Sneakers, San Antonio, Texas
It was the summer solstice, which not only is it the longest day of the
year but also one of the hottest. Usually I would be in a bad mood
driving 6 hours with no air conditioning in my car, but I was super
pumped for this show. I was cruising into Austin listening to DETROIT
ROCK CITY, which happens to be the ultimate "on the way to a concert
song", when a Texas Highway Patrolman pulls me over for doing 10 miles
over the speed limit. I calmed down after that. One thing positive
about the Texas Highway Patrol is they're getting speedier at writing
those tickets. I was only delayed for 2 or 3 minutes.
OK, now the show. We got to the parking lot of Sneakers about 10:30. I
was pretty disappointed at the lack of cars in the lot, about a quarter
filled. Before we walked in Larry, (the guy who lost his car coming
back from the Holy Barbarians show in at the Buzzard Fest in Cleveland,
Ohio), said to me "You know if they throw anything out in the audience,
I'm getting it". I said the same thing. We get inside and start looking
around for any of the bandmembers. The first one I saw was Matt Garrett.
I walked up to him and told him how much I enjoy the album and I'm
looking forward to all 3 Texas shows. He was very sincere in his thank
yous, super laid back, bobbing his head up and down (by the way he bobs
his head on stage too). After about 4 or 5 thank yous I started to tell
the infamous trip to Ohio story and I pulled out a picture I took while
we were stuck in the line of traffic that led to the Buzzard Fest (the
two rented vans). Matt looked at the picture and his eyes almost blew
out of his sockets. He said "you're the guys that went to the Cleveland
show?!!!!" I was stunned. Then he taps his brother on the shoulder and
says "Scott, these are the guys from the Cleveland show". I looked at
Larry and he looked as flabergasted as I. Then Scott taps on Pat Sugg's
shoulder, Scott says "Hey Pat, these are the guys that went to the
Cleveland show!" Then Pat started freaking out "You're the guys that went
to the Cleveland show? Who wrote it?" I said I did, he shook my hand and
introduced himself to me. Can you believe this, I go to see one of my
favorite bands if not my favorite and they actually know who I am. He
asked what happened and if we were all-right, completely sincere. That
whole moment was a highlight of my life. It amazes me to know Larry and I
were the subject to at least a couple conversations by the Holy
Barbarians. We talked about Jon's website and he said it was better than
anything the record labels have done, which I agree.
If you've already seen a Holy Barbarians show you know I don't need to go
into too much detail. Utterly amazing. The crowd did not seem to
appreciate the Jack Kerouac reading that went on for about 10 minutes. I
thought it was cool. This was the only show they did this on. Cream
never sounded better. The sound was pretty good but not nearly as good
as the Houston show. This time I could hear Pat's guitar nice and loud.
I will say this, he is the coolest, smoothest guitar player I have ever
heard live. All 3 shows in Texas he never missed a note and played with
severe emotion. I have never seen a bass player move around as much as
Matt. Scott was pounding away like he was on a mission from God. Ian
was Ian, always an expert showman. After Cream he looked toward
the back of the club and said "Are you guys having a good time by the
foosball table there, having a lovely time...and you people in the back
by the pool table, having a lovely time? " Then they gave us The
Witch at full throttle. Over all, the crowd was OK I've seen a lot
better, but they weren't as bad as an Austin crowd. I thought the band's
energy level was pretty high but after the phenomenal Houston show I'm
going to have to say they were a little more subdued comparatively.
During Bodhisattva I could tell Ian was ready to throw his
tambourine out to the audience, I was waiting. Sure enough he throws
it around his back and it pegs some tall guy in the head and bounces
further to the right of me. It was well out of my reach. After the song
I said to Larry "Did you not think he was going to throw it during that
song? "He just looked at me and gave me this strange look and said "Yeah"
Out of the 4 times I have seen them, the two most amazing songs were the
San Antonio versions of Magick Christian and Helter Skelter.
Magick Christian was not only the highlight of the show but
probably the most incredible live performance I have ever witnessed.
"Your tired eyes are closed you've stained your FUCKING clothes
agaaaaaaaehhehehnnn. I noticed there was something inside Ian that was
getting ready to explode, kind of like when it's real quiet before a
severe thunderstorm in the mountains. During the second verse some
assfuck yells out Peace Dog. The next part was sung with so much
conviction "Salute the flag put out a fag, wipe your face with an oily
rag, YOUR FUCKING HAGGERED MAN!" Ian was really feeling it now, "Don't
be afraid YOU GOT TO LET IT GO" Thats when Ian went balistic. He's
jumping, spinning around, slamming his mic stand as hard as any human
could without breaking a wrist or arm. As the song builds into that jam,
Ian falls to the floor, kicks an amp over, bent the mic stand in half
yelling "You Gotta LET IT GOOOOOOOOOoooo." He broke the microphone and
had to grab Pat's. He starts singing "Everybody got a brand new year,
Everybody got a brand new year". I was in a state of awe. After the show
my buddies and I all thought Ian was going to die on that song, the
emotional level was unfathomable. I hate to praise songs that bands
don't write but I can't help it Helter Skelter just exploded.
When that song kicked in the walls expanded. It was a perfect way to end
the show.
After the show a lot of people were hovering around Larry like he was
some sort of Shaman. It was then that I noticed he was the one who got
the Tambourine. He said it hit the guy in front of him then bounced on
the floor and found it's way to him. If there is anyone on this planet
that deserves Ian Astbury's Tambourine it is Larry.
We hung out hoping to find Ian. He walked out and we stopped him. Larry
was talking a mile a minute telling him how great the show was. Ian said
he had to go talk to the Record Label people and said he would be back.
Then we saw Scott. I said "Great show man", He replied, "Thanks, your
the Cleveland guys right?" Being known as the guys who ran into a U.P.S.
truck after 30 hours of driving from a Holy Barbarians show is not such
a bad stigma. I showed him the picture I showed his brother earlier. He
started laughing. Then Ian walks by and Scott grabs him saying "Ian come
here check this shit out (shows him the picture) remember the Cleveland
show?" Ian gave a crooked smile and a loud laugh and walked back stage
shaking his head saying "That show". I guess the band didn't have too
many fond memories of the Buzzard Fest. The only thing that disappointed
me other than not getting the tambourine was I didn't get to shake Ian's
hand or say anything to him, But there was still 2 more shows to go. What
a show, What a night, what a band. This show is worth 10 speeding tickets.
Mike MacLelland - z_maclellanm@TITAN.SFASU.EDU