1992-Wayward hippies, Local heroes, Athens dance party, El Moz and a Beatle?

1992 brought with it an awakening of more alternative music in me.  I was becoming a die-hard R.E.M. fan, but they were not going to tour.  So who else could I go see?  I started listening to Alternative Rock stations to listen to not only R.E.M., but bands like the B-52's, Morrissey, the Smiths, Robyn Hitchcock, Cowboy Junkies, local band Gin Blossoms, Pearl Jam, Tori Amos.

The Cowboy Junkies with lead singer, Margo Timmins, and brothers Michael and Peter Timmins were quiet, ethereal, dreamy Canadian alternative rockers.  Margo was occasionally described as a wayward Hippie farmer's wife.  Their cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" was about all I had heard of them from the Trinity Sessions.  But in 1992, they had released Pale Sun, Crescent Moon.  A duet between Margo and folk singer, John Prine, on "If You Were the Woman and I was the Man" was a minor hit on radio and MTV that spring.  The Cowboy Junkies were opening for John Prine at the Celebrity Theatre in May 1992.  I thought, "Aha, a chance to see someone other than Nils, Bruce, Neil!"  So I took a friend from library school, Tracy, and we went to see this amazing show.  Margo and the rest of the Cowboy Junkies and were in fine form.  They played songs from the new album, and had John Prine come out to duet on "If You were the Woman."  It was also the night of Bruce Springsteen (sans E Street) on Saturday Night Live.  Margo asked the crowd when SNL came on in Arizona as she did not want to miss Bruce!  We yelled out 10:30.  We were all thanked.

The crowd was a John Prine crowd.  I only knew "Hello in There" but I was impressed with his song stylings and humor. Margo and John dueted on Angel from Montgomery.  It was an amazing show.

The Gin Blossoms were a local band from Tempe, Arizona.  The lead singer, Robin Wilson, worked at both Tower Records and Zia Records in Tempe and I think I talked with Robin at Tower in 1985 asking if he'd caught the U2 show at Compton Terrace.  Well, I didn't know his name then.  He ended up in my Trig class in Fall of 1986 at Mesa Community College.  I made sure I sat in the same row as him when they passed the sign in attendance sheet around and then I found out his name!  But I did not know he was in a band.  By 1991, the Gin Blossoms had released an EP with Allison Road, Hey Jealousy, Mrs. Rita, South of Nowhere, but the next year they released a full length album, Hey Jealousy. 

I did not see them playing in Arizona until the fall 1992.  They were opening for Del Amitri (remember them?  they are pretty forgettable) at Hayden Square Amphitheatre on October 11, 1992.  Who do I take with me?  My cousin of Monkees, Frank, Liza, Sammy, and Neil Young concerts.  It was the small "stand outside on Bermuda grass and concrete."  We were fourth in line to get in to the square (we heard a short soundcheck while waiting, guitarist Scott Johnson walked past me at some point).  We were let in at 5:30.  Opening opening band was Rain Convention whose songs reminded me of early R.E.M.  As soon as that act was over, people rushed the stage.  We wisely stayed on the elevated step to see over the bopping heads.  The Gin Blossoms opened with a few songs I did not know 2 covers: No. 1 by the Rutles and then "something they didn't know very well 'in the Gin Blossoms tradition' said Robin."  Robin was pretty chatty probably because it was cool to be back home.  He talked between every song.  He said that in 2 months they had traveled 17,000 miles or was it 7,000?  But Tempe had the best Mexican food!  This was the second outdoor venue on the tour, the previous one was in Colorado with a running stream, he said he thought he should have gone fishing. I remember he said how he was obsessed with playing his GameBoy to the point where he would close his eyes and see the Tetris patterns!  

Songs played were Hold Me Down, Mrs. Rita, Allison Road, Just South of Nowhere, Until I Fall Away, Hands are Tied, Cajun Song, and Hey Jealousy.  Robin kept spotlighting the new guitarist, Scott Johnson, he would push him out to the front of the stage and would do the Wayne's World "We're not worthy" bow.  One of the last songs had a guitar duel between Scott and Jesse Valenzuela.  Awesome! It was great to see the home town band return victoriously even if  opening for a two-hit wonder band.

Here are the ticket stub and t-shirt
  

Front (above), back (below)

So I think I listened to about 4 songs from Del Amitri and decided it was time to just head home!  As I was driving my light blue 1969 Volkswagen Bug, the driver's side door it decided to not latch (a problem my dad fixed later), but my cousin sat in the back seat and held the car door closed as we drove back.  It was harder on turns.  Whew.

The Arizona State Fair was coming up in October.  The B-52's would be there on October 20!  The B-52's had a new album Fun Stuff out with Fred, Keith and Kate but no Cindy.  For the tour, they enlisted Twin Peaks chanteuse, Julee Cruise to sing Cindy's parts on the songs.  The fair concerts were general admission only, so we got in for a mere $5 per person. So who was my plus one?  My mom!  Now, this was due to me not wanting to torture (in her unsaid words) my cousin any longer (especially after that crazy car door not latching episode).  Mom was more of a John Denver, Doris Day, old school Hit Parade kind of music fan.  But it didn't seem to be a Dad thing so I drove over and the B's were unbelievable.  They were energetic, and loads of fun!  Song list: Is that you Mo-Dean?, Your Own Private Idaho, Bad Influence, Hot Pants, Revolution Earth, Dreamer, Channel Z, Cosmic Thing, Good Stuff. Roam, Tell It Like it T-I-S.  First encore, Love Shack.  Before this song each person had to share a "Love Story": Julee said "Ferris Wheel at the Fair" Kate said something to do with Bell Road, and Fred said, "Big Cactus makes me think nasty thoughts!"  There were funny introductions too like Kate said of Fred, "Mr. Strange Himself, Fred Schneider." Fred described the others with intros like "Fiction", "Nonfiction" and "Stranger than fiction." They finished with a Second Encore of Planet Claire and then Rock Lobster.  Wow!  What fun!    

The snazzy ticket from the State Fair for the B-52's show, October 20, 1992.

I had been worried my mom would be overwhelmed, but she really was impressed. I had wanted to see Morrissey at the Mesa Amphitheatre in November, but still had no one to go with.  The day after Mom and I went to the concert at the State Fair, she left me a note that said, "I can't wait to see Morrissey."  That is something you don't expect your mom to say.

Ah, Morrissey.  There is no one like him.  He came to fame with the Smiths but had been doing solo stuff since the breakup.  In 1992, his album was Your Arsenal.  Morrissey was known to have rabid fans who loved to cluster in the Mozz pit.  (not Mosh Pit).  I stayed away from the pit and Mom and I sat back on grassy steps on a blanket.  Looking at old notes I don't have songs in order but he did a lot of songs from the new album but did lots of classics like "November Spawned a Monster", "Alsatian Cousin" and "Suedehead."  Most interesting was Morrissey and the Mozz Pit.  At one point he said, "I hope...I hope you're not too squashed and that you have room ... for what you want to do."  The pit was really wild throwing flowers and notes up to the stage.  He  would bend real low and take the crowd's hands.  No one got on stage. (Little did I know I would see him two more times-1997 and 2017).

Now wait a minute, I did see a few people I had already seen before.  Ringo and Nils and Joe Walsh.  Ringo had his Second All Starr Band tour with him in the Summer of 1992.  I believe only Nils Lofgren and Joe Walsh were repeat musicians.  Ringo was joined by Burton Cummings (of the Guess Who), Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmunds, and Timothy B Schmidt.  At the Desert Heat (Sky) Pavilion in August of all things.  Yikes!  My cousin was the brave soul that drove us out there.  It was her opportunity to see a Beatle so that was a reward for her.  

So my records indicate I only wrote down the songs Nils did "Shine Silently" and "Just a Little" Beau Brummells rocking cover.  AND that it was the hottest (temperature-wise) concert I had attended to date!  Here are photos from the tour book!  I don't think this was the most attractive group of guys except for Nils, Dave Edmunds, Ringo and Zak!  But the music was good! If I could figure out the side by side photo thing this would be a shorter blog.  As Ringo would say, "Peace Out!"

 

Does this cloud have a Silver Lining? Nils Lofgren at the Roxy, etc.

It was the spring of 1991, Nils Lofgren released an album, Silver Lining, on new record label, Rykodisc.  I had heard he would be touring here and there but not in Arizona.  On Memorial Day weekend, I flew over to Los Angeles to visit friends, Lenore and Mark, and as soon as I sat down in the backseat of the car, Lenore said, "Just so you know, Nils will be performing at the Roxy next weekend."  Augh! I thought silently to myself.  If only I'd known, I would have gotten my flight tickets for the next weekend.  I kept stewing about it while I did truly enjoy my visit with my friends.  Barney's Beanery, Santa Barbara, Solvang.  As Lenore dropped me off at the airport at the end of the weekend, I asked her if she could look into whether tickets were available for the Nils show at the Roxy that Friday, May 31st.  I said she could call me (you know, no texting or much email use in 1991) if she got tickets.  I would, thanks to cheap airfare from Southwest, find a way to get there and work out my work schedule (I was a page at Mesa Public Library).  Lenore called and said she got us tickets and I got things arranged to work an earlier shift at the library that Friday and come back to Arizona in time to work the afternoon shift at the library that Saturday (I also was babysitting later that same evening).  {Remember, I was only 22 years old}

I arrived in LA in the mid-afternoon.  As always, I was too excited to eat much, so Lenore drove us over to the infamous Sunset Boulevard and we waited in a long line outside the Roxy.  I felt like the safe-sex version of Miss Pamela.  All us fans could hear an acoustic set being played by Nils through a side door.  Apparently, it was a closed concert for record company bigwigs and a few lucky KLOS FM winners.  I saw this guy running by the line and noticed it was bass player, Ronnie Newmyer.  Somehow I called out to him and he actually stopped, figuring perhaps who in the world would know him in Los Angeles?  I said he might not remember me but I saw him and Nils the previous year back East--"Remember, Sara from Arizona?"  And Ronnie said, "Oh yeah, you were with Sue and them!"  I introduced Lenore. And then he said he was on his way to pick up Chinese food before the show.  We chatted a little about the special acoustic show and he did say they were doing an Arizona show in Tucson the next night (June 1).  I had no idea.  {Seriously, word did not travel in 1991}.  

It wasn't until 8:45 that we got to go in to the Roxy.  Lenore and I found a great spot right next to the front of the stage right in front of Ronnie's microphone.  The opening band, bluesy Evan Johns and the H-Bombs, played a nice set.

Nils touring band consisted of brother Tom Lofgren and Ronnie Newmyer, Larry Cragg, and former drummer of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Johnny "Bee" Badanjek.

Then it was around 9:55 by the time Nils was due to come out.  I was focused looking at Nils off to the side of the stage and some beardless guy came out to the center mike, and I didn't connect who it might be until I heard him say, "What's my name?" and realized I was a few feet away from Ringo Starr!  Ringo then said, "Well, enough about me, this is Nils' night, so would you please welcome, Nils Lofgren!"

Nils proceeded to do some acoustic songs first starting with "Sticks and Stones" off his new album.  For the second song, "Keith Don't Go" Nils switched to a different acoustic guitar and he played an extended guitar solo a few minutes of which Nils played as close to the edge of the stage he could get--right in front of Lenore and I!  During "Keith" he repeated a verse and switched to electric stratocaster guitar with full band.  Wow!

Early on, Nils shared that he was the first guitarist to step foot on the stage at the Roxy in 1973.  He was touring with Neil Young and Crazy Horse in support of the Tonight's the Night album.  (Nils' band, Grin opened for Neil that night).

Here is the complete set list:

Sticks and Stones, Keith Don't Go, Rock and Roll Crook, Cry Tough, Trouble's Back, Delivery Night, Bein' Angry, Moon Tears, Girl in Motion, Valentine, The Sun Hasn't Set, Silver Lining, Gun and Run, Anytime at All (Beatles cover), No Mercy, Back It Up, Shine Silently.

ENCORES:

Walkin' Nerve--Ringo Starr came out and played drums on this tune.

Nils finished the set with I Came to Dance.

A great way to end the show!  On the way out, I said "Hey!" to Tom Lofgren as he was packing up equipment and he said "Great to see you again!" and he lightly tapped my back.

This concert, with friend Lenore's help, is the most spontaneous thing I think I have ever done in my life.  But so much FUN!

Later in the summer of 1991, I was in New Jersey visiting my brother, before I started grad school in Maryland (short lived unfortunately-long story I care not to go into at this time), BUT my friend Sue told me Nils would be playing the New Jersey State Fair which was held in Cherry Hill near where she lived in south Jersey.  So I got a lift down to her house and Sue's parents and us went to the fair!

So the show wasn't going to start right away.  So we did fair-like things.  This was August.  It had rained in the afternoon, so you had that cooler overcast skies.  We walked around looking at livestock and rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.  These fairgrounds had a racetrack.  But there were elephants on the other side of the racetrack fencing.  Kinda sad to think of them chained up, but a small guitarist was seen leaning on the fence and just taking in the beauty of the elephants.  Later on on Nils show, he mentioned it was amazing to just see those elephants (perhaps he used the word, breathtaking).  I remember talking with Ronnie Newmyer a bit before the show.  Have no recollection of any opening act, but perhaps there was one?  Similar song list to the Roxy show.  It was the first open air performance I had attended with Nils.  I do remember Sue's mom going on after the show how Nils could better promote himself--Sue's mom was a die-hard Aerosmith fan (my condolences, always).

Finally, I saw one more show of the Silver Lining tour.  Another penpal friend in Sea Bright, New Jersey, let me know that Nils would be playing the Tradewind.  The only Nils show I ever walked to.  Maybe two blocks away.

Notice these ticket prices!  I do not remember opening band Outcry.  It was another great show in a small club.  A Sunday night so it was a smaller crowd.  After the show, my friend got her ticket signed.  It was the last I would see of Nils solo until 1997.  Stay tuned for 1992 in next post!