Nothing makes you feel like you're getting old more than being asked to DJ a YM/YW dance and then having to be the censor when the kids request something. I actually had to look up popular music from the last 2 years. I kept saying things like "I have no idea what the kids listen to these days." The YM/YW were supposed to submit their playlists to the Bishop for approval. Neither group was able to complete this task in a timely manner and so I was recommended by Hannah to her mother the YW president as someone who has a lot of music. Hannah then asked me if my computer could be made available to host all of the music. I of course obliged and offered to put together a playlist myself. But then I realized that I'm out of the loop as far as top 40's are concerned, I don't know what is considered appropriate. Since foul language is defined by the culture, I didn't know which culture was defining the foul language. So I got together with Hannah a couple of nights before the dance (I torrented the Billboard top 100 from 2010 and 2009 and listened/read through each song. More than half of it was either deemed inappropriate by my somewhat low standards of propriety or it was just garbage that I refused to promote) and weeded out another 10%. I filled out the time with some of my favorite anthems.
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| Hannah and me spinnin some sweet mixes... |
I felt pretty confident in my music selection being appropriate and hip to the groove of today's youth. At the dance I had the assistance of Benjamin, one of the young men in the ward. He had his computer and after reading a few more lyric sheets I approved a few of his tunes. He has a pretty good taste in American music for an Austrian kid. It took some reassurance to the kiddies that I'm really not too much older than they are and I have impeccable taste in music, popular and otherwise. At one point the bishop asked me if I could play something a little more danceable... he also checked on my list and me at the beginning of the dance. The whole time I was a little paranoid that something on my list would not be exactly church appropriate, despite my meticulous and painful check and double checks. Things there wrapped up pretty nicely. I had a set play list but adjusted it according to request and crowd reaction to any given song. I actually ended up having quite a lot of fun. Not that I really care if the kids think I'm cool, but it sure would help me feel a bit more my age. I remember being their age and thinking the YSA were the coolest ever. Well I'm a YSA and an auslanderin (foreigner), I should be a dead ringer. Sister Fuchs took me home so that I could get a good night sleep before my pending adventure.
Saturday morning I woke up and printed my maps and called a couple of hostels to check on availability. I packed my bag and prettied myself and set out for the train station. I made it in plenty of time on a beautiful, sunshiny albeit windy morning. My train was a little late and so I had to hurry to my connection. When the RailJet arrived it was already packed! And there were a ton of people waiting on the platform. This was my first experience with the fact that buying a ticket does not guarantee you a seat on a train. You don’t have a reserved place, or even a reserved train, when you purchase a ticket, you are purchasing the service of being transported from one place to another. A faster train doesn’t cost more. A shorter route doesn’t cost less.
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| You win some, you lose some. Unpleasant life experience? Check. |
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| Bergtheater |
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| Rathaus |
The Cafe is almost 140 years old and was a favorite haunt of Sigmund Freud's and of Gustav Mahler's. And the torte was amazing of course I forget what it was called but it was something like Wienerkirsch Torte or Mozart Kirsche Torte at any rate it had cherries (Kirschen) and was delicious. The the hot chocolate is served with a glass of water on the side because it is so rich and you'd never be able to finish it without water. I continued my journey by wandering through the museum district and the Volksgarten and out away from the touristy Dr. Karl-Renner Ring. As I was walking through the Museumsquartier on an upper walkway I looked down into one of the loading areas and lo and behold
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A TOUR BUS! BEN'S TOUR BUS! At least at that point I only thought it was (it turned out I was correct) and I made a mental note to return later that evening. I went in search of batteries, I couldn't find a drug store and I wasn't willing to pay what they'd be asking at a souvenir shop so I got back on the subway went back to Gumpfendorfer Straße where I could find a drug store only to find what I had forgotten, that drug stores and grocery stores and many and most other stores close at 6 pm. The only things that are open are restaurants, cafes and tobacco shops. So I got my batteries at a tobacco shop in the subway station and high tailed it back to the MQ. As much as I enjoy going to concerts at bars and clubs it really is nice to attend at a venue that has a coat check and restrooms that you're not weary to enter. I was about the 3rd person into the venue shortly afterward I heard a couple of girls speaking english, and not the way Austrians speak english but the way the English speak english. Alice and Lizzy are from London and Bristol respectively but are currently studying at the British School in Rome. Ben wasn't playing any shows in Italy and so they made the trip up to Vienna. They're super cool girls. For some reason they didn't have a camera with them, I don't remember what the reason was but I offered to e-mail them my pictures and thus a fast friendship was born. Concerts are always more fun when you're with someone that is equally excited about the show. The opening act was a Australian chick named Kate Miller-Heidke. And to put it briefly, she's brilliant. She's like a mix of Regina Spektor, Lily Allen and Kristin Chenoweth (specifically "The Girl in 14G") she was accompanied by her husband/guitarist. She's a little folk, a little pop and a little opera. Her studio recordings are more similar to Lily Allen as far as instrumentation is concerned. But seriously, look her up because she rocks.  Me Alice and Lizzy in between sets, that's Ben's piano behind us From the moment Ben came on the stage I knew it was going to be an extraordinary evening. Standing on the front row, dead in the middle of the stage I could see his face (as he plays standing most of the time) When I saw him the first and second times I was quite far back, at House Of Blues I was stage right so I could see his hands, with the Utah Symphony I was seated and so this was really my first time from this vantage point. Best place in the house as far as the whole concert experience is concerned. They opened with Levi Johnston's Blues which got every one in a sing along mood. Ben isn't much for talking on stage but when he talked about writing "Lonely Avenue" with Nick Hornby his face lit up like he was talking about meeting one of his favorite celebrities.  It's kind of traditional for Ben Folds to play a cover song on each tour. Ben talked about how the way this cover song was chosen was something of a crap shoot. The guys got on iTunes, and picked the single that was #1 at that very point in time. I groaned. I don't exactly have the greatest faith in the American music consumer. Next he mentioned that is was a Ke$ha cover I groaned an audible expletive. Ben pointed at me and said "she's my friend" and told us that the #1 song of that moment was "Sleazy" and it was replaced as #1 17 minutes later by another Ke$ha song. Ben went on to ask who of us are students of music. A good number of people raised their hands. Ben explained that he had reharmonized and remelodized "Sleazy" but because the lyrics are classic he left them alone. Then it started. And Ben began to dance as only a middle aged, white boy from North Carolina can. That performance is a testament to his brilliance as a musician and entertainer.  This was Ben's first performance ever in Austria. As such, many of the fans didn't know the little audience participation bits and so I was the pinch hitter. When Ben was doing his solo stuff it was me that called for his classic improv number (he doesn't always play it when it's requested, but when he does it's in a new style, with new lyrics and new chords. Only one line of lyrics is maintained) This time, he started singing about the time he spent as a foreign exchange student in Vienna and then started using German words that he remembered. He finished it off with a story about riding the U4 (subway line 4) and a little old lady on the platform with a very powerful dog with a muzzle on. The dog got loose, jumped in to the pit and "the American and that's me (Ben) decided to be Superman" he jumped into the pit chased the dog and heard the little old lady, who had up to this point said nothing, yell ER KOMMT! (It's coming!) he heard the whistle, no one tried to help him with the dog or to get out of the pit. But as it turns out they were both fine and Ben saved the day. But he "got dirt on [his] shirt that [he] had to wear all day". It was a great tune, my favorite version that I've heard to date. When the band joined Ben back on stage they continued to rock the house and the Suburbs.   Ben Rockin the Suburbs. He left his keytar at home I guess, so he improvised. Ben has a new bass player these days (since about October I think he said) his name is Ryan. And he totally killed the bass solo at the end of Rockin' the Suburbs ("killed" in the rock and roll sense of the word)  He's an incredibly talented youngish man even if his stage presence left something to be desired. But then I guess that's pretty normal for a bass player. Oh also he's very attractive. They ended the set with Not The Same, the song about the guy that climbed up a tree on acid at a party and the next morning came down a born again Christian. After a quick harmony lesson we were off. As the band took their leave, Ben came along the front of the stage (don't worry he didn't fall off) and shook our hands and not the way you shake hands at the end of your soccer games when you're 8 years old, but real true two handed shakes. After about one beer's time of the crowd calling for an encore, they came back on stage; but instead of crossing the front of the stage to the piano, Ben crossed to the auxiliary percussion area. Aux. perc. guy (Tambourine Man) sat down at the kit. Ryan strapped into his bass and Sam stood at the keyboards. And a jam session commenced.  Ben was a percussion performance major at the University of Miami They then kicked off "Philosophy" which was the first Ben Folds Five song I ever heard way back in 1998. It is still one of my favorite songs. Especially the part where the background vocals say "My Phil" and Ben sings "keeps me walkin' when I'm fallin' down" and the band sings "aaaaaah-sooooooh-pheeeee". I get a kick out of it every time. It's very clever. The harmonies are super tight and the piano intro is delightful, and there's nothing quite like a well placed (well tuned) falsetto, of which Ben is the Master. The finished the night officially with "Underground" another personal favorite (but let's be completely honest, there aren't many songs [ok any songs] by Ben that I skip on the ole iPod) but this song is one from my early days of fandom. It's an anthem of sorts. For those of you familiar with the live NBP recording of this song, I managed that bit of audience participation as well. This song reminds me of Crazy Uncle Joe. This song and "Closing Time" by Semisonic, get us to halt a conversation, crank the volume and sing along as loud as we can, and then pick up the conversation where we left off. When the guys left the stage for real, the roadie came out and started cleaning up. Part of this process includes removing set lists from the different areas of the stage, five in total. Well I just happened to get one. A random 40something Austrian guy came and asked if he could take a picture of it. He told me that I was the most deserving of it and that I knew when to do everything. He basically said that I was the best fan, which isn't entirely untrue. I took his picture holding the list. Then he asked if he could take a picture of the Best Fan (me) holding the list.  Alice, Lizzy and I continued out to get our coats and to hit the merch table. I bought a tour poster, it's pretty sweet lookin'. We walked outside with the specific intent of loitering around the tour bus until Ben came out. On our way we ran into Ryan. We got to chatting a bit. I found out he's from Cali and he's been bassing for Ben for about 5 months. He found out that I'm from Utah, a musician and an Au Pair. He asked me if I was Mormon, I said I was, somewhat sheepishly. He high fived me and said it was nothing to be ashamed of. I told him that I'm not the typical Utah Mormon, I curse occasionally, I watch whatever movies I want to, I have gay friends. He added "and you probably drink Dr. Pepper too" with mock disappointment in his voice. I nodded. Lizzy asked him if Ben was still around, he said he didn't think so and that Ben usually went straight to the hotel. We thanked him, he signed my set list, I took a picture and he took his leave.  Me and Ryan outside of Museumsquartier in Vienna Well we weren't going to take his word for it. And so we walked back into the the loading area where we found the tour bus. And the loitering began. A couple of other Americans joined the loitery. Eric and Jessica are living in Vienna studying. Their Masters degree is some sort of cultural/social type. I don't remember exactly what it was called but they spend 6 months in each of four different cities/countries, which seems like a pretty great way to spend two years.  me, the set list, the tour bus Then we saw some stirring near the loading dock, the roadies came out and started loading up the truck. Sam (the drummer) came out and the 5 of us went to talk to him. Erica asked him if Ben was still inside. Same said he thought he probably was. With our hopes lifted a little, we continued to talk to Sam trying not to show our anxiety building at the prospect of meeting Mr. Folds. He allowed me a picture and signed my set list. He's very goofy. Perfect for a drummer.  Me and Sam by the tour bus. And then, the moment I'd been waiting for from the time I was eleven years old. Ladies and Gentlemen... MISTER ----- BEN ----- FOLDS!  [insert 1000 words here] He came out, walked past us with a back pack on, climbed into the tour bus and.... came back out, walking directly toward us. My heart jumped up into my throat. I suddenly realized that I hadn't thought through any conversation points. I panicked. I want to be witty and memorable, but intelligent and grown up (yes I realize that anyone who calls them self a grown up is probably not a grown up). Well we all kind of introduced ourselves. Traded a few anecdotes. Ben did an impression of Neil Young. I told him about the American Table Dance Bar in Marchtrenk. He laughed. Well chuckled really. Ben Folds chuckled at something I said He chuckled then muttered bemusedly back to himself "American Table Dance Bar" in his very subtle southern accent. He told us more stories about studying in Vienna and how great it was to be back. I got my picture, and his autograph. All the while squealing like a 13 year old girl at a Backstreet Boys concert, on the inside of course. Outwardly I was pretty selfless, cold and composed. I wasn't over anxious, I didn't try to monopolize the conversation. I was just another member of his typically intellectual fan base. After about 20 minutes he got on the bus and Lizzy, Alice and I headed for the UBahn station we rode the U2 from MQ to Volkstheater, where we transferred to the U3. On the platform I saw a familiar face. It was Dagobert. I unmistakably recognized him. I was not sure that he'd seen me or, if he had, if he would recognize me. After a couple of double takes each, I started with "heeeey" and he said "I know you..." and I said "Yeah, from the Linz Tanzabend. You taught me to discofox, I was terrible." And he said "Yes! Betty right?" He was one of the first people I'd used the new nick name with as an introduction. I said "yeah, sorry again about my dancing" to which he replied "well, we'll just have to practice again sometime." He asked me where I was staying, I assured him it wasn't someplace dodgy and we parted ways. Now Vienna's a pretty big city, and it was 1:30 in the morning, there are six subway lines and dozens of stations with at least two platforms each. I was certainly not expecting to run into someone that I knew. But I'm not complaining. He's a pretty cool guy and I got to explain to Alice and Lizzy how I knew him. Lizzy and Alice got off the train one stop before me, I walked back to my hostel, set my alarm and tried to sleep. But there was too much in my head. I had met a childhood hero. I met the one celebrity (I use the term loosely) that I would have chosen to meet out of all of the celebrities in the world. It took a couple of hours before I finally drifted off into a peaceful, contented sleep. |
