No, seriously I did. I wasn't planning on it - I mean I don't even own any of their music and the only song I really knew was there was "One Week" which was in that cheesy car commercial. Did you know they also did that "If I had a Million Dollars" jingle from the NY lotto commercials .... Anyway I get a call from my friend Julie around 2 in the afternoon saying she is stuck with an extra ticket would I like to go. Despite the fact that I am coming down with a cold and totally PMSing I decided to go anyway. I was kind of curious about BNL I mean I remember when they first came on the music scene. I think they broke out around the same time Sugar Ray and Smashbox (or was it Smashmouth?) whatever they all seem like the same band to me (at the time). I did see BNL once on an MTV show and whatever stage antics they had at the time I was like I totally want to go drinking with these guys. There music is for shit but I still wanted to hang with them since they seem like fun drinking buddies ... Oh and then I think it was the last issue of The Hockey News (or maybe the issue before - sad but yes I am a subscriber) that the drummer for BNL (Tyler Stewart) wrote a column "Give me my NHL back!" which made me want to hang out with them more.
So I leave work at 7 and I headed to the Beacon Theater. It took me an hour to get 40 blocks! I walked 14 in the light drizzle of rain before I finally gave up looking for a cab and hoped on a bus. There was screaming kids on the bus and a blind man that was singing, he was just too damn joyful for my liking. Isn't it my luck on a day I am getting sick and PMSing that by the time I got to meet my friends I had no time for a drink or dinner. I am not in the happiest of moods but I put on a happy face until I find out it's a Christmas show. I don't know some days I love Christmas and others I couldn't care less today I couldn't care less.
We find our seats which are in the last rows of the orchestra under the balcony. The sound at the Beacon theatre is not the best as I felt the music was sounding muffled under the balcony. But I must say the topper to my evening was the annoying drunk ass couple in front of me. I mean I can understand the annoying drunk ass fan that sings along with the band they are enjoying the show even the annoying screaming fan they are enjoying the show. But when an annoying drunk couple who either make out all night or chat all night annoy the shit out of me. Well I think the making out is fine if it is done seated cause then you are in no ones way.
The lovely couple that sat in front of me tonight where drunk chatterboxes who just annoyed me and everyone around me (I think even their own friends). When they left to get more drinks the couple to their right was like damn they need to shut up and we all agreed. The second part of the show started they are very drunk now and talking even louder because they need to hear themselves over the music - I mean it's not like they went to see a concert they went to get drunk and talk real loud. As they continued to talk well into the 5th song I just couldn't take it anymore and shouted at them "would you please shut the fuck up, I came to see a concert not listen to you two." The drunks were taken aback I mean they had no idea everyone around them loathed them and I was at my snapping point. He said he didn't like to be talked to that way - I was gonna say "fuck you I'm a New Yorker that is how I talk" but they drunk ass wouldn't get it. In stead I pointed out that I had said "please shut the fuck up" (the PLEASE makes a difference). I thought it would make the situation worse as they would then talk louder but they seem to quite down a bit until the guy turned into the annoying screamer. But hey, at least he was watching the show now and not talking right?
The rest of the night I thought the girlfriend was gonna throw her beer on me I was so ready to punch her in the face (damn my PMS is getting worse). Anyway towards the very end the drunken guy turns to me and Julie and wishes us a Merry Christmas with a handshake. I then realized he had baby soft hand I probably could have taken him as well.
Oh and I now have mad love for Steve Page - I mean he can not replace Jimbo but he has made it to the top 5 living music men I must say!
