2000-08-03 - 23:55

Big Apple dreamin'

Okay, here is my first stab at a post-Neubauten write-up. I think that I'll save my concert review until tomorrow; but I'll fill in some other details here.

First of all, I have to say that one of the customs guys was particularly surly. However, I made it through and all was well . . . until my 1:45 flight was cancelled due to bad weather. "If anyone wants to try the openings that we have on the 5:05 flight, they can; but it's unlikely that it will fly either."

It would be an exaggeration to say that I wanted to join in with the little girl who, upon realizing that she was stuck in Ottawa, started crying intensely. But I understood.

Actually, I had high hopes that three hours would be enough to clear away any thunderstorms. As I told a fellow stranded traveller, "If I do catch the next flight, the delay will only add to the story." (That idea mirrors my reaction to the Up In Smoke missing car debacle. Hmm . . . I need to start having these events run smoothly.)

Add three hours of sitting around the Ottawa terminal and, sure enough, the next flight was a go and I was off. In the meantime, I had told the aforementioned passenger about the concert that I was going to see. On the plane, he asked me to write down the band name so that he could check them out. (Describing Einst�rzende Neubauten is a challenge.) I found that kind of funny.

After a one hour flight (it took longer for me to bus from my house to the airport) I was in New York. That was wild. When I thought about it, I was still surprised that I pulled the trip together on one day's notice.

A quick study of the public transportation map, one question at the information desk, and I was on my way. One bus ride and one subway ride got me within four blocks of the club. I felt a little overwhelmed at first by the scale of the city; but I managed to find my way, with only a few missteps.

If I had caught my planned flight, I would've had time to relax. As it was, though, I got out of the subway at 8:05 and the club doors opened at 8:00. I hustled my way to the Irving Plaza. Once I set foot inside, I was finally able to relax and get ready for the concert.

To describe this concert as it deserves to be explained would take more ability than I have right now. The short version is that it was an amazing two-and-a-half hour set unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was well worth the trouble; and I'm tremendously glad that I went. For those who want to read a full depiction, one will be forthcoming soon.

After the performance, I felt one of the hardest post-concert let-downs ever. Walking out of a great concert always involves coming down off a high. Usually, though, I predominantly feel satisfied and content. After this show, I felt very unsettled. Maybe it was a combination of the exhaustion, lack of food, and stress that accompanied the trip; along with the sensation of being alone in New York's stifling heat, waiting silently to take the subway back to where I had come. It is no negative reflection on the concert, which was stellar; but it was a strange feeling.

I worked my way back to the airport, where I spent the rest of the hours until my morning flight. No, I did not get a lot of sleep last night; which is why I feel too tired to write a real concert review. I hit Ottawa again around 10:00, got cleaned up at home, and went to work. Unfortunately, I missed the bus and had to walk; but what the hell.

I spent the walk in listening to some Neubaten on my discman. The songs have a new life now; because hearing them triggers memories of the show. I get the same feeling when I listen to the opening notes of the last Rollins Band CD. Before, I thought it was a solid CD. Now, though, I hear those notes and I vividly recall the sensation of standing in a crowd of bodies that were primed and ready to let loose. It's awesome. That CD has been a much stronger listen for me ever since March; and I expect that the EN discs will be similarly recharged.

Okay, that's my non-review depiction of events. Despite some struggles, I had a tremendous time seeing Einst�rzende Neubauten in New York. I'll remember this concert for a long, long time; and I'm very glad that I decided to make the trip.