The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
August 20, 2004
Twelve years ago:
Time flies when you're growing up.. This was the first time since 1992 that PJ has done a club tour in these parts. Pretty amazing to this music geek. Kurt and Courtney were at that Slim's show... No Grunge stars were in the house at The Catalyst..At least none that I saw... Although one or two homeless guys out on Pacific Ave. could have been Tad.
I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Can we stop the tape? Thanks.... Now, this is strictly off the record.. To be honest, I can't write a smart ass Umlautian PJ review. Twelve years of borderline obsessive fandom has left me with no perspective to crack wise about her. However, I do adore how she plays guitars that appear to be the same size as her (Gretsch, Gibson Firebird, etc).
Twelve years ago I was almost exclusively a Red Hook drinker. Recently I've been getting PBR at shows. Twelve years ago I drove a Ford. Now I drive a Volkswagen. Have I sold out?
Beer count = 2. Folks were paying up to $120 each on Ebay for tickets to these club gigs. On the way back to the car some pimply faced teenagers called us fags.... and once back at the car there was a $20 parking ticket on the windshield. The Man Sucks.. especially when he's wearing patchouli. Valley go home? Gladly, dude.
"Put money in your idle hole..."
PJ Harvey
The Warfield, San Francisco
Oct. 21 & 22, 2004
"Talking about time travel, and the meaning of just what it was worth..."
The borderline obsession continues... A trinity of PJH in one year is manna to this geek. And two shows during the week of my birthday were better than the Batman toys I got when I turned 5. Night #1: In between bands I watched 2 nerdy guys down on the floor dance, bop, and air guitar along to The Police songs playing over the PA. They were only missing leg warmers and Rubik's Cubes to make their time warp complete. This is how big of a geek I am: Exiting The Warfield I recognized the smell of the paper / ink of the BGP souvenir posters being given out before I even saw them. Who are you calling a loser?! Me?? We'll fuck you! On the way back to the car some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Night #1: Jetta out on the streets of S.F. by 11:17pm... In the door by 11:39pm.
Night #2 was epic... Really. Goddam. The type of set that reminded me why I got into this business in the first place. This is how big of a geek I am: Night #2 during 'Evol' I thought to myself 'Victory' would sound really great following this song... Then PJ and band, as if we're, like, connected or something with each others' minds, man.. like, we're like, ONE or something, do exactly that. "Come on boys let's push it hard..." Who are you calling a loser?! Me?? We'll fuck you! I'm sure the off the shoulder hot pink "San Francisco" shirt that PJ wore gave the S.F. Visitors Bureau wood. On the way back to the car some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. Night #2: Jetta on the streets of S.F. by 11:10pm... In the door by 11:22pm. No shit.
You gotta appreciate PJH's own music geekdom, since both shows were opened by former members of her all-time favorite band Captain Beefheart. The Geeks shall inherit the Earth.
"I've lain with The Devil, cursed God above, forsaken Heaven, to bring you my love..."
Thanks to The Sheriff for The Good Fortune.
P.S. In case you don't know, PJH can also be found on this recent Umlaut favorite:
Mark Lanegan Band - Bubblegum
