Sunday, April 20, 2008

Cinco De Bryan

Bryan Adams has a very special place in my heart.

For my 13th birthday, I got a large, black stereo with a built-in CD player and a record player on top. “Waking Up the Neighbours” was my first CD.

Of course, I didn’t know anything about the “Summer of ‘69” back then. Nor had I heard about “Heaven.”

But from “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started” to “Everything I Do, I Do It For You,” Bryan Adams was with me every afternoon after school until Christmas Eve, when I finally got my second CD.

I learned to like “Vanishing” and “House Arrest,” some of the lesser pieces on the disc. I studied the lyrics and asked my aunts questions about the meaning of complicated English words. Then I asked my friends why a girl would steal Bryan Adams’ razors, like he sings about in “Hey Honey, I’m Packin’ You In.”

One of my school projects about Canada included a paragraph or two about this famous Canadian and his young Danish model girlfriend. Was I jealous? Certainly!

I used to spend hours in my room just listening to music and dreaming about being someplace else with someone “hot” and interesting. Of course, this was around the same time I had a huge crush on my homeroom teacher, but that’s a whole other story…

In a couple of weeks, Bryan Adams is going to play at Toad’s Place in New Haven, a small but well-known music venue not too far from where I live. Mostly, larger local bands play there. The place was big in the 70s, I think, and The Doors may have played there during the highlight of their careers (they do reference the streets of New Haven in one of their songs).

At first, I wasn’t sure if the radio announcer said “Bryan” or “Ryan.” Ryan Adams is an alternative country rock singer from North Carolina that I have no interest in seeing (or hearing) perform.

When I got home, I quickly Googled Toad’s Place. The event is called Cinco De Bryan, a play on Cinco de Mayo – May 5. And tickets can only be obtained by winning a radio station-sponsored contest…

According to the official Bryan Adams Web site, he is kicking off a U.S. tour to promote his new CD. "These will be exclusive performances in very intimate and unique venues including small theatres, clubs and even a church," the Web site says.

I won’t go into details, but it seems like I’ll be going to the "intimate" show at Toad's Place. I’ll be writing about it for the paper, but I’ll definitely be enjoying it, too.
The only problem? It's the same night as the season finale of "The Bachelor."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

For history purposes, whe The Doors sing about "Streets of New Haven" it's a reference to a concert at the New Haven Coliseum where a riot broke out after a city cop maced Jim Morrison while he was in the bathroom hooking up with a groupie before the show...

Anyway, U2, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Billy Joel have all played Toads over the years. I have seen many shows there but no one famous. There is actually a story on my Web site about the trip: http://www.bigdaddygoudaonline.com/big_daddy_gouda/2006/03/pizza_party_wit.html

I'm interested as to why a reporter from Torrington would be writing about Adam's at Toads. Hmm. I'm going to ask Mary if I can write about Billy Joes when he comes to Mohegan Sun next month.

Vickan said...

Walt, who the heck is Roger Ebert? And I know you're just jealous... Perhaps you would like to come as my photographer?

Anonymous said...

Who is Roger Ebert!!

Google him!

Vickan said...

I see. He is a movie critic, and you feel like you are the new Roger Ebert because of your newfound fame as a movie critic in the weekend section of our paper. I get it now. That one was a little tougher to figure out than Jim Brass.