THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
The Ben Folds Five Digest
Issue #841 - February 24, 1998
Magical Armchair Digest Tuesday, February 24 1998 Volume 01 : Number 841
THE MAGICAL ARMCHAIR
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TOPICS IN THIS DIGEST:
PHILLY YEAH!!!
Sonic Session and Factory Review
"Brick" KILLED by radio?
Philly show
I met ben and hung with him for like 20 min
Trading Tapes
Requesting future tour stops?
Random Bits of BF5 Trivia
A Neat Little Intro...
Idiots
rob & darren laughing
120 minutes?
roxy show in atlanta
hey
hats off to tour manager Doug
greg kinnear
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 18:10:16 EST
From: ashleybell1@juno.com (Ashley J Granata)
Subject: PHILLY YEAH!!!
Hey everybody,
Hope everyone was there on Sat. night for the show it was really
great. I met a couple armchairers that were next to me, names were Lee
and Steve. I don't know the whole set list but i saw Lee writing it down
so he'll probably fill you in. But some highlights were definitly
Philosophy and Emaline and the Last Polka. Encores were Alice Childress
and of course She don't use Jelly. But alas, no underground, no uncle
walter, no jackson cannery. It was really nice though that everybody
seemed to know most of the songs that they played (not just brick!!). It
made me feel warm and fuzzy inside to hear lots of people singing along
to songs that i chair dance to in my car (it always seems that when i
dance to the boys in the car old folks pass me shake their heads back and
forth as to say "those damn kids and their music" oh well). It was a
little too packed for any significant groovin or dancin, though some of
my friends said that the crowd thinned out a bit near the back at about
11PM (probably due to some harsh parental curfews). Well Lee, if you're
out there i hope you have a great time in D.C. and Virginia. thats it
y'all.
one more thing. I really hate to admit that i'm a stupid giddy girl but
i did giggle really loud when the boys came out, but maybe thats normal
=).
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 21:09:35 -0500
From: "M. Pratt" <mpratt@voicenet.com>
Subject: Sonic Session and Factory Review
My husband and I were some of the few lucky people (about 60) who attended
the Y-100 Sonic Session. Basically, what it is is the local radio station
gets bands who are passing through town to play a small concert at Sonic
Recording Studios, record it for playback on the radio later, and let a
very few people in.
After waiting for hours (it was supposed to start at 12:30, didn't until
2:00) we were let upstairs into the studio. I think Ben was really amused
by everyone sitting on the floor looking like a Kindergarten class.
Before the show, the radio station people announced that WEAEA went gold,
and gave them some Peeps for their accomplishment. So we found out how to
leave the guys speechless.
Robert looked really feverish, and Ben said they were all sick and tired,
but they played anyway. They played BOWCCL, Dr. Pyser, Selfless, Brick
(the song they've been playing on all the TV shows), Jelly, and ended with
Kate. And the Star Wars theme (no, actually, it was Jaws, but what does
Ben know).
They didn't have time for autographs or anything afterwards, which was
kinda disappointing. But Robert looked like he couldn't wait to go OD on
Sudafed.
And if I could take this opportunity to offer some advice to Kate, next
time just try showing some skin. Works for me all the time.
According to the Radio Station folks, the tape will be mixed and broadcast
in a couple of weeks. There are 2 photos from the Sonic Session at
www.y100.com.
The Electric Factory show was great. Obviously Robert felt a lot better,
because he seemed full of energy. They played a great set, which has been
listed in this space before. I hung out upstairs, so the crowd was pretty
mellow, but I didn't have to endure any pushing and shoving either.
If Ana and Chris, who we met at the Sonic Session are out there, please
drop us a line.
That's all for now.
Maria
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 20:19:45 -0600
From: "Matthew J. Springer" <mjs087@nwu.edu>
Subject: "Brick" KILLED by radio?
Chris wrote:
>okay, so there's my history, I shouldn't make this much longer or you just
>won't read it, but I was to say I was told by a friend that I had weird
>taste in music because I like Ben Folds Five and others, then Brick comes
>out and he starts to like Ben Folds, and then my other friend got
>interested and now that Brick is being killed by the radio stations, he
>decided to borrow the CDs, and well four of my friends have borrowed my
>tiny collection in the last week and a half.
I know this was just an introductory post, and I'm not trying to start shit
(or as some may say, "front") at all. In fact, welcome to you Chris, from
another "newbie" who's about a week old here. :)
This comment about "Brick" being "killed" by radio got me to
thinking a bit. Now, I'm not trying to restart any debates on the worth of
popularity, or "brick" fans versus "real" fans, or anything like that. I
may be new, but I'm not stupid. :) I did want to mention that I don't
think radio airplay, no matter how heavy, can "kill" a great song. Perhaps
in the sense that it now belongs to more listeners, it may be killed for
you, if you're the type of person who likes their bands to stay small and
intimate. But I really believe that a deep and beautiful song can only
blossom and grow with repeated listenings. Can radio kill a stupid pop
song, like (at the risk of offending) "Fly" by Sugar Ray? Sure. But
"Brick" has so much in it that I learn each time I hear it.
In fact, I'm somewhat glad that "Brick" is being "overplayed,"
because I can hear it more often on the radio, and reexperience it each
time I hear it. Plus, there's always something new to hear in the song,
the lyrics, the instrumentation. Maybe this is just because the CD hasn't
rotated its way back into my heavy listening stack for a few months. But
I'd just suggest that anyone who's sick of hearing "Brick" on the radio
should try to enjoy it! It's better than hearing two hack DJs joke about
poo-poo and pee-pee... :)
Later,
Matt
P.S. I'm not addicted to emoticons...really, I'm not...
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 22:08:01 +0000
From: Hilarie Surrena <walflowr@Op.Net>
Subject: Philly show
I just wanted to agree with Donna on two BIG points that she made
concerning the show in Philadelphia. First, I'm not big on the Electric
Factory either. Could they have packed anymore people in there? I
parked in a really shady area and that was $7 on top of the $45 I put
out for 2 tickets. The show was worth it, but the service charges and
parking are insane. I also miss the bottom right hand side of the
Factory that used to be a sitting area. Now it's a huge bar. Not that
that's a bad thing, but it made it VERY hard to get a good spot. The
TLA and Troc, although smaller, are 10 times better venues.
Secondly, so many people were there strictly because of Brick. That
meant that all those up front who were only there for the one song
pushed their way through the crowd and left. The whole show was really
worth staying for and I wish that more people had. The only song that
they didn't play which is my second favorite live(Steven's is my first)
is Underground. I finally got to meet the guys(thanks San!) and they
were so friendly especially considering that the tour is practically
over and they are exhausted.
Steve, I did see you, but was too far at one point to yell over and
then I lost sight of you. I didn't get to the show until 8PM! I'll
e-mail you tomorrow.
Hil
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 22:47:23 EST
From: DMB44@aol.com
Subject: I met ben and hung with him for like 20 min
Before the hammerstein show on friday, I went into ther hammerstein to use the
bathroom...wasn't suposed to be in the place, but snuck in and walked down the
stairs and there waas ben...just standing there....we started talking and he
was a really cool guy....we hung out for like 15-20 min and he walked me over
to the stage and I watched the guys rehearse alice childress for like 10
min....I was the only one there it was amazing...then I
left.............during the show, ben pointed to me and waived and afterwards,
I hung around and met all the guys and spoke with ben a little more.......It
was the most amazing experiance of my life
peace-matt
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 23:30:12 EST
From: PhisherXC@aol.com
Subject: Trading Tapes
I am interested in trading tapes with any honest traders...I only have three
Ben Folds Five tapes, but I do have many other tapes from bands such as Phish,
Grateful Dead, DMB, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Doors, Floyd, and more...e-
mail me for a list of my tapes.
Ryan
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 20:40:40 -0800
From: Michael Maas <maas931@uidaho.edu>
Subject: Requesting future tour stops?
Hi, all. That's great news that the guys will be touring this summer. Is
there any way to get in touch with them or a tour manager or someone, to
request a tour stop? They played Seattle on this tour and I missed it, but
I was thinking next time around Spokane or the Gorge might be cool since
there's lots of us over at WSU/UI/Spokane/C'dA/Montana...
Anyway, any info would be great.
Mike
- --
Michael Maas
maas931@uidaho.edu
http://www.uidaho.edu/~maas931/
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 22:42:52 -0600
From: Nikki <discordia5@earthlink.net>
Subject: Random Bits of BF5 Trivia
Our favorite trio actually was supposed to perform 2 songs on SNL. They were
planning on performing One Angry Dwarf and Brick but for some reason time was
running short and the guys could only play Brick They were alerted of this at the
last minute and had to take out the regular piano and set up the upright piano,
which just happens to be the upright piano that Brick was originally recorded
with.
Ben Folds Five performed on Conan waaaaay back in december of 1995. The show
aired the day after Christmas. I remember it well because we weren't getting
Conan in Houston at that time so a friend and I drove 3 hours to Austin to watch
it.
Anyone ever see the original MuchTV segment that ben folds five did? It was in
November of 1995 when they were touring with heather nova. This was the first
tour I ever saw them on. In November of 95 coincidentally. It's hilarious! A
must see, if you can get your hands on it.
Darren actually sang Mitchell Lane at a couple of performances in Japan. As Darren
put it, "It was scary." He thinks he can't sing. Awwww... he's so damned cute
when he's insecure. I made him feel better by letting him know he's my favorite.
Okay.. that's all for now.
The SNL info came straight from Ben's mouth to my face after the dallas show. And
the Darren tidbit came from Darren's mouth to my face after the dallas show.
Robert was sick that night. Poor baby. :(
Nikki
By the way.. I do have the Dec. 95 of Conan and Nov. 95 of Much.. if you wanna
trade for some stuff just lemme know. I'm kind of a hard person to trade with. I
already have most of what i want. But i'm sure we can work SOMETHING out. :)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 12:49:55 +0800 (WST)
From: Emmy Bones <fmjwjj@echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au>
Subject: A Neat Little Intro...
Hi! Thanks for having me! My name is Emma and I've just hooked up to the
mailing list - nice to meet you all.
I have a complete adorance of BFF...it all started way back when
Underground was released (96?) - completely feel in love with the band
and the rest, as they say, is history!
Other music I'm into includes Jeff Buckley, Cake, Faith No More, Mr
Bungle, and heaps and heaps of others - thank christ for music is all I'm
gonna say!
Like many others (I assume) on the list, I come from the lovely mass of
brown stuff people like to call Australia - yay! I also witnessed the BFF
footage on the infamous Midday Show - Ben Folds kicks ass!!
Well thanks for not deleting this (if you stayed on this far!) Hope to
'see' you all real soon!
Love to you all
Emma
xoxoxo
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 21:00:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul McNew <paulm15@yahoo.com>
Subject: Idiots
I notice a lot of people lately who feel its necessary to gripe to the
whole armchair digest about "Brickheads." Hey, everyone, who cares if
someone likes Ben Folds Five just because of Brick? Are you really
going to lose sleep over it? Just because they didn't get turned on to
Ben Folds Five in the late 16th century like you all claim to have,
you have to make fun of them or gripe in the armchair. Im amazed that
people care. Oh well. If you hate me and wish to yell at me, e-mail me.
_________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 00:09:58 -0500
From: Rebecca.Cole@mail.trincoll.edu (Rebecca Cole)
Subject: rob & darren laughing
>And I didn't see any point where the band was
>laughing at the audience.. when did this happen?
I think I noticed it during "Boxing" when Ben was playing alone. I saw
Darren and Robert smirking at each other, and I somehow picked up on the
fact that they were laughing at the crowd. Maybe I was just projecting the
fact that I was laughing at the crowd onto them, but my friend said the
same thing. I felt like they were laughing at the absurdity of playing for
5000 14-year-olds who weren't moving at all, nor, at that point, paying
attention. But we'll never know. They could have been laughing at Ben
because he had food in his teeth or something.
Anyone else pick up on this?
- -Rebecca, who wants to be a disco diva
***
rcole@mail.trincoll.edu
"I can't rock on no broke-ass microphone!!!"
-Ben Folds
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 00:21:16 -0500 (EST)
From: connolly <mconnoll@emerald.tufts.edu>
Subject: 120 minutes?
so i'm sitting here watching mtv at midnight, vcr all set, and some run
dmc crap comes on? i dunno about this...
i noticed someone else posted about hearing brick in a grocery store...i
was i a supermarket yesterday, and i heard it. that was frightening
enough. but seeing 40 year old women lip synching along made it that much
more disturbing...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
mike connolly mconnoll@tufts.edu |connolly@eecs.tufts.edu
sometimes i lie awake at night, and i ask, "where have i gone wrong?"
then a voice says to me, "this is going to take more than one night."
-- charlie brown
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 00:20:46 -0500
From: Nhu_Nguyen@post.wesleyan-college.edu (Nhu Nguyen)
Subject: roxy show in atlanta
hi...i was at the atlanta show at the roxy last october and i was wondering who
the girl was who got on stage and sang with bf5...not crucile but i'd like to
know...thanks
- --debbie
"plastic hair and plastic eyes
oh how they always look surprise..."
--nnqn
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 21:39:34 PST
From: "Anti Gavin" <benfolds311@hotmail.com>
Subject: hey
I'm so crappy, my computer is dumb!!! Some idiot stuffed around with it,
anyway, yeah, i feel the need to whinge.
Don't forget Jay Leno soon, and for you aussies I can get extras!!!!!!!
______________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 21:46:09 -0700
From: "Will Canzoneri" <canzo@eudoramail.com>
Subject: hats off to tour manager Doug
With all the talk of tour manager Doug lately, I thought I'd pay my respect to the
greatest tour manger that ever lived. When I saw em Oct. 25 in Birmingham, while
waiting in line for their autographs, good 'ol Doug was pacing up and down the line
selling the "kiss my ass" t-shirts for a cheap $10 illegally (which I bought), since
the venue demanded a high percentage of the profits, therefore pricing them around
$20 or $25. Thank God he was doing that. But here's where it gets interesting.
Eventually, the ampitheatre employees came out and made him stop, escorting him backstage.
About 10 or 15 minutes later, he came back out, wearing the t-shirt, which he was
wearing earlier. But this time, he told us, he had on about 10 of them, but they
didn't know it... And I would assume he's the one that either lets or makes the boys
go out and chill with the fans after the show. If it weren't for Doug, I think the
greatest night of my life would only be about half as great. You're doing a great
job. Keep it up- you don't know how much you're appreciated.
- ---
Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 22:41:04 -0600
From: Kimberly Southern <ks0013@drake.edu>
Subject: greg kinnear
my story: I'm a lurker, I've posted a couple times. I'm in Iowa at Drake
University, no where close to a concert...it really sucks.
I think that the observation that Darren looks like Greg Kinnear is a good
match up. Maybe Greg could do some stand up and Darren could play the
cymbal/drumset for all the punchlines! Oh yeah, and Ben could play the background mood
music, while Robert could get a funky bass line going...
I can see it now.
And, I am happy for all of y'all who've gone to see the boys in concert, but I
am just sulking in self-pity for not being close to a concert, not getting
Chicago tickets in time (or being able to make the 5 hour drive), and for only being
able to see them via cybercast. (round the whole wide fucking world...it still
kicked ass)
But, I was pretty damn close to them at HORDE this summer, so my memories
console me in my time of need.
Kim
------------------------------
End of Magical Armchair Digest V1 #841
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