THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR

The Ben Folds Five Digest

Issue #238 - April 19, 1997



Magical Armchair Digest    Saturday, April 19 1997    Volume 01 : Number 238



                           THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
                     The Ben Folds Five Mailing List

Topics for today:

	NYC sold out????!?!?!?!?!?
	"Brick" lyrics again
	BareNaked Ben
	excuse me?
	Atlanta show - BF5: 5:45p-6:45p
	Whatever....
	Festival Season in Europe
	BFF in Albany, NY
	Nothing to say?
	ky
	Ben Kicks Houston's Ass

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 09:41:35 CDT
From: amit_saha@VNET.IBM.COM
Subject: NYC sold out????!?!?!?!?!?

Aughhhhh!!!!!!!

This is what you get for procrastinating!!!

Count me in as someone looking for an extra ticket. I would be truly in
your debt :) (please don't make me drive to Raleigh....)

amit (amit_saha@vnet.ibm.com or xcanuck@clark.net)

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:44:30 +0200
From: Benjamin.Day@psi.ch (spin)
Subject: "Brick" lyrics again

Hi.

I've been getting this digest for a while, but due to 
being busy at work, don't always read it.

Just seen some interpretations of "Brick". I've always 
thought it was about something totally different.

Now, I'm sure I'm wrong, but for your amusement at my 
expense, here is (was) my interpretation.

In short, Ben is seeing this girl. She has confided in 
him that she thinks she may be sick with some disease, 
but doesn't want to tell her parents. So on Boxing Day he 
goes with her to the hospital and waits in the parking 
lot while the hospital does some tests or something. Then 
as time goes by, they realise that she was not fine, and 
the hospital finally gives them the (unhappy) prognosis. 
So now Ben feels all alone cos she's gonna die.

Now, I don't think this really is what the songs about, 
but it kinda fits with the lyrics.

Check out my interpretation with the song lyrics, I still 
think it fits.

spin. (Pity me, I'm a confused man)

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 11:47:56 -0400
From: McCall Bennett <mccall@frognet.net>
Subject: BareNaked Ben

Found this in Bedside Manor...
I am sure I am not the only fan of both these great bands. (Ben and the
Ladies, that is.)

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 11:05:10 -0400
From: Dave or Nannette McCormick <rush@localnet.com>
Subject: Ben Folds Five


Saw something funny in a local record store recently.  They were pushing
the 
latest Ben Folds Five Disc.  The hand written sign underneath it said:
"If Billy Joel joined Barenaked Ladies!"

Pretty good analysis!

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:21:10 -0400
From: dmaceach@is2.dal.ca (Daniel MacEachern)
Subject: excuse me?

> I'm surprised at the number of people who don't get this. Almost as
> surprised as I am that nobody seems to figure out that the title "Whatever
> and Ever, Amen", is a takeoff on Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen".
> Study your pop culture history, folks, and the world will open up to you...

I really, really hope this is a joke.  I'm sure the title is a takeoff of
forever and ever, amen, but to credit that to Randy Travis?

if this is a joke, I'm sorry.  I feel kind of cranky right now.

Daniel
Halifax

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 12:39:19, -0500
From: EPVJ98A@prodigy.com (MS SANDI   SHORTER)
Subject: Atlanta show - BF5: 5:45p-6:45p

- -- [ From: Sandi * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --

To answer someone's question: 
Ben Folds Five will be playing on the Miller Lite Stage at the Music
Midtown Festival from 5:45p until 6:45p.

Also, I'm flying down from Cleveland to go to the show and would love to
meet up with fellow Armchair-ites.  E-mail me if you guys are planning
anything...

Sandi
epvj98a@prodigy.com   or   benfolds5fan@hotmail.com

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:12:06 -0500
From: saltman@wesleyan.edu (Me)
Subject: Whatever....

>  dpm179@hecky.acns.nwu.edu wrote:
> I'm surprised at the number of people who don't get this. Almost as
> surprised as I am that nobody seems to figure out that the title "Whatever
> and Ever, Amen", is a takeoff on Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen".
> Study your pop culture history, folks, and the world will open up to you...
> -David

Well, I guess it could be a reference to that...but I think the slightly
broader (okay, blatantly obvious) reference us pop-culture ignorant folks
might have been picking up on was the fact that it's a pretty common
religious refrain. I'm not saying they *didn't* mean it in reference to
Randy, I'm just saying I didn't see it that way, and it's still pretty
amusing worplay when General Apathy and Major Boredom are singing 'Whatever
and Ever, Amen'...Even if it isn't an homage to Randy Travis. :-)  But then
again, what the hell do I know? I'll admit I'm not a big Randy
aficionado....Anyway, the song (and album title) works great any way you
look at it, and therein lies the magic of Ben Folds Five. ;-)
     Sarah

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:32:27 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Daniel Rodrigues Parreira <parreira@aquawolf.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Festival Season in Europe

Ben Folds Five will appear on the "Torhout/Werchter" festival on July 4 in
Belgium. They probably will do (many) more festivals this summer in Europe.

Daniel

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:42:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Alice Childress <el266071@hvcc.edu>
Subject: BFF in Albany, NY

	I'm sending this to everyone who wrote to me concerning the BFF
show in the Albany area as well as someone else I know who lives there (so
if you have this info, sorry), as well as the list incase there are any
more Albany lurkers around (or if there's anyone I forgot).

	I just got my ticket for the Saratoga Winners show..they are on
sale now at any Ticketmaster location so you can either call or go to the
nearest place that has Ticketmaster and buy one..and the ticket costs $11,
and with the service charge and all that crap, it came to $13.25.  If
there's anyone who needs directions to Saratoga Winners, just mail me and
I'll hoox ya up.  (Used to live a mile away from the place)  it's a
16-and-up show (bring ID) and doors open at 8...anyone needs any more
info..just mail me =)

Overfloater			Visit the Mostly Harmless Web Page
el266071@hvcc.edu		http://bbs.cowland.com/giuseppe

"It's been my death since I was born" - Soundgarden (1984-1997)
"Ah, vindication isn't what it used to be." - Jawbox (1989-1997)
"I poured my heart out..it evaporated - see?" - Ben Folds Five

		    M y  L i f e  I s  U n r i s e
				
			

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:23:57 -0500 (CDT)
From: koenij22@vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu
Subject: Nothing to say?

Hello! To all you wonderful people out there!

	Tis' Joel from Oshkosh. Haven't written in a while because the 
University's system went down. DAMN college!!!!  	

	I have an idea.  Let's start contributing daily questions.  So 
everyone can start talking about the same thing. I appreciate all the 
random thoughts everyone has, but sometimes after reading the Armchair, I 
don't remember much. Know what I'm saying?  So I'll start.  If you don't 
like this idea then don't play. No big deal.

	"What would be the coolest cover BFF could do?"

My answer to that would be the Cheers song"Where Everybody Knows Your Name".
I must leave now , but I leave you with words of wisdom from the man 
Mike Brady: "Where ever you go,  there you are."

Muchas Smoochas,



JOEL D KOENIG
Internet -  KOENIJ22@uwosh.edu

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 14:22:53 -0500 (CDT)
From: allison <cuyjet@owlnet.rice.edu>
Subject: ky

>  Keep up the correspondence Kentuckians!  I didn't know other KY BFF fans
>  existed!  It's nice to know I'm not alone...
> 
> 
>  Ben, don't ignore us!  COME TO KENTUCKY!!!

hey, i'm allison, and i'm from louisville.  i was able to see bff the
other night in houston, and after the show i talked to robert for a 
while and made him promise to try to come play l'ville.  so here's 
hoping...  who knows? 

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'
allison
cuyjet@owlnet.rice.edu
dandelion1@juno.com

"AAAYYEEEE."  - tarzan
'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 16:09:35 -0700
From: "Josh \"Yosh Fatz\" Katz" <Heyzeus@swbell.net>
Subject: Ben Kicks Houston's Ass

As required by law, here's my brief and humble review of the April 16th 
Houston show.  I must begin by bragging; I got to the venue extra early 
and was rewarded with a conversation with Mr. Folds himself.  I asked him 
how they landed the Klezmatics for the new album; Ben shrugged and smiled 
brightly, " I just called them up!"

Big howdy's to Jory, Allison (who used her assets to get a free poster 
from club security), Roy, and the rest of the Rice crew who showered the 
Five with illegally snagged flowers.  Another note before the setlist:  
The nametags work, people.  You will make friends.  It worked so well 
that Jory made nametags for Ben, Darren, and Robert.  Darren wore his 
proudly, Ben couldn't peel the sticker off of its backing, and Robert 
just kinda glowered.  Anyway...

Missing the War
Battle of Who...
Philosophy
Dr Pyser
Selfless, Cold and composed
Last Polka
Kate (who was working the lighting at the show!)
Alice Childress
Brick
Steven's Last Night in Town
audience suggestion time - "Play some Skynyrd!"  They did Freebird, i 
believe.
Emmaline
Uncle Walter
One Angry Dwarf
Fair
Best Imitation of Myself
Song for the Dumped
(???? - Song for all ya'll who wear fanny packs???)
Underground
- --------
2 encores:  That "she don't use jelly" flaming lips song.  Smoke was 
listed on the setlist here.  And closing with Juliane, with the calypso 
intro.

A few interesting things:  Robert's use of the upright string bass on 
Brick made my day.  And I think Ben has been reading the Armchair after 
all, because he felt obligated to explain the meaning of Brick.  
"This is a song about taking your dog to the vet."
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...that Ben...he's a funny guy.

Hope to catch them next time through Texas,
Josh

------------------------------

End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #238
**************************************


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