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| Date : |
21
April 1999
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| Country : |
US,
Phoenix, AZ
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| Venue : |
Celebrity
Theatre
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| Reviewed by : |
J.P.
Mealey jmealey@home.com
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Hello. Last night I saw the best concert I ever will at the celebrity theatre in Phoenix. I got to the venue at 1:00pm and there were only about 25-30 in line. Some, I heard, had been there since 9:00am! We saw a tour bus behind the building so we went to check it out. It wasn't the Pumpkins so we started talking with the security guard. She said they were due to arrive at around 5:00. So at 4:30 we went and stood by the caution tape and waited. The walkway into the venue was blocked off on two sides. Our side was about 20 yards from the walkway and the other side was only about 5 yards away. So most people went around to the other side. The bus arrived at around 5:00 and everyone went nuts. Billy got out and walked to the crowd on the other side and started shaking hands. We were pissed at ourselves for not going to the other side. But we kept cheering and he came over to us. I got tons of pics of him and one of me shaking his hand. He didn't say much at all. We heard that the line was condensing and we would have to go get back in our spot if we wanted to keep it. So we couldn't wait to see D'arcy and James get out. The doors opened at 7:00. Everyone must have thought that since it was a theater with seats, you have to sit. But I had called a week ago and found out that you could stand up front. So I went and got the best spot right on the rail. It was right between Bill and D'arcy. The stage was only 5 feet away. The Queens came on at about 5min. before 8:00. I don't think the past reviews have given them enough credit. I personally dug their sound for the first couple of songs but after about three, I was kind of tired of them. They played until 8:30. The crew cleared their stuff and started setting up for the Pumpkins. It was cool to see them set up the many petals that they use. The Pumpkins came on at 9:00. Billy introduced their new drummer as James then said just kidding, its Jimmy. The crowd went nuts. They started with the usual (I am one, zero, pug, la dolly vita) and then went into their new songs. At one point, James commented that he felt like a fish in a fish bowl, "swimming and rocking, swimming and rocking". It was because the crowd wrapped aroung a circular stage. I can tell that their next album is going to ROCK!!! I loved all of the new songs. I cant remember much of the lyrics but at the time I knew they kicked ass. They did the same 3 encores they have at every other show but we got 3 treats! First, Billy and James were screwing around and played a little bit from "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Jeremy", and "Celebrity Skin". That was awesome. They also pointed out Yelena and informed everyone that it was going to be her birthday in an hour (April 22). A kid in the audience said it was his birthday too and Billy told him to come up on stage and they proceeded to sing him and Yelena "Happy Birthday". There was a man with a nice camera from the crew and someone said he was filming Vieuphoria 2 ??? If he was, I probably going to be in it because he filmed the crowd many times. Yelena was taking still pictures with a nice digital camera. Oh yeah, for the third treat. They played Geek U.S.A. and everyone thought that was it but they stayed and closed the show with 1979!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. Billy threw his pic and I got it. D'arcy personally tossed her pic to my best friend standing next to me and he caught it and she got this impressed look on her face. The shirts are white and black baseball tops with the poster art on them. They were also selling adore shirts and posters. That was the best show I have or will ever go to (unless the Pumpkins do this club thing again). And Billy, D'arcy, James and Jimmy, if you read this you guys rock and you made my life with this awesome show. Thank You jmealey@home.com |
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