18th Annual Wildflower Arts and Music Festival – Richardson, TX – May 14th
So some new friends and I decided to check out this festival. It’s one of those low-rent, city specific affairs that you see across America, that usually start with Taste of (insert name of suburb of major city here) that are usually very charming in their accessibility and dirt-mall like qualities. It’s like a mini Fair without the bullshit, and a mini music festival without the high cost and travel. What also usually rounds out these things is the lineup is almost always a hodgepodge of washed up, yet universally liked acts, even by the darkest skeptic. That one band that you feel you need to see but would never make any real effort to do so, will be there and they often prove irresistible. I finally saw The Go-Go’s , The Black Crowes, and Cheap Trick and many others at things like this over the years.
We got there late the first night, just in time to see, speaking of universally liked, the B-52’s, (cause if you don’t like them, than your just being a dickhead.)
Before we could see them however, their was a last minute addition, as one of the finalist for this year’s American Idol, was a local dude named Casey James (who ironically had played my sister’s birthday party the year prior) and apparently its custom on the show that the third to the last week is Homecoming Week for the final three and this was that week. So this dude was everywhere, making like five stops to do a few songs in some key places all over Dallas/Ft. Worth. This being the biggest gathering of people tonight, it only made sense to squeeze him in to do a few songs.
To those people that don’t care, its hard to imagine or take the show’s influence seriously, as like it doesn’t have any influence, (or better yet shouldn’t) so how would this minor/local pseudo-celebrity-at-best- affect this modest festival as far as attendance goes? How many people would even go out to Richardson to hear this dude play what was advertised as one song? Answer = A bunch :
We got there late the first night, just in time to see, speaking of universally liked, the B-52’s, (cause if you don’t like them, than your just being a dickhead.)
Before we could see them however, their was a last minute addition, as one of the finalist for this year’s American Idol, was a local dude named Casey James (who ironically had played my sister’s birthday party the year prior) and apparently its custom on the show that the third to the last week is Homecoming Week for the final three and this was that week. So this dude was everywhere, making like five stops to do a few songs in some key places all over Dallas/Ft. Worth. This being the biggest gathering of people tonight, it only made sense to squeeze him in to do a few songs.
To those people that don’t care, its hard to imagine or take the show’s influence seriously, as like it doesn’t have any influence, (or better yet shouldn’t) so how would this minor/local pseudo-celebrity-at-best- affect this modest festival as far as attendance goes? How many people would even go out to Richardson to hear this dude play what was advertised as one song? Answer = A bunch :
So that was pretty annoying when we got there and had to deal with that shit, but at the same time, my mom/sisters love that shit and I know that they were rooting for him, so like the good son that I am, I made sure to see it and take a few pics for them.
I know its cynical, but if you look at it objectively, its just so strange, why were these legends from Athens being pushed back so this painfully mediocre dude that can’t play and can barely sing, can get top billing and do a brief set of karaoke? When you manufacture something, it will dupe enmasse.
The cool thing was after he did his best Bryan Adams imitation, 75% of the crowd left so we walked to the front to see the B-52’s.
Now I had only seen the B-52’s once before in High School during their Love Shack heyday and I have no recollection of it, as it was the one and only time I’d ever taken Ecstasy, which ended up being anything but that, and historically one of the worst nights of my life.
Once the B52s came on stage everyone was in party mode.There is nothing complex in what the B52s do – its just fun, dance music. Even the songs which I didn’t know – which was most of them – were catchy enough to keep the crowd moving. How can you not love this band?
The cool thing was after he did his best Bryan Adams imitation, 75% of the crowd left so we walked to the front to see the B-52’s.
Now I had only seen the B-52’s once before in High School during their Love Shack heyday and I have no recollection of it, as it was the one and only time I’d ever taken Ecstasy, which ended up being anything but that, and historically one of the worst nights of my life.
Once the B52s came on stage everyone was in party mode.There is nothing complex in what the B52s do – its just fun, dance music. Even the songs which I didn’t know – which was most of them – were catchy enough to keep the crowd moving. How can you not love this band?
One of the things I love about them is, just tell me what other band could Fred Schneider possibly be in? They finished the main set with Love Shack – and the girls can still hit those notes – which lit the place up. But for me the highlight was definitely their encore ending Rock Lobster. Fun night.
18th Annual Wildflower Arts and Music Festival (Day 2) – Richardson, TX – May 15th
So we got an earlier start the second day, and it was the perfect weather for it, just an amazingly gorgeous day. Wanted to see what the festival was offering other than music as we got here at the end last night. I’ve been to this festival before and others like it many times and always enjoy it, no matter how embarrassing it might be haha.
After looking at arts and crafts and being asked to change my long distance carrier, it was time to grab a beer and see some music. I had always wanted to see the Sweet and they were up next.
Now again, I would never make any real effort to see this band especially in their current incarnation, but they totally kicked ass! and were perfect in their time slot of a late afternoon thing.
Now, not that anybody should really give a shit, but for clarity sakes, due to whatever bad business decisions this band has made over the years, it has allowed or produced two current versions of the Sweet. (it only really matters if you played on Desolation Boulevard).
Steve Priest’s American version and Andy Scott’s U.K. version. – Today was the American version.
After looking at arts and crafts and being asked to change my long distance carrier, it was time to grab a beer and see some music. I had always wanted to see the Sweet and they were up next.
Now again, I would never make any real effort to see this band especially in their current incarnation, but they totally kicked ass! and were perfect in their time slot of a late afternoon thing.
Now, not that anybody should really give a shit, but for clarity sakes, due to whatever bad business decisions this band has made over the years, it has allowed or produced two current versions of the Sweet. (it only really matters if you played on Desolation Boulevard).
Steve Priest’s American version and Andy Scott’s U.K. version. – Today was the American version.
As you can see Mr. Priest has packed on some pounds but singer Joe Retta was a dead ringer for Chris Cornell and looked and sounded great. Of course they ended with Ballroom Blitz, and yes it was totally worth it.
Up next was something I have great interest in, and couldn’t be more suited for a low-rent festival like this, but I couldn’t exaggerate just how horrible Vince Neil is live. I already knew this from seeing him a few times before and he’s so bad he has a reputation for being a turd live. It’s hard (for me) to not want to care because here is the voice of Motley Crue, the soundtrack to my youth, but he is so embarrassing its painful.
If you know anything about him, than I really have nothing to add here that you haven’t heard before. He looked bloated, and ridiculous with absolute zero self-awareness, and he “sang” about every third lyric, sometimes letting the crowd sing entire passages or skipping over them entirely.
Up next was something I have great interest in, and couldn’t be more suited for a low-rent festival like this, but I couldn’t exaggerate just how horrible Vince Neil is live. I already knew this from seeing him a few times before and he’s so bad he has a reputation for being a turd live. It’s hard (for me) to not want to care because here is the voice of Motley Crue, the soundtrack to my youth, but he is so embarrassing its painful.
If you know anything about him, than I really have nothing to add here that you haven’t heard before. He looked bloated, and ridiculous with absolute zero self-awareness, and he “sang” about every third lyric, sometimes letting the crowd sing entire passages or skipping over them entirely.
At least the songs choices started out cool, as he attempted to get on my good side with the early Crue stuff like Piece of Your Action and Livewire. But things went from bad, to strange, to incomprehensible. He was only scheduled to do an hour, like I said was barely singing, and actually had to take a 15 minute break mid-show while his band just jammed without him on this extended Led Zeppelin instrumental medley. Freaking terrible.
Afterward, my buddy Gabe, one of the promoters invited us to the PM Nightlife Lounge beneath the Joule hotel. This shit was silly swank, and not my scene at all, but it was fun as an observer. I saw Vince Neil talking with that dude Chace Crawford from Gossip Girl (who is from Plano and was just arrested recently for marijuana possession) maybe they were trading lawyer tips?
Afterward, my buddy Gabe, one of the promoters invited us to the PM Nightlife Lounge beneath the Joule hotel. This shit was silly swank, and not my scene at all, but it was fun as an observer. I saw Vince Neil talking with that dude Chace Crawford from Gossip Girl (who is from Plano and was just arrested recently for marijuana possession) maybe they were trading lawyer tips?
