Re: 7/24/10 Boca Raton, FL Center for the Arts at Mizner Par
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 5:34 am
I really do think Al would have a fan mutiny on his hands if he took "Fat" and "Eat It" out of the setlist. When the music for "Eat it" started up during the medley, the guy next to me said "Yes! Hell yes!" and I think he even pumped his fist a little. He was there with his son, maybe four years old, who spent the whole show dancing and running around in circles on the grass between the stage and the first row of seats. Note to concerned parents: the little boy was wearing ear-protection headphones. Gotta love it when parents start their children's Al education early. It was fun to watch the little guy enjoying himself so much. The whole thing was fun. It always is.
I was extremely pleased, of course, that there was a meet & greet. One of the security guys said,"Are you happy now?" and I said, "We were happy BEFORE, but we're happier now." I didn't want to have anything signed, but I was able to say thank you to Al and give him a couple of really tacky little souvenirs of Florida, so he didn't have to buy them. It's all part of the service, and the least a fan can do. I really want to emphasize how above-and-beyond generous Al was, to come out that night. When the house lights came up after the show, Nancy and I made a desperate dash for the frozen lemonade stand. We were feeling pretty thoroughly wrung out, and we were the ones who'd been sitting down, dressed for comfort, not the ones bouncing around dressed in pleather, or yellow vinyl, or Jedi robes. Al must have felt like crap, at least until he got himself re-electrolyted. Not that you could tell that Al and the rest of the guys were uncomfortable DURING the show, although they certainly must have been. Al was just as much "on" and focused and energetic as ever. What amazing performers he and the band are.
edited to add: One of my favorite bits was right before YDLMA, when Al grabbed the mic and yelled, "Are you ready to ROCK?" The crowd roared back their approval of this program, of course, and Al said, "I was afraid of that. Because the next song is a ballad. So if you could time-shift that willingness into a later portion of the evening..."
Also: Just wanted to say that Anna and I had seats in the very front row, and Jeremy's was a couple of rows back. Yeah, I could have given up my front-row seat, but I haven't achieved those kinds of levels of spiritual perfection on the path of renunciation, and frankly I may never manage it when it comes to Weird Al shows. Sorry, Jeremy.
I was extremely pleased, of course, that there was a meet & greet. One of the security guys said,"Are you happy now?" and I said, "We were happy BEFORE, but we're happier now." I didn't want to have anything signed, but I was able to say thank you to Al and give him a couple of really tacky little souvenirs of Florida, so he didn't have to buy them. It's all part of the service, and the least a fan can do. I really want to emphasize how above-and-beyond generous Al was, to come out that night. When the house lights came up after the show, Nancy and I made a desperate dash for the frozen lemonade stand. We were feeling pretty thoroughly wrung out, and we were the ones who'd been sitting down, dressed for comfort, not the ones bouncing around dressed in pleather, or yellow vinyl, or Jedi robes. Al must have felt like crap, at least until he got himself re-electrolyted. Not that you could tell that Al and the rest of the guys were uncomfortable DURING the show, although they certainly must have been. Al was just as much "on" and focused and energetic as ever. What amazing performers he and the band are.
edited to add: One of my favorite bits was right before YDLMA, when Al grabbed the mic and yelled, "Are you ready to ROCK?" The crowd roared back their approval of this program, of course, and Al said, "I was afraid of that. Because the next song is a ballad. So if you could time-shift that willingness into a later portion of the evening..."
Also: Just wanted to say that Anna and I had seats in the very front row, and Jeremy's was a couple of rows back. Yeah, I could have given up my front-row seat, but I haven't achieved those kinds of levels of spiritual perfection on the path of renunciation, and frankly I may never manage it when it comes to Weird Al shows. Sorry, Jeremy.
