DrunkenDumbshow.com

Orientation

It’s fair to say I listen to a lot of live albums. I’m always amused at that point in concerts (and live albums) when bands say the name of the city they are in — as if it’s some great revelation –– and am equally amused by how much the audience eats it up. (“Did you hear that? Roger Daltrey just said ‘Portland’! Yeah! That’s where I’m from! Weeeee-haw! Yeah! Daltrey rules!”)

This trick of locale is seemingly ageless, and I’m sure has been utilized by the finest acts since performance began. (“He just said ‘Carthage’! Sweet! We ransacked there just last week!”)

So, today I went for a light jog and was listening to George Harrison’s Live in Japan when I realized (in my naivé way) that at the end of the album when George says, “Thank you! Domo Arigato!” he was being as complacent as any rock star that comes to a venue near you. By adding a short phrase in the native tongue (or just speaking coherently to the audience — something you’d be surprised works wonders for Bob Dylan), Harrison sends the audience into a frenzy. Of course, since he is George Harrison and it is Japan, I’m sure the audience was already in a frenzy, but this put them over the top.

All this to say I’m embarrassed I didn’t notice this before. I hold George Harrison to such high standards that I never thought he knew how to be a showman as well. (Unlike Paul McCartney who’s every move in concert seemed choreographed to make the audience love him AND somehow made the audience — including me — love him in spite of this; he’s just that adorable.)

This isn’t to take away from the double Live In Japan album, which if you don’t own it, go get it. Harrison’s last tour, his supporting band included Eric Clapton and Billy Preston making for some incredible renditions of Beatles and solo Harrison classics.

Bad dog

On my way home, I realized another interesting fact: The last thing you always hear before that dog bites you is “Oh, she’s harmless” and then they take a chomp out of your arm. At least Izzie* didn’t break the skin.

* If that is her name, she certainly didn’t want to answer to that when her owner kept screaming, “Izzie, come back here and leave him alone!”