04-17-00 pt.2

Best viewed with COURIER NEW size 10 maximized screen *********************************************************************** The Quote Of The Day: someone suck me late last evening and it was time to make a change -From Sleepwalkin' -Submitted by hbedard *********************************************************************** TOUR DATES (NEW TOUR DATES MARKED WITH **): Apr 18- 7:30 p.m., 9:30 Club, Washington DC, $25 (P,T,O) Apr 20- 8 p.m., Warehouse, Toronto, ON, CAN, $22.50 (P,O,T-Ca) Apr 21- 6:30 p.m., State Theatre, Detroit, MI, $24.25 (P,T,O) Apr 22- 7:30 p.m., Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL, $20 (P,T,O) Apr 24- 7:30 p.m., Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, $26.50 (P,O,T) Apr 25- Bemidji St. University, Bemidji MN (P,O) Apr 27- 8 p.m., Investors Gym, Winnipeg, MB, CAN, $26.50 (P,O,T-Ca) Apr 28- 8 p.m., Centennial Auditorium, Saskatoon, SK, CAN, $25 (P,O,T-Ca) Apr 29- MacEwan Hall, Calgary, AB, CAN (P,O) Apr 30- Wild Bill's, Banff, AB, CAN (P,O) May 2- 8 p.m., Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, AB, CAN, $29.50 (P,O,T-Ca) May 4- 8 p.m., Vancouver, BC, CAN $29.50 (O,T-Ca) May 5- 8 p.m., Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA, $19.50 (P,O,T) May 6- 8 p.m., Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA, $19.50 (P,O,T) May 7- Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR (P,O) May 9- 8 p.m., Warfield, San Francisco, CA, $22.50 (O, T) May 10- 8 p.m., Wilshire Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, $30 (T,O) May 14- Student Festival, Braga, POR (O) May 16- Zeleste, Barcelona, SP (O) May 17- University Festival, Faro, POR (O) May 18- Student Festival, Beja, POR (O) Oct 25-7 p.m., Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC, NY (T) NOTA BENE: 'O' stands for the Official homepage 'P' stands for Pollstar 'T' stands for Ticketmaster 'I' stands for Insider Info All other references are subscribers To book a show: in the US, contact Frank Riley at Monterey Peninsula Artists in EU, contact Paul Boswell at Free Trade Agency Serious inquiries only. ************************************************************************ WHO/WHERE Going to a VF concert? Want to know if anyone else on the list also going? Check here first! Washington, DC (4/18) --------------------- Gluegirl (Danica) Rubaiyat (Marylee) Seattle, WA ----------- Lilboek (Steve) Seattle, WA ----------- Lilboek(Steve) Portland, OR ------------ Lilboek(Steve) New York, NY ------------ RatFink746 (Frank) ************************************************************************ WEB PAGES: See Wednesday's issue for the full listing of Femmes-related pages. *********************************************************************** ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS LETTER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO AMUSIC *********************************************************************** In Today's Issue: Boston/Providence RE: Ticket Prices RE: Ticket Prices My Opinion RE: Prices, Freak Magnet RE: Freak Magnet RE: Freak Magnet Sleepwalkin' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Boston/Providence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, I made it to the Boston show (which was great!), but I missed the Providence show. Can anyone send reports? I enjoy the shows so much that I can never give a good report. The songs go by one by one (I don't write down the set list) and I just dance and drink and sing (to the chagrin of those around me) until the show sadly comes to an end. They surprised me, actually. The last show I saw was summerish '99 in Denver (LoDo Festival); It was really not up to par. I was afraid they had stopped enjoying touring. Saturday night, however, was really great. This show, they seemed to play a lot from the First Album, Hallowed Ground and Freak Magnet. (And they played in front of a Freak Magnet album-cover banner.) They began with "Rejoice" which got a surprisingly good response. Gordon said "I know no one came here hoping to hear that song. No one came saying 'Ooh, if they don't play 'Rejoice and Be Happy,' I don't know what I'll do!' " I yelled "You're wrong!" Or something like that. I'd had a few beers. They also played "A Story" as one of their encores, which was more fun in person than on the album. The rest of the show is a blur for me -- except I remember that when Brian introduced Gordon, the applause kind of petered out because he stretched it out so long and everyone applauded "Gordon", but by the time he said "Gano", it was lost in the applause, which quickly then sputtered out. Gordon actually looked hurt. Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I was hoping to run into someone from the list, but it's not like we are obvious to each other. I was probably the biggest guy there -- about 6'6" and 380, with a beard. Maybe someone saw me. And if you're a cute young woman, I probably saw you, too. :) I usually come home from concerts with little mini-crushes on women I'll never see again. Anyway -- someone please let us know about the Providence show! Thanks! --James -- --- James Welborn welborn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Ticket Prices ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No, you are not full of hot air. Other bands charge way more for tickets than $20 -- $25. the rolling stones played at the horseshoe here in Columbus and tickets were $75 dollars for the cheap seats. Rudykitten ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Ticket Prices ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'd have to agree a bit with Jesse. Fugazi does keep there prices down. But comparing the Femmes and Fugazi is like comparing apples and oranges. I'll get into that later. First let's talk about the mighty TicketBastard and it's nasty habit of raping the masses when it comes to ticket prices. Let's compare and contrast shall we. The Crowbar is a nifty little (a emphasize the word LITTLE) club in State College, PA, 45 minutes from where I live. The are an independent club that books bands outside the large corporate machine. When Ozzfest came through either last year or the year before they had a five band bill (Coal Chamber, Sevendust, Drain STH, and two other bands that have slipped my mind) for fifteen dollars. Not to shabby. Now the Metropol which is in Pittsburgh about 2 hours from where I live charged me, I think it was, twenty-two bucks to see the Femmes and this crappy local band called, Bitter Deloris, or something along those lines (Which is kind of ironic because the band wasn't that bitter at all. In fact they were annoyingly cheerful.) Metropol is part of the TicketBastard machine. So they do jack up the prices. I'm pretty sure, but don't quote me on this, that clubs have to pay a certain amount to have the TicketMaster name brand stamped on them. In return they get a more advertising then they would other wise be able to afford and people from a longer distance away will be more likely to come to shows if they can order tickets from home, work, whatever. (For instance I live in Western PA but was able to order tickets for the '98 Halloween show in Milwaukee, WI from the TicketMaster outlet in my local mall. Got front row center too... Well front row center for those of use who aren't related to anyone in the band.) On the other had TicketMaster can jack up their service fee (which I believe is $3.50 per ticket) anytime they want and there isn't a whole hell of a lot anyone can do about it. So basically you are going to get the shaft whenever they are involved. As far as the roll of the Violent Femmes in the whole mess, they have admitted to being "staunch capitalists" which automatically includes and need to make cash. It's about the money, maybe not altogether but it probably has a lot to do with it. You have to ask yourself, realistically, would the band be together if they weren't making any money, probably not. After all Brian and Guy have kids who need clothes and food and skateboards and stereos and ponies and you know stuff. And plus I think we can all admit that it would be nice to live comfortably with out having to worry about bills and crap like that. Which isn't easy if you play music for a living. (Which reminds me SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC SCENE!!! Your next favorite band could be the annoying kids making all that racket in your neighbors garage.)I know bands that play nothing but original music which is what they want to do all the time but can't because they can't afford to quit their day jobs. It's not an easy route to go. So I can understand the Femmes charging large sums to have them play somewhere. Now Fugazi on the other hand is a completely different story. As long as you give them money for food and gas they will pretty much play at your sweet sixteen party (I'm exagerating a little there.) For those of you who know nothing about Fugazi they are a straight edge band, meaning no booze, no drugs, no broads, and I think they would drop their pants and wave their asses at the whole capatalist bullshit thing. I also think they make it a point to avoid places that are going to ream there fan base for money. Pretty much from what I found out when I was trying to get them booked at the place I used to work at (which I then realized was moronic to book a straight edge band into a bar. I'm such a dumb ass sometimes.) is that they specifically state what the ticket price is to be. So if you paid $5 to see them and another band it's because that's the price they thought was fair. It's 150% about the music with Fugazi, fuck the money. And to say that not as many people have heard of Fugazi is totally uniformed. They are huge with the musicians around here in think the Femmes fans in my area are out numbered at least 20 to 2 when it comes to Fugazi. (20 being the number of people I can think of off hand around here that are into Fugazi and the 2 being me and one other guy I know that are into the Femmes. And when I say into I do not include "Oh don't they play that song that goes 1,1,1, cause...) So basically my point is to expect the Femmes to play for the same amount of money as Fugazi is a little ridiculous. They are two band with two completely differnet philosophies about making and splitting money. That's it that's all of it. Now I have to go practice for my guitar lesson with my tone deaf teacher on Wednesday. (I dread him saying "hear let me tune you guitar before we get started.") Kathryn kittricken ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Opinion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I just had to write and respond to a couple of things that I was just reading in the latest newsletter! The first response goes to Chris about Freak Magnet......I happen to think that this is a great CD! I will admit that the first time I listened to it, I was thinking, "This doesn't sound like something that the Femmes would do." But after I listened to it more and more, I began to love it. It's got such a variety of style, that I would figure any true fan could find something that hit the spot for them personally. But I guess you don't feel that way. My other response is to Jesse about ticket prices. Sure, we would all like to be able to pay $6 for tickets, but this is now the year 2000, and that just doesn't happen. And the way I see it is I would pay just about anything to see the band. I get such a rush off seeing the 3 of them in concert and the fact that they only come to my area about once a year, I figure that you can't really put a price on that!! I do agree with Pat in the fact that venues and Ticketmaster, those money sucking jerks do add quite a bit onto the initial price of tickets. I know that I purchased 4 tickets for the Providence show and ended up paying over $10 just to TM!!!! Anyway, I am headed off to get all my fun stuff ready, cuz I'm headed out to Boston tomorrow morning to go see my favorite band!!!!!!!!!!! And then yes, I did splurge and will also be in Providence Sunday night front row and center as always to see them again!!!!!!!!!! So this was so lengthly, I just had to voice my opinion and I'm a little high strung right now just thinking about the fact that at this time tomorrow night, I will be looking at the guys face to face!!!! hbedard ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Prices, Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is in regards to the ticket price thing. The violent femmes do have control over what venues they play in. So they should have complete control over there prices. Also i thought freak magnet sucked to. There songs seem so insincere on that record I can't stand it. It's really sad to think that were losing one of the greatest bands around. Or maybe they have always been this way and were just better at hiding it. They need to quit now while they still have some dignity. wes jek66 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --"you've all heard the new album i take it? it's been out for a few weeks here in australia and i've got to say, there is *no* way i'm going to buy this album! (it's terrible) i'll continue to let it grow on me (as unlikely as it is), this album is *no* New Times! ;-) It is a very poor attempt at hitting the teenage first femmes album angst market?"-- wow, this is the first opinion I think I've read from this list on the new album. I have yet to buy it for two reasons...what this person said and it's too expensive ($15.99-17.99??? yeah right!) I've heard all the songs except for the five newest ones, and the others didn't impress me much...in other news, I've realized that my favorite VF song is now "Eep opp ork ah-ah", what a cute song! well, that's all for now...Later, Ryan rcbarbato ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Im sorry, but i reckon that freak magnet is one of their best. at first, i must admit that i didnt like it all that much, but after buying it, it has grown on me alot. even though it isnt at all like their older stuff, i still reckon that it rocks unlike anything. if you are a true fan, you will like whatever they put out, and give no real critisisms. cheers Jaan fellfrasch ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sleepwalkin' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ does anyone have the lyrics for sleepwalkin' ....if the song has words....(haven't heard it but i'm curious) Kyle_Souza ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~