The Del Amitri Concert, March 18, 1996
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 23:29:06 +0500
Subject: concert in D.C.
by Diana Fry

O.K. Here's what you've all been waiting for, complete in painful detail:

The Dels were at the 9:30 club in D.C., a town which, although I grew up less than 1 hr away from it, frightens me with it's one-way streets and seedy creatures (in that order). Before the doors opened, they lined us up along side the tourbus. While we were in line, three women got off the tour bus. It is essential to this review that they be described in full, because they were just too pathetic. First of all, they were on the bus ALONE... again, BY THEMSELVES... yet again, WITH NO DELS. O.K., you say, describe them. Alright, I will. They were not thin, and poured into leather midriff-showing shirts, not exactly the most flattering look. Upon closer inspection, they proved to be at least 35ish, an age at which I hope to no longer be a groupie and to have a life. They each had a can of hairspray in their hair, and chainsmoked -- a dangerous combination. Funniest (is that a word?) of all, they hung all over RYAN, the weird-looking road crew guy. Wow, talk about power.

Anyway, once we got inside, my friend Jenn and I, the three women, and a couple people wearing Glasgow t-shirts, stood against the stage. I saw Josh of Josh Clayton-Felt floating around the club, so I went up and got his autograph on my new CD single of "Window" and congratulated him on his (HOORAH!) finally released CD, which I have ordered. He was cool, and seemed kind of surprised that anyone knew who he was. Sidenote: I think that JC-F will go FAR! So now I can say that I knew him when.
We endured a loud opening opening band, called something like Patti Rothburg. I did not like them. Eventually JC-F came on and rocked! I love them! "Window" is my favorite song du jour. I got one of their playlists, but it's in my car, so if you care what they played gimme a holler.
Meanwhile, the women are over there chain-smoking and saying, "Let's go, Dels." Yeah, chill.
So, eventually the Dels come on, and Justin was wearing those all-too-familiar cool pants. I guess he gets a favorite pair and wears them till they fall apart. Anyway, their playlist read:
  1. The Ones that you love
  2. Just like a man
  3. When I want you
  4. Last to Know
  5. Here and Now
  6. Driving
  7. Medicine
  8. Roll to Me
  9. Crashing Down
  10. Hatful of Rain
  11. Start with me
  12. Stone Cold Sober
  13. Being somebody else

I thought that was a really short list, but as soon as I noticed Justin's bummed behavior, accepted it. He was so lethargic at the beginning! I was thinking, he just does not want to be here, and on "Here and Now" he almost forgot the words a few times. After a few songs he apologized and said that he'd "taken some drugs before the show" and that he was afraid of looking a little "crusty." Then Iain noticed the people from Glasgow and said that they were drinking Irn-Bru (please explain -- is this just a beer?) The fans gave Justin one, and he said that irn-bru was illegal in Scotland: "it's an anti-depressant if you're depressed, but if you're not you don't know WHAT's going on... we only drink it because we're f***in' crazy!" and started drinking it. After the cold meds and the beer(?) mixed, Justin got REAL chatty. He mentioned that later in the week they were going to New York "at an ungodly hour to talk to ... who are those people? ... Regis and Kathie Lee. But Kathie Lee's not going to be there. But that doesn't matter because I don't know who the f*** Kathie Lee is!" Everyone cheered, and I foolishly thought I had a scoop, but you already knew :P

Anyway, Justin and Iain kept talking about how the 9:30 club needed some pole-dancers, and how we need to keep the club clean because it's a nice place -- Justin was really buzzin'. It was very funny.
After the ovation thing, people kept yelling requests. Now, I have never known Justin to pay any attention to those people, but I guess a little irn-bru does him good. He played "Tell her This" which he said someone had requested. Then he said that they'd play some new stuff and then take more requests. They played "Pair of Laces" (is that the name?) and then a rockin' version of "Gone Dead Train" that I just loved. Anyone have a copy?
Then Justin said that whoever could tell him first where Crazy Horse's heart was buried would get to request a song. What is the answer? I couldn't hear. Whoever got it, obviously hadn't seen them before in concert and the dumbass requested "Downfall." They laughed at him and said "honestly, we cannot play that. Ummm, it's a b-side and we haven't rehearsed it in months." So the dork requested "When you were Young." I would have requested "Hammering Heart" to see what would happen. After that they played a cover of something that was really good; anyone recognize these lines?
...
Where's the girl I used to know?
...
Where's the town I used to know?
...
Where's the bar I used to know?
I assume the song is called "Used to know" but who sings it? [ed note: that is a misquoted "Whiskey Remorse"]
After that, my friend Jenn, who really wasn't having a good time (How that's possible I'll never know), kept saying, "after this can we go? Please?" No! "You don't understand, Jenn, Justin is never like this. I can't leave yet." Luckily the next song was "Downfall" so I convinced her to stay until that was over then she dragged me out. In the dragging process I inadvertently dropped my brand new Del t-shirt that I had spent my last $15 on, and lost it. So some jerk is, I'm sure, enjoying my shirt. That really pissed me off.
Other than that, it was a thouroughly satisfying evening.
:-) Diana

Written by Diana Fry