You Always Take The Weather With You

August 30, 2007 at 6:30 am | In float my boat, fun & frolicking, hip to be square, sentimentality | 28 Comments

When Tomato and I were in high school and were a couple, we bought tickets to see Crowded House. We could hardly contain our excitement at seeing one of our favorite bands. I think it may even have got us to temporarily quit bickering over such things as who controls the radio when we are in the car (that would be ME since I was the only one with a license), extra tomatoes on our pizza, and his inability to actually dance WITH me whenever we’d attend a school dance (think of Tomato taking center stage of the dance floor doing the entire Vogue video move by move while the crowd goes wild).

The night of the show, I was driving my Mom’s minivan (Hawt, I know. Shuddup.) along the freeway when there suddenly was a large…something…in the road. I tried to swerve to avoid it but there were cars on either side. I ended up going over it. We kept driving, a bit out of breath and full of adrenaline, when we noticed people on either side of us pointing dramatically at our car and waving us down. This could not be good. We were cute but not so cute as to warrant random people to wave us down hoping to get in our pants.

I pulled over into a hotel lot to discover that we had a massive gas leak. Dangerous! I flew into a panic because a) this was NOT my car, b) we were in Oakland far from our home in San Jose, c) I would have to tell my Mom, d) we were going to miss the concert and e) I would have to TELL my Mom. Aack! We were going to miss seeing our beloved Crowded House! I was devastated and a bit of a drama queen. Truth be told, so was Tomato. Two drama queens in a stressful situation does not a pleasant experience make.

My Mom and sis borrowed a friend’s car to pick us up. I moped and cried the whole time. Sheesh, even thinking back on it I wonder how in the world anyone put up with me. (Don’t answer that Mom, Doke, Tomato. I’ve evolved. Let’s let that piece of the past stay in the past.) The next day my Mom and I had to go back and get her car towed. It was, needless to say, an expensive concert experience for never getting to actually see the concert.

Come this Saturday at 12:45pm PST I will be making up for lost time. My beloved Crowded House is playing Bumbershoot and me and my five concertriffic pals will be basking in the sunshine (cooperate Seattle weather!) singing along to such tunes as “Four Seasons In One Day” and “Fall At Your Feet” and “Better Be Home Soon” and “Sister Madly.” I am beyond tickled. I’m dancing around in sweet anticipation!

“There is freedom within, there is freedom without/Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup/There’s a battle ahead, many battles are lost/But you’ll never see the end of the road/While you’re traveling with me/Hey now, hey now/Don’t dream it’s over/Hey now, hey now/When the world comes in/They come, they come/To build a wall between us/We know they won’t win. . . ” -Don’t Dream It’s Over, Crowded House

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Bumbershoot!! I haven’t heard that word since I Seattle 10 years ago!

I hope the concert works out better for you this time…

Comment by LVGurl — August 30, 2007 #
Okay, it would help if I read through my comment before posting.

…since I LEFT Seattle 10 years ago…

Comment by LVGurl — August 30, 2007 #
Keeping fingers crossed things go a bit better this time around… (YOU a drama queen? Mwhaa haa haa)

Comment by sue — August 30, 2007 #
Haha… I used to drive my moms minivan all of the time. Mostly to save my own gas though!

Comment by Scotty — August 30, 2007 #
Oh my gosh, have some fun for me, too!

Comment by justrun — August 30, 2007 #
Better late than never, eh Sizz? I’m just so happy you finally get to see them and keeping fingers crossed for excellent weather!
:)

Comment by circe — August 30, 2007 #
“think of Tomato taking center stage of the dance floor doing the entire Vogue video move by move while the crowd goes wild”

I totally laughed when I read that. Largely because my gay ex-boyfriend and I had a dance to Mamma Mia. Who knew, eh?!

Comment by sandra — August 30, 2007 #
My date to the junior prom was AMAZING at re-enacting Vogue, both at dances and parties…And I was the chubby girl trying to keep up…Or taking pictures or his dancing and posing.

Enjoy the concert.

Comment by AppleTree — August 30, 2007 #
am so jealous – the Vancouver show is sold out :(

Comment by Kathryn — August 30, 2007 #
Am truly loving the nostalgia-packed concert series of recent years. Erasure, The Cure, Morrissey, etc. etc. Way to cash in on the fact we all have much more money to spend now vs. when we were sixteen! ;)

Comment by diane — August 30, 2007 #
I hope you have a fantabulous time at the concert! Had it been my teenage self I would have moped and cried too. It’s understandable.

Comment by Ruby — August 30, 2007 #
I didn’t know you had a failed Crowded House experience!!! That makes me so sad! :)

But you will have a blast, we did!!!!

Danielle, who has always liked them but never LURVED them, said it was the best concert she has ever seen.

Comment by aimee/greeblemonkey — August 30, 2007 #
Don’t take a minivan this time, just in case. Have a blast!

Comment by Jen — August 30, 2007 #
Everywhere I go?

Neil Finn has excellent solo stuff too, in case you haven’t checked it out.

Comment by Whit — August 30, 2007 #
Oooh. My favourite CH song is When You Come.

(Get that dirty thought out of your mind!)

Comment by Eileen Dover — August 30, 2007 #
So much fun!!

Comment by Bre — August 30, 2007 #
I hate to bring this up, but I’m thinking the night was worse for whatever you ran over in the road.

Hey now hey now! Enjoy the kiwis!

Comment by scarlet hip — August 30, 2007 #
I love Crowded House!!! Love them.
Have a blast at the concert Sizzle and Bumbershoot…very funny word.

Comment by snowflake37 — August 30, 2007 #
That blows. (or is it blew?) Either way have a good time!!

Comment by g-man — August 30, 2007 #
i’m jealous. not so much about crowded house but about the fact that you have five concert buddies! why did i end up with friends who could care less about live music? it’s one of my passions. ahh well …

Comment by Brrrr — August 30, 2007 #
I think you should have made a Crowded House or Bust sign and sang “Don’t Dream It’s Over” loudly on the side of the road. By the way, I used to think it said “The dream is over.”

And I used to think “Our Lips Are Sealed” by that girl band was “Honest I See Ya.”

Who knew!

Comment by Bone — August 30, 2007 #
Two drama queens in a stressful situation does not a pleasant experience make.

ROFL

Very true :)

Enjoy your concert! I’d say it’s about time!

Comment by TC — August 30, 2007 #
crowded house reminds me of the summer after i graduated high school. my best friend and i would drive around all night listening and singing to them.

anytime i hear them, the music takes me back to a time when i was young, thin and felt life couldn’t get better than this.

have fun and be sure to light a lighter when “don’t dream it’s over” comes on. for me!

Comment by gorillabuns — August 30, 2007 #
Ahhh… that’s great! I was so bummed that I never got to see The Pixies play live before they broke up- so when they reunited a couple of years ago it was a dream come true. Have a great time! Sometimes I think it’s better on the second try…

Comment by 180/360 — August 30, 2007 #
Hehehe don’t worry I think I’ve sobbed over missing a gig as well ;)

I hope you have a great time! Give a full review, okay?

Comment by Ys — August 31, 2007 #
I saw the flyer for Bumbershoot at my local Bux. Sounds like much fun will be had by all!! Enjoy! :)

Comment by Lisa — August 31, 2007 #
Yay! Sounds like a fabulous weekend!

Comment by alissa — August 31, 2007 #
I am FREAKING the fuck out. I drove over that bridge LAST NIGHT to pick Andrew up and almost called you as I did. I am not even kidding you. Why did you choose the EXACT day to recite that story??????????? SERIOUSLY FREAKING OUT!

Comment by Bob — September 1, 2007 #