Hanging 27: Taco Surfing

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:18 am

From a story about the premiere of the re-release of "This Is Spinal Tap" (would that be the re-premiere? The postmiere? The twofermiere?):
To play the song "Big Bottoms" Spinal Tap brought out Weird Al Yankovic with his tuba and infamous bassist Lee Sklar to play with them and in earth-shattering unison, the guys physically shook the House Of Blues; to its foundations.
His tuba?

Yeah, I can't figure that one out, either.

"Big Bottom" isn't exactly a tuba kind of song.....it may not be an accordion kind of song, either, but if I had to choose between the two...

This could either have been a really, really confused person reporting on it.....or Al got into the act of Christopher Guestian humor by coming on stage with an instrument that would be a non sequitur for him.

I would much rather prefer hearing Al do "Stonehenge" on accordion, but that's just me.

Post by **scottidog** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:42 am

it may not be an accordion kind of song

Other than "Lady Of Spain" is there such a thing as an accordion kind of song?

La-la-la-lasagna!

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:01 am

Other than "Lady Of Spain" is there such a thing as an accordion kind of song?

Have we already forgotten about the vast polka genre?

Post by **scottidog** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:08 am

Polka... Polka... Oh, yes! I remember now.

One of the funniest things I have read that Al said in an interview when he was asked how the polka medleys came to be: He said it came out of a comment of a friend of his that all his songs sounded like polkas and he thought there were comic possibilities in that.

Speaking of medleys... I was comparing the last few set lists. If you assume (and you know what they say about that) the set list from OC was a dry run for the upcoming tour, it is interesting to note that Gump got demoted to a medley. I hope he keeps the over the head kick thing in it...

CatraDhtem · Post by **CatraDhtem** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:39 am

Speaking of medleys... I was comparing the last few set lists. If you assume (and you know what they say about that) the set list from OC was a dry run for the upcoming tour, it is interesting to note that Gump got demoted to a medley.

I think that may be the only downside to a new ALbum. There just isn't enough room in a two hour concert for every full length live number. It may one day in the future get to the point where each album only has one song represented.

I think we can pretty much assume for one reason or another that "Smells Like Nirvana," "Fat," and "Yoda" will always be done by themselves....but by, say, oh 2010, I'd be very interested to see what's in the medley.

I hope he keeps the over the head kick thing in it...

Well, why not? He managed to squeeze in a little line dance during "Achy Breaky Song."

Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:20 am

I think that may be the only downside to a new ALbum. There just isn't enough room in a two hour concert for every full length live number"

My dream solution to this too-many-hits problem (what an awful problem, BTW. How DOES Al bear up under the strain of it all?) would be a pair of concerts on successive days, with different setlists. You want to hear ALL the hits? Okay, buy multiple concert tickets. Greatest Hits Parts 1 & 2.

(I was educating myself about Devo the other day, and was charmed to find that they had released not only a Greatest Hits CD, but also a Greatest Misses disc.)

Post by **scottidog** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 5:54 pm

My dream solution to this too-many-hits problem (what an awful problem, BTW. How DOES Al bear up under the strain of it all?)

It must really suck to be a rock star like him...

would be a pair of concerts on successive days, with different setlists. You want to hear ALL the hits? Okay, buy multiple concert tickets. Greatest Hits Parts 1 & 2.

Another live video or two would also be good. Your solutions, while a fan dream come true, would be hard on our boys. But while we're dreaming here, how about a Yanko-week of concerts?

Post by **scottidog** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:14 pm

I did a google search to see if there was any reference to Al playing a tuba. I couldn't find anything, but I did find this...

http://www.pastorjeff.com/News23.html

Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:28 pm

Your solutions, while a fan dream come true, would be hard on our boys. But while we're dreaming here, how about a Yanko-week of concerts?

Not necessarily that hard on Al & the band. It would be a little more rehearsal, but it's not as if they don't know the songs. And I'm not so delirious as to imagine they could do two-fers and still hit the same number of cities. If anything, it would be harder on the fans... WE'D be doing more traveling, while the band got to stay in one place for two or three days at a time before moving on to the next venue. But I'm not sure how the economics of that would work out.

Post by **Elvis** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 12:30 am

while the band got to stay in one place for two or three days at a time before moving on to the next venue. But I'm not sure how the economics of that would work out.

I don't think you'd find too many venues that had two days in a row open and/or would be willing to risk booking the same artist in consecutive nights. At least not at venues the size Al plays at.

The better way to handle it would be to have a standard setlist and an alternate setlist. The first time through a city, Al would play the standard setlist. If response was great enough to warrant Al coming back to the city, the next time through he'd play the alternate setlist.

Personally though I don't see Al doing this. What he does now works. The setlist remains the same throughout the entire tour, regardless of how many times he plays the same city. Next tour, you get a new batch of songs.

Taking the the first 2 or 3 rows out of the picture, you have to remember that just about everybody else in the venue doesn't go to more than one concert per tour. When Al makes a second or third run through a city, he's playing to an entirely different crowd.

Dave