World of Weird Al Yankovic

Yeah, the security definitely wasn't anyone associated with Al. Also, I love when in their policy of not letting anyone take pictures, they say "Al doesn't want you taking pictures, that messes with his sound equipment"?? Which is what the promoter said last night.

Lol, that's when you have to reply back with "this is my 112th Weird Al show, I'm pretty sure that's not really his policy"

Hi everyone,

I just want to share my photos from the show. They're not the greatest because I was trying to be sneaky - the venue security was my only worry...sometimes they can be a pain; I stopped caring during the last two songs and got some nice pictures then.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68351840@N05/

It was my first Weird Al concert and it was incredible! I definitely have to see him again next time.
Enjoy the pictures.

-Katie

But, Ale, why would I do that? When it was my 121st?!

Pictures mess with the sound equipment?

I know cell phones can interfere w/ microphones sometimes, but if that was a problem with Al's kit, it's a little puzzling why he'd have had "Cell Phones" in the setlist.

Once in a while you meet a genius author of fiction humbly working in a concert venue. We'll put that guy up there with the one who explained about the secret tunnel at the Greek Theater used by Al to make a stealthy getaway... at a venue sitting like an island smack in the middle of acres and acres of parking lots. Where's this tunnel supposed to go TO?

I'm going off topic...

I've been going to Griffith Park since around 1964 (where the Greek Theatre is located), and rumor had it years ago that there are secret tunnels all through Griffith Park. Some are suppose to go to secret caves too that were used during Prohibition. Kind of funny that the secret tunnel myth(?) is still being told.

We still have some leftover tunnels under Buenos Aires from the colonial times when we were only allowed to buy stuff from Spain (hello smuggling!)

But, Ale, why would I do that? When it was my 121st?!

Close enough

We just got back from Jim West's slack key concert and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was held in a church that occupies a large geodesic dome structure. The crowd was kind of light (35 or so) but that was probably due to a lack of advertising in the local music stores, guitar stores and especially at Al's concert last night. There were some flyers on the souvenir table last night but nothing else - not even an announcement (oh well, at least the Starbucks on McMullen Booth got a plug during Craigslist).

I didn't know what to expect, not being familiar with slack key, but was pleasantly surprised. While I thought it might be the stereotypical 'Hawaiian music' with steel guitars and the like, I found it to be Jim masterfully playing a pleasantly amplified classical 6-string guitar with non-standard tunings. Jim explained that 'slack key' means the lack of a standard and that there are a variety of ways to tune the strings which are normally tuned 'open'. It’s a pleasing sound and one I’d not heard before. There were also a couple of hula dancers who added to the show and it looked like Jim was having a good time being immersed in Hawaiian music while in the flatlands of Florida.

He did two 45 minute sets with a 15 minute intermission during which he sold some CDs and talked to those in the audience. He mentioned that this was the first slack key concert he’d done in Tampa but he hoped to do more in the future when visiting his parents who live here. He’s coming out with a new CD of his music in the next few weeks and one of the tunes is based on the L.A. freeway system. As expected, it’s upbeat and contains a range of tempos as well as some ‘honking horns’ (a neat effect on a classical guitar).

My wife said she saw Johnny G. Lyons there. He was the guy who has the band that Jim and Steve Jay were in before they move to L A and met up with Al and Bermuda.

Thanks Jim, for 2 consecutive nights of musical good times.

Also, it was nice to meet Alinite27 who was at Jim's concert, too.

That "All Jam Up" song (the one inspired by the 405 freeway) is a hoot! And really captures the stop and go of being stuck in rush hour.