Live in Vienna, Austria, 30.05.2003
Text written by Radoslawa Olewicz
It's actually more than a week after the show, but I still feel ... hm ... let's say a ball of energy is spinning in my stomach and my right feet is still dancing ... nevermind :-)
I told and wrote about the concert a few times already ... versions for boys and girls, friends or fans, and in 2 languages...
First of all I came there from Poland, alone ... since they won't come here, I decided to go there ... but even after 2 months of thinking and talking about it, it felt a bit crazy in the middle of my exam session, in an unknown city, in a great heat, with my way to big backpack, and in my belowed sandals ...
I had some arrangements with ticket (I'm not sure was it in my country or just in my head) because I thought the band is very famous and there will be sweated crowds and sold out tickets ... hmm ... but this plan with the Vienna-Croat - friend of my Zagreb friend's sister [bok! Ana & Nikola!!] just failed ... so after trying to control the situation between 5 a.m. (when my bus arrived) and 10 a.m. (when museums opens) I started to walk from Suedbahnhof to the Duna Canal, where the Flex was located ... (other friends of my Croatian friend said that it's a pretty alternative place ... but for me there's not too many alternatives for place like this where each square centimeter is the club is filled with graffitis, tags, signs, stickers, chewing gums, so you can't see a diference between a cigarette automat and toilette doors. The Flex is located just upon the canal - like 6 meters of pavement, above is a quite busy alley, and behind is part of a metro ... the wonderful end of the world.
Quoting Andre: I arrived at the venue way too early
... somehow at 10 a.m. It was
already open, and some guys were working, but no one wanted to sell me a ticket nor guarantee there will be any at night
... so on my way back to the city I was trying to find the Bank Austria ... it wasn't funny because I already looked
quite homeless ... and really, Flex tickets shouldn't be sold in places like that. Why not in some music shop, at least?
Finally I got a square meter of some printed orange computer paper, and had about 11 hours to spend before I would go to
the club again.
The show was to start at 11 p.m. with doors opened at 10 p.m! Sounds serious, eh? This was the truth ... the same was written on that tour poster I'd seen only on the webpage, because there was none in the whole city, and at the venue there were just black and white copies of the enlarged 'Unreleased Tracks' cover.
About 10 p.m. the crowd looked ok... they were covering those great, huge wooden tables, and drinking, those funny drinks in small bottles ... there wasn't that much beer.
I changed my sandals for 'liveacts' old Dr. Martens, and started to behave like a lion in the cage / with my backpack on, of course ... I noticed that the people were really calm, and that they must sit there the same way every Friday, and that ehy had no idea who was behind the corner ... that was a surprise for me.
However there were a few folks I noticed immediatelly (and after the show we finally met 'backstage' (at the parking)). Actually the last time I saw the band the only thing I really deepely cared about was Pearl Jam in 2000 where people were jumping hearing every note from behind the walls, and seeing shadow of whatever.
Stopped by no one I just stood near that white van with German numbers, in front of the back stage doors, listening to the noise of the soundcheck. I had my great plan in mind and in my backpack my 'Love Under Will' cover, notes and my friends 12" vinyl huge and heavy green / blue Three Fish album. So I really had to meet the guys... the first chance was lost because I was too far away when they left the venue to eat something and the second was lost because my fucking hand didn't work and I couldn't wave as I saw Robbi in red and purple ... damn! ... but fortunately my hope hasn't drawn in the canal...
The doors got opened after 10 p.m. I made another action to put my backpack somewhere ... a guy from behind the bar was kind enough to put it high enough so everyone could see it :-) ... anyways ... I met 2 guys from Poland, travelling via my city, but it was too late and too loud for anything, so greetings to Marek and Kolega.
After some time a characteristic sound from the speakers was in the air. It was about time to take a proper position in front of the stage - actually all positions were strategic as there were just between 50 - 100 viewers quite sceptic in my opinion, holding their bottles all the time, just observing, judging(?) and moving their heads ... hmm, fucking confusing.
As you already know it was time for Kelly's enTRANCE, painted and uncovered as you already know. I heard that he had some problems to pass the clubs gate :-)
Then Richard appeared and started the wild storm. I must say he's a little man with great talent and power!!! Sometimes he looked like that one character from the Muppet Show. I swear he was smashing so strongly that rest of the band had to hold parts of his drum kit which was just all over the stage ... (now as I watch the old pics I notice that he's the one who always smiles .. greetings and hugs!).
And yes, Robbi appeared after all (after a fight with a wire) ... he woew black All Stars so his steps were 'those' characteristic steps. Plus he made a few expected faces, moves and sounds but I must say the last thing was really hard to hear.
It's not that I have some Three Fish aberration or that they should play unplugged shows (why not?!) but the sound was really not okay. I really love heavy and loud music but maybe it was just too loud. Everyone stood like 3 meters from the stage. In the first row just like 5 people really knew what they were doing there and even knew lyrics (hugs to them esp those 2 I mean).
My brain and flesh were just shaking and it wasn't cool to stand in this perspective and just have those solo dances. No way! (Please excuse me, dear band, but in those conditions only my inner self could dance, my feet were trying to deal with all those amazing rythms). I had to close my eyes to catch the melody and I swear it just sounded like Slayer sometimes :-)
Like Andre said a lot of instrumental improvisations, extended songs to such extent that I couldn't recognize them in the right moment. I also have an impression that Robbi wasn't that active (vocally) and that he sang mostly songs choruses. He talked a bit to us. I've checked my records and i can say they played for 100%: 'Ice Below', 'Boy', 'Bury Me', 'Hopeless The Clown', 'Eloise' and #2 and #7 from the last record - so I guess the standard setlist for this tour.
I was really happy hearing so much from Pearls Before Swine cause it's my favorite album somehow. Especially 'Uh-Oh' was a great pleassure, if not a honour and extasy, because this is the one song I'd mention if anybody would ask me about the favorite song I'd like to hear. I really couldn't believe that this is happening, but I was so fucking thirsty. All attempts to make a sound at that smoked place (with this amplification) and those few fans was impossible; actually a nightmare and choking because I can imagine how it could sound sang with few voices and crowd! Let's just hope the guys have seen our struggle and good will!
So this was the end. Those who didn't know the band were happy and those who knew the guys were already / finally on fire. It was also the timie when the DJ played something from a totally different shelf. So I just left wondering if that was 'it'.
I said to myself that it can't be, and with not thinking too much I just made things getting started for good - just having the focus on the back stage door I jumped out of my place seeing the guys on the horizont. Giving my hand first I just said 'it all' starting with Poland and those rumours about a tour, and about my plan and travel and about my negative surprise about this crowd, and that I'm sorry ... and what I heard was an apologize from Robbi! Huh!? He said that he is sorry but they played as if they were climbing the Himalayas without much practice which they needed. Well, I wasn't that angry actually :-)
Then he asked how my name is. It's fucking Slavonic so I was asked to write it down. And here I caught the fish! I
asked him to write his name, too :-) So I made quite a mess trying to pull out this fucking vinyl but it finally
made a great impression on Robbi :-) They really couldn't understand why I have that friends record without that
friend. And Robbi watched the cover as if he wasn't too familiar with the artwork :-) And Richard started to point
to himself at that picture with a dog and was repeating wow wow
. Funny guys.
There was some rambling, some invitations to Poland (they liked the idea, and as I heard the same invitation got repeated in Berlin (Greetings Rybb!). What followed were some easy, true, deep words, a few requests for spelling my name and giving them my email and some long, warm, strong unforgetable hugs! (Unfortunately Robbi kicked my bottle of beer so I wasn't 'hanging around' that much :-) ..).
I walked around all the time showing my vinyl to people, borrowing my waterproof marker and stuff. I also talked to that cool guy and to that cool girl (Greetings Barbara!). We actually sat with the band but talked with each other. And we stood all the time on the way between backstage and tour van while they were packing their equipment I really don't know why. Sorry guys!
And then they were gone, and I started to wait for the sun, but that's another story :-)
This is it .. a bitter-sweet memory, but honesty is the most important thing in this word!
Love and peace,
And excuse me all gramatical and spelling mistakes....
Pozdraw.JAM
RO
