the years, and I don't remember ever having more fun at a concert!! I was particularly thrilled that Russell did the spoken intros to the new songs, since he hadn't done them for the concert on the 11th. I really wanted to hear them, and I didn't think I was going to get to, so that was a particular treat. I also liked that right after the first song Russell immediately explained about the barrier and the space between us and the stage (we thought it was for security purposes and wondered why it hadn't been at the other shows). He said he didn't like it either, and he said, “I like having you close to me.” (You can imagine the mental response that got from nearly everyone in the crowd!!) Other people have reported on the abysmal behavior from the Hollywood crowd in the VIP balcony, including the star-wannabes along the railing, so I'm not going to go into it. Since I was over in the middle, they weren't quite so distracting to me, except that they pissed Russell off so royally! I just loved getting to watch Russell (what a great showman he is!!) and getting to hear Billy Dean play guitar (I'm quite sure he could have a much bigger career if he wanted). All the Grunts are fun to watch. And it was great to get to see Russell's brother Terry waving from the back of the stage. I particularly loved the way Russell's voice lit up when he said, “Terry's here!!” And I can back up Rosey's report that the next thing he said was, “We just bought a little place here.” I think the reason so many people missed it was because everybody was applauding Terry when he waved at the crowd.
I guess the high point of the evening for me was Nowhere (although it's not my favorite Grunts song), when Russell had the whole crowd singing backup on “Follow on, follow on,” and when Tree came on and just got the crowd jazzed beyond belief. The whole place was just jumpin' (literally!!) Everybody on stage and in the crowd was just so into it! It was truly wonderful. I also, of course, loved All the White Circles especially, and What You Want Me To Forget, and the really rockin' version of High Horse Honey. I have to admit that standing where I was with huge speakers on both sides of me, I was getting too much distortion to really make out most of the lyrics to the new songs I didn't know, but I do know I really like the music of the new songs! They sound fantastic! I can't wait for the new CD!!
~Marcy G.
Culver City, CA
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8-18-00
After hours and hours of chamber music and amusing anecdotes by a small Australian comedian, the stage finally went dark. Silhouettes began moving about on the stage, the individual band members easily identifiable - Dave and his wild hair, Garth and his charming fifth-grade-teacher look, Dean's distinctive profile, and Crowe's enormous shadow. The new additions to the band, young Stewie and the other Dave, were unknown to me at that time.
The energy of the crowd was humming through us all, anticipation killing us. Then, finally and suddenly, the lights came up, shining on an ecstatic Crowe who shouted "G'day Austin! How the hell are ya?!". That's when the screaming began. And the object-throwing. The band is warming to the crowd, Crowe is introducing us to the members, and women will not stop tossing gifts onto the stage. At first it amuses Crowe, who delights in a large plush cow that was expertly aimed at his feet . . . then a towel-like thing snags Dean's guitar. Crowe is no longer amused. He tosses the offending object off the stage, telling the crowd, "You're throwing us shit you wouldn't sell at a garage sale. Just hold on to your shit! I know some of you are thinking of throwing your panties up here, but just keep 'em on. Let's keep things sanitary, allright?". At this point, though I was charmed, my impatience to hear the music I came for was almost painful. At last, they played. Good God, the energy of it! They melded together beautifully, a strong and confident group of musicians playing sincere tunes to a very receptive audience.
The entire concert was an interactive experience. Crowe told us the wonderful stories behind each song, including the various band members as witnesses and contributors. We, the audience, were constantly being lit at Crowe's direction; the entire band made us each feel as if it were a private concert just for us. The new Dave (of the tambourine) instructed us on the proper way to line dance (he did a horrible job, by Texan standards, but he was so damn charming we forgave him). Crowe, not to be outdone, improved on Dave's teachings by adding in a "Yee-fucking-ha!". For the introduction to "All the White Circles", we all had to practice head-banging on every third beat so as not to confuse the oh-so-easily-influenced drummer, Dave. Dean, the intense little guitar player - with "the biggest heart in the world", according to Crowe - absolutely thrilled me. That guitar sang to the soul. Evidently, I wasn't the only person to be effected by Dean: there was a sign in the crowd that read in big block letters "DEAN IS A HOTTIE". Crowe read it out loud, turned to Dean and said, "D'you know you're a hottie, Billy?". To the crowd, he explained, "A hottie in Australia is something you put in your bed to keep you warm in winter . . *laughs* Alright then! Good on ya, Billy!". Dean blushed redder than a fire engine. Later, in an introduction for one of their new songs, Crowe taught us the lyrics to the chorus so we could sing along: "Never be alone again. That you love me . . makes me strong. I'll always be your friend . . come Hell or high water, saved myself for the gypsy's daughter, I never knew I always held her". Wow. I still remember it. In leading us into a different song, Crowe explained a thing or two to us: "People get confused about the words to this song. The third word is gift. G-I-F-T. Gift. . . The first two words are 'swallow my'." He's a dirty boy.
Despite much technical difficulty that forced several pseudo-encores, I really felt that TOFOG was having a helluva time up there, truly enjoying themselves. Then, after a drawn-out rendition of the opening to "Nowhere", we got a very special treat. Kevin Durand, aka - The Mighty Tree, bounded onto the stage to perform his rap. Dear Lord. For the next few minutes, every woman in that crowd forgot there ever was such a man as Russell Crowe. That is a singularly attractive young man - take every Calvin Klein model you've ever seen, combine them into one perfect and extremely tall body, give it talent and a brain, and you've got Kevin Durand. His incredible energy shot through us all, making the entire crowd bounce and scream, revitalizing us after hours of Texas/TOFOG heat.
All in all, I was thoroughly impressed by TOFOG. Their pure energy, sure and comfortable confidence, earnest desire to please us loyal Grunts, and heartfelt dedication to Texas' own Shiner Bock beer absolutely won me over. Russell Crowe was a treat, but Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts was an absolute masterpiece. Truly a fulfilling experience. I didn't want it to end.
As for the rest of the TOFOG experience, I would like to say a word or two on Russell Crowe:
He's enormous. Frackin' huge. Not to say that he's tall, barely six feet, but it seems that all the proportions of the human body - arms, chest, shoulders, legs, etc. - were expanded a bit for Crowe. Makes a gal wonder, ya know? He's a thick man and delightfully so. At the beginning of the concert, he was wearing a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, displaying some mighty nice arms, but the best was yet to come. As the Texas heat got to him, once the sweat started pouring down his face and even an ice cold beer couldn't cool him down, he did us all a favor and shucked the shirt. Underneath was a tight black tank top. Suddenly this already wonderfully attractive man was a virile creature of heavy shoulders and black-clad gyrating hips. Damn.
Somehow he managed to flirt with 2,500 women all at once. Charming, witty, deeply sincere, and honestly concerned with how we, the audience, were enjoying the show - Russell Crowe is a grand performer. (but we all knew that, didn't we?) Something about his presence, his easy and almost barbaric self-confidence, put every last one of us in the palm of his hand. Crowe toyed with us - at one point, he sidled up to the microphone and asked, in that rumbling Aussie accent, "Any of you gotta . . fantasy?". My response: "Yes. And you're in it." After playing "She's Not Impressed", the chorus to which is "I want babies, just not right now", he casually mentioned that the song was no longer true, that he DOES want babies. You can imagine the response to that. Chaos.
We had sing-along time with TOFOG: in playing "David", Crowe silenced the band at the end of the song, letting the chorus of thousands of women finish it. Funny thing, though - we ALL got it wrong. The song ends "what's the chance they'd ever . . ever . . know?". Our version went "what's the chance they'd ever . . know?". The ENTIRE BAND man near died laughing at us as Crowe got on the mic saying, "You missed an 'ever', ya apes."
Some fool threw an envelope onto the stage in the middle of the concert. Crowe stooped to pick it up (I shamelessly enjoyed that view - I'm only human), opened it, and sauntered to the mic. With a chuckle he read from the envelope, "What we do in life echoes in eternity." HA! Gladiator humor! We moved on with the concert.
By far the most entrancing parts of the concert were Crowe's stories. He told the tales behind most of his songs, the imagery he used painting a vivid picture that often struck to the heart. We had the feeling he was confiding in each of us, personally. Before playing the song "The Night that Davey Hit the Train", Crowe told us the story of Daniel Pollock, his costar in "Romper Stomper". Evidently, Pollock had suffered an addiction to heroin prior to the filming of "Romper Stomper", had stayed clean for the shooting of the film, and then dove right back into it after the film wrapped. Having alienated his friends and run out of money for his habit, Daniel Pollock lay down on train tracks one day and let a train run him over. It's a terrible fate that, in Crowe's telling, can break your heart. For anyone who has seen "Romper Stomper" and adored Pollock's sweet and tender portrayal of Davey, as I have, it brings tears. Now, Crowe is in the midst of telling us this story, confiding in the couple thousand women who hung on his every word, when we all became aware of a dull roar emanating from the VIP section of the crowd. Crowe stops his story and asks us if that noise is coming from the VIP balcony. We all answer, in perfect unison, "YES!". So help me, that man turned to the balcony brimming with Hollywood VIPs and said, "Excuse me! I am trying to tell a fucking story. Ye'r gettin' free dish an' drinks, so if ye' not gonna to pay attention you can head on over to Antone's." Indignance sounds better in an Australian accent, for some reason. We cheered for him like mad things. It didn't stop the VIPs from being damned noisy, though.
It was during another story - an achingly regretful tale of his grandfather who had carried the demons of photographing the horrors of war (for the song "Memorial Day") - that Crowe finally had enough. The horrific detail of his grandfather's life and the special meaning therein were being demolished by the endless chatter from the VIPs. He stopped his story to yell at them, "This is what happens when ye invite you Hollywood bastards out here! . . . If you don't shut the fuck up and start payin' attention, you can feel free to PISS OFF!". He's my hero.
After "Memorial Day" had finished playing, the entire crowd was applauding madly until Crowe put a finger to his lips, confidentially shushing us. Instantly (I mean INSTANTLY), we fell silent as we all stared up at the VIP balcony whose occupants suddenly realized they should be clapping. "Well, it's about fucking time!", was Crowe's caustic response.
Mind you, though Russell Crowe was undeniably the main attraction for the majority of the crowd, he never once hogged the spotlight. He was a part of the band and made absolutely certain that the audience knew that. At one point, Dean was playing a fan-TASTIC guitar riff and Crowe hushed the rest of the band backing everyone off the stage as best he could, giving his shy friend the recognition that such a talent deserves. During Kevin Durand's performance in "Nowhere", Crowe made himself scarce . . . either that, or I just didn't notice him. The Mighty Tree is quite the distraction. The various objects thrown onto stage by overzealous women were, more often than not, distributed among the guys in the band. Dave (drummer) got a T-shirt and Dean got a white carnation stuck in the head of his guitar by Crowe. What delighted me about the band and how they related was the fact that Russell Crowe was the band's unofficial Beer Bitch. In the middle of a song, during a time when Crowe wasn't singing, he would dip into the stash of beer and hand out a round to members who were busy playing. Once, while Crowe was digging for beer, the two Dave's conspired with Dean to begin the intro to "What's Her Name?" without waiting for Crowe to take his sweet time about getting to the mic. The rest of the band followed suit; they all laughed as their lead singer scurried to deliver everyone's beer and get to the mic in time. He barely made it, laughing right along with them.
So Russell Crowe's a big movie star. So what? That night he was, to me, the incredibly sexy and hella entertaining front man for a fantastic band. Though I am a fan of the actor, I'll take Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts any day.
~ From Stephannie W.
San Marcos TX
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8-4-2000
How long can 2000 overheated people, packed into a rather small area, really listen to a chamber orchestra and a comedian? Quite a long time, I discovered on August 4th. Anticipation became a tangible entity, and those of us in the front of the crowd felt it weighing down on us as the evening drug on, with no TOFOG in sight. When they finally sauntered onto the stage, you could almost hear a collective sigh of relief amid the screaming. The performance started slowly, as they played some of their more mellow material from "Gaslight", mixed in with a few new songs. Russell commented that they were going to just "let things build", which was an accurate description of the rest of the show. The band initially appeared a bit nervous and tentative. If I didn't know better, I would almost say that the large crowd intimidated them. They were quick to warm up to the audience, though, and soon were more at ease with the sea of Grunts fans and those who were merely curious. Throughout the show it was evident how close the band members are to each other. It's an understatement to say that they play well together. Toward the end of the performance, they tore into some of their more vigorous material - "Oblique is My Love", "What's Her Name", "Nowhere", etc. - which pretty much stirred the already hyped group of fans down front into an even bigger frenzy. I've heard that the concert on the 11th was 'better', and was even present for the show on the 18th, also deemed an improvement over the 4th, but I maintain that they did a "fucking fantastic" (as Russell would say) job that first night. It was a great show, so much more than I thought it would be. I went to see Russell, but walked away a devoted Grunts fan. That alone gives me enough reason to rank the August 4th show as an undeniable success.
~ Amanda F.
Huntingburg, IN
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8-18-2000
If I am honest, I will have to say I was interested in TOFOG, at first because of Russell Crowe, and secondly, because I had lived in Australia for almost three years. I will make one statement about Russell, his high-octane testosterone masculinity, raw persona and brilliant talent -- he made it impossible for me not to investigate his music.
Now, that being said, what happened inside me was a search for the music behind the man's lyrics, and the complete Australian experience this band is. I was listening to MPG'S from the Website, printed every word of every song, dug up every article and picture I could find on the band before the 18th, and broke my wrist speed-dialing to get tickets to the concert. Amid all the heat, fans, and waiting -- there was an experience like no other. This was the most honest concert, and real musical experience I have every had.
Yep, a man and his mates, a completely uncomplicated, truthful, honest style of music that could only be birthed in Australia. The sound was raw, and not perfected, but then, if I want to see a symphony, I will go to one. If I wanted to listen to a CD, I will put on a headset, BUT if I want to party at a concert, be totally mesmerized by the front man, adore the guitarists, and bassist, and lust for the drummer, and see on onstage party....TOFOG IS THE ANSWER.
Crowe is a consummate story teller, a complete and total front man, connecting better with an audience than any performer I have ever seen, and that's saying a great deal. The counterpoints in his band, Garth Adams, Dean Cochran, Dave Kelly and David Wilkins are a perfect band for this energized front man. Reverend Billy, exudes a sweetness which is almost a foil and counterpoint to Russell's opposite charming bastard quality on stage. The rugged guitar playing by the Reverend Billy, and the pounding drums, and back beat of the bass by Garth Adams make TOFOG the ultimate party band, and the ultimate Australian musical experience. These are real men, with real music, and real stories to tell. These are not perfect ego-inflated rock stars with a barrier between them and their fans. The desire they possess is to connect in every possible way with their audience -- a quality long gone on the musical scene. This band is as "rough as guts," as its country, as masculine as it's front man, and as honest a form of musical experience as you can ever, ever have. IN A NUTSHELL THIS CONCERT WAS as real as the sweat running down your face, or the sexual stimulation you get from watching them, as loving as the mate ship you feel towards them and from the stage (which you are privileged to experience) and a wonderful taste of a great, great country and culture that we sadly are missing in the old U.S.A. Seeing TOFOG will be worth anything I would ever do again, and again, and well, hoping for more concerts is a daily prayer to the Heavens.
~ Tina B.
Arcadia, CA
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8-11 & 18-2000
I was born and raised in Texas. I live on a horse farm, will graduate college with a degree in ag, and have something of a farmer's tan. Most importantly, I have listened to country music since before I can remember. And I have a confession to make.
Someone other than George Strait or Chris LeDoux has been wearing out the CD player this summer.
I first heard TOFOG's music in May when I was surfing the net looking for information about Gladiator. So yes, I wouldn't have found Gruntland without thanks to Russell Crowe's fame as an actor. Even worse, I hesitated to listen to the music clips available on the site because I doubted the music would sound as good as I hoped. Needless to say, it was better. Much better! I played bits and pieces of songs continuously for weeks. I even caught my musically fickle sixteen year old sister continuously humming the first verse of High Horse Honey. For obvious reasons, the rest of my family was as thrilled as I when Gaslight (and the rest of the words!) arrived.
Since Austin is only three hours from home, I decided it would be one colossal missed opportunity to not go. I was SOOO right. It would have been a crime to have missed TOFOG in person. The concert was great and surprisingly (I know I should have never doubted) TOFOG was better live than on Gaslight. What was better? I have no idea. Maybe tempo? Arrangement? I don't know much about the technical aspects of music, but I do know, that sounding better live is just incredible. Three of us had such a good time, we came back on the 18th, and I coerced three more friends, none of whom had ever heard of TOFOG, to tag along. Two conceded the music was, in fact, excellent. The other now has Gaslight and wants to know when and where the next concert will be.
As for the music itself, I don't know if I like the sound or the lyrics better. 'And I count when I pray,' seems like such a random line, but the idea creates a very specific emotion. Oh, and if anyone affiliated with the band ever reads this, the little addition of the horn to All the White Circles is wonderful, not to mention the guitar and background vocals!
As I write this, I keep thinking of all the great songs and what I should try to describe. It seems that each song brings up hidden emotions and touches you differently... the way I just can't help smiling at the lyrics of "David;" the surprise I feel each time I catch myself getting into "Nowhere," a song completely out of my previous comfort zone; the anger that "The Photograph Kills" inspires, leaving me wondering at the end of the song 'where did that come from?' Most stunning was feeling suddenly cold amidst that sea of people, realizing the liquid dripping off my chin was from tears not sweat, and becoming conscience just how close to home "The Night Davey Hit the Train" really strikes. I literally had to remind myself to start breathing again. I guess some people may think Crowe's words to the effect of 'I'm bringing up all this... not for sympathy, but to illustrate what we have in common' were well calculated to appeal to the audience, and I don't really give a damn if they were, because they are just as true. Some things may not be universal, but they touch a lot more people than most would guess.
The most surprising thing I have discovered since stumbling upon the Gruntland website? I LIKE this music. More than just TOFOG's songs, I have started listening to all sorts of music that never interested me before I bought Gaslight, and for that I am truly appreciative. I think it says a great deal about a band that not only inspires loyalty in it's fans, but inspires them period.
~Laurel W.
College Station, TX
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8-11-2000
Rhythms that moved your feet, or your heart. Lyrics that invoked emotion, or inspired dreams. Old favorites and new (soon-to-be) released. The Austin concert had every element that made the trip to see TOFOG live worthwhile! But there was mild disappointment that too many of the attendees only came to see Russell Crowe and had never heard the music previously. It meant the band had to work so much harder in that awful heat to get responses from a majority of the audience members. And, the attending Grunts had to try to make up the deficit in a valiant effort. Well all Grunts are waiting for the new album, and next time TOFOG tours, I'm certain every member of the audience will be giving as much back to the band as the band gives to them. The 'secret' is out! See all of you there...
~Louise K.
Cape Canaveral, FL
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8-11-2000
My friend and I wanted to do a fun girlfriend weekend trip and heard that TOFOG were going to be playing at Stubbs in August. We had gotten this information from the web-site. This was a perfect trip for us. We were not super familiar with TOFOG's music, but had downloaded some of their tunes from their site and liked what we heard. Probably the most memorable part of this trip for us (outside of seeing the group perform) was standing in line from 5:00 AM until 8:00 PM. We met some of the most wonderful people and formed lasting friendships. The people made the wait bearable and the conversations were great. The fans were so interesting and true blue to the group. That was amazing. By being first in line we were able to be right in front of the stage which had great advantages of seeing TOFOG up close and personal, but sharing in the music. We have become true fans of TOFOG. This by far was one of the most fun weekend trips I've ever had and most memorable. I will never forget one minute. I hope we can do this again soon.
~Renee G.
Des Moines, IA
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August 11th in Austin, Texas
I traveled in for a Graduation and ended up going to see one the (in my opinion) best concerts I have ever seen. In a small venue, a BBQ pit called Stubbs, a Not-So-Well known (In the US at least) band, Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts, put on the performance of a lifetime. I got there around 5 or 6 (Its a little Hazy now). MUCH later than MANY of the people in line. I took my sister with me with tickets I got on EBay. (I originally Thought I couldn't make it, but decided, WHAT THE HEY!! Its gonna be great!) So Anyway, Got 3 tickets for about 200, drove down to Austin to see TOFOG. I would have never EVER known about TOFOG if I wasn't a fan of Russell Crowe's, but I am so happy I did. We went in to eat and then went out to sell my extra ticket for 30 bucks. Got in the VERY VERY back of the line (around the block!) in front of a Reporter. He seemed nice but I didn't see the article. The "pre-show" was a quartet of string instruments that (in my opinion) ran a little long. I think I was impatient for the REAL show to begin. When I finally rounded the corner I was convinced that I would be a million miles from the stage, but I got in and got to about 7 or 8 yards from the stage! It was a nice little venue. Not to big, not to small. Refreshment stands selling cold sodas and beer, a little stand selling TOFOG merchandize. Next a stand up comedian came up who could stick a balloon up his nose and out his mouth. (Yes...You read that right.) Finally the show began and WHAT A SHOW IT WAS!!! Many new songs; some old. One referring to the media responses to the band's first show, "Swallow my Gift". BIG HIT! The band ROCKED. The crowd got way into it and the tempos were great. Some changes to some of the old ones and not as many anecdotes as the first show was reported to contain. Russell Crowe, The lead singer and guitarist, interacted with the crowd and there was a nice horn melody to back up the band. The beats were great and the members of the band had as good, if not better, a time as the audience. They sure know how to put up a show. The kept the audience begging for more with 2 or 3 encores. People didn't get out until late after the show had ended because of the fun and overall comradeship between the members of the audience. Many people made friends in line and "connected." People joined from ALL OVER (literally) to see this show that was WELL worth the trouble. I couldn't stay too late due to the Graduation in the morning but I very very VERY much recommend the experience to anyone and everyone!! GO TOFOG!!
~Stephanie H.
El Paso, TX
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For three consecutive weekends in August, I flew back and forth from Chicago to Austin to attend the Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts concerts. Two of these trips, the first two, were pre-planned, but the last one was completely spontaneous. Yes, I love Russell Crowe, but, no, I would not have gone to all three concerts if I did not also love the Grunts. Waiting in line all day all three times in 100 degree heat was no picnic, but the entire experience was more than worth it. On August 4th, I got to meet and obtain autographs from Garth Adam and Dave Wilkins. Such generous and wonderful guys! On August 4th I also got my wave from Russell as he was leaving Stubb's. I was right down in front for all three shows and I had a blast. The sing-alongs on the 11th and the 18th during "Never Be Alone Again" were fun, as were all of Russell's stories -- even those interrupted by a rude VIB balcony on the 18th. The Grunts wowed me at every turn, from Stewart's incredible trumpet playing, to Dave Wilkins' rich vocals, to the Reverend Billy Dean's mesmerizing guitar playing. I danced, sang along, waved my arms, wiggled, line-danced, jumped and screamed to three of the best concerts to which I have ever been. I had the time of my life and I cannot wait for the opportunity to do it all again, hopefully with the friends I made in Austin!
~Mel W.
Chicago, IL
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A Quartet was playing on stage and we got in line and bought water and a few concert shirts. We found a rock to sit on and just sat there and melted till 10pm when TOFOG finally came on stage. Until they got there I seriously thought I was going to pass out, barf or both. Nothing like flying 3 hours and feeling like crap when you only had a few hours sleep, it does a body good!
The show was awesome, something I will remember forever. As soon as they were rockin on stage my sticky uncomfortableness was forgotten for the night. Show lasted 2-3 hours with two encores. I was happily surprised when there was a guest there to sing "Nowhere" (a favorite song of mine). It was Kevin Durant from Mystery Alaska (Tree), he is a excellent performer and rapper! Really got the crowd moving even though we were all tired at that point. I like the fact that Russell was very into communication with the audience. I have to admit it drove me crazy when the people around me would not shut up when I was trying to hear him do his introductory stories o each song. Chatty drunk women were all around me and flashing dirty looks was not enough to get them to shut up, heck Russell himself yelling at people to shut up was not enough!
Oh well, all in all it was a life experience I am glad I did. We all need adventure in our lives and this concert was worth every minute of it! Waiting for news of the next tour and I will BE THERE!
~Cheri (Visit her web site is here)
Clairemont, CA
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8-11-00
No one here in Indiana had ever heard of Russell Crowe, let alone TOFOG. The puzzled (and sympathetic) looks I received from family and friends as I explained in detail my plan to road trip to Texas to see TOFOF were numerous. After all, I am 26, and should be way past the "Oh My God! Fill-in-the-blank-band is touring, and I've got to baby sit every night for the next 6 months so that I can get a ticket" phase. Yet, there I was, making a full ass of myself, but loving it. After blackmailing my boss, bribing my parents to baby sit my daughter, and bamboozling my husband into making the 21 hour one way car trip, I was on my way! We loaded up on junk food, and hit the road on Wednesday, August 9th.
Driving to Texas was very scenic. We went through St. Louis, Memphis, Dallas, Waco, and finally...Austin! The city was beautiful beyond words. If my company ever builds in Austin, look out! Our hotel (the LaQuinta) was a mere block from the state capitol building, and in easy walking distance to Stubbs. Our first night in Austin, I met up with a large group of fans (and friends) at The Driscoll. Very majestic. Tomato juice in hand (the preferred drink of pregnant women everywhere), I circled through the group, putting faces with names and email addresses. I felt like part of an extended family...the night went so quickly!
On to the fan luncheon at the Red Eyed Fly the next day. More laughter and memories with good friends! Meeting Garth, Dave, Stewart, Bruno- having a long conversation with Garth...there are no words in the English language to express my emotions. I had finally made up for that missed Duran Duran concert my parents wouldn't let me attend back in 1986! A few hours later (time seemed to FLY) I was at the concert, cheering as the band took the stage. Having met almost all the band members earlier, I felt like I was watching a group of my friends, and was so proud of them. I must admit that my eyes kept being drawn to Russell, though. What a performer! Alas, the show had to finally end. My husband and I stumbled back to the hotel, in a post TOFOG bliss. I won't detail the rest of the night :)
The next morning, we packed up our car bright and early, and were off to New Orleans. This town REALLY never sleeps! One of these days, I'm going to dedicate a whole week there...Oh well, back on the road to Indianapolis. We got back into town on Sunday, August 13th around 10:00 PM. After tucking my daughter into bed, I fell asleep myself, and dreamed of my wonderful weekend with TOFOG!
~Jill R.
Indianapolis, IN
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I left Denton a little bit later than I had planned, so it put me in Austin right at 5pm. I went to my friend Hayley's house and she showed up about 5:15. We hung out at her house, she changed into some overall's (bad idea) and we went out to get a bite to eat (have to if yer gonna drink tequila). So we went to a place called Waterloo Ice House, a cafe/bar connected to Waterloo Records. (Austin was once called Waterloo, back in the days before the Texas revolution). Had a bite, then went over to the record store. They had a big poster for Gaslight and advertised that the import was available to buy and had concert info with a big "Sold Out" across it. Wish I could've snagged the poster...anyways...We ended up over at Stubb's around 7:40, way too late...we had to hang out in a long line that wound around the block. You see, Stubb's pretty much takes up the entire block, the restaurant is on one corner and a brick/rock wall stretches along the rest of the block, enclosing the outdoor stage area on that side and around the back. People lined up all down the block, around the corner down that street into a parking lot, then it snaked around in the parking lot a few times (Hayley and I walked around that lot 3 times while moving up in line). It pretty much looked like the cattle lines you get when in line at a theme park. You had to wait in line to give your ticket and ID (for drinking) to some guys that would tear your ticket (not carefully damnit) and put a colored wristband on your arm (color depended on whether or not you were a minor, mine was white and said "Shiner Blonde", a beer manufactured in Texas, a light beer as compared to Shiner Bock, which Russ likes) After you got a wrist band you were ok to get through the "gate". There was a fence that was open and they had put up those steel barricades, like the cops use. We were kinda searched, I didn't have a bag so they really didn't even approach me (wish I would've put a camera down my shorts!), but Hayley had a small purse that they kind of glanced into. They asked her if she had a camera or recording device and she said "no" so they waved us on through. It was about 8:30 by the time we got through the winding line into the venue. We immediately went to the merchandise line, which was pretty long already. Hayley went off to get into the bar line, while I stayed in line for Tshirts. I had just gotten in line, when a couple of women in front of me said that they knew that they had no more Tshirts to sell. I'm not sure if they sold out for that show that fast, or if they just had no more from the previous shows. I was really bummed out, but bought a hat anyway. The lady in front of me bought every last tank top they had, completely tapped them out. The hat is black (feels kinda like corduroy, but doesn't look it) with a green and blue (TOFOG) (parentheses are a circle:) and under that said "Bastard Life or Clarity" on the front. On the back of the cap it said "Austin Texas August 2000" real small in blue/turquoise. So, hat and drink in hand...Hayley and I mingled a bit, walking all around the "yard". We were looking out for people with really large bags, maybe it would be Tina, but there were so many people with really large bags, we gave up. While we were mingling, a string quartet played onstage. They played some Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, the usual suspects. Not what I expected for an opening act at a TOFOG show, but then again, why even go with expectations, you will only be shot down, it IS Russell Crowe we are talking about. We milled around and sweated and drank and did that (not necessarily in that order) for about another 45 minutes, then a comedian came out. We planted ourselves on the right hand side of the stage, about 10 feet behind the balcony, and about 2 feet in front of the good margarita bar. The comedian wasn't really very good, he was on for about 25 minutes, and said a couple of funny things relating to misunderstandings of Texas vs. Australian slang. Such as "root" being sex in Aussie, and them seeing a "Roto-rooter" van driving around, et.al. He did bring out a diggery-do (is THAT what that thing is called, I've never known and couldn't hear very well) You know, the long stick thing the aborigines play for music or whatever. Anyhoo, he played it right into the mic and it sounded really great coming through the big speakers, pretty much rattled your chest when he got down to really low notes. He did his bit and then said we'd have Grunts in a few minutes and the crew came out to set up the stage a bit more. Hayley and I got fresh drinks, (margaritas, of course) and went round to the left side in front of a BBQ buffet and to the left of the lights, mixing board and VH1 crane camera set up. We had a hard time seeing, I'm only 5'4", so Hayley led me (she had to lead at this point, 3 margaritas in me) up to the left side of the stage, in a corner in front of a small building. The stage looked great, there was an Australian flag on the left side, and a New Zealand flag on the right side. Above the stage was a large white covering which jutted out and up to a sort of point, and you know it was shaped much like a piece of the Sydney Opera House. It had a couple of small disco balls on each side and a large one in front, at the point. While we were waiting for the band to come on, about 5 very large balloons came floating down from the balcony area, people started bouncing them back and forth, it was getting very festive at that point, you could almost feel the energy and excitement mixed into the palpable anticipation in the hot, hot, sticky air. (what is this, a freaking romance novel?) Then they walked out, it was still pretty dim on stage, no lights had been turned up, and you could hear a swell of noise come flowing back through the crowd from the stage. It was like a wave rolling back towards us and then around us. Russell yelled a "How the hell are ya Austin?" and made a joke about the balloons coming up towards him. Someone in the front hit one to make it go backwards away from him and he thanked her. Right when they came on, someone held up a sign and Russell said (obviously reading), very slowly, "Dean..is..a..hottie. Hey Dean! You're a hottie!" Dean and Russ just laughed. He showed everyone the flags up on stage and explained which was which. He explained how the flags were made up and what the symbols on them were for. He said who in the band was from Australia and that he and someone else (can't remember who) were from New Zealand originally, but had since taken over Australia for themselves! He also said Billy Dean was born in England and was a pohm. "Prisoner of Her Majesty" That p.o.h.m. was tattooed on the prisoners that originally went to Australia. That "pohm" was used like to say "You pohmy bastard!" They went into a song and the audience was totally pumped, no-one moved too much at first, but it sure didn't take long to get the whole place totally into it and every single person there was mesmerized. After the first song he introduced everyone, and called Dean, "Reverend Billy Dean". I don't really know exactly what song was played and when, but there were a few high points, of course. Russell's voice sounded really good, and I have to say he sings much better live than he does on any studio track. He was wearing black Levi's, and a black short sleeve shirt that said "Lucky" on the front right side, above the pocket. He reached into that pocket often to get a smoke. The back had a red logo or something on it, but I couldn't read it. He played a few songs, talked in between to different people, Tina's nephew one of them!, said something to Sandra up on the balcony, I couldn't hear what it was. He did read some signs and one you could see him reading it silently and he said, "I'm not going to read your sign outloud, that is just rude". There was, of course, different things tossed up on stage, a cow one time, he picked it up and very mockingly patted his face with it and tossed it off stage. A yellow rose was thrown and he tried to put it into Dean's guitar strings, while Dean was playing, and he couldn't get it so he bit off the stem and then stuck it in the strings on the head of Dean's guitar. (ever been jealous of a plant before?)
He was in very high spirits, laughing and jumping around and hugging the bandmates. Everyone was singing along and when he talked all of the people on the ground were totally silent except for a few that would yell out names of songs to play, but no one said anything rude that I could ever hear. A few songs into the set Russ told everyone to stop throwing shit onto the stage, that he didn't want that shit, and said "and ladies keep your panties on, I don't want them, I know you were gonna, but just keep them on!" At one point, later on, he started to tell a story about his grandfather, he began and the noise from the balcony was just wafting down to the stage, all of the people on the ground were completely freakin silent, I mean it was almost eerie, but that din coming down sounded like a drone of bees. Russell stopped his story and looked up there VERY menacingly, reminiscent of Bud White and said "SHUT THE FUCK UP, UP THERE!! I AM TELLING A FUCKING STORY." He continued to talk, but the noise from up there didn't even dim. He stopped again and said "I AM GOING TO KICK EVERY ONE OF YOU FUCKERS OUT OF HERE IN A FEW MINUTES, THAT IS WHAT I GET FOR BRINGING THE HOLLYWOOD BASTARDS OUT HERE, NOW SHUT...THE...FUCK...UP!!! (Then the "free piss" line, I couldn't really make out, he was really mad and just generally wishing them cancer, I think.) But, you know, that didn't even phase them, I did notice that Jodie and Sandra weren't talking, but Ron Howard talked through the whole show! Wheelin' and dealin' I suppose. He finished his story and gave the balcony a mean glare and then played the song. After that he was still smiling and stuff to the crowd in general, but you could definitely tell that that shit had an effect on him that stayed with him through the rest of the show.
I believe the following happened after the first set and into the encore, but like I said before, a little disclaimer to this tale, I have no idea in what order these things took place! Hayley went to get yet another margarita for us, and the band was playing and I saw something out of the corner of my eye, to the left of me out in a field behind Stubb's. Like I said, we were standing in a corner right by the fence on the left side of the stage (which was a fabulous view, btw- I couldn't see the horn player, but that was it) Anyway, I looked out through the fence into this very dark field with a tiny stream running through it, to see a very old, very dirty, obviously homeless man standing in the field and he was dancing his ass off. He was just dancing in this stream waving his arms and clapping after every song. I don't know, maybe it was the margaritas, but it was so poignant at that moment. Just then, Russ began to introduce Barry Kable. I looked back to the stage and it was a riot! Russ was telling the story just as it was on the CD, (again blasting the balcony to shut up) and the audience started to finish his sentences for him. So finally he just let them. He said "Oh, I guess you guys know this one." He would say, "Barry's dad went to the ..." then the audience would immediately yell "PUB!!" "Barry's dad cut off her..." Then audience "HEAD!!" "He put her head in a..." "BAG!!" "took it back to the..." "PUB!!" "so that they would know he wasn't a man to be..." "TRIFLED WITH!!!!!" Huge applause followed and Russ smiled and laughed really big. He talked about Dean and what he did for Barry and said "Billy's got a huge fucking heart man!" Then he started to sing, and everyone sang along, it was beautiful. After the song, he walked over to Dean and grabbed his neck, bent him over and kissed him on the head. I looked out to the field again, but the old man was gone, I just kept wondering if he'd heard what Russ said about Barry.
When they came out for one of the encores Russ said, "Okey-dokey folks, we're gonna have a singing lesson!" He said that he had written the song pretty recently and it was about the love involved in true friendship. He taught us the lines...of course I can't freakin' remember what they were though. I'm pretty sure it was "Jodie's song" though. Then later, Dave Wilkins and Dave Kelly came out in straw cowboy hats and said they had all picked them up while there in Austin, and if you didn't have one you needed to go out and get one. He told everyone that we were all going to line dance. He told us "ok, on the beat, three steps to the left, three to the right, three to the back , and then three to the front." He counted down and put his hands on his hips and said "go!, left two, three, right, two, three, back, two, three, front, two three! It was a disaster, totally fell apart after the first step! So we kept doing it a few more times and Russ came back on stage and said, "Damn, Dave. You come out here to Texas and start prancing around with your hands on your hips like a damn fairy!" Dave said he was just trying to keep us entertained while the lighting was messed up! Too funny!
Russ was drinking beer the whole time they were up there, he kept having to get more beer. He said to the audience that we might have notice he wasn’t drinking Shiner Bock, but not to worry, that he hadn’t given it up, only that his brother brought him some beer from home. Then he explained that the green can was VB, Victoria Bitters, and said the red can was Melbourne something or other. That the red can was stuff the old guys back home drank and it was always too strong for him when he was younger, but that he’d been drinking it for a while and he guessed that meant he was getting old. One time they were in between songs and Russ said he was gonna get another beer and everyone in the band said "get me one too!" So Russ went over to the left of the stage and the band said they would start the song without him. They started the music and I guess Russ took too long with the beers and he had to run out to the microphone with like 6 beers in his hands. He would sing a few lines then run to give the band their beer, then run back to the mic and then run and give a few more beers to the band and then back to the mic. He was laughing the whole time! Once Dean handed him a beer and he said "No, I wanted a Melbourne" and he had to take it back and get another one for him. He just smiled and said "Thanks mate!" Their camaraderie on stage was fantastic!
Russ said they had a special guest and I don’t know how they knew, but people in the audience started yelling "Nowhere!!!". Russ said, "well, I guess you found out the birthday present". They started to play Nowhere and then that guy "Tree" from Mystery, Alaska came out and did the rap! It was so funny and cool. Everyone was jumping up and down and waving their arms. When the song was over, he went off and Russ said "that is one energetic guy!"
Ugh, I can't really remember anything else right now, I'm sure I will add stuff later that comes to me, but I just can't get it together for some reason…
When the show was over, Hayley and I started heading for the gate out of Stubb’s and some really drunk girl was behind me and stepped on the back of my shoe. She said sorry and said "Look what I have" and it was a backstage pass. She said "do you want it, I don’t want it". I said sure, great for a souvenir. Hayley told me to freakin put it on and try to get backstage, and I was like yeah, right. But of course we did make our way over there and saw Dean signing autographs, I walked up there to try to get him to sign the pass but the Stubb’s staff was yelling at everyone to get he hell out, that they were closing up. There were a few ladies standing in front of Dean and he was being so nice and signing autographs, I wasn’t able to get one though. A staffer came by and really was rude and yelled for us ladies to get he hell out! Dean just turned around and glared at him and told everyone to stay the hell right where they were, that it was ok. The guy said, "hey Dean, great show". Dean just glared at him and turned back to us, but you could tell it was getting hairy and so I walked off, he said sorry, and I said that’s ok, I understand, don’t want to get anyone in trouble. Then as we were walking out towards the good margarita bar, Dave Wilkins was signing autographs and was about to get into a big fight with a very large lady cop. They really started to raise their voices at each other! Dave was totally cool, and signed my pass while I was there. That lady cop just had to stand there while he did his thing, he wasn’t gonna budge!!!! So, didn’t get backstage (it turned out to be a "crew pass", so I wouldn’t have been able to go where everyone (Russ) was anyway. It is a cool souvenir though!
So we left, when home and passed out.
~Jennifer J.
Denton, TX
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August 4th 2000
Hot Hot Hot! Not just the weather my friends! The audience melted in line, and melted again while waiting for the band to appear on stage. The string quartet was lovely, but too long in length for a humid August night in Texas. After a humorous performance by an Australian comedian, the band finally made it on stage. By then the audience was exhausted, drunk (most, not all), and overheated. I must say I was impressed with the quality being it was a live performance. But I think being front row was different than further back, for some fans from the back later said Russell sounded muffled. Yet up close to the stage it was perfect. Russell was a good crowd pleaser and had a lot of interaction with the audience. Dave Kelly, Garth Adams, Dean Cochran, Stewart Kirwan, and Dave Wilkins were in perfect harmony throughout the entire show. There were two encores, and most of the best songs were in those last two sets. Closing the show with Folsom Prison Blues was really ironic since Texas does lead the nation in amount of prisons, prisoners, and prisoners executed on Death Row. A great performance! I am glad that I was able to attend and listen to some good music, and meet some wonderful people.
~Lara M.
Texas
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8-18-00
Yes, he is all you dream about but so much more than you expect. 110% male, intense--focused--passionate. I arrived at Stubb's about 2:30 Texas time and saw the huge line of women from all over the world ready to "unleash hell" on Austin Texas. At 8:00 they let us in and the line moved quickly--eager women rushing to claim a spot near the stage. At about 9:15, stage right enters Russell looking fresh and focused wearing a dark blue work shirt and black jeans (all tucked in). He looked in my direction once so intense a gaze you wanted to melt right there. He was not smiling, though rather very serious like he was mentally queuing up for the performance. He smoked a cig, Marlboro Reds while waiting for Nick, the comedian to finish. At about 10:15 The band comes on. Stage set up is something like this: Stewart (trumpet, vocals) Dave Kelly (drummer) Tommy (stage hand) Garth (bass) Dave Wilkins(percussion, The Rev Billy Dean vocals) Cochran (lead guitar) RUSSELL!! The band is really quite excellent. They play well together and seem to be having a great time onstage. You can tell that Dean and Russell are really close and Russell even comments on how Dean has the biggest heart of anyone he has ever known. The music is mostly rock, a lot of guitar and Russell's deep honeyed voice. Dave W. has a higher pitched voice and really adds to the harmony. They sound great. The striking thing about the band is that they work together like an efficient team-all smiles, all giving it everything they've got. Now the front man, Russell, has got charisma. He really knows how to work a crowd. He's such a flirt and you know he loves to see the crowd's response as the lights were on us a lot of the time. He did sing swallow my gift and explained before the song that "the third word in this song is G-I-F-T, gift, swallow my gift." He talked about his father before he sang "What you want me to forget". I loved Memorial Day, the song about his grandfather and he commented during the intro that his niece was born 4 days after his grandfather died and he thought that it was interesting spiritually speaking. He also said that his grandfather had received many medals which were given to him when his grandfather died. He said that his grandfather saved everything and that all these medals were never put together as his grandfather was saddened and depressed by his job as a photographer (he photographed the destruction of war). Russell was sad as he talked on this subject. It was during this section of the show that the people in the balcony started talking rather loudly. Russell at first just asked them to be quiet. The second time he had to stop and he says that "they were perfectly welcome to go somewhere else and talk" and the third time he turned the bright lights on them and shouted something to the effect of I knew I shouldn't have invited you rude hollywood "bastards, shut the F##k up!" Finally they did quiet down and he said "that's more like it." It is easy to understand his anger here because he was sharing something totally personal and relevant and they were up there gabbing away not interested, oblivious to the musician in Russell. He sang "What's her name" with that sexy voice, those hands holding the mic so tight, those intense eyes and beautiful lashes--aargh--I wanted to melt. He sang "The photograph Kills" and they did three encores. One of my favorite parts is when Kevin Durand "tree" from Mystery Alaska comes out on stage to help him with "Nowhere" This guy is tall 6 feet 7 and slim. He gets the whole audience going saying "I'm from Nowhere, I'm from Nowhere...Jump-Jump...(repeat)"--everyone waving their hands in the air and jumping to the rythm--pretty fun and intense. We also sang with him on the song about friends (written for Jodie Foster, I think). He said that the great thing about mostly female audiences is that they always sounded good singing back to him and with him. You could really tell that the band appreciated much of the audience knowing and singing the songs. He eventually came out in his number 30 jersey and we did the whole line dancing thing lead originally by Dave W. while the rest of the band was inside on a break. Dave who looks like one of the beatles comes out in these black leather pants and t-shirt with the straw cowboy hat on and says now I'm gonna teach you how to line dance. After he demonstrates the rest of the band comes out and Russell leads the line dance "1-2-3 to the right, 1-2-3 to the left, 1-2-3 to the front and 1-2-3 to the back" and referring to some earlier comments on fantasy he says "I want you to imagine that you have a cowboy hat, hold it above your head and when were done line dancin' tilt it up and yell YEE-fuckin Ha!" We all did this and managed not to squash anyone and still had a good laugh. The band was were truly entertaining. Each person that attended one of the concerts has their own personal memories of this night. I have to say that Russell puts his heart into each song and is every inch the performer. I think this is why we are so into him. You have to love a man who bares his soul to you--even if only though his music. Every ounce of sweat, every glance, every smile makes this hip-swinging, rocking "bad boy" a modern hero-at least in my eyes and in his own words from the stage on the 18th "What we do in life-echoes in eternity." Oh by the way, he walks like Maximus.
~Jennifer K.
San Antonio, TX
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Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts
August 18, 2000
Austin, TX, Stubbs BBQ
So the day that me and my friend had been waiting for had arrived, after nearly 3 months of waiting. And it was here. It was a joke in the beginning, we both discovered that we like Russell Crowe, had heard about the gigs in Austin and Kelsey said to me, “hey you'll go to Austin with me!” And I said, “sure!” Two weeks later, we had gotten all the info about TOFOG, listened the hell out of all the song-let mp3s on Gruntland, and I had taken the morning off of work to get tickets. Apparently, through some miracle, I got through, got our tickets, everything came into place, and off we went to Austin.
Friday, we hit the pool. I recovered from a major hangover from the night before. Around 4 pm, I started feeling really weird, really nervous. I just get like that before concerts, tennis tournaments, stuff like that, plus like I had said, we'd been waiting for the show for almost 3 months! We decided to have dinner at Stubbs that night, we arrived at about 7:30 and there were loads of people by the barricades, waiting to get in. There was a big a/v truck in front of Stubbs, as well as 4 Harleys, presumably, ridden in by (some of) the boys. Pretty cool. Still very nervous. I went across the street to Bull McCabes to get smokes, and on the way back, there were 5 or 6 people kind of gathered around the corner and I thought it looked strange. Upon a closer look, I see Ron Howard. What's up Ritchie Cunningham! I went and told Kelsey that he was around the corner. He walked through the people waiting to get in, and some noise went up when they realized who it was.
We finally got into eat, and I couldn't even stomach anything more than a caesar salad with chicken, and I only ate half of that. Kelsey enjoyed her BBQ meal though, good for her, but I was having none of that. After dinner, we went across to Bull McCabes for awhile, b/c the line to get in was still around the block. At about 9:30, we found out there was no line, and went into Stubbs. TOFOG was supposed to come out at 10, with Nick Penn going on at 9.
When we got in, there were lots of people, obviously. Port-a-potties, beer stands, big camera right to the right of the stage, behind the VIP balcony, even a food stand. We found a place to stand when Nick Penn came out, we didn't miss any of his show. We love all things Aussie, so I thought he was pretty damn funny. Esp. when he brought out the digeridoo, it was almost orgasmic as he “played” that thing into the mike. After Nick, some Men at Work on the stereo system, along with some big balloons let go. People thought those were like the second coming of....I dunno, something really spectacular. I was stone cold sober, so maybe it would have been more amusing if I had been drinking. After 10, the guys finally came out.
I don't remember the order, but a big yell went up through the crowd as Billy Dean, Garth, Stewart, Dave Kelley, Dave Wilkins came out. Russell was last, and the biggest yell ever went up as he came out, of course. We got a “how the hell are ya?!” and I know I was just kind of in awe of having these guys in front of me, the concert starting, this thing we had been waiting for. Russell was wearing a blue gas station workshirt, which Kelsey and I were really pleased about, b/c we had both commented how we loved the TOFOG ones. Everyone was really excited, and they proceeded to play “Wendy”, a mellow choice for an opener, but a really good intro to the band live. Steward played some kind of horn on it that sounded awesome, great guitar from Billy and Russell, music from everyone, and it struck me how great Russell's voice really was. Sounded sooooo much better live than I ever imagined. It was actually a good song to play first b/c there wasn't too much commotion, you could just get a feel for the music, and it was great.
Well, that ends the chronological order of events. Everything else is just gonna come as I remember it. I know I was waiting to hear some funny stuff out of Russell, and just had no idea what to expect really. I think they went right into another song, then they stopped to chat a bit. We were about 30-40 feet from the stage, a pretty good view, although I had to strain to see anyone but Billy and Dave W. from the waiste down. A lot of guys there, which also really surprised me, and they were the ones blocking my view. It's like Nick Penn said, “The 5 guys here tonight, just stand very still, maybe you won't get hurt!” So get outta the way, dammit!!
People threw some stuff on stage, like a manatee, from a girl from Florida, another gift that was wrapped with a big bow that Russell started to open, but someone told him what it was. Later on he dabbed himself with it on his brow and probably under his arms and smiled at the girl, it was funny. He read a couple of people's signs, and one girl's said something about “can we trade shirts” Russell read that part and said, w/o missing a beat, “no you can't, and I mean that sincerely.” He was a total smartass, I loved it. He also told the ladies “don't throw any underwear onstage, and I know you're thinking about, but just don't.” I think some girl threw a lollipop on stage or something b/c he looked at her, brow furrowed and all, “that lolly's been in your mouth, that's disgusting!” And someone else had a sign and I don't know what it said, but Russell said, mock hurt, “and quite frankly I'm not sure what you mean by that!” He definitely had a look on his face, like what the hell is going on, but it was all in good fun. His straight up joke for the night, “hey you wanna hear a joke? A baby seal walks into a club.” A little bit of silence and he laughed, “oh don't be so sensitive people, it's gonna be a long night.” I had the biggest smile on my face the whole night b/c the show was so great, and just b/c those guys are hysterical.
The playlist from what I can remember along with my memories with the songs, and I don't think I missed anything, from Gaslight:
Circus-the horns sound so good on this song, good onya Stew! And Stew is also a very attractive man, I must add. Dave W's back up vocals with Stew are also great. Dave W was the rock star, as Russell (?) commented, with the “leather trousers, black shirt, and log hair.”
Oblique is My Love-A rockin' song. Great live, just as good as the album, but better b/c i was actually there. Just a cool song, good lyrics, as you all know.
What's Her Name-one of my favorites of the harder tunes, I went nuts during this song b/c it's such a great bloody song. I guess this would be a good time to point out how ridiculously tight this band is live. They don't miss a beat. Each one of them is so good individually with what they do, then put them all together, it was amazing. It's not an easy thing, to sound really good and really together live, but they pulled it off with flying freaking colors. I was so impressed.
The Legend of Barry Kable-definitely a high point of the evening. Russell had been talking about how Billy (now I'm bloody calling him Billy!) had devoted his life to social services-big cheer from the crowd, and Billy looked shy as hell, as he did through the whole show. We got one word outta him the whole night, during one of the encores. Anyway, we realized they were going to play Barry Kable. Russell started to go into, “Barry's dad went down to the pub and got told by his mates...” and we had all piped up and were saying it right along with him. Russell and the band looked shocked as shit at us that we all knew it word for word. Russell stepped away from the mike, laughing, and just looking really amused and pleased, and went along with it. He'd say a line, then let us finish it.
RC: Barry's dad went down to the pub and he got told by his mates that-
US: His wife was having an affair.
RC: So he went back-
US: home-
RC: and he got a-
US: kitchen knife-
RC: and while Barry was-
US: on his mum's lap-
RC: he-
US: cut off her head.
RC: so he-
US: went back down to the pub
RC: and he-
US: went back down to the pub and showed it around-
RC: just to prove that-
US: he wasn't a man to be trifled with.
Sounds like a mad lib or something, but we were all, audience and band, really enjoying it. I don't remember if he finished the story, but I want to say that he didn't. They went into the song, at a slower pace, but it was cool. The went normal tempo at the last verse and we were all singing along, it was awesome.
She's Not Impressed-Russell talked a little bit about how he DID want babies, but the timing had never been right or something (someone please feel free to fill in this blank), but now “it was just a matter of time.” Have noooo idea what that meant, but all the girls were going crazy by this point, as well can be imagined. The girls I was standing around (awesome chicks!), we were all saying, “we volunteer!” and “we'll start a sign up sheet on the way out!” It was funny. Song was great, much better live, Russ lets it rip. He did forget a line again, and he just laughed, it was so candid and he knew he fucked up and had a look on his face like “jesus, I did it again!” He picked it up on the next line. And it was towards the end too, like on a chorus line! It's like come on mate, these are the lyrics you repeat!! :-) He probably psyched himself out b/c of the 8/11 show.
David-the second to the last encore song. After having a bit of trouble with the lights, and having a bit of Nick Penn again, Dave (Kelly) and Davie (I'll just refer to Wilkins as Davie now), came out both with white cowboy hats on, and said that since we were in Texas, we were gonna learn how to line dance. So Davie proceeded to do a little jig to the left, the right, the front and the back. We proceeded to follow very poorly. Russell, Billy, Garth and Stew came back out at this point, and Russell took a look at all of us and said we were “fuckin' hopeless.” It was pretty pathetic. So Russell joined in on doing the little jig and looked just as much of a goober as the rest of us, and we all proceeded to step all over each other. I yelled out, “come on, people, we know how to do the electric slide, we can do this!” If I was closer to the stage and within earshot of the boys, I think I might have gotten them to do that as a prep course. Just a possibility! :-) And Russell also said, “now I know what the difference is, you just put your hands on your hips like a fuckin' fairy” and something else, I forgot. The start of that sentence might not be right either, I don't remember, please someone feel free jump in. So off we go again...we still sucked. But Russell AND Davie kept adding in an extra direction or something, they kept fucking it up! And confused the hell out of me. Russell got a little rhythm/singsong voice and said, “what we're doing is a-going in a-3s, but we're coutin' in a-4s.” Still didn't help. We were pretty fucking hopeless, but it was really really funny. And David is a great song live, I never really liked it all that much except it just made me laugh “I'd hate to be that reptile when he got home...” And I still laughed, b/c of the line dancing fiasco and the lyrics are funny.
What You Want me To Forget-Russ told a story about his dad here. I have totally spaced on what it was though, and would love someone to fill me in. Please. Cool song live, very cool, it gets you way hyped up.
Nowhere-and speaking of hyped up...there was a girl up in the VIP balcony who kept screaming “Play Nowhere!” And Russell asked her, “what?” and she repeated herself and we all chimed in. He said they had a surprise for us, and we all went nuts, knowing what was coming, what the surprise was. He smiled and said, “do you all know what your birthday present is already?” And we started yelling again. So off they went into the song, and we got to sing along, Russell would sing, “Litagation-“ and we'd all do the “follows on, follows on...” bit. I must say we are some damn good singers in that crowd!! He did the bulk of the song twice, and we got to the do the “follows on” thing again. Then he introduced “D Almighty....TREE!!!!!!!!!!” And out comes Kevin Durand, with all of us going nuts of course. He started in with the normal rap he does on the CD, big huge guy, black jeans, white tank top and a black shiny jacket (was it a TOFOG jacket?), that he shed after a minute or so. When Kevin got to the bit about “Bud White, that's a history”, Russell had been over talking to Billy as they played, and Kevin went over to Russ as he was walking over to the other side of the stage and they both said the “hmmm that's a mystery” bit. Then Kevin just went nuts, started to freestyle. He rocked. My friend started the jumping thing, and the two of us started to do it, then he had everyone do it. We like to think it was b/c of us, but we can't be sure! :-) Total madness, it was so freakin' cool. Needless to say, I was hot as shit after that, but it was definitely worth it.
And then I talked about Wendy. No Castlebuilder, I was sad about that, that's probably my favorite Grunts song.
Other songs from the albums:
The Photograph Kills-just a killer song. Cool freaking song, but I only know half of it b/c I know the mp3 and that CD isn't available anymore. So the bridge is really good.
Inside Her Eyes-sigh....that's really all I can say. The gooey-I-wish-someone-would-write-a-song-like-that-for-me-esp.-russell part comes out in me, what can I say. Also a really great song in its entirety. I asked you the difference between sensuous and sexy....sigh...:-)
All the White Circles-this is the headbanging song!!! I just remembered! I was thinking that it was Oblique is My Love....okay, good thing I'm writing this out, it's all comin' back to me now!! :-) So THIS is the song where Russell was telling us that we had to headbang so to speak on every third beat. He told us to do whatever, and showed us, looking pretty funny in the process, and not many people were doing it, b/c you looked like a goober with no music. He had them raise the lights b/c no one was doing it in the back and he said something like, “you all think I can't see you back there, but I can. You're all thinking, `oh he doesn't care about us b/c we're in the back' but I can see you!” So everyone started to do it and they played the song. Made much more sense with the music, but I still felt like a goober. :-)
High Horse Honey
The new songs:
Memorial Day
Sail the Same Oceans
Afraid
Never be Alone Again
The Night Davey Hit the Train
Somebody Else's Princess
~Carrie M.
Bethesda, MD
