Welcome to Fin-land

Before you assume that I have taken an international trip, I am referring to the name of Jimmy Buffett’s latest jaunt around the country.  Bubba’s tour descended upon Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday May 28, 2011. 

When tickets went on sale around my birthday in March, I decided to buy two and either go or sell them.  I missed Bubba’s last stop in Nashville (2010) which was on the weekend of “the flood”.  As time approached, I realized that I needed to figure out 1) whether to go and 2) if so, who?  Realizing that Buffett would be eligible for Medicare this Christmas (that’s 65 for the uninformed), I answered question #1 pretty quickly on the thought that chances are dwindling for opportunities to see him.  True, I am into double-digits for the number of shows, I was still ready for more.  Next was the question of who to take.  Momma Squire – “Hell no, I won’t go.  Last time there was this long-haired grunge guy behind me swinging his head and his hair kept hitting me.”  Even after assuring her that we would move if we saw him, she wouldn’t go.  Since Stevie Nicks had plans, I asked the 15 year old.  He said “sure” with all the enthusiasm a 15 yr old can muster when going to see a 64 year beach bum!

As we topped the hill at Broadway and 8^th and looked toward the river, we noticed that Broadway had been blocked for a block party thrown by Margariaville Restaurant.  There was also an abundance of colorfully dressed folks and some scantily clad.  It was very obvious that Buffett was in town!  Our seats were in the club level on stage left.  From our vantage point, we could see the side stage area where the artists came out from backstage and entered the stage.  Pretty cool seats.

Here are some random thoughts and observations from that night:

·         While the Bridgestone Arena is nice, you lose something by watching Buffett indoors.  I remember many nights at Starwood under the stars.  Something to be said about that.

·         Mac McAnally – what an artist.  Whether as a prolific songwriter, CMA musician of the year, singer, or Coral Reefer Band member, he is one of a kind.  Years ago, Buffett would bring him out in Nashville for a couple of songs, but now he is a full-time member of the Coral Reefers.  He used to be somewhat in the background on the stage, but today, he is out front on equal footing with Jimmy.

·         With a song catalog as large as Buffett’s, it is always great to see what he picks to play.  While he always does the ones he is supposed to do, he always throws some deep cuts in to keep it interesting.

·         It appeared that he rediscovered the A1A album this tour.  He pulled five songs, including about three deep cuts, from this album.

·         The uh-oh moment – I realized right as a particular song started that I had not told Will about Let’s Get Drunk & Screw.  As the chorus started, he just turned and looked at me.  What could I say?

·         Buffett started a tradition a couple of years ago where he would close each show acoustically solo.  Just Jimmy and a guitar.  The song is always one of those deep cuts that I referenced above.  There is even a double CD full of these – it is called Encores.  This is very reminiscent of the W.O. Smith show I wrote about before (http://squireponderings.blogspot.com/2010/02/concert-memory.html).

·         The “only in Nashville” moment – one of the things that I love about Nashville concerts is you never know who will trot out on stage.  First, the vast majority of the Coral Reefer band was from Nashville.  Secondly, right before the start of Come Monday, I spotted someone on the side-stage area with a guitar in their hand looking like they were getting ready to come on stage.  I thought it was a replacement for Jimmy’s guitar, but I was wrong.  Next, Jimmy simply says “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Kenny Chesney.”  Of course, the place goes nuts and then he sings Come Monday with Jimmy and comes back out later for another song.  I leaned over and told Will that you couldn’t get that anywhere else, but Nashville.

Here is the set-list for what was a great night:

·         The Wino & I know

·         Brown Eyed Girl

·         Off to See Lizard – including new verse about his dive off the stage in Australia

·         Havana Daydreaming

·         5:00 o Clock Somewhere

·         Changes in Latitudes

·         Life is Just A Tire Swing

·         Come Monday (with Kenny Chesney)

·         Let’s Get Drunk and Screw

·         Son of a Son of A Sailor

·         Back Where I Come From (Mac and Chesney)

·         Cheeseburger in Paradise

·         One Particular Harbor

Jimmy says he has to change batteries and let Nadira Shakoor (long time backup singer) take over.  She sings Use Me Up

·         Tryin’ to Reason with the Hurricane Season

·         Presents to Send You

·         Woman Going Crazy on Caroline Street

·         Bama Breeze

·         Volcano

·         Margaritaville

·         A Pirate Looks at 40 (just Jimmy & Mac)

·         Southern Cross

·         School Boy Heart

·         Fins

First Encore (band intro)

·         Great Fillin Station Holdup

·         Midnight Rider

Second Encore

·         Stories We Could Tell (solo acoustic)

Guess Will summed it up best when we were leaving “He knows how to party, especially for an old guy.”  ‘Nuff said.

Zach, a Parrothead and a Tennessee Squire

A Concert Memory

It's amazing how a concert can stick with you. I saw a picture in the local paper the other day of Rascal Flatts performing at the W.O. Smith benefit concert here in Nashville. The W.O. Smith School provides music education and instruments to those students who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Seeing that picture took me back in time to a previous W.O. Smith benefit and what was one of my favorite concert events.

It was about 20 years ago when I saw the announcement that there would be a benefit concert for the School featuring Jimmy Buffett at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC). Having been a Parrothead for a few years, I jumped at the chance to go see Mr. Buffett. It was in winter and cold outside, so the chance to experience an indoor beach party was something I couldn't pass up. Having been to a couple of his shows at an amphitheatre, I was anticipating tiki torches, sand trucked in, half-nekkid island girls, etc. Boy was I wrong.

The show had sold out in about 15 minutes, so I was very lucky to get my tickets in the top section (glad I had binoculars). Where were the torches & the scantily-clad dancers? Oh, they must be hidden behind the curtain and there aren't any torches due to fire codes….. Wrongo. What happened next literally blew me away.

I look down and see what appears to be a stage hand walking out in jeans, shirt, and no shoes. The roar of the crowd below told me that it wasn't a stage hand, but the man himself. He literally plopped himself down, dangled his feet off the edge of the stage and started singing "It's My Job". That song is probably my second favorite JB song and it is written by Mac McAnally. The curtain then opened and there was Mac McAnally and Josh Leo. That's it. Nobody else. Mac is an accomplished songwriter who has literally had a song on almost every JB album and written scores of hits for Alabama and Sawyer Brown. He now plays in the Coral Reefer Band (JB's backing band) and back then would always come out and play with Jimmy when he was in Nashville. Josh Leo was a very early member of the Coral Reefer Band (original maybe?) and at the time of the show was a Music Row executive and has produced a bunch of albums. What followed that show was basically Jimmy Buffett unplugged and he dug deep into the past with gems like "Coast is Clear", "Frank & Lola", etc. It was a chance to hear the music in a way that I would never get to again. This was before my habit of writing down set lists, so I don't have one, but I can tell you that it was a great night. Clint Black (country singer) even came out and joined Jimmy on stage. This was also during the time that Jimmy was living in Nashville (second stint).

I guess this goes to show that sometimes you may be expecting one thing and the unexpected is better than the expected. Thanks for a wonderful night Jimmy, Mac, & Josh.

Zach, A Tennessee Squire (and Parrothead)