Ben Benner’s Blog

The show was a while ago, but I have been tied up with work and haven’t felt like blogging for the last few weeks (or months really).  Ben Folds is one of my favorite artists, it has been at least 6 years since I saw him live, the last time was at La Zona Rosa.

This time it was at Stubb’s BBQ, a nice sized, outdoor venue. It was a pretty decent night for a show, not too cold and not too hot (yes, I said hot, in Texas during the summer it can still be 80+ degrees outside at night.)

I had hoped that Gina could have come along, but she isn’t a big fan of the Folds and she happened to be in Manila at the time. Jeremy is also no lover of the Folds, neither is anyone else in the Jaduka dev crew. And at a price tag of $50 ($41.50 for the ticket and $8.50 for delivery) you have to really like the Folds to pay that kind of price.

I was a little late arriving to the show, but I didn’t miss the start of the opening act or anything. I managed to grab a beer (or two), some food and found a nice perch behind the light boards and sound deck area.

To my pleasant surprise the opening act, Missy Higgins was good. I really liked their set and have thought about getting some of their music. To me her sound was a little reminiscient of Sheryl Crow’s early stuff. I have to be honest right now, I don’t remember too much about her music, except that I didn’t hate it and it reminded me a wee bit of early Sheryl Crow.

I kept a mental note about not hating the opening act, because of the fact that the opening act for Flogging Molly, completely SUCKED. I mean was absolutely HORRIBLE, they were this bad like 70s coverish band, bad outfits, bad songs, bad performance.

Back to the Folds.

After Missy Higgins’ set was done, I took the opportunity to grab another beer (or two), unfortunately some folks took the opportunity to steal my perch. I mean, sure they managed to use the space slightly more effectively than I was, being two folks sort of crammed themselves into the same area that I had been occupying.

Downside to all of this was the fact that I had a nice setup, there is this railing running behind the light board area, fairly sturdy, sturdy enough for me to lean on it with comfort, like the old man that I am (becoming).

I spent the rest of the evening just to the left of the lightboard by about 6 feet or so.

The concert was great, everything that I could have asked for. Ben played some of his really old stuff (like “Underground”), some of his more recently old stuff (like “Zak and Sara”) and pretty much everything off his new album (like “Effington”).

I had purchased Ben’s new album shortly after it came out on Sept 30th. By the time of the concert I had listened to the album more often that I would choose to admit. The benefit of this was that I knew the words to the songs, which meant I got to do the thing I love the most when drinking and listening to music, sing along (in my own tone-deaf sort of way). I tried not to sing too loudly, as not to ruin anyone elses enjoyment of the concert. All in all, I am glad that neither Gina nor Jeremy was there to witness me singing along.

After two encores, Ben Folds and his band left the stage and it was time to go home. I hit the back alley of porta-potties to return my ‘rented’ beer and then worked my way out of the “exit” lines. Feeling a bit peckish, I went off in search of pizza. There are several pizza by the slice places down on 6th street, Hoek’s Death Metal Pizza is where I ended up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicksherman/3049704958/sizes/s/

I had a slice of pepperoni (which came fresh out of the oven) and then headed home.

I had a fun time at the concert and it made me want to go and see another concert (not necessarily for at a $50 ticket price).

The one thing that I did find interesting was that whilst sipping on my Miller High Life, was the economy. I am guessing that there were at least 2,000 people there (best I could find on the net is that Stubb’s holds 1,800). The sh#t had hit the fan about that same time as far as the economy goes, everyone in the nation was (and most still are) worried about the economy.

The future of the presidential election was still uncertain (as no voting had yet occurred), Obama was not yet the President Elect.

And yet, here at Stubb’s BBQ there were 2,000 people enjoying themselves. I mean, most likely all the tickets were purchased earlier in the year. But you figure folks had to take taxis or pay for parking, let’s assume that folks carpooled and on avg at least 2 people per car. Let us also assume that 2/3 drove in their own cars (or carpooled). Then let’s assume that one half of the 1/3 remaining took a taxi.

So that breaks down to:

1,333 folks rode in cars, at least 2 folks per car, parked the car for $7, equals $4,666 parking.

667 folks came by other means, figure 333 took taxis, figure $20 per person taking a taxi (some of them will have doubled up), $6,666 for taxis (round-trip).

I figure that at least half the folks there ate some sort of food while there, if memory serves the avg price of something to eat was like $5. So, another $5,000 spent.

Then comes the real money maker, the booze. I really can’t remember how much the prices were, but beer I think was like $3 for a Lone Star or Miller High Life and then slowly working their way up in price. Bottled water was like $4 or $5. Mixed drinks started at I think $7 dollars.

Let’s assume half of the folks had two beers, assuming an avg price of $4 per beer, so $4,000. Then let’s assume that 3/4 of the folks had a bottle of water, assuming that water was $4, that makes $6,000. Then let’s assume that 1/3 of everyone there had 2 mixed drinks, avg price $7, that makes $4,662.

( I mean I am probably going a bit light on the booze calcs, I mean there were A LOT of people drinking.)

So the totals in terms of the general economy.

Tickets: $100,000

Parking: $4,666

Taxis:    $6,666

Beer:      $4,000

Water:    $6,000

Mixed:   $4,662

Food:     $5,000

Total:     $130,994

This doesn’t even begin to calculate the price of the t-shirts or what not purchased at the show, I won’t speculate there, as I didn’t pay attention to the prices enough to do so.

Including my ticket, parking, beer, food a the show and slice of pizza at Hoek’s Death Metal Pizza I think I spent about $105 or 0.08% of the estimated total that I think was spent that night because of the concert. Mind you, I didn’t speculate on other folks going out to other bars (or pizza joints) before or after the show let out, I am sure that folks did that as well.

Like I said, whilst sipping my Miller High Life, I thought briefly on the economy and how the folks down here in Austin at the Ben Fold Concert didn’t let themselves get depressed. How they spent money without immediate fears of home foreclosures or inflation (or deflation) or the rising price of gas (which has now dropped to prices that are likely lower or on par with before Bush took office, the first time).

Maybe they spent the money as to fully enjoy the evening and they would worry about such things the next day. Maybe they enjoyed the evening (and possibly the following day) without worry because we down here in Austin are still somewhat isolated from the major economic sh%t storm that has gripped the nation.

I know that I enjoyed listening to the music and drinking a beer without worrying about the economy or other such topics that night.

Well, I need to get to bed.

Laterz

PS. I am starting to get back into a routine and feel the need to write more lately, so that likely means more regular blog posts.

I have written a couple of posts here that described how I think music can reflect or change your mood.

Music as a stimulant?

Life and Lyrics

As I am eating lunch here (at my desk, I have a 1:00 and by the time I realized it was lunch time it was already 12:10), I turned on my nano and started listening to the Silversun Pickups.

I really, really like the whole album, but there are a few tracks that really envigorage me, not just toe tapping, but there is something about the melody and the way the beat’s rythem builds and build and blends with the lyrics. I am no musician, but I do enjoy music.

There are a couple of other artists that can improve my mod instantly, ie Billy Joel, Ben Folds, Cranberries, Silversun Pickups. There are others that can get the blood pumping, ie NiN, Smash Mouth, Small Arms Dealers. And when I need to unwind, the Counting Crows, the Editors or the Eels come in handy.

Anyway, it is almost 1:00, so I best get some stuff printed out for this meeting.

Back to the grind.

Laterz

While listening to the radio during my morning routine, Alice In Chains’ song “Rooster” came on. I came to the realization that I have heard that song almost everyday on the radio since my days in high school. That is obviously a bit of a generalization.

However, whether it is in the morning, during the day or at night, I swear I have heard the Rooster song at least once a day.

Bear in mind, I listen to “Alternative Rock” stations about 100% of the time. Back in Lansing it was 92.1 The EDGE. Here in Austin, it is 101X. (92.1 is no longer on the air)

My reason for bringing up my choice in music is that, by listening to an Alterantive Rock station I increase my chances of hearing the Rooster song significantly. But as I reached this seemingly mundane epiphany about hearing this song from 1992 almost everyday, I realized that my choice in music might soon become a form of ‘Classic Rock’.

The DJs on 101x have stayed relatively young, swapping out every few years. One of the ladies that did the morning show when I first moved down now has a show later in the day. And some of the DJs from that time period appear to have moved into management.

Another realization that I have had lately is that more and more of the new music that is dubbed “Alternative Rock” is just noise to me. It all sounds the same. Funny thing is there were a few bands that hit the airwaves about 6 months back that all seemed to want to be Pearl Jam, I mean their lead singers were trying hard to sound like Eddie Vedder.

Back in high school the rock of the ’80s was just becoming phased out into the ‘Flash Back’ hours (lunch breaks or drive-time nostalgia music hours). I still tune into the Flash Back lunch hour on 101x, the majority of the music there is from the ’80s, some of is now music from the ’90s.

Yet, still the Rooster makes its way into prime air time. I guess I am curious about what when will the “Classic Rock” be the music of the ’80s and ’90s. I mean, if Classic Rock today is the music of the ’60s and ’70s, will they tack the ’80s and ’90s music onto that genre or will they create a new genre, say “Classic Alternative Rock”.

I guess one thing that I am starting to realize is that I am getting old(er).

This year I will 30, the next big milestone for me. I think most people find 30 to be a defining point, the point at which they are no longer young and not quite old.

I have always said that I feel older than I am, I usually throw out 70. Oddly enough, these days I would probably say that I feel 60.

So by the time I am 40 I will feel like 50, so in theory when I am 45, I will say 45.

Anyway, it is time to snuff the rooster.

Night