JB2 & NYC: Memoirs of a Flag Wookie

[policerule]

[quote="Tamadude"]
I must thank Kel for making the choice to give us the Flag when she did. She didn't have to, she could have waited, given it to Jeff, and had a lot of her stresses lifted. But she didn't. Instead, she just had to be her usual overly unselfish self and go ahead and make my year.

[/quote]



She's good like that


Soooo looking forward to the next installment!

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="DirtyMartini"][quote="Tamadude"]It radiated an aura of energy.[/quote]

Those would be the noxious fumes.

[/quote]

Damn it! You beat me to it!

I like the pic of you getting Dietmar to bend over so you can sign the Flag.

Great story, great story.

[bella]

[quote="TheEqualizer"]I like the pic of you getting Dietmar to bend over so you can sign the Flag. [/quote]

That picture. I just have no words for that picture.

I love the thought of all the surrounding people wondering what all the to-do was about this green flag.

[conroy]

I don't think it can be said enough how much I'm enjoying your re-telling of last week's events, Tamadude. Like so many others we have seen since the final show, your pacing and attention to detail are perfect. I'm so glad that we are getting these snippets to help keep and lengthen the euphoria of all the incredible things that happened last week. and for all the people who couldn't be there with us, I think these wonderful stories are the next best thing!!

[smudge]

[quote="policerule"][quote="Tamadude"]
I must thank Kel for making the choice to give us the Flag when she did. She didn't have to, she could have waited, given it to Jeff, and had a lot of her stresses lifted. But she didn't. Instead, she just had to be her usual overly unselfish self and go ahead and make my year.

[/quote]



She's good like that


Soooo looking forward to the next installment![/quote]

Likewise, on both PR's comments! NB following paragraph one looks off topic - para two makes sense:

I had a really odd bird's eye view of all this going on - anxious flag mistress lurking in the aisle awaiting St. Jeff, the hand off to Dietmar etc. DM had been having a pretty stressful time out on Long Island, from a wish to get things done right at MSG, and also to get things done right at JB2. To outside observers I'm sure this sounds nuts, because in theory this flag thing should be an accessory. But damn it, after so long it had become a physical representation of the fun of this tour, and the respect, and appreciation of the smart, lovely, goofball in charge of hitting shit, felt by the smart, lovely, goofball community that is - erm - here. So once the idea of 'on the gong at MSG' had been floated by the goofball himself, DM was determined to make it happen, and stressed a bit about circumstances screwing with the possibillity.

Mr TamaDude, you're a fine man for being so understanding about her predicament. I know you'd had a great pre-show experience, but it would have been only human to have let potential disappointment show when it looked like the flag might be deserting you in favour of meeting a tailor/carpenter who could fit it to a gong/crucifix. You're a gent. So pleased it worked out for you in the end - particularly since that was the last 'normal' show. I was grinning and a little teary watching you wave that thing from my spot up in the gods.

[Moeskido]

Tamadude, you're making me very wistful about missing a couple of gigs I couldn't possibly have attended anyway. Your thread is a keeper, and your writing is a pleasure to absorb.

Also, I'm highly regretful that I didn't get to exchange any greetings with you of consequence. You sound like someone I'd want to hug.

[Lynne]

And we met but I didn't hug you, or get a hug! An oversight I must correct next time ...

[IndyGirl]

I'm enjoying your story, Tamadude!

[Tamadude]

[quote="Moeskido"]Also, I'm highly regretful that I didn't get to exchange any greetings with you of consequence. You sound like someone I'd want to hug.[/quote]

Ha, Moe.

We had an intense conversation about The Dark Knight at the Tic Toc. Surely we could call that a greeting of consequence, no?

[Maud138]

Hey Wookie, I really really love your story!!
Can you email me your post-address: I wanna sent you a Wookie

[Tamadude]

[quote="Maud138"]Hey Wookie, I really really love your story!!
Can you email me your post-address: I wanna sent you a Wookie [/quote]

You're too sweet, Maud.

You know you can email me anytime....

There's still a few good pics coming.

[Tamadude]

PT.18

Let the Flag bearing begin!

I'm settling into my seat, and so Muse and Dietmar start giving me some pointers for points. They tell me when the optimal times are for Flag hoisting: "Message, he always looks for it during Message, especially at the end. And whenever the lights are on the crowd. And during the pauses in Hole."

We had told STEWART where we would be sitting that night, but weren't sure he'd remember where. Our seats were the last two on waaayy Andy's side, not the greatest, but it was a great venue for sightlines so we ended up doing ok.

There was only a walkway and then water right beside us, so I could have been asshatty and held it up all night if I wanted, and it wouldn't have blocked anyone's views, so that was nice. But that would be too tiring, and I wanted to bop around and enjoy the show, too. Everyone kept telling me to just have fun with it and enjoy the show. I heard how Schmaffy had held it over her head all night...I don't know how she did that. She must be ironwoman or something. But then again, whenever they have those endurance challenges on reality shows, it's the women who always seem to kick the men's asses.

Get up starts, so we get up. Then the gong rings, and it's game on! Message starts and the boys sound awesome. As we neared the end of Message, he still hadn't looked for it. Then my mind started racing thinking about all the Flag nightmares, like no points, Flag damage, confiscation,etc. I've got a legion of nutters counting on me to perform, represent, and protect it properly. And I know that there's lots of keen eyes that will be watching for it closely. I've got to be on my best behavior. The time for tomfoolery and twatwaffling was to be MSG (right, Ska? ), not then. This is too perfect a day to end by screwing up.

TBC.........

[Maud138]

[quote="Tamadude"]Message starts and the boys sound awesome. As we neared the end of Message, he still hadn't looked for it. Then my mind started racing thinking about all the Flag nightmares, like no points, Flag damage, confiscation,etc. I've got a legion of nutters counting on me to perform, represent, and protect it properly. And I know that there's lots of keen eyes that will be watching for it closely. I've got to be on my best behavior. The time for tomfoolery and twatwaffling was to be MSG (right, Ska? ), not then. This is too perfect a day to end by screwing up.

TBC.........[/quote]

Oh yeah I know. The same thing happened in Mannheim when Phaty was holding the flag. Sometimes he seems so concentrated on his playing, you keep thinking: "Man, he has to work so hard, he"ll never have the time to search for the flag." Eventually he does!
Maybe sometimes he has to get "into the show" first

[Madgrad]

[quote="Maud138"] Oh yeah I know. The same thing happened in Mannheim when Phaty was holding the flag. Sometimes he seems so concentrated on his playing, you keep thinking: "Man, he has to work so hard, he"ll never have the time to search for the flag." Eventually he does!
Maybe sometimes he has to get "into the show" first [/quote]

Honestly, unless it's RIGHT in front of him, I really don't know how Stewart has ever managed to find the thing before the encores. The dude is BUSY. The fact that he DID, show after show, says A LOT. <Thank you, Stewart>

Oh, and TDude, you ain't finished yet. Get cookin', Cookie--er, I mean, Wookie.

[Tamadude]

PT. 20

So then I'm thinking that it'd be nice if we can just get that first point out of the way, so that I could just chill and enjoy the show. I was holding the Flag by the corners for the whole of Message, trying to avoid wearing out the feeble grommets (sorry Moe). It looked better than I thought though, considering the voyage it had just completed, but holding it like that for the whole show was something I didn't want to do. There is a zero tolerance Flag rule on liquids of any kind. And wookies have been known to perspire a bit so I devised a little system to keep it dry, whereby I basically just folded it twice and draped it over my shoulder between raisings. That way I could still flail my arms and applaud, whilst still being able to display it quickly.

Towards the end of Message, I see him take a little peek under the cymbals, scanning the crowd, so I held it up. A few bars later he does another scan but this time he takes a second glance-back, and locks in. He's seen it! I look over at smiling Dietmar and he nods and says, "He sees you now". But still no point yet.

The end crescendo of Message comes and the light hits the audience, and right after he hits the end crash note he sips from his beverage bottle and does his first point of the night. It's like he threw the spotlight on me for a brief second, and everyone around me now REALLY wants to know what the fuck the deal is with the wookie and the green cloth. What a rush.

The next part I must tell about was the first, and pretty much the only negative thing that happened all night. While I was holding the Flag, this woman in the row in front of me kept eyeing it down, with a concerning interest. I had no idea why until suddenly I see this hand reaching in to grab the Flag! I instinctively turned away, and when she reached in again I said to her, "Hey! Mitts of my Flag, bitch!!". Hahaha! No, I didn't really say that, but I sternly said to her, "Sorry, but I've waited over a year for this. You're going to have to take a number", and she says, "But I want to hold it. Let me see it." She wasn't too nice and didn't say please, so I just shook my head and she left me alone after that. She was visibly pissed at me, and I probably came off like a dickhead, but I didn't care for very long. I didn't know her at all, and I had memorized the Flag's first rule: Survival. I probably could have let her hold it and had nothing happen, but we were only a few feet from ocean water, the wind was picking up, and I really didn't feel like joining all those jellyfish for a swim.

TBC.........