THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #227 - April 11, 1997
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR, Issue #227
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Topics for Today:
Stuff from the UK
Ben Folds Five going mainstream
BFF @ HORDE
Denver show notes
bff
Monty Python
Raleigh concert date
conan
Show with BNL, Sublime, etc... not the case.
Phoenix New Times Article
My take on the California Shows....
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 12:22:04 GMT
From: "A GARBI REG:00263121" <GARBIA-U@m4-arts.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: Stuff from the UK
Hi,
I've been away for a while and haven't had time to catch up, so
sorry if you've heard all this before.
Next UK single will be 'Kate', coming out on May 26 (why wait
so long?). Let's hope for some better b-sides.
There was a BF5 feature on VH-1 a couple of weeks back, which
was the band being interviewed at Ben's house. Couple of highlights:
Ben shouts at Robert for messing about with his piano, Robert says
something like, 'You jump all over this piano, and I'm not allowed
to touch it?' Ben replies, 'I don't jump on this piano, I jump on the
other piano.' It was funny, honestly; Robert asks Ben, 'where do you
see yourself in 20 years, when we'll be pumping gas?' Ben says
something like, 'on my way to the bank, if you ask me I'll put a
dollar in your cup.'
The feature also included a brief appearance by Kate herself, and
some live clips of 'One Angry Dwarf..','Kate' and 'Battle...'
'Whatever And Ever Amen' entered the UK album charts somewhere in
the 30s, then disappeared from the top 50.
Bit of non-BF5 stuff: The Blur album is excellent; Belle &
Sebastian are excellent. Apart from 'If You're Feeling Sinister' they
released a limited edition 10" album, Tigermilk, but you'd be very
lucky to get a copy of it now, and a single 'The State That I Am In'
which is also impossible to get, but is going to be on the CD version
of their next single (title forgotten) which should be out in May in
the UK.
See y'all later,
Andy.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 12:57:28 +0
From: "S I PICK (BA (Hons) Design)" <AJBA0048@newi.ac.uk>
Subject: Ben Folds Five going mainstream
Hiya, folks!
Regarding what Craig was saying in Armchair #222 about Ben Folds Five
not going mainstream - I reckon it's good that they don't. Some of
the joys of singing a song that not many people can whistle and sing
is a blessing. Imagine if everyone you knew had both BFF albums, and
sung them constantly in your company. It would be too much to bear
for some people....
A good example of this is my brother getting the Alanis Morrisette
album before anyone else (before see was really famous here in the
UK). As soon as word got around, all the band-wagon jumpers got hold
of that same album and now my brother refuses to play aforementioned
album because it's turned mainstream.
Yeah, it would be good if BFF did turn mainstream, but also it would
be a bit of a curse...
By the way, does anyone have any BFF or Jellyfish videos on VHS PAL?
I'm a little curious to see what sort of sheenanagans they get up to
in front of the camera...
I'm off - and thanks to Frank M for maintaining the mailing list so
well!
Steve ;)~
AJBA0048@newi.ac.uk
http://www.ace.mdx.ac.uk/hyperhomes/houses/steven/index.htm
(New look groovy web page constantly under construction...)
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 97 09:53:45 PDT
From: Me <mms@wolfenet.com>
Subject: BFF @ HORDE
Hi all!
Just heard from my sources (i.e. the TMBG Mailing List) that Ben and crew
are going to be playing HORDE this year. Joining them should be the likes
of Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Soul Coughing, and The Rugburns. Happy
Day Indeed! If anyone can confirm this and/or provide dates (esp. for the
PNW) you will be my best friend on the planet right now.
Seattle Weekly did a review of BFF and CC yesterday.... in summary: Ben
Folds Five Rules; "Ben Folds Five inlcues just one bassist, one drummer,
and one bad-ass pianist named Ben Folds. They had me at "hello." Counting
Crows sucked. I coulda told 'em that before they went to the show. :)
Later....
Michelle
"May your beer be tasty and your food spicy" --dm
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 10:59:01 -0600
From: Shawn Huckaby <BShawn@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Denver show notes
Hey all,
Wow. I could end it right there
(but of course I won't).
Saw the Five in Denver last night, and was mightily impressed. Even
though I fully expected it to be wonderful, I still was blown away.
All I can say is that to those of you who don't think the new album is
up to the first one's standards; go see them live. Many of the songs
pick up an added grittiness and power that takes them to a whole new
level.
The song list has pretty much been posted to death here, so I won't
bother with that again. It seemed to be mostly the same as previously
listed.
Some notes:
First of all, Ben is a f***ing monster on that Baldwin! We were about
15 feet away, and directly in front of the keyboard, so I got to watch
all of his technique first-hand. The kid has chops. I have no doubt
that he could slide into a straight-ahead piano jazz trio with no
problem. (Not to say that Robert and Darren were any slouches either!
<G>)
The entire band was very tight, and all of the harmonies were dead on.
They complained about the monitor mix a couple of times, but aside from
Ben being a little flat occasionally, they sounded perfect.
During the equipment setup prior to them coming out, they played the
latest Built to Spill over the PA, and at the end as everyone filed out,
they played the theme from The Rockford Files (nobody seemed to get it).
I was struck again by how many of their songs (or breaks within songs)
are in either 3/4 or 6/8 time. Kind of interesting, given that probably
99.5% of all pop music is in 4/4 time. I think that's one of the main
things about "Selfless..." that gives it a Vince Guaraldi/Bill Evans
feel.
I thought "Smoke" was going to rip my heart out live. "Brick", also,
but more people were singing/talking during that one, so some of the
magic was lost. Speaking of which, just a rhetorical question: Why, if
you only know two songs by a band, would you bother getting all the way
down front, just so you can talk (loudly) to your buddies during all of
the slow songs that you obviously don't care about?
Probably preaching to the choir on that one.
The final song of the encore was "Julianne"; which they started out as a
very cool mambo(!), and then segued back into a very fast standard
version. I've always thought this was one of the weaker songs on the
first album, but the energy of hearing it live definitely helped. It
came off as sort of an outtake from Joe Jackson's "Look Sharp" album.
Still though, I would have loved to hear the whole thing done as a
mambo. I always love bands that aren't afraid to rework their stuff
live into a totally new context. And that's really the only small
criticism I have for the show. As much as I loved hearing all of the
harmonies EXACTLY as they were on CD, I kind of missed the band
stretching stuff out a little, or taking songs in unexpected
directions. That's why some of the more obscure stuff really stood out
live, like "Emmaline", and "Dr. Pyser". For the most part though, the
rest of the songs were nearly identical to the recorded versions, with
the exception of a few minor lyrical changes.
Oh well, as they tour more and more, and begin to get really bored with
doing the same stuff every night, maybe they'll start to reinvent a
little just to keep themselves sane!
All in all, a great evening of fantastic music.
Don't miss them.
Shawn Huckaby
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 13:16:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: Christina Lee Georgi <clgeorg@acadcomp.cmp.ilstu.edu>
Subject: bff
hey everbody, what's shake'n? i've just recently heard about BFF
and i like what i hear! i'm a rookie to this armchair thing but so far i
like what i have read. i live in the chicago land area (woodstock) and
i'm looking forward to seeing this band live. i'm really pissy because
i can't make it to the metro to see them this april because of school.
hopefully i'll be able to catch them this summer. if there is anyone out
there who also lives around/in chicago and wants to email me, please feel
free. the more BFF fans that i know around my area, the better!
-Chris A.K.A. Green Monkey
P.S. My email address is going to change pretty soon because i'm
transferring to a college IN chicago, but i'll let cha know!!
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 15:37:26 -0400
From: santonan@student.umass.edu
Subject: Monty Python
I noticed on one of the Magical Armchair issues a while ago, someone
mentioned the whole five instead of three thing from Monty Python and The
Holy Grail. For all of you who don't know, there's this grenade that you
have to count to three before launching, and King Arthur just can't count
to three, and says five every time..perhaps a connection? The other weird
thing is...the name of the Brother who hands Arthur the grenade..it's
Brother MAYNARD! Coincidence..I'm beginning to think not.
Sarah :)
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 15:56:17 EDT
From: James R Herndon <sacapunta@juno.com>
Subject: Raleigh concert date
Hey all. Does anyone know if and when the Ben Folds show at the Ritz in
Raleigh got resceduled? I thought they were playing May 1st but that is
when Squirrel Nut Zippers are playing there. For a second I thought it
was a double bill but then saw on the ticket that Squirrel Nut Zippers
have opening bands Bio Ritmo and Cigar Stone something. Let me know if
anyone hears when the new date is.
James
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 16:27:30 -0400
From: Tushie Galore <eh204@is6.nyu.edu>
Subject: conan
hey all.....
just wondering if anyone else here in nyc was up for going to the taping of
the conan o'brien show on the 29th?(i think that's when it was supposed to
be) it's free....c'mon, you know you want to. i did it when ani difranco
was on and it's actually pretty fun. you get to make a spectacle of yourself
on national tv by screaming really loudly every time conan mentions their
name....if anyone would be interested in meeting there or something mail
me......
Liz Harler
Professional Goddess
[Anyone have an *official* confirmation on the date? The 29th has been
mentioned here before, but according to Rock On TV, Deanna Carter is the
musical guest that night. -fjm]
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 15:28:54 -0500
From: Dan Mauer <dmauer@earthlink.net>
Subject: Show with BNL, Sublime, etc... not the case.
> From: Jason Martin <UN036034@wvnvaxa.wvnet.edu>
> Subject: BF5 Tour Date
> I was skimming the Verve Pipe's page when I came across the following:
>
> June 1 (Sat) Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh-Durham, NC
> Verve Pipe w/ Barenaked Ladies, BEN FOLDS FIVE, Sublime, and
> Luscious Jackson
Well, I was first suspicious reading this because Brad, the lead singer
and guitarist of Sublime, slightly died of a heroin overdose last year.
So, on a hunch, I checked if June 1 was a saturday this year -- and it's
not... however, it WAS last year. So I'd guess that the page just
hasn't been updated forever... because that was a 1996 date. Would have
been a f**kin' AWESOME show, though.
-dan.
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 97 21:02:42 UT
From: Bruce Herrier <BHerrier@msn.com>
Subject: Phoenix New Times Article
There's a nice little article (although a tad misguided) in the Phoenix New
Times, our local "alternative" fishwrap, as BF5 will be in town Saturday, a
show I cannot make it to, unfortunately! ARRRGH! If you want to check out
the article, it should be posted on their webpage at
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com. Are there any Armchairites going to the
Tucson show ?
(By the way, I personally believe that flashing the "Satan is my Master" sign
should be the way that we can identify each other at shows. Kind of like
throwing gang signs for wimps.)
BEAR DOWN!!
ARIZONA WILDCATS (AKA U of GERALDO) NUMERO UNO!!
Bruce Herrier
bherrier@msn.com
==============================================================================
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 23:03:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jacy33@aol.com
Subject: My take on the California Shows....
Hey, I hardly post, but I always read....and feel a need to at least report
my BF5 experience this past weekend...
I am a dedicated Counting Crows fan (with BF5 being second) and went to the
Berkeley, Irvine and San Diego shows....
Ben Folds Five ROCKED THE HOUSE! I've always loved their music and seeing
them live just BLEW ME AWAY! Ben's stage personality is cool-and they are so
tight of a band! For three guys to come out on stage -no guitars, mind you,
and be so strong musically, lyrically, and have an extreme stage presence is
amazing! Ben's piano playing is just f*cking incredible! He played with
his foot, forearm and piano stool! Oh, and they looked a LOT less dorky
then in their pictures.
Irvine Meadows sucked. (not the show...the venue) It wasn't bad enough that
we were late to begin with, but we had to sit in 20 minutes of stopped
traffic, park 12 miles away, wait for 12 minutes to get searched, walked one
mile to get to the seats, and wait in line for the bathroom for 10 minutes
and then weave our way through multitudes of drunk people to get to our
nosebleed seats. We totally missed Ben Folds Five--but could hear the crowd
going wild for them!
At San Diego, we were sitting, waiting, at the very front of the line,
suddenly, Ben Folds walks past us with some lady. So I am yelling,
nonchalantly, "Ben! I want your autograph!" He either is not hearing me, ,or
is blowing me off.... He gets down to the doors to get in, and the security
gaurd is asking him for his pass and after checking 3 out of his 4 pockets,
must;ve found it....when he pulls it out, money falls out... I yell to him,
but he doens't hear me. I get up to run down to get it, and wave over mr
security man and tell him to get "that guy" cuz he dropped 20 bucks.... Mr.
security guy goes and gives money to ben, ben comes outside to thank me and
we chat a bit. I get autograph. He mentions how nervous they were when they
opened in seattle cuz of how big a venue it was. I keep telling him that
they rock. I also mention The Magical Armchair....he says something about a
magazine printing that he said he was "sick" of the internet thing (or
something to that effect) and told me to say that wasn't true.... (whatever
that might mean) He says he will be playing California again, but smaller,
and cheaper places... we say bye.
Down in front of the stage... BF5 rocks once again....I am the only one
signing the songs off the first album and "Woo-ing!" people look at me. At
one point Ben give me this big ass grin and wink from stage.... (After
Counting Crows Ben signs my BF5 shirt, "Thanks for the $20" B.F. )
Also met Robert back by the tour buses and got his autograph....
They are incredible!!!
Stupid me still hasn't bought the new album, but the stuff they played from
it sounded AWESOME!!
Thank you for listening...this has been a Public Service Announcement....
-Tracy
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