“The Warlocks”
10-09-89 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA…………………… (MON)
Set One: Feel Like a Stranger, Built to Last, Red Rooster, Ramble on Rose, We Can Run, Jack-A-Roe, Memphis Blues, Row Jimmy, Music Never Stopped.
Set Two: Playin’ in the Band> Uncle John’s Band> Playin’ Reprise> Dark Star> Drums> Space> Death Don’t Have No Mercy> Dear Mr. Fantasy> Hey Jude Reprise> Throwing Stones> Good Lovin’
E: Attics of My Life
last “Dark Star”: 7-13-84 [359] last “Attics”: 10-28-72 [1082]
October 9th is John Lennon’s birthday. “Gee, maybe they’ll play “Revolution” tonight?” Predictions are rampant, and the payphones in the lobby of our Holiday Inn are jam-packed with
people calling friends to come down because it’s really happening. It’s no longer a rumor, and tonight’s show is now the hottest ticket on the planet. I have one, which means I get to relax and do the show right from the start this time.
It’s hard to believe I’m the only one here out of all of my friends, but that’s the reality. The weather is cloudy, and it’s in the 60s, just like yesterday. I’m down to seven dollars, so I head over to McDonald’s for a meal. Then, I might as well do a dose and go in to save a spot on the rail in the Phil Zone.
I get to the doors as they are about to open, and wouldn’t you know it, Ron, Mel, and Josh are the very first fans to go inside. At least I’ll be getting the tapes for these shows quickly. Now inside, I aim right for Phil’s mic, where I hold my spot for ninety minutes before the crowd swells. I see Dave Hickey walking by, so I ask him to keep my place while I go to the bathroom, which he does. On my way back, I catch the eye of a brown-haired beauty named Claire, who says, I think I know you from somewhere. Then she says, do you know the Lost Boys? I gave her a quick yes, and we talked until I got her phone number. Then I’m back in my spot for the “Stranger” opener. “Built to Last” is next, then we have “Little Red Rooster,” “Ramble on Rose,” and “We Can Run,” which features fantastic harmonies from the front four. Then “Jack-A- Roe,” “Memphis Blues,” “Row Jimmy,” and “The Music Never Stopped” end the nine-song set. It’s nothing to write home about, but like most songs from ’89, they were strong.
During the intermission, I strike up a conversation with a local couple who’s standing behind me. The man asked me about a dose, which I never wanted to sell, so I gave him two, and later he handed me a twenty-dollar bill. Ten minutes later, his wife goes to me. It looks like you’re literally about to take off, and she’s right. I’m soaring already, and the set hasn’t even begun.
The Boys finally hit the stage one by one, with Jerry wearing his old Wolf guitar with some extra do-dads where the volume controls are. I have a feeling we’re in for an entertaining second set. The set starts on a bland note with your average every day “Playin’ in the Band” into “Uncle John’s Band,” then back into the “Playin’ Reprise,” which cools my jets, but I have not lost hope.
Then it happens, from out of nowhere comes the Ba-na-na-na, Ba- na-na-na, Ba-na-na-na-na-na-na-na…It’s freaking “Dark Star”. And the place goes wild! It sounds so good. I was never a massive fan of the lost tune, but it’s rocking my soul right now like I never thought it could. Where can they go from here?
In this case, it’s Drums>Space into “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” another first for me. It’s eerie, too, with a lot of Brent sounds in there. Lovin’ it! Death Don’t is followed up by an amazing version of “Dear Mr. Fantasy/Hey Jude.” I’m dancing myself silly when they launch into “Throwing Stones,” and I’m out of breath and wondering if I can keep it up as they go into “Good Lovin’.”
When the set ends, I feel like I’ve run a marathon. I need a mellow one like “Brokedown Palace” to end this, which would have made for one solid show. Instead, they come out and play “Attics of My Life,” a forgotten song off American Beauty. It’s slow, alright, but this one is super special. I don’t even know when they played it last or if they’ve even played it at all. Maybe a few times when the album first came out. This one went over BIG. And when it was all over, folks, including myself, were weeping with tears of joy. Chills up your spine have nothing on this. The feeling I got from that song is like no other. Was it all a dream? Maybe I did go off the road with Josh, and I’m in heaven now. I don’t know for sure. Everything seems possible, but nothing seems real. I guess that square is still working on me.
I’m in no rush to get back to the car, but I’d better do so. When I arrive, Josh is gone already, so I have to go with Roy & Mel for the overnight drive back to Jersey, which is fine with me. (Decades later, Hester would tell me they were about to leave when I showed up). On the way home, before listening to the show again, we’re tuned into an AM news station that has breaking news… GIANT ALIENS HAVE LANDED IN THE USSR!
MOSCOW, OCT. 9 — The Soviet news agency Tass announced today that “humanlike” giants and a midget robot landed in the Russian city of Voronezh, took a walk, and left again for space in a “banana-shaped object.” The official wire service of the Soviet government said that scientists “confirmed” residents’ reports of the recent landing of the unidentified flying fruit near Voronezh. Others said the craft looked more like a “large shining ball” than a banana. The scientists “have also identified the landing site and found traces of aliens who made a short promenade around the park,” Tass said, adding that the aliens “visited” the park at least three times at night. Witnesses said they saw “one, two or three” humanlike “creatures” — “they were three or four meters high but had very small heads” — come out of the UFO, followed by a short robot. “
Source: The Washington Post 10-09-89
Needless to say, this was jaw-dropping news that completely freaked us out, and we’re not so sure what we’re coming home to now that 13-foot-tall aliens exist. It’s undoubtedly a War of the Worlds moment. After a while, with no other follow-ups on the story, we crank up the show tapes to review the mind-blowing shows. The ride goes fast from there, and the next thing I know, I’m on my bed in Jersey, unable to sleep. So, with this built-up energy, I take an early morning walk down to McDonalds for an Egg-McMuffin and hash browns. On the way, I cut through the DeWint House’s lawn, which was the temporary headquarters of George Washington while he was Commander-in-Chief during the American Revolution. With the sun shining well, I come up on a head status of George and stare at it for a solid minute to see if I can cull anything from it. What, I have no idea. I still have some hallucinations happening, but it’s not going to bring George back to life.
The story ends later that evening when I drive over to Cunningham’s in Paramus to hand over the show tapes. He was very grateful, but poor Kevin said he got physically ill when he heard last night’s setlist…
In the book of love’s own dream
Where all the print is blood
Where all the pages are my days
And all my lights grow old
When I had no wings to fly
You flew to me
You flew to me – to me
“Attics of My Life”
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