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Thursday, October 12, 2006

Snippits and Tidbits to bring me up to date


funk2
Originally uploaded by dr_kiuchi.
I know it is somewhat self-defeating of the purpose of a blog to not blog in real time, so I’m going to play the catch up game. Basically this post is like pressing the fast forward button on the past to bring the blog up to speed.

The following day after my last post, I google up “Amp Fiddler” and “Zurich” to figure out where he’s going to be playing, how much it’s going to make me poor to see the show, etc. I pull up a German-only site, (thank goodness for babelfish) and spend a good chunk of my down time at work deciphering what the difference is in the price of the tickets. I come across an interesting part of the page though, something about free tickets and registering. So I put in my information, just to see what happens. Nothing. Ok, whatever. So I mull around doing work until my coworker that speaks German comes in later on in the day so I can have him more properly translate the difference in these ticket prices. (One was for 25 bucks and the other 35 bucks, but the tickets were both labeled as GA?)

Later that day when my coworker arrives, I receive some odd email in German. It reads:

Konzert::: Stehplätze-Gewinner::: AMP FIDDLER
Guten Tag Kenji

Herzliche Gratulation!

Du hast 2 Stehplätze für das "AMP FIDDLER" Konzert am Donnerstag, 21.
September 2006 im Kaufleuten gewonnen, die Türöffnung ist um 19 Uhr.

Holy Shit! I actually WON tickets!! Shaweeeeeeet! So I decide not to buy them in the end, and it turned out to be a good idea not to jump the gun and wait on the translation….The concert was to be the following Tuesday.

I ended up celebrating with some Sarah and Sushi on Saturday, when we went to go check out a live funk show. (check the pix) It was really sweet. We walked down the Sihl to a place shrouded in darkness and twisting stairs until we reached our destination, which was this hideout that was dug just above the side wall of the river basin. It had a cave-like atmosphere, and a small indoor setup with a bar and very small stage to fit 5 or 6 people on. But somehow they managed to do it. We caught the tail end of the first act, but the second act was this Italian funk group that rocked the house. (I have some video that hopefully I will post up on YouTube or something soon: in the mean time check the pix…)

Then on Tuesday I meet up with my friend Sara, and we go out to check the Amp Fiddler concert. We were some of the first to arrive, so we got to kick it for a bit and have some drinks before the show started. The thing is about concerts here in Zurich, most of them are inside theatre halls. Something akin to the Bass concert Hall in Austin. There was a mezzanine level (which turned out to be the more expensive ticket) with seats, and the lower, ground level in front of the stage. I picked up a spot just to the left of the stage, right up in front.

Amp started off the concert with just himself solo on keys with “If I Don’t”, and about halfway through, the rest of the band joined the stage, and shit hit the fan!! From that point on the concert was probably one of the best shows I had the luck to enjoy in a REAL long time. (and for those who know me, I check out a lot of shows…) It was funny, he did a lot of shameless self-promotion for the new album throughout the show, but he was there to get the word out I guess…For the encore he had the crowd clapping and singing a melody of ‘peace and happiness’, and kept the crowd going even after the band stopped. At this point he made his way into the crowd, everyone still singing along, and disappeared into the front of the venue, and the band left the stage. As I was walking out, I saw him at the front signing CD’s for people with a huge smile on his face. All in all it was a real great show. The production actually matched the quality of the musicians, and Amp rocked the house. I highly recommend to anyone that gets the chance to check out his show, and buy his new album!!

So here’s where it gets stupid:

The next Friday I take off to Munich to check out Oktoberfest. (something that I had promised to myself that I needed to do) It was a 4 hour train ride, and tons of people getting plastered on the way. I ended up sleeping and taking pictures of the gorgeous green scenery out of the window until the very end of the train ride. I get up and meet some other random Oktoberfest-goers, and share some beers and laughs with them.

When I get off of the train, however, I realize that I don’t have my camera with me. FUCK!!! I think, and I try to scramble back onto the train to check for it, but the train officers would not let me, as the train was already going back. At this point I let off an extremely long string of curse words that I will leave you to imagine. Less to say I was not a happy camper. So I join these two guys I met on the train to go ‘drown my sadness’ and drown it I did.

In Oktoberfest, if you don’t arrive from the beginning of the day, it is almost impossible to get into a tent to drink. By ‘tent’ I mean bierhalle that is bigger than the Austin Music Hall. Once again, the backdoor is a great place to get in.  The security was tighter than (insert virgin comment here). But after enough pleading and waiting, they allowed the 3 of us in. I was lucky enough to spot an empty table amongst the crowd of ten-thousand people or so, and we sat down to finally eat and get our drink on. I think I finished 7 liters by the end of it all. Really. In Germany, they serve them by the liter mug. Friggin awesome. However, oddly enough, they had a band playing lots of cheesy American classic rock covers that everyone knew the words to. In between this, they would sing a ‘cheers’ song in German (no, not everybody know’s your name) but a song that everyone cheered their glasses to. Less to say after about 10 of these songs you’re feeling pretty darn good.

I basically ended up drinking till the cows came home that night, and when they did I rode ‘em. The next morning I manage to stumble back into the train station, where I am supposed to leave to meet a coworker to help him move. However, my phone is out of minutes, and I decide to use a payphone to call him. Stupid me, I ended up leaving my phone by the payphone when I go to grab a bite to eat, and 10 minutes later when I realize it, it’s gone. BAM! 2 for 2! I think it’s a record. Fuck it. Material shit. Oh well.

This is the reason I did not have my camera at the Alex Attias show, nor retain the pictures from the night of Amp Fiddler. From that point on, no camera, and no pictures: which for me, is really painful. Especially with my love of photography. But in the end, material crap can be replaced, and I am currently waiting on my new & improved baby, direct from Japan. I can’t wait. Keep your eyes open for future postings, because when it arrives I’m going to be like the rest of the Japanese tourists visiting here, and shutterbugging the fuck out. ;p

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