Stray Cats Setzer BDay Bash reviews, pics, vids!

...

Maybe I'll give this another try (and not screw things up).

I can't tell you what a thrill it was to meet some of the great folks from this forum! Bear's comment about "not knowing what my friends look like" cracked me up! But thanks to BK we had a place to meet our "friends" and after introductions it was like hanging around people we'd known for ages, like a reunion of sorts.

I have to say, I learned firsthand from BethAnn the importance of carrying around homemade cookies wherever you go! Unfortunately no one had packed any! But they definitely would've been useful.

I stood in line for about an hour outside the Fine Line. But watching the limos & taxi's pull up to the front door made the time fly by! You never knew who was going to show up next. It just made the anticipation, and excitment abound!

I couldn't imagine a better way to start off the show than with Rumble in Brighton! The energy from the Cats & the crowd was just at an amazing high.

My personal favorites from the show were Sleepwalk and Sweet Gene Vincent. From the first time someone posted a YouTube video of Sleepwalk I've been just dying to see Brian perform that song. And his performance didn't disappoint at all! Amazing, for me, is the absolute least I could say!!

My second favorite was Sweet Gene Vincent. Another song I'd seen in the line-ups before but experiencing it live....was heaven!

Maybe because it was the last song of the evening, or because I didn't want the night to end, 18 Miles to Memphis rounds off my top 4 from the night.

I had seen both Lee Rocker & Brian perform at other times over the past couple of years, but I'd never seen the Cats together (live) or Slim Jim Phantom in a live performance. What a commanding stage presence he has! My spot on the floor was pretty much in front of SJP. Wow. The energy, and ease with which he played just took my breath away. As if I'm telling anyone here something you don't know. But I just can't help but be amazed!

No video clip, DVD, or CD comes close to describing the experience of being at a show live!

My plans to attend the concert were up in the air until almost the last minute, when everything just seemed to fall into place. I can't thank my own lucky stars enough!

If this was truly one of the last Stray Cats shows I feel truly blessed to have been there! But having been there? These three guys just looked like they were having way too much fun to "never say never" again.

I'm glad everyone made it home safely. Next HDVDL gathering, at least Bear & I will know what our friends look like!!!

enjay07 wrote:

No video clip, DVD, or CD comes close to describing the experience of being at a show live!

QFT!! I know exactly what you mean enjay.

Some photos have been posted to flickr (they look way oversaturated to me) - and towards the end there's quite a blown-out photo of Bear's head!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37322098@N07/sets/72157616602042893/

A very big Scottish thank you, to all you cats n kittens,for sharing your thoughts on Brian's birthday bash.
Its just a pity the tickets sold out so fast! I did try

Again Rick has given us a first class reveiw of accounts.
From what icould make out,the crowd seemed relaxed,and were not pushing and shoving each other.

Lets just hope, they keep it alive,and tour some more.

By the way, how is Tommy? sent him e-mail, hope he is good?

Wee Mark.

Jepp, A BIG thanks to Rick and others, What a night it most have been.

wee mark wrote:

By the way, how is Tommy? sent him e-mail, hope he is good?

Wee Mark.

Did he go to the show?

wee mark wrote:

A very big Scottish thank you, to all you cats n kittens,for sharing your thoughts on Brian's birthday bash.
Its just a pity the tickets sold out so fast! I did try

Again Rick has given us a first class reveiw of accounts.
From what icould make out,the crowd seemed relaxed,and were not pushing and shoving each other.

Lets just hope, they keep it alive,and tour some more.

By the way, how is Tommy? sent him e-mail, hope he is good?

Wee Mark.

you rascal! I love how you threw that question in we're all thinkin about.. you get that rickabilly in chokehold and make him cough it
up, he and the setzer are buds (sorry rick..virtual wrestling only ha)

David, you kidding me??? XD

TV, I see you've photoshopped that famous picture of Brian and Bette Midler again:



Me and the Setzer are buds? Hardly. I had a ball Friday night, and I will always admire Brian's talents. I would be a complete fool not to realize how much richer my life is for all the friendships I've made, the remarkable kindnesses so many of you have extended me over the years, the musical discoveries I've made following Brian's influences and other fan recommendations, and the concert memories, all because I found this board about 8 years ago, and all because of my enjoyment of the music of Brian Setzer. For that, Brian has my undying gratitude.

So I am a Brian Setzer fan. Buddies? Nah. Each time we've met it has been a genuine thrill for me, but I've seen how he has treated some of his "buddies" over the years. I'm fine with the fan-artist relationship.

One thing's for certain. Tommy Maguire is missed.

got tommy? billy

Rickabilly,
I'd rather say that Tommy is missing instead of missed... at least not all see things the same way

I definitely wasn't speaking on your behalf, Jon. But I encountered at least 20 people Friday who mentioned Tommy by name, and all of them with great fondness.

What I witnessed Friday night onstage was three brothers who had put their substantial differences aside several years ago, and if the onstage chemistry is any indication, they are now as close as ever. I hold out hope someday that two more old friends will find a way to make a similar reconciliation.

Kumbaya-a-billy

I kinda miss Tommy too. He was always real good at answering email and making you feel like you were part of an inner circle of fans. I think his work with the website and his fanbase outreach were unmatched. Just my opinion.

The other Rick

Twenty Flight Rick wrote:

I kinda miss Tommy too. He was always real good at answering email and making you feel like you were part of an inner circle of fans. I think his work with the website and his fanbase outreach were unmatched. Just my opinion.

The other Rick

that aint no opinion thats "church"!! preach it..

- E. Bonic

It's in that kind of moment (an "historic" moment for all of us) that I realize the best how much I/we miss Tommy...
Sincerely
Hub'

Can't praise enough Tommy's & Mandi's work.

How about MySpace? Isn't Tommy still on there?

Hey Kids -- I just got home a few hours ago. Friday night was SO much fun! I woke up Saturday morning with the biggest grin on my face. I love getting a Stray Cat fix and that one was thorough! I'm still not too sure how I ended up in the front row, but I'm very grateful about five or six things just fell my way and there I was. Unworthy and not willing to move! I must thank my assistant, Mr. Rickabilly, for all the things he did to make it happen, from buying the presale ticket to doing my souvenir shopping so I wasn't delayed getting up close. He's a good boy.

As for (the) Stray Cats, those guys don't know how to act their age. They were wild up there! Yes, at one point I put up my arms when Slim Jim leaned way back. He wasn't going to get hurt on my shift! No way. I think it was Rick after the show amazed at how much they were abusing their instruments. Nothing was held back. Nothing at all. It was great.

Hanging out with the fellow fans went too fast. It was funny when I realized I was at the Rusty's show in CA with Weaser, the MN show in 2007 with BK and when Rod and I were talking, we realized we were standing side by side at the Kansas City show two summers ago. Not only are the Stray Cats my band, they also plan my travels across America.

I have to say, the funniest coincidence, though, was standing next to a guy named Kirk at Friday night's show. I was thinking "Now that's an uncommon name. The only other Kirk I've ever heard of is Kirk Cameron." Well, last night at O'Hare when I was going through security, the guy in front of me unzipped his suitcase, autographed a book and handed it to the security guard doing the x-rays and he goes "thanks alot, Kirk." It was freakin' Kirk Cameron!!!! What were the odds of that?!

Ahhh. Life is good and now we get back to the ol' routine.

Still smiling,
BA

Wait, one last thing -- Bud Harrelson's birthday is coming up on June 6. I think someone should send him Brian's How To Play Better Guitar DVD!

The_Temp wrote:

How about MySpace? Isn't Tommy still on there?

I tell you frankly that I would want a little more to give signs of life.
it must not be missed that much!
if he wanted to give us the news. we give it. this is not the case!

Truth is, if Tommy had been on board, bs.com would be filled with pictures, videos and other cool stuff of the show. There would have been a pre-show and a post-show "production" on the board, and we all would be real happy and feeling we had been there, although we were thousands of miles away.


It´s not mandatory to have a day-by-day updated website, but is sad to have had one of the best "rock stars" websites on the whole wwww, and now having a lame/useless one.

bs.com S-U-C-K-S big time.

All right! I derailed this thread, so it's about time I steered it back on course. I didn't mean for my mention of Tommy to overshadow the phenomenal show, or its guest of honor, Brian Setzer. I don't imagine Brian or Tommy would appreciate that.

I just saw a great show, with Brian, Lee, and Jim having more fun on stage than I think I've seen in ages. (Going strictly off videos, bootlegs, etc, as I've only seen one other SC show in person.) I feel so fortunate to have been there.

To be fair, the folks who manage Brian's website did send out emails to give those who had registered first crack at tickets via a pre-sale. Yes, the tickets went fast, and certainly, they could have sold out a venue twice its size. But this was one of those events, like the Rusty's show and the Lee's Liquor Lounge show, where the exclusivity made it even more special for the people who were there.

Remember 20, 15, even 10 years ago, where the only show you were concerned about was the one you attended? Technology has spoiled us rotten. I know the coverage was more thorough when Tommy was involved. But I hope the folks in attendance who have shared their photos, videos, and stories have helped to bring you all closer to the action. Those Aussie fans set a pretty high standard, and I hope future shows are equally well-covered by this community of fans.

Show and Tell-a-billy

...

How about Captain Kirk........!!!!!!! ha ha ha
did you know he had three ears ! no well
he had a left ear , a right ear and wait for it drumroll please
ha ha he had a final frontier ha ha ha

Just wanted to say I had an incredible time at the show, it was also very fun meeting all the people that showed up at the Hard Rock. Definately too short of a time, we need to do this again soon. I will be at the Doheny Blues Festival, fortunately that is just a drive down south about 45minutes. Did get a hotel of course because I am staying for both days. If any of you can come to that, it is a great, great venue literary on the beach. You will see the big Southern California Setzer crowd, and Lee Rocker is not touring that month, maybe a guest appearance of the Stray Cats? Great photos Jonnykool. Hope all had a great Easter. I get my photos to you soon.

Weaser(Tim) from Huntington Beach, Ca

weaser wrote:

Just wanted to say I had an incredible time at the show, it was also very fun meeting all the people that showed up at the Hard Rock. Definately too short of a time, we need to do this again soon. I will be at the Doheny Blues Festival, fortunately that is just a drive down south about 45minutes. Did get a hotel of course because I am staying for both days. If any of you can come to that, it is a great, great venue literary on the beach. You will see the big Southern California Setzer crowd, and Lee Rocker is not touring that month, maybe a guest appearance of the Stray Cats? Great photos Jonnykool. Hope all had a great Easter. I get my photos to you soon.

Weaser(Tim) from Huntington Beach, Ca

Hey Tim, I'll be there!