Columbia Setlist

It was definitely a good, high energy show last night at the Blue Note in Columbia. Lu & “the boys” played more of a rock ‘n’ roll type setlist, befitting the venue & crowd (from my perspective, it seemed to be a relatively young crowd. It certainly was compared to the audience in Louisville last night).

Sarah & I ate at, and ultimately met stoger at, a restaurant called the Boone Tavern across a side street from the venue. After eating, I wandered out of the restaurant & went back by the car at 6:15 PM, only to find the “doors” line snaking around the side of the theater. I called Sarah on my cell & got in line. I thought for sure this line positioning meant a less-than-ideal position on the floor to one side or the other of the stage. Sarah came across the street & got her ticket & went back to keep stoger (whose local friends – very nice people – had arrived) company while he ate.

As it turned out, once doors opened, enough of the people in the doors line ahead of me were siphoned off to the bars & seating in the rear of the hall that I ended up front & dead center, just 2 feet from the edge of a slightly higher than knee-high level stage & right in front of Lu’s mic stand.

Lu’s mentioning us as “friends from Atlanta” during the show was very sweet of her & quite humbling. Being mentioned at all, even more so as “friends” and mentioned with family (her Nephew, whom we met & spoke with briefly after the show – his name, as they all do, escapes me, but we saw him & a lady companion leaving the rear of the theater by the buses. They seemed a very nice, young couple – I know, I sound like an old fart here). I know it sounds cliché. But I was touched.

The “earplug & drumsticks” girl stoger mentioned was directly to our right on the security rail. She really got into the show & seemed to like Butch’s “stylings” on the skins especially (notwithstanding the fingers in her ears during B6’s set). She indeed received (& I can verify, used) earplugs from the crew, and Butch did indeed hand her his set of drumsticks personally at the end of “Long Way”. She was thrilled. I ended up with a broken stick myself, handed to me by a “rodent” (ask me about the drunk chick back by the buses after the show some other time…). I played with it (the drumstick, that is) incessantly the rest of the night, repeatedly trying my lovely spouse’s patience (right, honey?).

All in all, it was the proverbial “great show & a fun night,” but I have to confess I was completely exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel (3:00 AM or so). I don’t know how Lu and the band do it night after night – it would wipe me out. So, taking advantage of the off day, we slept in and I now leisurely type this, sitting at the desk in our hotel room. We will start the short drive to KC in an hour or so.

Tom

P.S. Here is the view outside our room in Columbia!

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Great report Tom. I hope your room was as lovely as the view. 😆

It’s 2:45 PM local (KC, MO) time, and we just arrived at our motel – A marginal LaQuinta about a mile from the casino. Turns out, coincidentally, we had stayed last night in Columbia right across the freeway from where Lu & company spent the night. Their plans were to travel here to KC this morning, then, according to what Tom told us last night, go to the KC Royals vs. AZ D’backs tilt at Kauffman Stadium tonight. It wasn’t altogether clear last night who all was attending the game tonight (Tom said they were taking “the band”) – the only firm commitment either way I heard was from “English”, Lu & Tom’s bus driver extraordinaire. Claiming he has no interest in a “sissy game” like baseball, he & Sarah instead reminisced about their past glory rugby days while waiting by the gear truck last night.

I’m whipped from all the driving & staying up late. Not due to arrive until tomorrow, stoger is spending the day & this evening back in Columbia w/ his friends. I think Sarah & I will hunt up one of those famous KC steaks, or maybe some BBQ ribs, then call it an early night. Until Wednesday night / Thursday morning…

Tom

@Lefty wrote:

No mention of Susannah in your Midwest annals, TNT…is everything all right…is she OK? 😕

I did see, & say hello to, the lovely Susannah at her merch table in the lobby of the Blue Note last night. She is well, Lefty. I will purposefully pass on your regards tomorrow night… 😉

Speaking of the Blue Note, one thing I did not mention above was the venue itself. I really liked it. An old former theater, I believe, with creaky stairs to the upstairs bar and balcony seating and a lot of character. There is a big bar in the back of the floor area with an expansive standing room only floor our front. For those who have been to the Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta, it reminded me very much of a smaller (by at least half) version of it.

Tom

P.S. stoger showed up this evening (a day earlier than I expected), and we just returned from a ‘cue feast at Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue. Although I strongly believe in the “all ‘cue is pig” mantra, the beef briskit “burnt ends” and beef ribs are to die for. I will eat that beef BBQ any day…