NOTES:
--robyn was in *spectacular* spirits. just witness the number of songs played, for chrissakes!
--it's funny, though. he doesn't really gab that much when he's in seattle. he just plays his fucking ass off.
--don't know what that song after Raining Twilight was (in soundcheck), and neither did any of the fegs. coulda been a dylan song or something. who can say?
--so robyn had just finished up his acoustical soundcheck, when in walked peter buck, making a beeline for the curtain behind which was practising the great and powerful oz, etc. etc.. security never even tried to stop him. through the curtain, we could see robyn hailing peter, then embracing with him, then emerging with him and exiting into the rain to (presumably) go for dinner. (and during the set, robyn dedicated practically every other song to him, it seemed; as well as using his (pete's) guitar, 'cause his (robyn's) had been busted in transit from denver.) after robyn and pete had gone, the band took the stage and ripped into America and Oceanside, with tim taking lead vocal!!! he didn't even know more than about a quarter of the words, so he just fucking made shit up. it was uproariously funny, i tell you!
--kimberley was reading chekhov. right during the gig, too!
--the crowd was quite into it (though not as into it, i'll wager, as will be the portland crowd tomorrow; which i'm guessing'll be just on the cusp of beatlemaniaesque.) some chick that was dancing *very* intensely (by which i mean, she had the most *serious* look on her face of anybody i've ever seen dancing at any gig, ever) yelled out between songs something to the effect of: "it's fucking *tuesday*! jeez!" i think what she was getting at was that no band (in her opinion) has a right to play such a bitchin' gig on any night that is not friday or saturday. i think.
--vince and debora finally came out of hiding. yay! and the feggery was otherwise smashing as usual.

KEN "Somebody get me a cheeseburger" THE KENSTER

Eddie's recent callback to the above review -
When the Rock Armada rolled into Seattle and the old Crocodile in November '99, Pete Buck showed up in the middle of soundcheck, and Robyn ran off with him to get dinner or something. The band (including Kim, if memory serves) kept playing, with Tim taking the vox on "America" -- except he didn't know all the words, and was just making them up in some places. I did capture it on tape, and if anybody is interested to hear it, you might put in a request to Scott at Just Add Cones.

-----
Thoughts on last night's gig: fantastic!

*Other Fegs in attendance: Cynthia, the Deboras, Simone, and some other guy who Eddie and Tom knew. He seemed awfully nice.

*Kimberley Rew is hilarious to watch, wonderful to hear. Does Eddie Van Halen make similar facial contortions, or was that just me?

*Tom Clark--it was great sharing the backseat of the minivan with you! ;)

* The Departure Lounge were great by themselves and accompanying Robyn and Kim. But Tim's hatchet job haircut makes him look like a deadringer for "Billy Bibbit" from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Tim's hair is flatter, but the resemblance is uncanny. Yes, I know writing this effectively kills any chance of having a date with the man. ;) Still, seeing Tim play with his band for the first time was lovely.

*Robynwatch: Robyn came onstage wearing a short sleeved blue t-shirt with a black vest, those flowered pants, and black boots. After the encore, Robyn changed into his white long sleeved shirt (I call his "Sommersby" shirt).

*At the intro of "Queen Elvis," I think Robyn burped slightly into the microphone by mistake. "Oh my," he said. Tim snickered and tried not to laugh.

*Tim shook a plastic banana and mango for this gig.

*When Robyn, Tim, Kim and the Departure Lounge broke into "America," I hopped up and down with sheer joy. I don't think I've ever heard him do this with the Egyptians before..at least I don't think he's played it in Portland. Fegs, correct me if I'm wrong. Robyn dropped down his vocals for this one to a bass pitch. I kind of missed the high pitched glory of this song, but his low pitch, combined with Tim's higher one, detracted not one iota of brillance from this song. I nearly swooned.

*Celebrity sightings: the ever-present Scott McCaughey (who looks just like "Animal" from the Muppet Show) and Peter Buck, who is quite handsome these days. I wish I'd had a tin-foil thoth. Again, I nearly swooned.

*Oh, Natalie, your tin-foil creature was on the stand next to Robyn, sitting by cups of coffee, water, and Robyn's harmonica holder. Thought you'd like to know.

*Jeme, I am forever indebted to you for driving both ways. While I conked out in the back, Jeme and Viv tried to see if I was *really* asleep by saying, "Is Carole really asleep? Let's pull over and make out and see if she notices!" If they did, I certainly didn't notice.

Carole