[kj] NYC gig - Mission Accomplished

Neil Perry gathering@misera.net
Sat, 27 Sep 2003 03:46:23 +0100 

Having just returned from my nightshift, that was a strangely
enjoyable and zen-like read. Hey Alex, you wanna post one of
those every day?
Anyway, thanks for my bedtime story. A happy ending and everything.
N

Alex Smith wrote:

> Oy! What a morning. So, after becoming deeply disheartened by the seeming
> lack of cohesion behind the logistics of this gig, I rose this morning
> around 10:30 (after my 4pm to 4am shift) to bring to fruition the plan of
> having Killing Joke tickets in hand by the end of the day. I checked the
> various websites (CMJ, Webster Hall, Ticketmaster), and there was no change.
> Details were either frustratingly vague or non-existant.
>
> As fate would have it, I live but a mere three city blocks from Webster
> Hall, so I grabbed an iced coffee from a local deli, hit the ATM and
> proceeded to the venue at about 11:15 am. The front of Webster Hall (a
> criminally unrecognized architectural landmark dating back to god knows
> when) looked as shut as a beachfront surfshop during the bleakest days of
> December. One solitary individual (count'em: 1) sat on the steps, reading a
> copy of Kurt Vonegut's "Slaughterhouse Five". "Excuse me," I asked, "Are you
> here for the same reason I'm here?" "Teecketts gow en sail ad noooon," he
> mumbled, quickly returning to Vonegut's heady text....an interesting
> situation, given that English didn't immediately seem like this fellow's
> native tongue. Fine. So, I paced around, finishing my iced coffee and
> wondering what the hell's up. No one else around. A few likely looking,
> black-clad students walked down the street, but passed right by, heading for
> the post office at the end of the block. Things were not adding up. I went
> back to the Vonegut-reader.
>
> "Which show are you looking to get tickets for?" I petitioned. He looked
> back up, and in a thick, African accent, "Keeeling Jowuck". "Really??" I
> retorted, hopefully not sounding too incredulous (not to put too fine a
> point on it, but this gentleman really didn't seem to be the type whose
> heart-rate accelartes when he hears the opening throb of "The Wait"). "Yes,"
> he replied, "I yem getting Keeeling Jowuck teeckets fohr mye friend, who
> izzat worruk at de mowmant."
>
> Could this really be it? Am I really the *ONLY* person in New York City
> waiting to get Killing Joke tickets, apart from some guy who is stuck at the
> office and sends his exchange student pal? I was getting more dubious by the
> moment.
>
> I called my ever-savvy pal Rob at his office out on Long Island (Andy Misera
> has met Rob...he's the gent getting furiously drunk with us in those pics on
> Andy's site from my London visit in 2000). I have Rob scan the Ticketmaster
> site, the CMJ site and the Webster Hall site for any further developments.
> No news. I continued to pace up and down the block. Tick, tick, tick, tick.
>
> Around five minutes to noon, I decide to call the box office. "Hi," I say,
> "are you planning on selling tickets today, as advertised, for the CMJ
> opening night showcase on October 22nd?" "Not until 1:30". ***click***
> Gosh, thanks for telling us. In the spirit of fair play and good will, I
> inform my studious African friend that the sale time has evidently been
> pushed back to 1:30. He sighs, but doesn't look especially phased. I decide
> to repair back home, use the facilities, eat some breakfast and grab a book
> to read for when I go back. Suddenly panicking (unreasonably so) that in my
> absence, a veritable army of zealous My Morning Jacket fans have shown up to
> buy out the ticket supply, I hot-foot it back to Webster Hall, only to be
> met with the exact same scene, only my African pal has given up on Vonegut,
> and is now staring blankly into the middle-distance.
>
> "Mebbe no wan lykes dee Keeeling Jowuk," he helpfully postulates, only to be
> met with my furrowed-brow and "I WILL END YOU, BLASPHEMER" scowl. More time
> passes. Around 1pm, a ponytailed fellow in an ill-fitting Webster Hall
> t-shirt/dress pops out the door, asking either of us if we have a light.
> Neither of us do, but suddenly the African gent seizes the day. "Winnn mei
> weee bi teecketts fohr deee Keeeling Jowuck konserrt?" Captain Ponytail
> squints quizzically at the query until I butt in and translate. "Oh," he
> shrugs, "just ring the buzzer over at the door behind the stairs and that'll
> let you into the box office." Progress maybe? Let's see.
>
> Letting the African dude go first (he got there before me, after all), we
> enter Webster Hall and climb a flight of stairs to the box office. It is
> only about 1:05 pm. Behind the counter was a eastern european-looking babe
> in a black wife-beater looking surprisingly pleased to see us. Sure enough,
> tickets were to be had. The African bloke buys a solitary ticket for his
> toiling friend and leaves, without a further word. I step up and pick up six
> tickets (as that's as far as my money would take me), so Dirk -- I have your
> two tickets, and Cliff, depending on whether or not Tod [A]shely decides to
> join us, you have two or three tickets waiting for you.
>
> As a final note, Killing Joke are listed at the bottom of the proceedings,
> under The New Deal and My Morning Jacket.
>
> Fini.
>
> Alex in NYC
>
> ----------
> >From: "Cliff and Kara Livingston" <antifrz@alaska.net>
> >To: <gathering@misera.net>
> >Cc: "Alex Smith" <vassifer@earthlink.net>
> >Subject: Re: [kj] NYC gig
> >Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2003, 5:38 PM
> >
>
> >Yes Alex can you pick us up some tickets ?
> >Do ya know how much they are each?
> >If under $20 please buy 6 if over $20 buy 4 ?
> >Thanks,lemme know if ya get them,or if i shoud check out ticketmaster,don't
> >wanna miss out even a short KJ set is worth the trip,altho there's gonna be
> >a show in Philly.
> >Cheers and many thanks in advance,Cliff & Kara & whoever else is benifitting
> >!
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Alex Smith" <vassifer@earthlink.net>
> >To: <gathering@misera.net>; <gathering@misera.net>
> >Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 10:58 AM
> >Subject: Re: [kj] NYC gig
> >
> >
> >
> >Have to say, this whole event is getting more worriesome by the hour. For a
> >start, the box office at Webster Hall (the venue) doesn't know anything
> >about the event in question (despite the fact that tix are going on sale for
> >it tomorrow at noon). They directed me to Ticketmaster, who showed no sign
> >of recognition either.
> >
> >Moreover, on the night of the show (Oct.22), the doors don't open until
> >7:30. So far....there are three bands listed (with "many more to be
> >announced") lined-up before Killing Joke (and, by the way, apparently My
> >Morning Jacket have a higher billing than the Joke). That says "short sets"
> >to me.
> >
> >
> >I'm starting to get very pissed off.
> >
> >Alex in NYC
> >
> >----------
> >>From: "Dirk Kingerske" <dirkingerske@hotmail.com>
> >>To: gathering@misera.net
> >>Subject: Re: [kj] NYC gig
> >>Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2003, 12:23 PM
> >>
> >
> >>Hi Alex,
> >>
> >>two tix would be brilliant.... many thanks in advance!
> >>
> >>dirkcatchingup
> >>
> >>
> >>>From: "Alex Smith" <vassifer@earthlink.net>
> >>>Reply-To: gathering@misera.net
> >>>To: gathering@misera.net, gathering@misera.net
> >>>Subject: Re: [kj] NYC gig
> >>>Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 13:08:39 -0500
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Dirk (and anyone else)....
> >>>
> >>>Tix go on sale for the NYC gig tomorrow at noon. At the moment, I'm
> >pickin'
> >>>up TWO tix for you, correct? Anyone else need assistance on this front? I
> >>>luckily have the day, so I have all day to spend achieving the goal of KJ
> >>>tix in hand.
> >>>
> >>>Ale xin NYC
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>----------
> >>> >From: "Dirk Kingerske" <dirkingerske@hotmail.com>
> >>> >To: gathering@misera.net
> >>> >Subject: RE: [kj] giger counter
> >>> >Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2003, 11:40 AM
> >>> >
> >>>
> >>> >just for the record (and I know that i'm far from leading... I reckon
> >>>Matt
> >>> >has to have the lead at the moment..) I've just returned from my 3rd
> >>>Killing
> >>> >Joke gig this year and I have to admit that Bochum was brillliant! The
> >>>venue
> >>> >wasn't sold out and at first I was a bit worried that the tranquilized
> >>> >audience wouldn't contribute to a decent Joke-night atmosphere.... but
> >>>this
> >>> >actually didn't matter... They kicked off with Communion and ended with
> >>> >Pandemonium, both with the Checmor violin player in addition. In between
> >>> >they played lovely tunes as Wardance, the Wait, TDRS, Kings and Queens,
> >>> >Blood on your hands, change, tension, the fall of because, frenzy,
> >>>whiteout,
> >>> >seeing red, loose cannon, total invasion (not too sure about this one,
> >>> >though), empire song and asteroid.... a 110 mins setlist....
> >unspeakable!
> >>> >now let's talk about the audience: since nobody was moving up front it
> >>>was
> >>> >up to Matt, Tom, Martin, Frank and me: we had so much space it was great
> >>>and
> >>> >it felt almost like a private concert.... we dashed into the crowd back
> >>>and
> >>> >forth and hardly anyone, apart from some occasional visitors, who came
> >up
> >>> >when they played new album stuff,disturbed us at our little
> >gathering....
> >>> >pure magic! can't wait until tomorrow: Hamburg I'm COMING!!!!!
> >>> >
> >>> >p.s. matt, did you finally ask for the telephone number of the blonde
> >>> >waitress.... you whom I mean :o)
> >>> >
> >>> >>From: "Shadforth, Jane E SUKOP-UOIT/42" <jane.shadforth@shell.com>
> >>> >>Reply-To: gathering@misera.net
> >>> >>To: <gathering@misera.net>
> >>> >>Subject: RE: [kj] giger counter
> >>> >>Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 15:50:57 +0100
> >>> >>
> >>> >>Thanks Brian - I know about showtimes.... seen Killing Joke & NMA at
> >the
> >>> >>Elysee a couple of times before.
> >>> >>
> >>> >>We arrive in Paris at 13:00, so should have plenty of time.
> >>> >>
> >>> >>Jane
> >>> >>
> >>> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>> >>From: wittz@btinternet.com [mailto:wittz@btinternet.com]
> >>> >>Sent: 25 September 2003 15:40
> >>> >>To: gathering@misera.net
> >>> >>Subject: RE: [kj] giger counter
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >>For the Montmatre(?) Paris gig there is a descent Irish bar just down
> >>>the
> >>> >>road that serves an excellent pint.
> >>> >>As you FACE the Elyesey(?) go left down the main road for a couple of
> >>> >>hundred yards and the pub is on a corner in what is the opposite side
> >>>from
> >>> >>the Elyesey venue.
> >>> >>
> >>> >>Caution the gigs at this place are known to start early !!!
> >>> >>
> >>> >>Brian.
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> >  from:    "Shadforth, Jane E SUKOP-UOIT/42"
> >>><jane.shadforth@shell.com>
> >>> >> >  date:    Thu, 25 Sep 2003 13:29:43
> >>> >> >  to:      gathering@misera.net
> >>> >> >  subject: RE: [kj] giger counter
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > I expect the european contingent will be in the lead at the moment,
> >>> >>although we have plenty of chances to catch them up in October...
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > I can't remember who else said they were going to Rotterdam &
> >Paris??
> >>> >>Can anyone suggest a good bar near each venue to meet up beforehand?
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > Jane
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > PS - if you reply after 16:00 BST today, please mail
> >>> >>hioctaneorange@hotmail.com, which I'll try to check occasionally. We're
> >>>off
> >>> >>travelling to see the Cramps in Notts & London & go to a wedding in
> >>> >>Sheffield before we head to NL on Sunday.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >>> >> > From: pr 001 [mailto:stay_one_jump_ahead@hotmail.com]
> >>> >> > Sent: 25 September 2003 13:14
> >>> >> > To: gathering@misera.net
> >>> >> > Subject: [kj] giger counter
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > so who's been to the most gigs on this tour so far then? maybe we
> >>>should
> >>> >> > have a competition and the winner gets a prize. antoni, jane, matt,
> >>>mik
> >>> >>-
> >>> >> > you guys must be in the running. tell you what, i'll donate a kj
> >>>poster
> >>> >>to
> >>> >> > whomever can clock up the most ticket stubs. let battle commence.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > ps. jel, my post was also in half-jest so don't feel bad. now i feel
> >>>bad
> >>> >> > about making you feel bad.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > pps jerry, tell rob jel has been slagging him off.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > _________________________________________________________________
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